Since welcoming the new Patch Kitchen team in February, diners in Stirling have been waddling home happy and well-fed.
For owner and chef Andrew Davies (co-owner of Osteria Oggi and formerly of Press Food & Wine, Bread & Bone and Maybe Mae) the mission was simple: to serve quality food in a relaxed environment.
This is a venue that meets you where you’re at. There’s no pressure to indulge in a full meal. Rather, Davies encourages patrons to swing by and enjoy a beer in the garden or a coffee and “one of the best desserts in Adelaide”.
“[You] can pop in for breakfast, lunch or dinner – there’s no unspoken, strict policy on how you should use the place,” he tells Broadsheet.
At Patch, Davies is joined by his wife, Belle Kha, and their long-time friends Peter Harvey and Mette Cordes-Harvey. “Peter and Mette are from the wine industry, so [opening a restaurant has] been a big learning curve for them and they’re loving it,” Davies says.
Davies also enlisted friends to help with the fit-out, eschewing the million-dollar designs of his city restaurants and embracing DIY. “It’s amazing what you can do with a cheap Ryobi orbital sander and a couple of drills … It was great fun. Before we even opened, I felt like I’d done three seasons of The Block,” says Davies.
The simplicity of the design is echoed in the menu. Davies, along with chefs Damiano Pellegrini and Tim Caputo, keeps things simple, serving up dishes that focus on great flavour and texture rather than how many components are on the plate.
The menu will change frequently to highlight seasonal ingredients and produce from local suppliers. The team goes to great lengths to adjust the menu to cater for vegetarians, vegans and coeliacs, with myriad gluten-free bread, pasta and pastry options.
Luca Baioni is on hand to curate the boozy side of things. “He’s the cocktail man’s cocktail maker … the Top Gun instructor equivalent,” enthuses Davies.
The desserts – including an exciting soufflé and silky brûlée – will have you coming back for more.
Lucky patrons might be treated to a mountainous dessert, which staff cheekily refer to as the Monte di Testicolo (google it for a giggle) – a 1930s tulip glass filled with perfect spheres of vibrantly coloured gelato, all made in-house.
Patch Kitchen & Garden
143 Mount Barker Road, Stirling
(08) 8339 8087
Hours
Weds to Thurs 8am–4pm
Fri to Sat 8am–late
Sun 8am–5pm
patchkitchen.com.au/
@patchkitchengarden