A delightful evening at this beautiful chandelier vibe of an establishment on Grenfell Street. Welcome to the exotic interior of The Gatsby Lounge where you only need to follow the descent downstairs to find yourself in the main dining area. To compliment this wonderful theme, a luxurious red curtain will make you feel as if you’ve just had the red carpet rolled out for you at the Oscars. A fabulous entrance and such a show stopper the moment you walk through the door.

The floor is divided into two sections. The lounge bar and the restaurant. Don’t forget to take lots of photos and feel free to dress up. Nothing is ‘over-dressed’ here. Come early and sit on a velvety sofa while enjoying a cocktail or sipping on a glass of wine as you wait to be seated for your table.

Currently only open on Friday and Saturday for their Shared Chefs Menu at dinner time, the venue has done such a great job bringing people in for their Japanese inspired fusion cuisine. The menu changes every weekend and last weekend we were blown away with his clever creations.

The Shared Chefs Menu consisted of:

Lightly Smoked Kingfish Sashimi
Not just your ordinary sashimi, the fish has been wrapped in seaweed overnight to give that extra ‘sea’ feeling when it comes out to your table. Are you concerned about it being fishy? Fear not, the herbs, ponzu and kombu combination have made this dish superb.

Soft Shell Crab Nori Taco
Now we are talking. Not the usual corn tacos you normally get anywhere else but this time with a twist. Fillings include the soft shell crab, with wasabi avocado, coleslaw and the added jalapeño making this dish even more spectacular with flavour.

Japanese Mushroom Arancini

With burnt miso mayo and parmesan. Delicious, crunchy and sweet on the outside, with a creamy soft texture on the inside. They are a medium size of arrancinis and come in 4. Plenty for the two of us.

Lobster Bisque

A signature dish, which is not surprising at all. Came in a mini cob loaf, rich in flavour and creamy texture with added red caviar. We couldn’t get enough of it. Lucky there were two of these so we didn’t have to share it.

Wafu Pasta with Edamame, Yuzu, and Asparagus

Light yet super tasty as you dig through the flavour of soy and brown butter. They put runny egg yolk in the middle for you so feel free to mix it all up in the pasta dish. Something I’d try (emphasise on the word ‘try’) to make at home after having this for the first time at Gatsby Lounge. Thank you for the inspiration! That was one stunning dish.

Wagyu Beef Brisket
Slow cooked charred wagyu with herbaceous sauce, fermented butter and Japanese mayo. I vote for this dish to make an appearance every weekend. Nailed everything on this one plate with the buttery taste, the ‘melt in your mouth’ kind of texture, and the fact that it’s sourced locally from Mayura Station made this dish the highlight of our evening.

The Gatsby Lounge theme plus the impressive food and the amazing atmosphere is the perfect recipe in my mind to ensure this place is fully booked every weekend. Follow their social media page as they update the menu every week.

I know this will get me excited with something to look forward to every week and for only $65 per person you will leave this place feeling content or you can just stay longer and have their dessert and delicious cocktails as well.

Words by Dee Pene from Adelaide Food Authority

WHERE: 110 Grenfell St, Adelaide