Nestled amongst flourishing foliage and blossoming blooms sits Adelaide’s Botanic Garden Restaurant. As a part of the Festival of Food, the establishment has created a lunch special comprising of an entrée, main and dessert at $55 per person. Combining fine dining with stunning surrounds and quality service, this experience offers a taste of the best Adelaide has to offer.

Entrée

Salanova Lettuce, Pear, Pecorino, Walnut
A combination of rich, creamy pecorino, subtly sweet pear and walnuts encased by fresh salanova lettuce; this bite-sized delicacy was delicious. The contrast of flavour in each element provided a perfectly complementary dish.

Cucumber, ‘gribiche’, Lovage Powder
Mini cucumbers topped with house-made gribiche and a lovage powder harvested from the surrounding gardens, these morsels were both texturally and flavourfully unique. The creamy gribiche harmonised well with the earthiness of the lovage powder, making for a delicious flavour combination.

Lamb Leg Tartare, Pickled Shitake Mushroom, Beef Tendon
This succulent, well-seasoned lamb tartare accompanied by pickled shitake mushroom on a vessel of dehydrated beef tendon was simply to die for. A beautiful marriage of flavours, this entrée was just as tasty as it was visually appealing.

Prawn Toast, Nduja, Lemon Confit, Nigella
This sweet and salty union of lemon confit and pork nduja was out of this world. Spread over delightfully soft prawn toast and sprinkled with nigella for an added zing, this made for another thoroughly enjoyable entrée.

Mains

Pan Fried Robarra, Sweet and Sour Carrot, Vongole, Karkalla, Toasted Coconut
Beautiful, melt-in-your-mouth Robarra, paired with a velvety carrot puree and tender vongole was a match made in heaven. Juicy karkalla, gathered from the surrounding estate, and toasted coconut added a depth of flavour which really took the dish to the next level.

Paroo Kangaroo Fillet, Ox Tail Tortellino, Red Cabbage, Smoked Potato, Centella Leaves
The perfect nod to its Australian heritage, this medium rare kangaroo fillet was paired with a beautifully soft ox tail tortellino. Accompanied by the sharpness of red cabbage, a silky potato puree and centella leaves, this dish was the pinnacle of complex simplicity.

Dessert

Fig Leaf Ice Cream, Burnt Meringue, Fig Oil, Toasted Frangipane
Lightly burnt meringue paired with a creamy, fig leaf infused ice cream made for a light yet satiating experience. Accentuated by the subtle flavours of fig oil and toasted almond frangipane, this delicate dessert was simply stunning.

Offering a selection of exquisite dishes in an equally beautiful setting, the Botanic Gardens Restaurant is the perfect location for any occasion. If you are looking for a fine-dining experience at an affordable price, their Festival of Food menu is a must try!

Words by Taylor Siemelink

WHERE: Plane Tree Drive, Adelaide Botanic Gardens