Botanic Garden Restaurant, Adelaide
In the middle of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens alongside a pond full of ducks and the odd turtle, sits the Botanic Garden Restaurant. You could hardly ask for a restaurant in a better position. The gardens are a world away from the noise and bustle of the city nearby. Even if the food weren’t good, Botanic Garden Restaurant would be full of happy diners.
Chef John Wood’s menu reflects the surrounding gardens with elegant simplicity and seasonal availability. The regularly changing menu is both a feature (allowing self-confessed addicts like me, to return regularly) and a negative, as during menu transitions the food consistency occasionally goes out the window.
The food and service is never bad, it just varies from excellent to good. The occasional food and service malfunctions from enthusiastic (but generally under experienced) staff don’t detract from Botanic Garden Restaurant’s consistently enjoyable experience. For an affordable ($35 for two courses, $45 for three) venue for a casual, romantic, business or birthday lunch in the city it comes with a very high recommendation.
Botanic Garden Restaurant’s wine list is compact but covers the bases well. The ‘Bird in Hand Pinot Noir’ sparking ($7.50) is a refreshingly, slightly sweet way to pass time while contemplating the menu.
An entrée of ’saltwater pork, pickled vegetable and dipping sauce’ was unimaginatively presented but the flavours were rewarding and satisfying. ‘Seared venison loin with celeriac remoulade and pumpkin oil’ looked great and was very tender but failed to deliver the nuance of flavours promised. I’ve experienced much better at Botanic Garden Restaurant in the past, but these entrées were not anything to sneezed at.
The 2001 Smith & Hooper ‘Reserve’ Merlot complimented the entrées. At $52 the delightful merlot offered a full, surprisingly full, complex flavour of mulberry, cedar, white pepper and a little ripe plum. Expensive perhaps compared to the generally moderately priced wine list but a bargain in its own right.
Mains selected were the ‘Wagyu (Japanese beef) medallions with miso baked eggplant and horseradish’ and ‘Tarragon and garlic roasted chicken thigh on corn cake with Kanmantoo bacon and champagne veloute’.
Flavours of the beef medallions and miso baked eggplant were delicious. The beef medallions were however, cooked past medium-well (despite requesting rare) and the overcooked texture detracted from an otherwise well balanced and seasoned dish.
The tarragon and garlic roasted chicken thigh was however a revolution in the truest French sense. Uncannily familiar to classic bistro cooking of of ‘chicken with taragon’ - the Botanic Garden Restaurant demonstrated the masterful diection of Chef Wood and capability of the Botanic Restaurant Garden kitchen. The chicken was perfectly cooked, indulgently fatty (it is thigh after all) and piquantly refreshing.
Ending any enjoyable lunch is a disaster, so the opportunity to extend it with dessert was soon welcomed. A shared ‘pecan filo with quince and buttermilk anglaise’ ended the night on a pleasant sweet note. It matched perfectly with a ‘Valdespino El Candado Cream Sherry’ available by the glass ($7.50).
Next time you’re looking for a pleasant spot to have an enjoyable, slow lunch - try Botanic Garden Restaurant.
Restaurant Review Summary
The Bill: Two courses $35, Three: $45.
Awarded: No Roos - this is however one of my favourite lunch spots anywhere and might just become yours too!
Contact and Restaurant Details
Botanic Garden Restaurant
Adelaide Botanic Gardens (off North Terrace)
P: (08) 8223 3526
Open: Lunch seven days
Bookings recommended.
Restaurant menu was updated on the last visit. They’ve lost the sebago potatoes and replaced it with mash. Apart from that minor tragedy, the menu is looking great!
AdrianB said on May 24, 2005 2:36 pm