Another One Bites the Crust

B and I decided to try Loveon Cafe, which is a spacious, beautiful cafe on the back streets of Mile End. [Google Map link]. Loveon Cafe advertises as 'your local Halal cafe,' and although the day we went was very wet and rainy, there were still a decent amount of patrons enjoying their food and coffee.

We were greeted very warmly by the friendly barista and once we'd sat down, the equally friendly waitress came out with menus and brought us a bottle of cold water and glasses before asking if we wanted to order drinks right away. B ordered diet Coke; I ordered orange juice, as seems to be our usual beverages! They were brought quickly and we perused the menu, though there's so much to choose from, it was hard to decide!

In the end, B got the herb crusted crispy zucchini which came with poached eggs, turmeric hollandaise, avocado, balsamic glaze and rye toast. I got the chicken karaage burger, which came with a side salad. We also got a bowl of herb and parmesan fries to share, which came with mayo and pesto mayo dipping sauces. Everything was delicious, especially the chips in the pesto mayo--for me, that was making my taste buds zing! The side salad that came with my burger had a lovely dressing and the karaage chicken was perfectly crispy and flavourful.



Photos from my Instagram.

This is a hidden gem in the western suburbs and I highly recommend finding it and enjoying it. Not only is the food delicious and in generous servings, but the staff are absolutely wonderful, polite, friendly and helpful. I highly recommend this place to anyone who likes a choice of Australian, Lebanese or Indian cuisines. I look forward to going back and trying one of their curries.

Address: 39 Gladstone Road, Mile End
Contact: (08) 8234 5935
Hours: Wednesday - Monday 6:30am - 2:30pm

An early birthday lunch saw myself, C and V going to Saha in Maylands (Google map link). I've been here many times before as it's always delicious.

The staff are friendly, helpful and the meals are very generous sizes and brought out swiftly. Saha is very popular so it's best to make a booking especially on a Saturday. The building Saha is in is an old house that has been converted to a bright cafe, with lots of windows and natural lighting, quality furnishings and fixtures and an excellent bathroom if needed. The porch outside is also dog friendly, with lots of bowls of fresh water for those who are stopping for coffee or food while taking their dogs on a walk. Out the front of Saha is a large glass enclosure which is an art gallery of sorts, with rotating exhibitions within, which makes for an interesting roadside visit. The carpark is small, which can be a problem at busy times, but there is loads of street parking in adjoining streets off Magill Road itself.

So what did we have to eat? V had the chicken salad (Grilled chicken tenderloins, avocado, roast capsicum, cucumber, baby spinach, chickpeas, Danish feta, pomegranate molasses) with a glass of rose and a lemon cake for desert. C had the Chicken Avocado Manoushi
(Zaatar chicken, avocado, cheese, lettuce and house made aioli) and a pot of chai tea, and I had the Shish Tawouk (Grilled Chicken Skewers, with a Pomegranate glaze and Harissa infused Hommus, served with Fattoush and Lebanese bread), dark hot chocolate, a glass of Refresh Fresh pressed juice (pineapple, orange, watermelon and apple) and an almond croissant for desert. It was all delicious, and I am personally amazed that I managed to finish it all as the servings are so generous.



Chicken salad, Shish Tawouk, chicken and avocado manoushi. Photos from Saha's Instagram.

If you're in Adelaide, love Lebanese food and don't mind going out to the suburbs, check out Saha. They do also have a delivery option via Uber Eats, but I don't know how far that delivery goes. Either way, it's delicious food.

Address: 215 Magill Road, Maylands 5069
Contact: 08 8333 3215
Hours: Mon-Sat 7am-2pm

It's been a wee while! In any case, this lunch was at the delicious Parwana Afghan Kitchen in Torrensville. Google Maps link. They only do lunch on the weekend, and dinner is during the week and on the weekend. This restaurant is extremely popular and with good reason, the food was delicious and came in huge portion sizes. It was served as a sort of tapas style, so we shared several dishes, including the incredible Bolani kachalu which is flat bread stuffed with potato and served with an amazing chutney, Kabuli palau, which is aged long-grain rice, topped with caramelised carrots, sultanas, slivered almonds and pistachios and was also delicious, and the qormeh gosfand, being diced lamb and vegetables served in a rich tomato and onion sauce, flavoured with a mix of traditional spices. The chutney we had was the herb chutney, which was yoghurt with garlic and various green herbs, again, delicious. There was so much food, we were able to take away what we hadn't been able to finish, in order to eat later. I'd really wanted to try their cherry shabat, a drink made with morello cherries, but they'd sold out, and I also wanted to try their Persian love cake, but I was so full, I just couldn't do it!

