Restaurant Reviews

Sushi Planet, West Terrace

- Alex Prichard Leave a comment

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disclaimer: I was a guest at the Sushi Planet launch party.

You probably need to have been living under a rock to not know that a new Japanese restaurant has opened in Adelaide. Sushi Planet has been open for a week or so now (in ‘soft launch’ mode) and you may have been the very distinctive rice decorated cars – complete with giant prawn on top – about the place. Not only is Sushi Planet doing dine-in food, it’s doing delivery too.

The menu focusses on sushi, sashimi and yakitori and, as something of a novelty, you will also find sushi rolls made with quinoa rather than rice. The launch party focussed squarely on the sushi which was brought out on huge platters for all the hungry punters although later in the piece there was also some yakitori (I missed out on that).

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The sushi was good – I think that salmon nigiri is always a benchmark dish and this was lovely, fresh and full of flavour but not fishy at all. I also enjoyed the quinoa roll I tried. You definitely notice that it’s not the standard white sushi rice and if you didn’t know it was quinoa you might think it was brown rice. I didn’t get to try everything that was on offer but different nigiri I did try were all delicious.

Inside, the restaurant is very airy and modern with big large benches running the length of the main area and giving everyone a good view of the open kitchen. As it was a lovely evening, I ended up sitting outside, at the very functional moulded concrete tables. Sushi Planet faces directly on to West Terrace but the table I was at was on the much quieter Waymouth Street side of things. It is in a slightly odd location – next to a chain pizza delivery shop and very close to one of the servos on West Terrace (the first thing my dad said when I told him where it was!). However, being on the edge of town means that parking isn’t too difficult, especially on an evening or weekend, and there is a dedicated pay and display car park immediately to the rear of the restaurant.

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As Andy and I are big fans of Japanese food (and Master 4 is a big fan of rice!) I am definitely keen to return to Sushi Planet for the full dining in experience. The menu is online and prices seem very reasonable. The food we enjoyed at the launch party was fresh and beautifully presented – and with sushi, you can’t ask for much more than that!

Sushi Planet
1/60 West Terrace
Adelaide SA 5000
1800 787 447

Ding Hao – Chinese Restaurant, Gouger Street

- Alex Prichard Leave a comment

 can 20150116_175047 chilli beef

date of visit: Friday 16 January 2015

Regular readers will know that I am not that big on Chinese food. I loathe saying that because I know that China is a huge country and has a vast range of regional cuisines. I also know that I love Uyghur and Szechuan food so saying that I don’t like Chinese food is a nonsense on so many levels.

However, as a rule, I find the food served in what are usually called ‘Chinese restaurants’ to be a bit bland, a bit same, a bit sweet and a bit alarming in colour. So if we’re eating out, it’s not our number one go-to cuisine. But we have a small child and I am adamant that I should not pass on my culinary peccadilloes to him. So far I’m doing well – he usually loves bananas and I loathe them. If restaurant businesses need restaurant services, Clarity Voice should be checked out! 

Being school holidays, there were plenty of activities on in town so we headed in to the city and amused ourselves until Andy could meet us after work. We were in Victoria Square, Andy found a sweet park on Gouger Street and we set off, Entertainment Book in one hand and small child in the other.

Master 4 had already announced he wanted salt and pepper squid for dinner so that was our sole requirement (Entertainment Book a bonus!). We didn’t have to walk very far before we came across Ding Hao – on the northern side of Gouger Street and pretty much literally around the corner from the Sir Samuel Way Building. Andy and I have both been to Ding Hao before (for yum cha, on his very first visit to Australia) but it was a long time ago. I have been a bit wary of it due to reports/allegations (that I have been unable to verify) that it serves actual shark fin soup but when you have a small child who has been bellyaching about how hungry he is for over an hour … you manage to push those kinds of concerns to the back of your mind. Hopefully karma doesn’t bite me on this one …

It was only 5:30pm but there were already quite a few people in Ding Hao, even though it looked almost closed from the outside. Without a reservation we were seated, no problems, but I’d recommend booking – especially if you are a larger party or heading there later in the evening. Ding Hao has a reputation as one of the better Chinese restaurants and is definitely popular.

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We sat down and had a look at the menu while Master 4 wondered where his S&P squid was … Not entirely sure how spicy the S&P squid was going to be I decided to order something mild in case it proved too spicy (a moveable feast), so I opted for the red pepper beef and Andy chose the chilli beef and we ordered a large serve of special fried rice.

The food came out quickly, and Master 4’s head was blown by the fact that is was all put in the middle of the table rather than handed out to the individual who had ordered it. “But you’ve got mamma’s!”. He kept a fierce eye on his salt and pepper squid, which was too hot to eat so he had to satisfy himself with some rice while it cooled down. Offers of trying the beef were turned down emphatically and any attempt on our part to try the squid was smartly kyboshed.

