We loved eating in Adelaide so much that I had to split it into two blog posts!
Kedron commented just last night, as we were driving around the suburbs trying to find a restaurant without a ridiculous wait time, how much he missed Adelaide. We could hop on the free tram, and within 10 minutes, be in the CBD (Central Business District), with dozens of good places to eat within a few blocks. Actually, Adelaide has more restaurants per capita than anywhere else in Australia! And we ate out. A lot. Way more than we do here. We miss that.
Things we loved most about eating out in Adelaide:
1. NO TAX! Well, there was tax, but it was included in the price already.
2. Even better, NO TIPPING! Ever! So if a meal costs $9, that is what you pay. Nothing else added.
3. The exchange rate really favored us. A $10 meal was the equivalent of about $7.10 USD, so we always felt like we were getting a good deal!
So. . . let's start with the popular fast food chains in AUS:
McDonalds!
Or, Macca's, as the Aussies called it. I'd say it's even more popular in AUS than it is here, and they are particularly known for their coffee.
Also: Burger King! Or as it's known in Australia, Hungry Jacks. Different name, but exactly the same as BK in the US.
Surprisingly popular: KFC. Not sure why.
They also had Subway. . . but the menu was slightly different!
While the boys preferred fast food, Kedron and I preferred places not also available in Indianola :) There were lots of good quality fast casual/order at the counter type places in Adelaide. Places that were way better than fast food, but not as pricey as a sit-down restaurant.
We really loved all the ethnic offerings. There is a large Asian population in Australia, so there are lots of Asian restaurants. I fell in love with dumplings!
The boys fell in love with fish & chips! Being so close to the ocean, there were always good fish & chips to be had.
We managed to find a breakfast-themed restaurant wherever we went. We ate at Pancakes on the Rocks in Sydney, Pancakes in Paradise on the Gold Coast, Pancake Kitchen in the CBD, and Pancakes at the Port in Port Adelaide.
Here's the popular Farmers Breakfast from Pancakes at the Port - turns our breakfast food is pretty much the same - and delicious- Down Under.
GELATO!! We ate lots of this. Gelato is the Italian form of ice cream. It's mixed slightly differently and is more dense than ice cream. Our favorite gelato place had a 3 scoop where you could try 3 different flavors. . . yum. Even on a super cold day like today, I'd eat this in a heartbeat.
Fruchocs! These were my absolute favorite Australian treat - I liked them even more than Tim Tams. They are produced and sold only in South Australia. So unfortunately, once my two remaining bags are gone, I'll probably never have these again. So, no, I won't share with you :)
Fruchocs are a chocolate ball with a center of peachy/dried apricotty goodness. You don't realize how good they are when you start eating them. . . then half the bag is gone. . . and you just NEED MORE. . . but I digress. Fruchocs had a customer appreciation event in Rundle Mall, where they gave out Fruchocs donuts! Talk about a sugar rush.
And yes, we ate kangaroo. Kangaroo burgers aren't wildly popular, but you can find them in various restaurants. This particular burger is 80% kangaroo / 20% beef. Ground kangaroo meat is very similar to deer in taste and texture.
Vegemite. Wow. We ate our only Vegemite when Ryan and Tiffany came to visit, and Ryan bought some. We almost made him leave. I thought it tasted like stale beer, and Ked's words were "it tastes like stinky feet smell."
Apparently, though, we didn't eat it right initially. It is 'best' when spread very thin on buttered toast. Think of it as a salty, burned-soy-sauce-tasting alternative to jam. :)
We've often been asked what "Australian" food is. . . and there isn't a great answer for that. Australian food is a hodgepodge of things. I've already mentioned the Asian influence. As a colony of Great Britain, there is also a strong European influence. Adelaide had lots of German settlers, and almost every restaurant served some form of schnitzel. We also saw Greek and Middle Eastern restaurants. Click here for a decent list of "Australian" foods if you want to learn more!
We did pick up a few good Aussie recipes to bring home, including Chocolate Crackles and Anzac Biscuits. Come and visit us, and maybe we'll make you some!
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