We slowly rolled out of there, full as googs (Aussie way of saying our stomachs were stuffed), and we both agreed that this was definitely a restaurant to return to. After making sure that our leftovers were secure, we got in the car and headed towards the op shops de jour.




Images courtesy of Google reviews/images


Address: 124B Henley Beach Road, Torrensville SA 5031
Hours: Monday - closed
Tues - Friday - 6-10pm
Sat - Sun - 12-3pm, 6-10pm

So this is a group of 5 op shops that are next to each other in a long stretch of Grange Road in Kidman Park (Google Maps link). I tend to call this 'Op Show Row,' as that really is what it is. Coming from the direction of the city, you'll see it on the left hand side of Grange Road, the first store being Red Cross, then Vinnies, then RSPCA, then Save the Children and then the Salvos. And these are all BIG stores, too, most of them sell more than just clothes/shoes/jewelry/books/toys. They also sell china, glassware, cookware, furniture, electrical goods, craft supplies, bed and home linens, and so much stuff. It's easy to lose a whole afternoon in these stores bc there's so much stuff.

Not op shops but in the same center, is Rent That Rack, which is similar to a consignment clothing store, and Dulcies, which is a vintage clothing store. Between Dulcies and the Salvos is also Findon Swim Center, so I guess if it's a hot day, you could do some shopping and then go for a swim or vice versa.

I personally love this Op Shop Row, I've always done very well here, and the prices in all the stores are good and competitive. The staff in the stores are friendly and helpful, and most of the stores have loyalty card programs now, which is a nice bonus. I'm a member of the RSPCA and Salvos now.

Address: 308 - 324 Grange Road, Kidman Park SA 5025
Hours: Mon - Sat 9am - 5pm
Sun 12 - 4pm.

Junipers on the Marina is a tapas and gin bar restaurant with amazing views. From the front, you can look over the ocean, and from the back over the marina. As it's been quite a while since I was in Glenelg, the marina and condos are new to me, and it was a bit of a surprise to see how much has changed in Glenelg as a whole since I was last there. [Google Map Link]

The first time I visited this restaurant was with my friend R, who was visiting from Sydney for the October long weekend. She chose the restaurant and I'm so glad she did as it's so good, it won't get a poem from me, but a whole epic poem book. We chose to sit out the back, and while the restaurant wasn't full, it was obvious that it would become so as the evening wore on.

We decided to get a selection of tapas and I got some oysters (I love oysters), so this is what we had from their menu. Oysters: mignoette with raspberry vinegar, ceviche with lemon, lime and shallot and one other. Tapas: crispy chicken coated in lime, Sriacha and honey, crispy cauliflower with mojo sauce, grilled chorizo with capsicum relish and Moroccan lamb kebab with pickled vegetables, cumin aioli and guacamole.

It was all absolutely delicious, the serving sizes were very generous and we were both stuffed to the gills afterwards. Staff and service were efficient and swift and I was impressed.



The second time I went was with B for lunch. We were early, but more people showed up as we had our food. We were served by a very friendly young lady who I talked about tattoos with for a bit, and our meal this time wasn't tapas, although I had a tapas dish. B ordered battered fish and chips with salad and caper mayo, and I had oysters (again!), this time granita with orange, lime and lemon, and prosecco with raspberry and prosecco. Now that I've tried most of their oysters that have topings I'm unfamiliar with, I can say that the raspberry vinegar from my first visit and the granita from this visit are my absolute favourites, the flavours are incredible and pair so well with the oyster in the half shell. I also had the crispy chicken coated in lime, Sriacha and honey once again as omg, that's SO good. I think they might have to make that a main size option dish, it seems to be really popular from what I've read on Google reviews.

It was a beautiful day when B and I visited, and I asked her what she'd give Junipers out of five stars. She laughed and said "definitely five stars--we'll have to come back." I am in complete agreement.



