Chloes Restaurant: Keith enjoys the fare at one of the Adelaide City region of South Australia's fines restaurants
What are the ingredients for one of the finest dining experiences in South Australia? A gracious old villa is a good start, authentic decorations, a great chef and fresh produce. But we need one more vital ingredient - that's someone with the vision to draw it all together. Enter Greek born Nic Papazahariakis - the legend behind Chloe's - the grand old dame of Adelaide's fine dining scene.
Keith: "Why is it called Chloes Nic?" Nic: "Well, in 1985 when I was renovating the place, we were sitting in the car at the traffic lights across the road and I asked my young daughter, Chloe what should we name the restaurant. I put some names up but nothing really impressed her until I said 'how about Chloes?' Her eyes lit up and I thought that was it - we'll have to name it Chloes."
So he did and 23 years on, little Chloe has grown into a vivacious young fashion designer who's about to marry a Bollywood star in India. The restaurant bearing her name has continued to grow too into one of our most gracious dining experiences.
Nic took time to restore this one-time family mansion, doctor's surgery and artist's studio built in 1889 by wealthy pastoralist, William Bowman of Martindale Hall fame. Nic searched far and wide for pieces to fit the period - the result is a series of elegant rooms lavishly filled with antique furnishings, marble fireplaces and 19th century art to complete the surrounds for carefully laid tables of fine white linen.
Let him take you don into the cellar and you'll see his other passion bubble to the surface like a bottle of his finest champagne. What Nic doesn't know about wine isn't worth knowing. His passion for matching wine with food goes back to his childhood in Greece where he says wine was always on the table.
Nic: "I learned very early in the piece that wine is an integral part of dining and the more you know the more fascinating it is in our industry. Your learning all the time, you never stop learning about wine."
Nic reckons his cellar is still a 'work in progress'. From his oldest bottle, a 1959 Tintara Cabernet Sauvignon to one of the finest collections of French wines in Australia. Not to mention a Grange or two - complete with Max Schubert's signature of course.
For Nic Papazahariakis, who arrived from Greece in 1970 for a 'short stay' as he put's it, food and wine in Australia have become a way of life.
Nic: "Years ago I used to come to work on Tuesday and go to bed on Thursday! We used to work here til 3 or 4 o'clock in the morning, go to the East End, have some breakfast, do the shopping then meet a lot of other restaurateurs and chat about the industry - what was happening. Then come back to work and go to bed on Thursday."
In the kitchen, we found long established Chef, Johnny Triscari busy overseeing a menu based on fresh local ingredients - like his hand-made pork Chorizo - smoked on the spot. On another bench, second year apprentice, Holly was putting the finishing touches to a signature dish - fresh Kangaroo Island Marron with pan-fried potato terrine.
The awards on the walls recognise the role Nic has played in developing South Australia's, in fact Australia's culinary scene.
Nic: "Cuisine in Australia as we know it today originated in Adelaide. We moved away from, if I can use the term 'steak and eggs' and that period to Australian modern cuisine, contemporary Australian cuisine as we know it today which is considered one of the top in the world."
The national magazine, Gourmet Traveller called it 'a bastion of occasioned dining'. But you can't really put the experience into words. Cometh the celebration - cometh Chloes.
Chloe's Restaurant and Function Centre is at 36 College Road in Kent Town. It's open for lunch Monday to Friday and dinner Monday to Saturday. But bookings are essential. If you have any further questions please email info@postcards-sa.com.au
Chloe's Restaurant & Function Centre
36 College Rd
Kent TownLunch Mon- Fri
Dinner Mon - Sat
Bookings Ph 8362 2574Published 5th October 2008
