The Forager: Afghan street food in the city
Today, Parwana opens its city outlet, a celebrity chef to move in at the Adelaide Casino, McLaren Vale events, and SA food stars in Singapore.
Afghan street food in the East End
The city outpost of much-loved Torrensville Afghan family restaurant Parwana is opening today in the East End.
Kutchi Deli Parwana is the project of the Ayubi family’s next generation, sisters Durkhanai, Zelaikhah and Zahra.
The extraordinarily decorated deli in Ebenezer Place will serve Afghan street food for lunch, seven days a week.
Durkhanai – pictured above outside Kutchi Deli Parwana – told The Forager the initial menu would include dumplings, rice with two different curries each day, filled flat breads (called bolani) cooked to order, lamb kebabs, and oven-cooked chicken kebabs with Afghan bread and salad.
The menu will be quite different to the restaurant, but with the home-style flavours familiar to Parwana regulars.
“All are dishes are different, but all our flavours will be pretty much very similar,” Durkhanai said.
The elaborate establishment adds a great deal of colour to the off-Rundle laneway. The walls are handpainted, with scenes based on Persian miniature artwork interspersed with family photos, and what Durkhanai describes as “kitsch” from the sisters’ youth – Bollywood posters, and pictures of popular Afghan singers.
The kitchen doors emulate colourful Afghan truck art, and the counter is lined with handpainted Indian tiles.
Given the almost immediate success of the other food businesses new to Ebenezer Place, expect this place to go off like a rocket.
SA produce shines in Singapore
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South Australia’s finest seafood featured at Singapore’s main racing industry function held in the lion city last Friday.
Grand Hyatt executive chef Lucas Glanville, who used to tend the stove at best restaurant in Australia winner Browns’ in Melbourne in the early 2000s, designed a menu specially for the Singapore International Racing Lunch.
The seafood was flown in from Port Lincoln, where Glanville has developed strong personal relationships with local producers.
“No middle men, no distributors – we deal directly with the bloke who takes it out of the sea,” Glanville told InDaily.
“We have a couple of tonnes flown up every week.”
Port Lincoln prawns and King George Whiting were the star turns of the day, along with Australian lamb presented with a splash of glamour by Lambassador Sam Kekovich.
Glanville says the reason he uses SA produce is its “clean green” reputation.
“I have introduced a policy on sustainable seafood into the hotel and the clean waters, diversity of products and excellent managed fisheries in SA fit our criteria very well.
“MSC certified Spencer Gulf prawns are popular, we purchase them directly from the fisherman, Rick Kolega of Sekol in Port Lincoln.
“It’s a great success story of dealing directly with the primary producer and we pass on significant savings so our guest can enjoy great value for money products.
“King George whiting, Coffin Bay oysters, yellow tail kingfish, blue mussels; we source these through an agent who organises logistics on our behalf and they are all regular menus items when available or in season.
“We receive great feedback on the products and look forwards to enjoying them in the future.”
The 400 or so guests included racing and business leaders from around the globe who had jetted in to joins locals for the Singapore International Cup, run last Sunday.
It gave Glanville a chance to show off his new $30 million open kitchen which was revealed just before main course when a light show and smoke machines drew the crowd’s attention to a wall that swiftly rose to reveal the chefs at full pace preparing the main course.
Kekovich said it was spectacular: “There were woks blazing, oil spitting, knives flashing – I wasn’t game to move.”
The menu
Baked Poilane bread, salted butter, basil pesto
Sharing appetiser
Vine-ripened tomato salad, shaved fennel, red onion, preserved lemon, dill, virgin olive oil
Fresh fig, burrata, basil salad
Spencer Gulf king prawns, Asian slaw, chilli, lime, soy dressing
Corned beef salad, cauliflower, carrots, waxy potatoes, chopped parsley, grain mustard dijonaise
Chinese roast duck, cucumber, spring onion, hoisin
Sharing main course
Crispy King George whiting, chips, citrus, tartare sauce
Roast lamb chump, buttered peas, lettuce, mint, gremolata
Roast pumpkin, toasted pine nuts, confit garlic, sea salt
Creamed garden spinach
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Cheese
Imported hand-crafted artisanal cheese, fresh fruit, greens, rustic bread, condiments
Buy local citrus
South Australia’s orange growers have launched a campaign this morning to encourage shoppers to get into the local product this season.
Supporting local growers – and buying the fresh, South Australian product – seems all the reward you need.
However, the Buy a Local Orange campaign, running from May 19 to September 12, is accompanied by a competition. Eligible shoppers will go into a draw for a new car, an ultra-luxury Riverland holiday and a range of new appliances. Enter online here.
Citrus Australia’s SA region chair Con Poulos reckons that we grow the best oranges in SA – he also points out that citrus is the state’s biggest horticultural commodity.
Sea & Vines
Tickets are selling fast for this year’s Bank SA Sea and Vines Festival at McLaren Vale from June 6-9.
However, to get the inside running, follow the event on Twitter (#seaandvines) or Facebook (facebook.com/seaandvines) where the organisers are tipping off followers about some “secret” events.
Watch this space in the coming weeks for more details about some special events – and to win tickets.
For details and the full program go here.
Corrina versus Karena
While we’re in McLaren Vale, it seems some people get mixed up between gun Oliver’s Taranga winemaker Corrina Wright, 
and the Salopian Inn’s highly regarded chef Karena Armstrong.
To end the confusion (or perhaps muddy the waters even more!), diners have the chance to taste the pair’s handiwork in an epic dinner on May 29.
The Corrina versus Karena dinner will match Karena’s food with Corrina’s wines – with Corrina promising an early showing of the 2014 Fiano and Vermentino, and Karena serving up a five-course degustation.
There are still some tickets available, but best to get in quickly. Book here.
Celebrity chef to open Casino restaurant
Celebrity chef Sean Connolly will open a restaurant in the redeveloped Adelaide Casino.
Connolly, a seafood specialist who has made a name for himself in Australia, New Zealand and the US, once opened a fine-dining restaurant in New Zealand’s SkyCity Grand Hotel in 100 days – and the whole enterprise was filmed for a reality TV show.
He’s a sustainable seafood ambassador – meaning he’s coming to the right place.
Connolly might also be familiar to SBS viewers. His 13-part series, My Family Feast, documented families from across the globe coming together to eat, drink and enjoy each other’s company.
– additional reporting by Kevin Naughton
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