Address:11/12 Holdfast Promenade, Glenelg
South Australia 5045
Hours: Mon - Thurs 11Am to 3Pm for Lunch & 5Pm to 9Pm for Dinner
Fri - Sun 11Am to until Late But 3pm to 5pm reduced menu.
Photos from Junipers on the Marinas web page.

***

Sliding this in here, as we actually went to visit in after Miss Perez. This being The Animal Welfare League of SA op shop. From the outside of the Tranmere location, which B and I went to, it looks like it would be a small place with little to offer. That's far from the truth. Inside, there are numerous rooms, full of goods to choose from.

Bric a brac, clothes, shoes, glassware, books, jewellry are all standard op shop fare, but you don't find many op shops that also cater to pets. There were a lot of items for pets, everything from toys to beds to harnesses and leads for cats and dogs, bowls, and more. The AWL is a charity I always like, as my cat Shadow came from there, and before her, my cat, Castiel. They do a lot of good for animals in their care and are a no kill shelter.

Prices are good and the staff are friendly and helpful. The AWL also has an online store at ebay.

Address: 66 Reid Ave, Tranmere
South Australia 5073
Hours: Mon - Fri 10am - 4pm

***

This last one is not like the others. I'm talking about The Pet Butcher. I'm reviewing these guys as this is the first time I've bought a treat pack for Shadow and... she loved it. She's never bothered with cat treats before, tending to either ignore them or play with them, thinking they're a toy. But this, she loved and gobbled up as if she's never been fed before. (Don't let her meows fool you--she gets fed regularly).

The Pet Butcher does all manner of food for your pet and at the moment home delivery on wet/raw foods is for South Australia only. But they do currently deliver non-perishable food Australia-wide.

No location/hous here--just go to the website and you'll find what you need. I highly recommend them.

I fell a bit behind myself in posting this time, which happens as time got away from me. Better late than never, right? So here goes!

FRED Eatery is a lovely little space, a two part business, with the cafe/restaurant on one side and a homewares store on the other. We were here for lunch, and were seated promptly and without fuss in very comfortable chairs/banquet. Lots of light in this place, some great decor, including giant paper cranes hanging from the ceiling. It's clear that FRED is very popular as the space was practically full, so booking is a must, I think. The servings are large; B had the Stir Stir Fry and I had the Sticky Black Chicken, and it was delicious, as was the hot chocolate. It was a cool, overcast day when we were there, but it was delightfully warm and cozy inside the eatery.

As stairs are my nemesis, we didn't get up to the mezzanine level to see the library, but if the ground floor of FRED is anything to go by, I'm sure upstairs will not disappoint. FRED is in the middle of Aldgate in the Adelaide Hills [Google Map Link] and very easy to find.

FRED Eatery.
Address: 220 Mount Barker Road, Aldgate Village
South Australia 5154
Hours: TUE TO FRI 7:30AM – 4PM
SAT & SUN 7:30AM – 3:30PM
"THE CHOW CHOW SESSIONS" - FRIDAY DINNER FROM 5:30PM

Photos from the FRED Eatery website. Click to see fullsize.



***

Manna Coffee Shop is a small cafe in Norwood, maybe ten minutes out of the city. It's also home to some of the best Hainanese chicken rice I've had, (though I wish there was more green sauce in the servings!) The last time I ate here was after a session with my physio when he was working across the road, prior to that when I lived in the general area.

It really is very small, perhaps 5 tables inside and 3 outside, but don't let that deter you. The staff are friendly and welcoming, the decor is lovely and the food is delicious. Yes, I had the Hainanese chicken rice and B had the chicken fried rice.

Being on Kensington Rd as it is, [Google Maps Link] Manna is very popular and I wasn't surprised to see a lot of people going in and out, generally for take away while we were there.

Manna Coffee Shop.
Address: 51A Kensington Road, Norwood 5067, South Australia
Phone: 08 8333 0080
Hours: Mon-Fri 8.30am till 3.30pm

Photos from Manna's Facebook. Click to see fullsize.



