The Kings Head is one institution in Adelaide which straddles the line between a traditional earthy English style pub and a progressive culinary institution with its side business Sturt Street Cellars, now one of the very best bottle shops in state for boutique produce and now with its new menu.
Chef Lachy Cameron is determined to push beyond traditional pub fare with a range of dishes which encompass subtle Asian elements as well as the hearty European elements which are synonymous with pubs like the Kings Head.
The Kings is a great place to start your night out with a group of friends thanks the crowd-pleasing tapas style share plates (which could also double as entrees). For us, Cameron picked out the Chorizo with Pipi in a Romesco sauce, the Sticky Wings, Pork Belly and kimchi and Haloumi with Pickled Grape.
To complement some of the Asian flavours, Cameron picked the Gestalt’s 2015 Gewurztraminer from Lenswood, which wasn’t ordinarily on the list, while prior to that bar manager Ben selected the glorious Big Shed Californicator to open proceedings.
The romesco sauce is like a better version of any chunky dip you’ve ever had, with crushed nuts, the right marriage of oil and tomato and a chilli kick to round it off. It brought extra life to the fresh Goolwa pipis and a refreshing sweet acidic counter to the dense rustic chorizo, which was one of the most unique varieties of the sausage that this reviewer had tried. A small, but noteworthy detail.
The salty pork belly was wonderfully offset by the acidic kimchi with a wonderful sweet-sour and the depth that comes from being properly pickled. The pork belly was flawless; the skin an ideal blend of crunch which the right level of stickyness and part-rendered fat.
The sticky wings were delicious without being overwhelming. Covered in a sweet and tangy Asian style sauce and fresh coriander, it was easy but reliable crowd pleaser. Just like the haloumi which was given an extra edge by the pickled grape which cut through the richness.
Photography by Vlad Sopotsko
For mains we first tried the pan seared kingfish with nori coated scallops and a mango and saki dressing on black rice with micro herbs. The nori coating gave a unique subtle savoury edge to the scallops which complemented the delicate sweet flavour. The microherbs added a floral complexity which merged well with the base flavours. The kingfish was perfectly cooked and the mango and saki sauce gave the fish the mango and saki coating gave the faintest sweet edge to the kingfish which the elements merging perfectly. There was a slightly disparate element to the scallops and the kingfish, but we liked that the whole dish had different subtle components with light unique flavour profiles.
The Murraylands Brisket Pie was sensational with sweet green pea soup, super sweet caramalised onion and a soft flaky pastry which broke down wonderfully. The tender brisket was hearty with this now-fashionable cut perfectly suited to a pie, through the way it breaks down slowly in the cooking process.
The Kings Head will no doubt surprise many long-time devotees and newcomers with its diverse but high quality range of shared plates and sumptuous mains.
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