Category Archive: FOOD
Some Plague Recipes
The “A. J. Ayer” Self-eating Welsh Rarebit Ideal for slimmers, anchorites and philosophers. Eats itself before you can touch it. Comes with a side “Plato” self-eating egg and “Leibniz” self-eating salad. Later, with a “Heraclitus” self-eating apple turnover and a hot cup of “Descartes” self-drinking tea, you can sit back and read or just untie grandfather while your lunch eats itself for you. Preparation: Remove rarebit from oven, egg from pan, salad from chopping board. Serve. Slow Fishcakes Finally! Fishcakes that really give you time to eat them. No more dashing off the plate. Slow Fishcakes just lie there and…
Continue Reading →We Love Lucy’s
Lucy’s El Adobe Café, Melrose Avenue, Hollywood We were stuffed. That is, exhausted and footsore. Having walked from Hollywood Blvd; having traversed the entire Hollywood Cemetery; having found that there’s no easy way from there to Paramount Studios except to walk another few miles, even though it is adjacent; having found that there’s virtually nowhere along Melrose to sit and eat, we chanced upon this place with the modest sign and modest exterior, just over the road from Paramount. Our luck was in. This was a great little Cantina, and the signed photos of stars all over the walls bore testimony…
Continue Reading →It Was Wonderful – Ludwig Bemelmans
Bemmie's bar at the Carlyle
Born 27 April 1898, Bemmie was the classic bon vivant. Read his essays and autobiographical pieces, La Bonne Table and Tell Them it was Wonderful for a literate glass of the driest, coolest champagne.
Continue Reading →Africola
4 East Terrace, Adelaide, (8223 3885) February 2018 The Old Continent meets the Dark Continent in this funky, uber-trendy gourmet kitchen which is crowded, noisy, but full of interest, including pretty and witty decor. The staff shoot from the hip, but at least they are hip when they shoot, and they know (and love) the bill of fare. The trick is to sample the full flavour of the veldt without over-ordering. Over a dry champagne, we plumped for a starter of crispy eggplant with chilli and shallot sauce. This arrived under a duvet of what appeared to be dessicated coconut…
Continue Reading →Magill Estate
17 January 2018 Magill Estate is The Varnished Culture’s favourite eating joint in Adelaide. It is not cheap; it is not overly casual (although dress code is fairly relaxed these days). Hence we tend to get there on special occasions. But if you can afford it, or have the wherewithal to save up a few hundred bucks, do yourself a favour and go – any day or night there will be a special occasion. The day had been warm and the sunset was red, giving us a lovely view over the historic Penfolds vines, down the hill towards the city…
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