Adelaide Informal Offline July 2nd@T-Chow

[Franco]

I guys, I'm in Adelaide from Friday 2nd of July till the 6th. Does anyone want to get together for an informal offline?

Cheers
Franco

[n4sir]

I'll be interested any date other than the 5th (I think I have an annual club dinner that night).

Any idea what kind of dinner/budget you'd be looking at? With T-Chow I think we can get away with picking a night and booking, otherwise we could need something more organized.

Cheers,
Ian

[Franco]

Hi Ian, I think anything goes. Up to suggestions.
I have a dinner on the Monday night, otherwise any other night is fine.

[n4sir]

Hi Ian, I think anything goes. Up to suggestions.
I have a dinner on the Monday night, otherwise any other night is fine.

I'm thinking of something like Saturday the 3rd at T-Chow. Looking at the diary I've got a few things on the week before and afterward and would be in the mood for something cheap & cheerful (not to mention we amazingly haven't been there this year )

If we're looking for a theme how about "wines of Burgundy" (ie. Chardonnay & Pinot), or if that's too narrow, the usual bottle of something special would probably suffice.

Cheers,
Ian

[Seven]

I would like to join this one but is there any alternative instead of T CHOW?

[n4sir]

I would like to join this one but is there any alternative instead of T CHOW?

If someone wants to find a deal somewhere else that's fine, but to be honest I'm going to have trouble fitting in something pricey when I've got so many other things going on around it. I also really can't be bothered chasing up other venues (I haven't dealt with before) when I'm already doing the June offline (and about a dozen other things outside the forum).

I just realised Saturday the 3rd is out for me too, which now makes my preference Friday the 2nd. The private rooms of the Alehouse are booked so that option is unavailable.

Cheers,
Ian

[Franco]

Hi Guys,

Friday night is good, unless I have car troubles

Burgundy theme is also great, as long as I dont have to bring Hoddles!

I'm not too sure where to go in Adelaide so up for suggestions. I'm happy to fit in with everyone's price range.

Cheers
Franco

[Scanlon]

I have been fishing with the idea of Vincenzo's but that's probably a bit $$$.

What kind of food are you thinking seven?

[n4sir]

Hi Guys,

Friday night is good, unless I have car troubles

Burgundy theme is also great, as long as I dont have to bring Hoddles!

I'm not too sure where to go in Adelaide so up for suggestions. I'm happy to fit in with everyone's price range.

Cheers
Franco

I thought a Hoddles would have been an automatic.

I remember at the vertical at the Manse last year you said you had all sorts of fun with the car on the way down - better make sure it's serviced and 100% before the trip this time.

Are you staying in the CBD or out in the burbs?

Cheers,
Ian

[Franco]

I thought a Hoddles would have been an automatic.

I remember at the vertical at the Manse last year you said you had all sorts of fun with the car on the way down - better make sure it's serviced and 100% before the trip this time.

Are you staying in the CBD or out in the burbs?

Might slip one Hoddles in the line up. Taking my ute over, so no dramas with car troubles. Last time, we couldn't make it past Ballarat due to a bad Volvo. Must have been the driver.

I'm staying the the CBD, so somewhere in town might be nice.

Cheers
Franco

[Seven]

I have been fishing with the idea of Vincenzo's but that's probably a bit $$$.

What kind of food are you thinking seven?

Vincenzo will be a good idea. I think they do degustation with prior arrangement. but as you mentioned, not sure the budget of others...

Rooview also mentioned wine underground for the another offline. $55 for 3 courses seems a reasonable deal...

Any thought Ian?

[n4sir]

I have been fishing with the idea of Vincenzo's but that's probably a bit $$$.

What kind of food are you thinking seven?

Vincenzo will be a good idea. I think they do degustation with prior arrangement. but as you mentioned, not sure the budget of others...

Rooview also mentioned wine underground for the another offline. $55 for 3 courses seems a reasonable deal...

Any thought Ian?

When Nick was talking to Vincezo's he said something about them wanting $100/person - I'm hoping that was for something like a 7-course degustation (or at the very least 5 courses).

