brighton

Taste of the Himalayas

- Alex Prichard 2 Comments

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Nepalese platter

date of visit: Saturday 24 August 2013

Well, it seems that Nepalese restaurants are like buses. After our recent visit to Himalayan Kitchen, we’ve managed to find time to hit Taste of the Himalayas, the new Nepalese restaurant in Brighton.

As it’s walking distance from my parents’ house, we decided to take my dad there in celebration of his birthday. This caused some confusion because mum thought we meant on the day itself – so she had been ready for the meal for the best part of a month!

Actual details of the outing ironed out, we headed off, aiming to be there for the restaurant’s 5:30 pm opening. Best laid plans and all meant we arrived around 6pm. We weren’t quite the first people there but might as well have been. All good when you have a two year in old tow. A two year old who thinks that as soon as he sits at a table, food should appear …

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We started off with a few drinks – including, for me, a real Nepalese beer, Mustang. Given the small hungry person, we opted for main courses only. For the (apparently starving) toddler, I chose the choila, a chicken entrée, where the meat is marinated in traditional Nepalese spices. This was an absolute hit and was carefully, slowly and steadily demolished.

Andy chose a barramundi curry, mum the lamb cutlets, dad the goat curry and I had the Nepalese platter. The platter included lentils, a chicken curry (I had a choice of chicken, lamb or goat and chose chicken on the basis that mum and dad already had lamb and goat covered), mustard green spinach and a tomato pickle. We also had rice, roti and extra lentils for the table.

Everyone really enjoyed their food – the great thing about Nepalese food is that while it’s essentially curry, it’s all about spice flavour rather than spice heat.  If you don’t like chilli, you can still eat Nepalese. There were a couple of uneven patches but overall, we agreed we’d be more than happy to head back. Dad thought his goat was a bit tough and while some of the roti were perfectly crispy and delicious, some were a little thicker than others which meant they were a touch doughy. My gripe (and this is very typical of me) is that my food wasn’t as fearsomely hot (thermally) as I like it to be. I loved the lentils and gobbled up not only the ones that came on my platter but also some of the second portion too. The stand out dish (which I didn’t actually try) was mum’s lamb which was a generous portion (served on a sizzling hot platter) which dad announced would be what he would have next time.

Service was very friendly and, for the most part, pretty good. As the restaurant got busier and busier (and, here’s a tip, if you are going to go on a Saturday night you should either book or get there no later than about 6pm) it tailed off a bit and I did get a sense that perhaps they could do with one more body on the floor.

Taste of Himalayas also gets a big tick for proper tablecloths and napkins!

The restaurant is also well set up for takeaway (there are couches for those waiting) and there’s a fish tank which seems to keep two year olds pretty happy. On a Sunday night there is a buffet (if that is/isn’t your thing).

Prices are very reasonable – 4 and a half of us left having spent well under $40 a head, and that was plenty of food as well as pre dinner drinks and a bottle of wine.

Definitely somewhere to check out!

Taste of the Himalayas
489 Brighton Road
Brighton SA 5048
phone: 8358 2483

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Esplanade Hotel, Brighton

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Salt & Pepper SquidSalt & Pepper Squid – coming in about average

date of visit: Monday 24 June 2013

My parents are, as you may have gathered, our chief babysitters and their payment (in kind) is being taken out for meals. Sometimes I am a bit sharper on this than others, and sometimes the meals are more exciting than others.

On Monday afternoon I had a meeting (that had been rescheduled – forcing dinner to be rescheduled) in town and so I hatched a plan that I could collect Andy and we could meet my parents at the Esplanade (Espy to the locals) for an early dinner.

Best laid plans and all – not only did this meal take three goes to actually happen, but my meeting ran later than expected and Andy and I caught every single traffic light on the way down to Brighton from town. So it wasn’t such an early meal and the toddler was rather beside himself. As plates passed our table he looked at them mournfully, exclaiming “want one!”.

Fortunately, the Espy has a salad bar. On a Monday night I thought it a pretty sad affair (nowhere near as comprehensive as that at the Warradale). The hot selection was potatoes, cauliflower and broccoli and the bowl of green leaves looked a little wilted. Still, we are lucky in that Mr 2 embraced the cauliflower and broccoli and absolutely loved the pasta salad and that kept the worms at bay while we waited for our food.

I ordered salt and pepper squid (mindful of the small person shouting about food near me), Andy chose (as always) the beef schnitzel with gravy, dad opted for the liver and bacon and mum tried out the special fish (as in, the whiting from the specials board, not the no-name fish from the menu).

Mum seemed to be the definite winner here. She was really happy with her fish and rated it much more highly than that available in some other local eateries. My salt and pepper squid was pretty standard pub issue: tender and at least in this instance the batter was relatively crispy (thus beating the Exeter at Semaphore out of the water, so to speak). Andy was decidedly ho-hum about his schnitzel and, while dad demolished his liver and bacon, and rated it more highly than that he’s had in other places, the liver was horrendously overcooked.

The slices of liver were so thin, and then subsequently deep fried, that there was no way the liver was going to be anything but overcooked.

Liver, bacon & mashOvercooked liver with a big pile of mash

As far as pub meals go – the Espy falls into the OK category. Service was friendly and reasonably efficient, although there was an inexplicable delay in our bottle of wine arriving at the table.

The dining room is spacious and pretty basic, and there is also a children’s play room (very much NOT a plus, in my books). The Espy offers various meal deals depending on day of week (and you may find vouchers for additional discount on the website). It is also in the Entertainment Book – which we used on our visit.

After discount, our meal was around $80, which, for four people and a bottle of wine is not too bad. Just set your expectations accordingly!

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Brighton Jetty Cafe

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Brighton Jetty

date of visit: Thursday 12 April 2012

We’re still enjoying some really lovely autumn weather so what better to do than head down to the seaside and grab a coffee and cake? Apparently, it’s grab a coffee and some breakfast.

A friend visiting from England was in urgent need of a sun (does anyone remember the less than stellar Easter?) and, as it made its appearance, we headed down to Brighton. I’d originally planned on coffee and cake (because cake is suitable at any time of day) but after a wander up and down Jetty Road and spotting scrambled eggs and smoked salmon on Brighton Jetty Cafe’s breakfast menu I was happy to change my mind.

Of course, it transpired that we’d turned up at 11:50am and breakfast technically finished at 11:45am. But the waitress headed off to check with the kitchen and I’m pleased to report that commonsense prevailed and breakfast could, indeed, be served.

Between us (that includes the baby) we had poached eggs on toast, scrambled eggs and smoked salmon and fruit toast. The fruit toast (which was two big thick slices for $4) was a huge serving and deliciously slathered in butter. And, miraculously, not all devoured by the baby so my friend and I got to sample it. The smoked salmon and scrambled eggs was great: loads of salmon, thick wedges of buttered toast, and a pile of hot eggs, scrambled and with a lightly fried finish. Personally, I like my scrambled eggs on the really runny side, but I am realistic enough to know I’m never going to be served eggs like that in a café. The eggs at Brighton Jetty Café were a good substitute. At the same price ($14.50) as those at etc I’d opt for those at the Brighton Jetty Café.

My coffee was also fine and service was friendly and personable, with the baby’s high chair meticulously wiped down prior to use. It sounds silly, but these days so many venues are inflexible about rules (like the time breakfast starts and finishes) that I really rate those places that exercise some sane and autonomous decision making.

Of course, Brighton Jetty Café offers lunch and dinner and has amazing beach side views. If you sit on the footpath you are a little close to the roundabout but as winter approaches I daresay we’ll all be glad to grab a bit of sunshine …

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