Adelaide Food Central was invited to sample the new menu at The Mile End Hotel. All food and drink were provided free of charge.

The Mile End Hotel is located on the outskirts of the city and is about as old as Adelaide itself. My previous visit to this place was just over 6 months ago and I recall eating an average cheeseburger. Since then, the offerings have been revamped with more gourmet dishes. The menu that was sent prior to the event already had me eager in anticipation.

First up was the Trilogy of Smalls which consisted of Spanish Chorizo, Goats Cheese Croquettes, Soffrito Arancini, and a Lemon Hommus with Ciabatta.

Spanish Chorizo – Sourced from Marino Meats, the chorizo was firm and cured. It was fatty and greasy, and that sensation of your arteries clogging up meant it was good chorizo.

Goat Cheese Croquettes – The croquettes were fried to a light golden brown, and the filling was soft, delicate and well flavoured. The pear chutney added a touch of natural sweetness and made the croquettes more interesting.

Soffrito Arancini – Encased in the golden crumbly exterior was a soft, moist, creamy, well flavoured filling. The Arancini packed a little bit of heat which was a pleasant surprise.

Lemon Hommus – The hommus was smooth, creamy and subtly tart.

The Warm Adelaide Hills Olives was something different. I’m use to olives being cold and straight out of a jar, but the warm variety were just as good. The olives were fruity, acidic and not too salty.

The Roast Beetroot, Pear and Haloumi Slider had an interesting combination of ingredients. The natural sweetness of the beetroot and pear was well balanced by the saltiness of the haloumi.

The Warm Chicken, Pancetta and Pear Salad was delicious and refreshing. There were all sorts of flavours and textures at work in this dish. The pancetta was crisp and it’s saltiness was complimented by the soft delicate goats cheese. The pear had a natural sweetness and went well with the sherry honey vinaigrette dressing. The contrasting flavours worked well and the end result was an amazing salad.

One of my favourite dishes is Crab Linguini and this one was very good. I could taste the natural sweetness of the blue swimmer crab meat and there wasn’t a shell to be seen. The crab meat was cooked in a creamy tomato sauce and served with al dente linguine. While a bit of pepper or chilli wouldn’t have gone astray, I still thought it was delicious.

The Red Paroo Kangaroo Tenderloin was tender, succulent and perfectly cooked. It was well marinated and you could taste the lovely char grilled flavours. The natural sweetness of the pumpkin and carrot was well balanced by the spicy flavour of the pepperberries.

The Chocolate Urge is a warm flourless chocolate torte sitting on a bed of fudge sauce. The torte was soft and spongy, and the fudge sauce, rich and decadent. The whipped cream was light and fluffy, while the chocolate pop rock created an explosion of chocolatey goodness in your mouth. A well presented and fantastic dessert to end the night.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from the new menu at The Mile End Hotel, but I ended up leaving thoroughly impressed. What I experienced was a selection of well thought out dishes made from locally sourced produce. The presentation of some of the dishes was immaculate and equivalent to what you’d see at a fine dining restaurant. Not only did they look good, more importantly, they tasted good too.

This place gets a thumbs up from me.

WHERE: 30 Henley Beach Rd, Mile End