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John McGrath
Sharon Romeo (front) and David Swain (back) are very well known and respected in Adelaide’s hospitality (horrible word) industry. I adore Sharon and I’m in a big queue. Even if you don’t know her by name you will probably recognise her as starring at various restaurants where you’ve had a good time. She makes everyone feel special and that’s a gift.
When we were seated, at Fino Restaurant in Willunga, Sharon said she would rather choose our food and wine herself. Sharon said she tries to talk all of her customers into this routine. She would tell me what I was eating when it arrived, but she wouldn’t show me a menu until after the meal. So much for special treatment.
In case you are wondering what I do when I know that I will be sprung as a wicked food critic as soon as I walk in the door, the answer is – not much. I get someone else to book so at least my appearance is a surprise. Although there is a possibility that I might cop a smarmy duchessing it won’t work unless the house service style is smarmy duchessing for everybody. And the possibility that a restaurant serving rubbish can turn around and
produce brilliant food for a “VIP” is zero.
If I hear the word “fino” I think “Sherry? Don’t mind if I do.” So we started with a couple of the best – a Romate Fino “Marismeno” and a La Goya Manzanilla for $6 each. Excellent way to get the juices on song in front of a meal. I’m glad that sherry is gradually creeping back into favour.
The wine list here is a marvellous example of what a small list can be. Of the thirty-two whites and reds on offer about 60 per cent are Australian and 40 per cent are from the rest of the world. The local wine selection shies away from predictable favourites and gives small makers a run. A spicy strawberry-ish discovery for me was the 2004 La Curio “The Nubile” Grenache Shiraz (www.lacuriowines.com). You can buy it from East End Cellars and I recommend you do.
Fino had me captured with Sharon’s first selection. Steamed asparagus with white anchovies and sauce gribiche. Gribiche sauce is a classic accompaniment for fish. It is made with chopped egg whites, cornichons, parsley, dill… There are a few variations. The clever bit is putting the fish component into the dish with the sublime white anchovies. Matching it with perfect, fresh, asparagus spears sends it straight to heaven. Another coup was a dish of Ordway’s chicken livers, bubbling in a clay saucer with shallots and Joe Grilli’s Joseph aged vinegar. The most noticeable difference between badly and sadly raised animals is most apparent, first with eggs, then with chickens. I know that Ordway’s cluckers live in chicken paradise, and it shows in their plump livers.
We also shared pan-fried skate, from Wallaroo, said Sharon. (The other part of “we” was Tony Lewis, the photographer who took these pictures.) Skate, for some strange reason, is prized in Europe and much de-valued here. So it is cheap to buy and a snap to cook in a slosh of butter and a sprinkle of capers. Getting it up to David Swain’s standard might take a few tries.
Other dishes we shared were stuffed squid with farro, chorizo (The chorizo from Melbourne, naturally, the best in Australia) and marjoram in sugo, and crispy skinned duck breast with Australian green lentils, fennel, orange and almonds.
We could have had Moorish pork skewers, with shaved zucchini and mint, and I would bet that the pork would have come from those hairy black oinkers that are allowed to play in the mud all day and do piggy things.
Dishes start at $11 and stop at $27. Wine – and what wine – is between $28 and $90 – $160 if you count the ’99 Veuve Cliquot.
Go to Fino as soon as you can. Obey Sharon’s every whim.
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