If you go back to the other offline thread, the pricing for the Underground came to $70/person for a 1x entree, 1x main, 1x dessert set menu, or $100/person for a set five courses, quite a bit more than rooview was originally hoping....

What's the bug you've got with T-Chow by the way? Have you been back since the bad experience the first time you went that you mentioned at the other forum? (I'm not having a dig, just thought it's worth asking since Bert just rated them very highly in the same thread after a recent visit)

Cheers,
Ian

[n4sir]

This thread has been awfully quiet.

No other takers/suggestions?

[Seven]

Went to T Chow 3-4 weeks ago for a company gathering.

General comments from the group (not only myself)
- Duck meat was dry. very dry...
- No flavour on tofu dish.
- Chinese brocolli was not fresh > yellowish leaves...
- Sauce in hotpot was too 'gluey'
- oyster omlette very way too salty
- rice in the bucket had suspicious sauce in there. from previous diner...?
- no service at all! Need to uncork our own wines as the watiers did not know how to use corkscrewer...

after this another experience, I'm not quite convinced to go back again...

[PaulG]

Jas and I are on something of a budget, so despite our general view that Chinese and wine don't necessarily mix, depending on the venue we might be able to come

[Franco]

I'm the same, don't think we need to spend a fortune to have a good night. Even if we pick a reasonable restaurant with low corkage and split the bill between us. I'm even happy to get a bucket of KFC with great wines!

Casual and inexpensive would be great. Think it doesn't really matter where we go. Although I think we need definite numbers to make it work.

Cheers
Franco

[Seven]

Agreed. Even though I'm not quite keen on T Chow but it will be my pleasure to join if everyone are happy with that venue.

Date will be more tricky to me as I'm unlikely available on Fri or Sat.

Still, looking forward to my first offline...

[Steve]

I'm interested...!

[n4sir]

Went to T Chow 3-4 weeks ago for a company gathering.

General comments from the group (not only myself)
- Duck meat was dry. very dry...
- No flavour on tofu dish.
- Chinese brocolli was not fresh > yellowish leaves...
- Sauce in hotpot was too 'gluey'
- oyster omlette very way too salty
- rice in the bucket had suspicious sauce in there. from previous diner...?
- no service at all! Need to uncork our own wines as the watiers did not know how to use corkscrewer...

after this another experience, I'm not quite convinced to go back again...

Wow.

I'm not surprised about the lack of service, but then we usually look after our own wines anyway so it's not an issue.

It sounds like something's really gone wrong with the food department though, and your reluctance on that basis is perfectly understandable. When we last went there (at the start of the year) on a Sunday night (not to mention quite a few times last year) we had none of the above problems - duck was perfect, the greens were fresh and there was no hint of any re-heated/re-used items, etc.

Has the wheels fallen off in a few short months, or were you very unlucky again? I don't know, but it is bit of a worry - what day/night did you go there for this company gathering? Bert did say it was pretty good when he went there a couple of weeks ago - in a worse case scenario there's always Ying Chow & Kowloon around the corner for a Chinese fix with low corkage...

Three possible venues upcoming. CBD, Adelaide City (South) + North Adelaide. Prices/options hopefully tomorrow.

Thanks for doing this Adrian. I'm expecting it's going to be a tough ask to get a good deal on a Friday/Saturday night, especially when at the moment we have no idea what the minimum number of people going are could be. Short notice, weekend, BYO and a small table of anywhere from 2-8 people is a mix that usually doesn't get many places excited.

I thought of another couple of options we could try if people are interested: Orientai at Holden Hill is pretty good, corkage is steep ($12/bottle) but the cost of the food is cheap enough that it usually works out to be not much more than the Chows - the problem though is it's probably a bit out of the way for Franco and anyone the other side of town (could be hard to book at short notice too, especially a weekend night).

