Words and photos: Dylan Starczak
Udaberri is the OG of Leigh Street, responsible for sparking the legislation change in 2011 that led to the thriving small bar scene of the West End.
Arguably the most slept-on eatery in Adelaide, we sat down with Udaberriās head chef, Michael Ambrose, to speak about their new menu and the inspiration behind it.
Michael says the inspiration behind the new menu is, “keeping it interesting, keeping it fun. Keeping it light too, especially with the weather. Share plates for everybody to get into that suits the vibe of Udaberri.
“I think the days are gone of the protein, veg, carb plates. I think having everything on one plate isn’t what people want anymore. People want to try lots of little things, that’s how I like eating anyway.ā
Here’s Michael’s breakdown of the menu:
Coorong Mullet Escabeche
Vaguely inspired by the way my mother would cook when I was younger. She would make a really acidic salad with just tomatoes and onion, which she’d serve with fish or chicken, and at the bottom of the plate there’d be this delicious juice left from the tomato and the vinegar. It was always my favourite part to mop up with bread. So that’s essentially what this āescabecheā vibe is based off.
Slow Cooked Lamb Ribs
This is the simple one. Slow cooked lamb ribs with a native herb and apricot salsa verde. Bit of curly parsley, I want it to look like a butcher display. A tasty treat.
Braised Sugarloaf Cabbage
It’s got pistachio cream piped between the leaves and a jamon XO over the top, which I make out of all our offcuts at the charcuterie. This one’s about minimising waste. Thereās some pickled shallots just to cut through the richness of it. It’s quite potent in flavour.
Beetroot and Kohlrabi Tartare
Pretty self explanatory. For the vegan crowd ā a bit of cashew cream, herb mix on top, and some crackers that we make in house. Super light, super summery. Keeps everyone happy.
Flathead
The flathead is cloaked in sundried tomato butter, some chives, some tarragon, with a tomato oil to finish it. Super simple and delicious. The best part is the cheek, get into it.
[Flathead is Friday, Saturday + Sunday only]
Chocolate Torte
This one’s gluten free, with a blueberry and rose cream. It’s like a turkish delight chocolate. I’m big fan of rose flavour. So I wanted to incorporate it any way I could.
Thereās space in the Adelaide scene for eager new chefs, and Michael encourages young food devotees to pursue their goals.
“A lot of places are looking for chefs all the time. It’s a pretty transient workforce. Do as much as you can at home, we live in a golden age of information. You can learn to cook whatever you want, whenever you want. There’s no real rules in cooking, if itās bad, just keep trying.ā
Michael says there’s a lack of young chefs kicking around at the moment.
“A lot of people don’t want to cook anymore for a plethora of reasons,” he explains.
“The outdated working conditions of low pay, tough bosses, and instability need to be addressed to open the doors again and make the industry appealing.
“There are good places out there who will value you. It’s the best time to become a chef and get your foot in the door. You’re never going to have a better time for opportunities opening up than right now.ā
Udaberri: 11 Leigh Street, Adelaide 5000
