Jacqui Lim is a passionate, active advocate of the food and wine industry. Besides eating and drinking a lot, she sees her role to be connecting people with, and through, good food whether it be organising food and wine events, sharing her experiences on Instagram @jacquisfoodfetish, recommending restaurants or simply bringing friends together to enjoy a meal.
Vale Restaurant and Bar
Starters $6 – $32, Mains $34 – $210, Tasting Menu $95pp
A well-crafted menu of beautifully presented refined dishes featuring produce served at its best, be it raw, aged, smoked or cured. Here you’ll find the likes of tuna, oysters, caviar, crab, beef, lamb, duck and lobster, and if you’re lucky, the chocolate fondant will be on offer. And there’s no need to commit to a tasting menu – just pick and choose if you so desire. There’s a large selection of wines, spirits, and over a dozen beers on tap.
128 Ingoldby Rd, McLaren Flat
Parc Brasserie and Bar
Entrees $24 – $30, Mains $38 – $55
This ground floor space of the Pullman Adelaide has undergone some major renovations resulting in a fresh, stylish restaurant area now home to Parc Brasserie. It’s a European-inspired menu featuring the authentic flavours of France, Italy and the Mediterranean. Specialty dishes include escargot, Chateaubriand, and the traditional poulet basquaise, and the sweets are sure to delight any dessert enthusiast. There’s a focus on local meats, seafood and other produce, and the beverage list showcases local, independent, boutique and international drops.
16 Hindmarsh Square, Adelaide
Fino Seppeltsfield
Sharing menus $60 – $95pp
The ethos at Fino Seppeltsfield is all about championing produce, seasonality and provenance. Ingredients are sourced from local producers resulting in a showcase of Barossa’s finest, and with great vegetarian and vegan options as well as a kids’ menu, everyone’s catered for. Situated in the heart of the Seppeltsfield Village, it’s a pleasant outlook and a buzzing atmosphere. On a nice day, try to score a table on the terrace and watch the locals and tourists passing by.
730 Seppeltsfield Road, Seppeltsfield
Aces
Small $4.50 – $26, Pasta and Mains $33 – $62, Sharing menus $90 or $120pp
Whether you’re after a drink, a quick bite or a big night out, Aces has you covered. With the large neon ‘Aces’ sign overhead, it’s hard to miss this two-storey venue on the corner of Gouger and Moonta Streets. Downstairs is a classy retro dining room with red velvet booths, with Renzo Bar upstairs bringing a more vibrant party feel. The menu is contemporary Italian dining with dishes like Spaghetti Vongole à la Golden Century, and the Mortadella Buns with pork crackling.
96 Gouger Street, Adelaide
Anvers
Small plates $22 – $26, Large plates $34 – $42, Feed Me $75 or $95pp
Formerly an old dairy, the Anvers site has been transformed into an impressive modern cellar door, restaurant and vineyard. It’s a little off the beaten track but worth the visit. The food might best be described as ‘refined rustic’, the menu consisting of regional, seasonal, relatively simple dishes with good flavours. It’s a beautiful outlook, and if you’re after something more casual, grab a bottle of wine and enjoy wood fire oven pizzas on The Lawn.
633 Razorback Road, Kangarilla
Follow @jacquisfoodfetish for more insights into the dining plates of Australia’s best restaurant.