I haven't been back to the Himalayan Kitchen at Melbourne St, North Adelaide for a while (a lovely couple there running it, I'm really well overdue for a return) - last time I was there corkage was about $10/bottle, food was very good and reasonably priced. The goat and slow cooked lamb were wonderful, but the food in a banquet was unfortunately all bought out at once (a bit like when we went to Jerusalem a while back).

Cheers,
Ian

[n4sir]

Thanks again Adrian for your legwork on this one.

Good Life Organic Pizza sounds pretty good, and I've heard really good things before about Yakitori Takumi but somehow never got there and would be keen to try it sometime.

It will be interesting to see what other people think, because at this stage I'm very happy to give these a try.

Cheers,
Ian

[Steve]

I'm keen to try Yakitori Takumi... if not this time but some other time!

Many many years ago I was a regular at the only Goodlife pizza place, and it was awesome. Shortly thereafter they lost the plot and I've been an irregular visitor ever since. After an absence of a few years, I returned last year - not by choice - and was not as disappointed as I had been in the past. I had found that what were once beautifully made pizzas had turned into greasy, flavourless, disappointing tests of endurance and perseverance. Mid last year, the pizza was OK and the wine list was seriously good.

If they have completely changed their ways then I am very keen to go back. I admire the concept and I did admire the execution, and I really hope that they have rediscovered the art of making good food.

I guess if Yakitori Takumi isn't doable then Goodlife would be my next preference, and if I bitch about the place then I give you all permission to kick me under the table

[n4sir]

... or we could just go back to T Chow for this one, and consider Yakitori & Goodlife pizza next time.

(I'm starting to sound a bit like Shaun of the Dead when he was always talking of going back to the Winchester)

Cheers,
Ian

[Franco]

Ok, I know Seven doesn't really want to go to T-Chow. I have an offline group and we would go to Chinese every second offline. Works well if there isn't a lot of spice (which we can request at ordering)

But I'm willing to try T-Chow as it fits in with most people's budget. Lets confirm numbers for Friday night (I am busy on Sat/Mon/Tue/Wed).

I'm in.
1. Franco

[n4sir]

Ok, I know Seven doesn't really want to go to T-Chow. I have an offline group and we would go to Chinese every second offline. Works well if there isn't a lot of spice (which we can request at ordering)

But I'm willing to try T-Chow as it fits in with most people's budget. Lets confirm numbers for Friday night (I am busy on Sat/Mon/Tue/Wed).

I'm in.
1. Franco

I'm in for T-Chow. I found it's always great going on a Friday night so I can wander through the noises and smells of the Central Market on the way there.

The other good thing is we can take >1 bottle - with a group of up to ten people I find it's not too heavy going, but when we've got upwards to 20 people going taking two bottles each that's another story...

If you want Franco I can ring them tonight/tomorrow to book a table.

Cheers,
Ian

Ps. It looks like we've settled on Friday the 2nd July, so it may pay to change the title of the thread to this.

[Franco]

Cool, would be great if you could book a table of 10 for say 7:30-8pm for Friday night.

I'm sure we will fill it easy, where is Gavin?

Cheers
Franco

[n4sir]

Cool, would be great if you could book a table of 10 for say 7:30-8pm for Friday night.

I'm sure we will fill it easy, where is Gavin?

Cheers
Franco

Booked a table for about 10 people, 7:30pm start.

[Franco]

So far we have four people confirmed for Friday night.

We need another 6 to fill the table.

Cheers
Franco

[n4sir]

There must be a few things on because a few people have said they can't make it because of clashes with other dinners.

Steve, and I think a couple of others from Thursday night's offline said they're interested, and I got an email from someone outside the forum today too. If it's looking like it will be a lot less than ten in a few days time, I'll call T-Chow and scale back the booking.

Cheers,
Ian

[Franco]

Hi Ian, maybe we should cancel. Prob to close to tonights offline.

Cheers
Franco

[n4sir]

Hi Ian, maybe we should cancel. Prob to close to tonights offline.

Cheers
Franco

I doubt the last offline has had any effect.

I'd give it a few days yet - even when we've had smaller groups of 6 or so people they've been good experiences.

Cheers,
Ian