Basque cheesecake with an Asian twist
Melbourne-born Instagram bakery Sugar Nomad has arrived in Adelaide. Founder and baker, trained pastry chef Ivy Yap, relocated earlier this year, bringing her pan-Asian spins on Basque burnt cheesecake with her. She’s taking the iconic Spanish dessert and injecting Asian flavours such as Thai milk tea, a vibrant green matcha, hojicha (a roasted Japanese green tea), ondeh-ondeh (a sweet Southeast Asian snack consisting of pandan, coconut and palm sugar), the OG and her best seller, yuzu. During truffle season, Yap adds a caramelised honey and black truffle cheesecake to the mix. Order via Instagram for pick-up in Marden (or delivery within 10 kilometres for $8).
A fundraising dinner for Afghanistan
Parwana’s Ayubi family are celebrating Nawruz, or Nowruz – the first day of Afghanistan’s new year – with a fundraising dinner on Monday March 21. The one-off event, held at Parwana Afghan Kitchen, will feature live music, poetry and a talk on the significance of the day, led by co-owner Durkhanai Ayubi. “The beginning of a new year brings with it hope of fresh possibility and a spirit of solidarity and optimism,” she says. “We recognise that right now nothing in our world is more important than the spirit of Nawruz when we see the senseless conflicts around the world, the loss of sacred life and the plight of refugees.” Tickets are $100 per person (wine is BYO at no extra cost) and all profits will go to charities Mahboba’s Promise and Aseel, which are helping vulnerable people in the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. Tickets here.
From water to wine
Local winemaker Sarah Feehan (Parley, Les and Sez) is helping the New South Wales flood relief effort the best way she knows how – through good booze. She’s rallied more than 20 producers from the Adelaide Hills and beyond to donate wines for an online auction this Friday. The winning bidder will get more than 100 bottles (valued at over $4000) and all the money will go to Flood Relief Cook-up, a hospitality collective in the Northern Rivers providing meals to those affected by the floods. Participating producers include Ochota Barrels, BK Wines, Parley, Les Fruits, The Other Right, Scintilla, Commune of Buttons, Manon Farm, Lucy Margaux, Gentle Folk, Murdoch Hill, Travis Tausend, Comme Ci Comme Ca, Delinquente, Borachio, Jauma and more. The “Hills for Rivers” auction starts at 8.30am ACDT Friday on Instagram (bid in the comments or DM) and ends at 5.30pm ACDT Sunday.
A crab carnival, a bao bar and a Sicilian takeover at Skycity
Sean’s Kitchen’s Crab and Champagne Carnival is back this month serving soft-shell-crab rolls, Blue Swimmer mac ‘n’ cheese, King Crab spaghetti and more until April 2. There’s also a Louisiana-style crab boil (featuring steamed Blue Swimmer with corn-on-the-cob, potatoes and chorizo) on Tuesdays only and chilli crab available on Thursdays. Add a glass of Veuve Clicquot for $18. Next door, Madame Hanoi’s pop-up Bao Bar is back (every Thursday from 5pm to 7pm). Get $5 bao (choose between crispy Hanoi chicken, tempura eggplant, lemongrass pork ribs, and miso custard) or build your own assortment of four for $20. Over at Itl, the kitchen is serving up a limited-edition menu of Sicilian favourites, including eggplant pizza, pork ribs, cannoli and a weekly porchetta party.
Free burgers
CnB, or Chicken ‘n’ Burgers, has opened a second store – joining its Norwood location – in Rundle Place. And the team is celebrating by giving away free signature chicken burgers to the first 100 customers from 11am on Saturday March 19. The fast-casual eatery, by the Plus 82 Pocha crew, will also be serving up Korean fried chicken, riffs on the chicken burger (including a “hot and spicy” option, one with sticky soy sauce and cheese, and another with sweet chilli sauce), and Korean hot dogs, or “K-dogs”, kinda like the Dagwood dog, with three different toppings. More information here.
