Grace, The Establishment

LOCATION
In the heart of Norwood Parade, just five minutes from the city.

PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIA
Grace has established itself as a cool place to meet, with its tasty line up of food, and drinks not seen everywhere in town. The original menu had molecular whiffs with pipettes of acids and aerated sauces. Now that whimsy (or wank) has waned, we see jerk mayonnaise coming with fried chicken. This spicy seasoned mayo is one of several American and Mexican menu mimics to be found - smoked coca cola pork ribs with apple slaw, mac and cheese, fries with ketchup, collard greens for sides, lemon bars and popsicles for dessert, (blue swimmer) crab tacos with corn salsa and chipotle. Not sure what this menu direction is in ode to or aid of, but if you want the whole enchilada, there are tequila nights with margaritas and Mexican beer, “Sangria Saturdays”, and “American all-stars” evenings with Coorong Angus chilli dogs and Brooklyn lager. If you are ready to go the whole hog, two days’ notice presents a whole suckling Berkshire to pig out on.
Ultimately the seasonal menu “promotes locally farmed and foraged produce where possible”. From this we enjoy Spear Creek lamb terrine with spinach puree, salted oats and fennel, yellow fin tuna sashimi with sesame mayo and pork skin, braised wild rabbit with carrots, olive oil, dates and Pedro Ximenez, and Boston Bay mussels with cider, lemon thyme, chorizo and samphire. Although with wonderful Wagyu, many think the mini burger is way too mini for the price. Some extend this beef (bun intended) to the whole menu. Yes, dining at this Establishment is not cheap, but there are some great ingredients and flavour matches to be had in a cool place.

Roz Taylor