Gin Long Canteen - 2014
Gin Long Canteen is the talk of the town at the moment, with good reason. The Asian eatery opened last year and offers no reservations, however, deciding on an early dinner (6.15pm), we immediately snagged a table on this Tuesday evening.
The walls of the restaurant were covered in timber and geometric shapes which combined flawlessly with the rustic furniture and decor. The restaurant had an amazing liveliness, not dissimilar to one of my favourite Melbourne restaurants, Chin Chin.
I literally had butterflies as I was eyeing the menu. Every dish sounded mouth-watering and as usual, my eyes were prepared to eat more than my stomach could bear.
The staff were friendly, personable and easy-going, but this is a well-trained team so they are professional and coherent as well.
With only two of us dining we opted for two “eat small” options and two “eat big options.”
Starting with the prawn dumplings, they were utterly delicious - tender, juicy and not too oily. The prawn meat was perfectly cooked, every bite was pure elation. A MUST ORDER.
Our second dish from the “eat small” section was the Grilled Chicken Satays.
Lip smacking, tender grilled chicken pieces smothered in a spicy peanut sauce. I can’t remember the amount of times I’ve had this Asian staple over the years, but Gin Long’s didn’t disappoint. The serving size was too small though, at least one more skewer please!
Moving onto the larger dishes, we ordered the Very Exciting Beef Salad.
With a name like that, how could I NOT order it?! Wonderfully grilled meat strips with thai eggplant, lemongrass and mint - This was crisp, light, and entirely nourishing; the healthy mix of vegetables and protein was perfectly executed. I’ve had better beef salads in Adelaide, but it was still an accomplished dish that left me quite satisfied.
Finally, the dish I was most looking forward to - Slow Braised Thai Beef (braised beef ribs, cinnamon and thai basil).
The dish was sweet, saucy and incredibly tender. The cinnamon and basil worked beautifully & accompanied the meat in a medley of deliciousness. The cinnamon worked well, but the sweet flavour was far too subtle for my liking. Others might have a different opinion?
Gin Long Canteenyou got it going on baby - but you already knew that. Delivering delicious Asian food that doesn’t hold back on flavour and does so in a fun and energetic environment. Don’t be put off by the no bookings policy or waiting to get a table, the staff work at an incredibly fast rate, and it’ll give you a chance to try some of their adventurous cocktails! No doubt, I’ll be back to sample more of that compelling menu!
Until next time, happy eats :)
