FARINA HAS CLOSED.

date of visit:  25 Nov 2009

Adelaide has no shortage of pizza and pasta places … cafés line Rundle Street and menus merge in to one another.  It’s such a shame because Italy offers such a wide range of variations on the pizza and pasta theme that I can never understand why anyone would want to limit their eating.

This made the discovery of Farina particularly refreshing.  Earlier this year, unable to secure a booking at another venue, a group of us booked at Farina by chance.  On that occasion, we shared pizzas and wrapped up with dessert but we all came away impressed with the food and the service.  After all, what other pizza place offers a white anchovy pizza? Or potato, rosemary, truffle and taleggio pizza?

Subsequent visits have allowed for a more thorough exploration of the menu:  I’ve worked my way through quince tarts, pastas, pizzas, and sundry main courses.  The most recent visit saw a return to the potato pizza, rich with truffle followed by a pappadelle with star anise braised rabbit, chilli, rosemary and mushroom which was delicious, even if, after the pizza I was unable to eat all of it.

On the same evening others at the table enjoyed rabbit liver pâté, pizza with pork and fennel sausage, capsicum, olive, asiago and chilli, and braised rabbit with soft polenta, as well as a side dish of gorgeous rosemary roasted potatoes. Between four of us we also worked our way through two bottles of very sensibly priced local Shiraz. No surprise then that, on this occasion, there was no space left for dessert!

I’ve eaten at Farina now several times and not only is the food consistently good but the service is infallibly efficient and friendly. In short, the experience has never been short of excellent.

As you might expect, a trip to Farina is not bargain-basement material, but it cannot be considered expensive. And let’s face it – if you are after Adelaide’s cheapest pasta you are probably not after star-anise braised rabbit at the same time. But, if you do want to eat some interesting and innovative Italian food and eat it in a stylish, relaxed venue then you should get yourself to Hindmarsh Square.

Contact:  Farina Kitchen & Bar, 39 Hindmarsh Square, Adelaide, SA, 5000, phone: (08) 8227 1007