Bloom — Restaurant in Adelaide

I used to love this place and went quite often until I had a small birthday gathering there as a “function”. I had 22 on my guest list so I had no choice but to have a function with a drinks and feed-me package over a feed-me lunch and drinks on consumption. The terms and conditions on functions (they adopt a one size fits all approach) are outrageous (just checkout the Covid and cancellation/change of numbers condition alone). I had just the amount of people to qualify for a function (rather than just a large table booking). I foolishly obliged thinking there would be some flexibility and from my previous experiences with other feed me lunches. The rules included a strict 2.5 hour food and drinks package (I was prepared to pay on consumption past the 2.5 hours but I was not allowed to). I was told that if myself or guests wanted drinks after the 2.5 hour package that I had to commit to a further payment per head prior to the event for a minimum of half hour to keep the “bar” open - the cafe bar that’s already open in fact. When I questioned this, I was told these were the terms and conditions for a function because I was agreeing to hire the “space” in the pavilion. Ok then. Well on the day, we didn’t have exclusivity of the space, it was during normal trading hours and there were other groups of people in the pavilion eating. People along side us were treated with much better service than we were and were “allowed” to stay longer than 2.5 hours for their feed-me long lunch because it wasn’t a function. I was also quoted a very unreasonable amount per head to add one extra dish (only one or two dishes to accomodate 3 people, not for the entire group but I was quoted an extra $440). From the moment we arrived, the function co-ordinator rushed us, constantly looking at her watch, taking away plates and drinks when people were still eating and drinking from them. I was also told when I had to cut my cake which was at a time when I was having photos with my family and friends and was rudely interrupted. Towards the end, we were told our time was up and that we had to leave, noting there was still an hour of trading left, and no one else was needing the table (that would be understandable). We weren’t allowed to stay at our table or even in the cafe area. We weren’t rowdy or disturbing other patrons, so that was not the reason either. This rude treatment was from the moment we got there. I wrote a polite email providing all this feedback as I believe in giving a business an opportunity to respond to complaints rather than reviews, and I didn’t even get an apology back. Just a pathetic response, words to the effect that I got what I paid for. Well I paid enough and didn’t expect to pay for rude and abrupt service like that, it made everyone feel like they were being watched and couldn’t enjoy themselves. You’d think businesses in this climate would welcome people with open arms who want to stay for more drinks and have a good time, rather than get told to leave because “time is up” on their function package but yet everyone else who were just regular patrons in the same area were allowed to stay as long as they wanted. To compare, I previously arranged a surprise birthday for a friend, it was 12 people in the pavilion and we got the complete opposite treatment from the staff in the cafe where we could stay as long as we wanted and enjoy ourselves without drinks and plates taken away from us. It’s just so disappointing there is such a divide, especially when you are paying more for a function per head. You’d think it would be the opposite but it just shouldn’t happen...

Updated review Jan 2021. Lunch at @bloom_winwood: great food and trendy atmosphere. Unfortunately, not so good on a really hot day. Omg we were melting 😅😅🥵🥵. The staff were good at keeping us topped up with plenty of ice though 😅. . Sourdough, Sichuan braised mushroom, dry cured bacon, butter bean, poached egg, garden herbs: this was more of a breakfast dish, but was still quite tasty. Slightly different compared to the usual bacon, as the flavour is quite good! . Mortadella meatballs, soiboii baguette, blue vein pomarola, reggiano, chive: this was really delicious! Hard to share but we made it work 😅. The baguette was nice, and was flaky on the outside, and soft inside. The sauce with the meatballs was very good. . Wood roasted pumpkin, spelt, shiitake, almond ricotta, radish salsa verde, smoked almond: I really loved this dish! The pumpkin was so tasty 🤤🤤🤤. The smokey flavour was there, and the rest of the ingredients work really well together. . Ugly pasta, beef cheek, yolk sauce, truffle reggiano, garlic shoot, chive: one of their most popular dishes, and we can see why. The pasta was nicely done. The sauce was super tasty. Perfect dish! . BBQ trout (whole), crusty bread, house pickles, preserved lemon aioli: the fish was perfectly done. Didn't taste fishy at all. Meat was tender. Flavour was good. . Crispy potato, umami salt, fried capers, porcini aioli: you just can't go wrong with crispy potatoes 😍😍. . Smoked eggplant, green tomato, verde, tahini: I love how they use the wood oven for everything. The eggplant was really soft and tasty! . Sliced sweet potato from the coals, advieh, chicken skin butter, yoghurt, chive, shallot bread: really tasty dish! Thought it was going to be large pieces of sweet potato, but it's more of a mash, which I didn't mind. . Wood fired haloumi, pine nuts, honey, sumac, thyme: omgggggg my favourite dish here! Just perfect ☺️. . White chocolate custard, poached rhubarb, pine nut streusel: I really liked this dessert. The rhubarb was really good! Nice and sweet. However, it would've been nicer if there was ice cream as part of it 😅😅. . Wood roasted berries, lemon yoghurt sorbet, fennel seed: really loved the roasted berries, which were sweet but contrasted well with the slight tanginess of the sorbet. . Wood roasted banana and honey smoothie: so good! . Blueberry, coconut and lavender smoothie: also quite a...

New Edit: I feel the vibe is still hanging on. However, some things have depreciated. The finer side of the service has dwindled. No more delectable table snacks. Staff keep coming up to the table, my friend was getting agitated. The selection of cakes have halved, and they look much more generic to other standard cafes. I got a takeaway soy mocha and a small carrot cake. Very small cup, no cream, icecream or anything. Coffee was smooth and fruity though. The carrot cake was on the dry side, however the cream cheese icing was lovely. But for $14.50 and takeaway, I would have expected a bit more. I now give it a 4.6/5 ⭐ Would give it 6 stars if I could! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 The service is impeccable. Knowledgeable and friendly staff, more than happy to discuss about the meals and coffee.

The venue is gorgeous, with a boutique, modern, botanical vibe. The smell of wood oven pizza and freshly roasted coffee makes for a delightful aroma!

They provide table service, complimentary sparkling water or still, plus a cute tray of salted sunflower seeds. The seating is generously spacious. Outdoor alfresco dining or indoor options.

Food and coffee: I ordered a soy mocha and a finger bun. This was no ordinary finger bun. Alcoholic limoncello custard centre, with berry compote and dried blood orange topping. The finger bun itself was closer to a baguette. Very photogenic, but mainly it was delicious!!

The coffee was particularly smooth and velvety, no bitter taste at all. As it was a mocha, the chocolate was not too strong and it balanced out the coffee. I would like to try their iced mocha next time. However the size doesn't change much, iced or hot the cups look the same size.

The barista was more than happy to discuss the roasts and blends they use.

Fantastic experience and I will be back for a special event in...