Botanic | A World-Class Restaurant in the Making
The Southern Hemisphere’s answer to Noma, Australia’s strongest restaurant, and South Australia’s only three-hat 🎩🎩🎩 establishment. It masterfully blends native game and unique botanical elements, making it the most palate-pleasing fine dining experience in all of Australia—worth a special trip just for this. Sunrise Lime Kombucha: Aperitif-level acidity that instantly awakens the taste buds. Saltbush Seeds, Wattleseed & Tiny Prawns: Crispy fried with a rich, umami prawn paste, topped with blue mussel pearls. Oyster, Macadamia, Pear, Tuna & Green Tree Ant: Crispy fried oyster 🦪 balls with a savory filling, paired with raw tuna and ants 🐜 to elevate richness and flavor layers. Kangaroo Island Abalone, Coastal Greens, Native Thyme & Chunky Roe: Perfectly balanced with mildly tangy, salty abalone and roe. Crystal Crab, Sea Urchin, Golden Kelp & Crab Shell Chili Sauce: The crab 🦀 meat and sea urchin, paired with the spicy sauce, deliver intense umami. Tuna Tartare, Native Basil & Kura Miso: Fresh crab meat and salmon roe with basil leaves. Emu Fillet, Desert Peach, Emu Liver & Warrigal Greens: The emu is cooked just right—tender but not dry—though the liver and herb sauce is a bit overpowering. Cured Emu, Mayonnaise & Smoked Eel: The cured emu and eel are on the salty side, and the mayo struggles to balance the bold flavors. Crocodile Fat Corn Tortilla, Atherton Almond, Crocodile Rib & Saltbush: The crocodile 🐊 ribs are charred to perfection with Mexican-inspired seasoning, paired with corn tortillas fried in crocodile fat—utterly aromatic. Crocodile Tongue & Davidson’s Plum: The tongue 👅 has a crispy exterior and tender, flavorful meat. Lobster Bisque, Pickled Celery & Sour Celery: The lobster 🦞 claw is tangy but otherwise unremarkable. Donnybrook Marron, Saltbush Shoots, Bunya Nut & Green Macadamia: The seasoning is ordinary, with a thick cream sauce, but the accompanying bread (scented emu bush scroll) and fermented butter are highlights. Juniper-Smoked Kangaroo, Wasabi & Moreton Bay Chili Sauce: Perfectly cooked—not dry at all—with a well-balanced sauce and moderate saltiness. Paroo Kangaroo, Tail, Rosella, Kangaroo Blood Sausage & Rainforest Cherry: The kangaroo 🦘 tail is smoky and rich, paired with native fruit’s mild acidity for a complex yet refreshing contrast. Desserts were average and not worth elaborating on. The full menu offers 20+ courses over 3.5–4 hours. Having tried nearly all of Australia’s top restaurants, this is the highest praise I can give—reminiscent of Nordic fine dining. With some refinement in desserts, it could become the Southern Hemisphere’s defining culinary destination. #AustralianHattedRestaurants #AdelaideFood #AdelaideFoodExploration #MichelinRestaurant #MichelinDining #Best50 #50Best #ThreeHatsRestaurant