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While Andy’s chilli beef definitely did have some chilli in it, both beef dishes were rather loaded with capsicum and onion and mine did have a slightly alarming colour to it. The portions were a very generous size and the large special fried rice was also a good size. The three main dishes plus the rice was the perfect amount for the three of us. If you have three very hungry adults, you may want to consider ordering an entrée or two to start though. The salt and pepper squid was actually pretty good – it wasn’t particularly spicy although it was topped with some sliced chilli and onion (and I understand you can request fresh chilli from the waiting staff). The squid was tender but my one criticism would have to be that the pieces were cut ridiculously for something you are expected to eat with chopsticks! Master 4 was both super patient in waiting for the squid to cool down and super deft when it came to eating it – although with plenty of help from both his fork, his fingers and his mother waving chopsticks around and feeding him.

After our Entertainment Book discount, our dinner (three main courses, large rice, two beers) came to just $47 for three people which I think is not bad money at all. I can’t describe the food as revelatory, and the service is nothing special (it’s also not especially awful which is what some online reviews may lead you to believe) but for a decent feed for not a lot of money Ding Hao can indeed hit the spot.

Personally, I won’t be rushing back there but neither will I throw my hands up in horror if compelled to return.

Ding Hao
26-28 Gouger Street
Adelaide SA 5000
phone: 08 8211 7036

Ding Hao Restaurant on Urbanspoon

Fazenda, Leeds

- Alex Prichard Leave a comment

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date of visit: Wednesday 22 October 2014

Warning – no food pictures at all! One piece of meat on your plate at a time doesn’t lend itself to photography!

Last time I was in Leeds (back in 2012) my mate, Jenny, and I had the idea that we would head to Fazenda. I’d heard some good things about it and as Jenny loves meat (veggies not so much) it seemed like a really good option for us. Unfortunately, on that occasion we left booking until 2pm on the Saturday that we wanted to go … You can imagine how THAT ended!

This time round we were a lot more organised. Jenny booked well in advance for our 5:30pm sitting (the idea was to take the small eating machine with us), we were assured we had a lovely table … and then a dose of reality kicked in and I realised that there was no way the jet lagged small child was going to stay awake (and peaceable) for even the earliest of dinners. This meant that Jenny and I were dining solo and insanely early.

However, because Fazenda is in Granary Wharf it means that there is a reasonable post work trade so even early sitters like me won’t feel like they are rattling around an empty restaurant.

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Fazenda is a rodizio, which is a Brazilian all you can eat steakhouse. This means you sit at your table and flip a coloured card (red or green) to indicate whether or not you want more food. The waiters bring around giant skewers with different meats on them and if you fancy some, they slice off a couple of pieces and you eat this, before waiting for the next offering. At our mid-week dinner, it was #27.30 a head (before drinks, coffees, desserts) so you do have to head along prepared to splash some cash. A Friday or Saturday night will set you back the best part of £30 but lunch times (with a cut down selection of meats, but the same all you can eat idea) come in at under £20.

Prior to the meat coming around you can tuck into the very extensive salad bar. I can’t speak from first hand experience but it didn’t strike me as being particularly Brazilian – with everything from green salad through to smoked salmon and dolmades! Of course, it’s always important to make sure you leave space for the meats.

By and large I thought the meat selection was pretty good and well cooked. If you like your meat really well done then you might struggle because a lot of the cuts of beef were very pink. Of course, there are also some chicken and even fish options and there is a vegetarian menu too (though, to be honest, I’d limit myself to taking hungry meat eaters to Fazenda …). I was a bit disappointed by the morcela (black pudding). On the night we were there it didn’t seem to be brought around routinely and I had to ask for it. I found it a little mealy with not enough spice (again – I can’t claim to be an expert on Brazilian black pudding – I just like mine to have more texture).

The wine list features a lot of South American wines – a good thing although I did feel that when it came to the sparkling wine, regionality had trumped quality. Jenn and I both had a glass of the Miolo Brazilian bubbles and neither of us rated it particularly highly. By the bottle, however, the list is interesting and features wines across price points.

By the time we’d stuffed ourselves on all the meat there was no space left for desserts. Even so, the bill ended up topping the £75 mark which is quite expensive for a mid week low alcohol meal. Fazenda bills itself as a unique dining experience – and that it definitely is. A huge part of the meal is the theatre of choosing your cuts of meat and eating at a slow pace. You feel like you’re picking at snack size morsels but you get full quickly. I never feel as though I get value for money food wise at any kind of all-you-can-eat and Fazenda was no different – but big eating friends of mine have loved it!

Was it the best steak I’ve ever eaten? No. In Leeds that honour went to the now defunct River Plate. But for entertainment value, in an area of the city with plenty of good bars for pre/post meal drinks, Fazenda definitely has its place.

Fazenda
Waterman’s Place (Granary Wharf)
Leeds
LS1 4GL
phone: 0113 247 1182

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