Our annual sabbatical to Adelaide brings many pleasures, cheap Fringe tix, WOMADelaide and some of the best food in the country.
None better than Andre Ursini's Orso in Rose Park.
The cuisine is not new to us as we’ve been lucky enough to sample his expertise at the now closed Andre's Cucina some years ago. An edgy yet refined Frome Street outfit, the Cucina took Roman cuisine to the masses and was a huge hit with punters.
But Orso is next level food.
The unpretentious venue shines from the moment you arrive.
Super sharp staff and a beautiful, bright room. We had a six o'clock booking and jagged a window seat, such as it was with a view of the world going by in the burbs of Rose Park.
The staff are all over you and not, its that kind of vibe - very like Italy - hawkish, diving in when they think you need them and otherwise melting into the background. Superb really.
The menu is brief but satisfying and the wine list is expansive with a fab offering of local and foreign drops. Not a bad thing. And there was all foods for all peeps. Succulent looking cuts of lamb, pasta and ragu and surprisingly for an Italian resto, lots of greens and salata.
So with a fab Spanish Albariño in hand we chose the Blue Swimmer crab with asparagus, the celery, sugar snap pea salad and the gnocchi with quail ragu.
So with the hard part done, we watched the place slowly fill with eager-eyed patrons. And fill it did - within an hour it was at capacity and this is where venues like this rise above the rest.
There was no rising panic or speed from the staff as the place filled. Same attention to detail, genuine smiles and greetings and a super slick front of house process.
Our reverie was broken by the arrival of a complimentary starter of Fried Pomme Anna - black garlic aioli, pecorino - from one of my daughters friends, Scott, who has been lucky enough to have been working here for a while.
The tightly stacked, ultra thin potato slices had been pan fried and topped with tart pecorino and lush aioli. Divine palate cleanser!
Another few, languid sips of Albariño and the first main was upon us.
An unexpected pairing, the Blue Swimmer crab and asparagus (main picture) looked as fabulous as it tasted. Big juicy chunks of sweet, firm crab flesh and perfectly crunchy asparagus dressed lightly with a tart vinaigrette.
Just eye rolling stunning!
Time for more wine - a stunning, cherry\chocolate Italian Nebbiolo for me and a fab Spanish sherry for the Uber Blonde.
The room had a nice buzz now and the second course arrived, as casually and unhurried as you would expect.
The house made gnocchi was dressed with flash fried, deep green cavolo nero and the quail ragu just screamed to be eaten. A truly luscious combo and the mirepoix against the quail and the pasta was truly rustic. The celery sugar snap salad was the perfect tart and crunch foil for the exquisite ragu.
These were three of the best Italian dishes we have had, with only Ischia's (see review below) pork ragu and pappardelle winning out in a tough contest.
Orso must be experienced, it's to die for.
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