Located on Currie Street, Chambord is the latest hotspot to hit Adelaide with it’s perfect collaboration of cafe, restaurant, and bar. Chambord is named after the French commune Chambord, which is well-known for housing the Châteaux de Chambord – a castle built by Francis I of France, and was originally designed by Italian architect Domenico da Cortona; Leonardo da Vinci may also have been involved in the design.

After visiting the Châteaux de Chambord, Chambord’s owner, Luke Papandrea was inspired to develop a European restaurant with strong French influences. He felt that the Châteaux de Chambord represented the coming together of all of Europe, and wanted to recreate this collaboration through the food that is served in his restaurant.

Through the interior design, Chambord manages to be both classic and modern, elegant and casual, and fancy and friendly all at the same time. With big open windows, you’re invited into the modern dining space of Chambord where you can enjoy casual dining spanning from breakfast through to dinner. There are also red plush sofas which are perfect for relaxing in while enjoying a coffee or waiting for your to-go meal. Past this dining space is a large bar with black paint and dark wood, which gives it a rich, elegant atmosphere. Lining the walls behind the bar is a gorgeous selection of wines and a chalkboard of special cocktails. This space is transformed at nighttime to become a bar where guests can enjoy live music and delicious cocktails. Further back in the restaurant is the elegant, fine-dining section. Here is where you feel he heart of Europe with the beautiful crystal wine glasses, gorgeous dark dining tables, and an open fireplace.

All dishes on the menu are designed and prepared by head chef, Jamie Bennie using skills he has developed from working with Glasgow’s best restaurants and chefs. Everything on the menu is plated gorgeously, and the array of incredible European flavours is sure to tempt all palates.

We started our meal with two incredible entrees, Mushroom Arancini Balls and Beef Croquettes. The Mushroom Arancini Balls are the perfect way to start a meal, with a light and crisp batter surrounding the rich and well seasoned rice, cheese, and mushroom. The rich flavours of the rice and cheese are balanced perfectly by the crispiness of the batter and the flavours melt into your mouth. The Beef Croquettes are absolutely gorgeous and one of a kind. The fried breadcrumb hold together the meat perfectly and adds a brilliant crunch to the croquette. Succulent beef is partnered impeccably with creamy mash potato to create a delicious and hearty dish.

The Braised Lamb Curry are not only delicious, but incredibly presented with a generous serve of succulent lamb atop the curry. This dish was infused with incredible herbs and spices which invigorate the palate with each mouthful. The base of the curry is a mixture of lentils, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, and spinach. All of these vegetables come together to create a delicious and hearty curry which is both healthy and enjoyable.

The Roast Chicken Breast was served upon a carrot puree, with roasted heirloom baby carrots and thyme jus. The chicken was cooked superbly with a succulent breast underneath the rich and crisp chicken skin. The colours of the dish are incredibly appealing to the eye with rich greens and autumn yellows, and the presentation is simple yet elegant in design.

The Roasted Cauliflower possesses a smoky taste which enriches the cauliflower and generates a beautiful dish. The cauliflower rests upon a bed of piquillo mild peppers, baby potatoes, and caper berries. The well-seasoned, hearty vegetables contrast perfectly with the salty, unique taste of caper berries. This dish is full of flavour and life, and is perfect everyone as it is completely vegan.

The Pissaladiere Flatbread is a modern take on a classic Southern French dish. A traditional pissaladiere has a thick dough with toppings usually consisting of caramelised onions, black olives, and anchovies. As the name suggests, the pissaladiere at Chambord comes with delicious flatbread and in a dissected style as the toppings are served beside the flatbread. Our toppings were lamb shoulder, pickled cucumber, mint raita, and coleslaw, and they came together to made a rich, Greek-style flavour.

The Porterhouse Steak is a must have for any steak lovers, with juicy meat cooked to perfection and delicious, thick chips on the side. The chips have a perfect crunch to the outside, and you can sink your teeth into the large cut potato. A cooked tomato and mushroom on the side brings more hearty flavours to the dish, and the juices from the tomato and the steak mingle together with perfect harmony.

Chambord’s pâtissier, Vincent Jaouen, has been a pastry baker since he was 15 years old. His incredible talents have been brought to Chambord, with all baguettes, croissants, breads, tarts, cakes, and eclairs made on site by him from start to finish. The Lemon Meringue Tart consists of a beautiful, light and fluffy meringue atop a fresh and zesty lemon tart inside a perfectly baked pastry shell. The Mousse Tart is infused with tropical flavours of passionfruit and tart raspberries. The creamy texture of the mousse melts in your mouth and leaves you wanting more. The Eclairs are to die for, with a gorgeous choux dough pastry filled with fluffy cream and topped with decadent chocolate icing.

The beautiful thing about Chambord is that it caters to every type of diner. In the mornings, you can come in for a beautiful breakfast with classic French pastries, or simply swing by and grab your morning coffee and snack. At lunchtime you’re able to grab a meal for on the go, with a range of baguettes, wraps, salads, soups, and other French-style dishes. You can also sit and enjoy a long lunch in the dining area if you’re not in a hurry. When the sun goes down, enjoy a beautiful meal in the elegant dining area, or sip on some fine wines and listen to live music by the bar.

Not only does Chambord offer a brilliant dining experience, but they have big plans to extend themselves outside of the restaurant. There is a strong possibility of wine tours through the Adelaide Hills, including lunch and snacks served by the chefs at Chambord, as well as breakfast and dinner in the restaurant. We can’t wait to see these ideas spring to life and offer a whole new way to experience European cuisine with our famous Adelaide wines!

Next time you’re in town, no matter the time, do yourself a favour and visit Chambord. Indulge yourself in the incredible food prepared by talented chefs, and get a real taste of what it means to bring together all of Europe. Bon appétit!

Words by Elisabeth Marie

WHERE: 12-18 Currie St, Adelaide