***

( Op Shops now. )

So I made this and it was yum, but when I make it again (as I will), I'll stick closer to the recipe as I erred too much on the side of caution for my first time with this recipe. For instance, I will use more salt and I'll add more cayene (I only put in 1/8th teaspoon as cayene is hot!). After my first bite, I realised I'd failed the heat part so I put some Sriracha on the bun, and, er, added too much, so I had flames in my mouth anyway, so good one, me. *headdesk* I'll also be more restrained on the coleslaw, as I packed on too much of that, so I had coleslaw, Sriracha and dressing going everywhere, which was a mess. Having said all that, this is great, I recommend it, the toasted brioche bun made it so good, and I'll also be using chicken thighs. I used breast this time, as I could not for the life of me find thigh that didn't look... unappetising. Yeah, let's go with that. Joys of a supermarket and not a butcher, I guess. Oh well.

So! Follow the instructions more closely (advice to me and you!) and if you do feel the need to add some sort of spice sauce to your bun, go gentle unto that good night, so you don't end up like I did, with it everywhere and your face on fire. XD

Also, this guy's entire YouTube channel is fascinating, it's easy to lose yourself here, as he travels around the US in his van, and visits some really interesting places, meets interesting people, and also posts a ton of videos of his recipes and cooking adventures. I want to try his fish and chips one next.

Anyway, here's the Nashville Hot Chicken burger. Enjoy!

Watch on YouTube

JOE'S HENLEY BEACH.

Joe's is in one of my favourite beaches, Henley Beach. Henley is a western coast beach, think pure white sand, bright blue sea water, it's just gorgeous. Joe's itself is at the very end of the Esplanade [Google map link] and the building is old, but well maintained and restored. I have a feeling, though I'm not sure, that once in it's life, it used to be the kiosk where beach goers would get icecream and drinks while enjoying their day at the seaside. It just has that look and feel to it, which is part of its charm.

Part of what B and I do when we have our monthly get-together for lunch is try out a new to us place to eat, whether it be at a pub, or a cafe or a restaurant. So Joe's was new to us, though it's been around for many decades. I was excited to try it, as the looked delicious and it did not disappoint. It was clear from our arrival that this is a very popular place and that it's very much beloved by the locals. B had the burger (the menu changes, so it's not listed on their currently) and said it was very tasty. I had the lobster roll, and oh my giddy aunt, I could write poetry about this, though I'll spare you, as I'm not very good at poetry! It was absolutely amazing, the roll soft, with delicate lobster meat, endamame beans, celery, mint, lettuce, chives, mayo and Tabasco and it was like heaven in my mouth. The chips were perfect, crisp on the outside and delicately seasoned, and were not just chip shaped potato that's been scared by oil to be limp with no crunch as so many places make them. I asked for aioli dipping sauce rather than the tomato sauce, and the combinations were just sublime. Honestly, I cannot say enough good things about the food.

Cold drinks were good too, I had the strawberry lemonade, which came in a brilliant Tiki style glass. It was lovely and cold and full of flavour. I would like to try some of their other beverages at another time, because this is definitely a place we both want to go back to. Food was amazing, service was quick and helpful and the location was beautiful. Check out Joe's here and their Facebook. And if you're in the area or looking for a new to you place to eat, give them a try. Five stars to Joe's.

Address: Cnr South St and The Esplanade, Henley Beach SA 5022
Phone: (08) 82350111
Hours:
7 days a week, 7am--3pm

Pics, except for the Tiki glass are from Joe's Facebook; the Tiki glass photo was taken by me.

L-R: Lobster roll of awesome ; B's burger ; Tiki style cup.



L-R: Outside of Joe's ; View of Henley Beach from inside Joe's.



Now, as this was December's outing, I can't remember all the op shops we went to, but I do remember the one where I made out like a bandit. I wasn't the only one though, B did really well too. I got a cushion for my sofa, some really lovely envelopes, a gorgeous T2 teacup that I'm amazed was only a few dollars and that someone donated instead of keeping for themselves (as T2 cups are NOT cheap), some stuff for junk journaling and basically had my arms full to the point I was a bit worried I'd drop everything as I headed to the counter!

This one was a Salvo's and it's an old strip mall, called "Fullham Village," [Google map link] taking up what looks like a double frontage, so it's quite large. As the day was getting warmer, weather-wise, it was very much a relief that they had very good, cold aircon! Staff were friendly and efficient, and overall, B and I both did well out of that one. Five stars.

Address: Salvos, Shop 6, 505 Henley Beach Road, Fulham SA 5024
Phone: (08) 8353 8711
Hours:
Mon - Fri 9.30-5.30
Sat 9.00-5.00