Restaurant review: Ruby Red Flamingo
Adelaidians normally refuse to wait in line for anything – let alone a two-hour wait for a table at an Italian restaurant on a Saturday night.
So it was with great expectations we arrived at the old premises of the Manse, early, we thought, to join the line of hungry customers.
The restaurant had already overflowed to the porch, with diners relegated to drinking outside as the bar upstairs was already at capacity.
Even as early as 6pm, the line at the entrance is long and the promise of a table is an hour and a half wait.
Passing through the disjointed eating areas downstairs, there was a tremendous amount of food already served and being eaten in a cheery yet busy living-room-style atmosphere.
Upstairs, it was hard not to feel sorry for the solo barman as he fought manfully to serve the 50-odd crowd hanging around for their turn to dine.
The cocktail list covered most bases with a large selection of aperitifs, however, some things weren’t so well thought out as the barman had to rush downstairs for fresh espressos to mix the martini.
The wait was a little over two hours before the maitre ’d picked us out of the ever-growing crowd and placed us at the table.
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The wine list is small and almost unnecessary as most people employed the BYO option ($12 corkage).
The random miss-matched cutlery and plates add a somewhat eclectic feel, and the menus are strewn across the many blackboards.
"The food was beautiful in its traditional simplicity."
The waitress informed the table she was the daughter of one of the chefs, leading to the suggestion that she should do the ordering for us.
And what a good idea that was.
Following traditional appetisers of tender carpaccio and arancini, were soft pillows of beetroot ravioli and a dish of veal so tender you could cut it with a spoon.
Spaghetti granchio, while light on crab meat, had the perfect touch of chilli and the fat tubes of pasta could not be faulted.
All were presented traditionally, oozing with olive oil or parmesan, seasoned perfectly and already peppered where required.
No flair, no opulence, no dancing around the plate. The food was beautiful in its traditional simplicity.
It is very obvious the cuisine is prepared and served by chefs of great experience who have followed the same recipes many times over.
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Pasta is not an easy thing to get right in such large quantities and at such a quick pace, however the food flowed from the kitchen with ease and at a rapid rate.
A romantic might even go so far as to suggest that it was nonna and nonno out the back stirring massive pots of passata and beating the scallopini.
While the Manse may have been a high-quality traditional silver service eatery, Ruby Red Flamingo could not be more different: sharp, unobtrusive service, simple drinks and an establishment that is truly confident that it’s food should be the star of the show.
Ruby Red Flamingo more than proves the old adage – dare I say it, good things come to those who wait.
Four out of five.
Ruby Red Flamingo
142 Tynte St, North Adelaide
Phone:(08) 8267 5769
Cuisine: Traditional Italian
Small wine list, $12 corkage
Frank Grenfell is InDaily’s restaurant critic. He is a former journalist with experience working in restaurant kitchens and eating at some of the world’s finest establishments.
This is his first review for InDaily. His reviews will appear on Fridays.
