New wine bar and restaurant for Adelaide’s Hindley Street

Stem is preparing to open its doors on Hindley Street in the former site of Caos Café.

Set to open at the end of the month, the 180-seat venue features a spacious main room, wine cellar, open kitchen and private dining area featuring a mural by local artist Nicole Black.

The venue will also have an urban jungle feel with plant stylist Emma Sadie Thomson in charge of the lush greenery all around the site.

“We wanted to soften it up a little bit,” said co-owner and general manager Paul Barber.

Barber has partnered with co-owners Tom Paxton, Lachlan Farmer and Chris Farmer to form the new hospitality group One Block West.

“You’ve got Bank Street, you’ve got Peel, you’ve got Leigh … We thought there was something at this end of town that needed to be exposed, or explored,” said Barber.

The focus is casual fine dining, “offering a higher end but without being cost-prohibitive”.

With two of the new hospitality group doctors, the new venue is looking at tapping the professionals who are flocking to the newly redeveloped precinct that includes a university.

The Mediterranean-focused menu includes woodfired pizzas, share plates and some larger dishes such as “lasagne-style” gnocchi; broccoli hummus with charred broccoli and chilli jam; roast pumpkin with burnt leek, pepitas and pistachios; and a honey-and-nut tart served with olive-oil gelato.

Head chef Mike Proud (ex-Osteria Oggi) said they are trying “to keep it simple”.

“I just want it to be fun food that’ll go well with the wine, without adhering to any one cuisine … so long as it’s delicious,” he said.

Other members of the team include restaurant manager Imogen Henning (ex-The d'Arenberg Cube), and bar manager Monica Guilhaus (ex-The Port Admiral).

Sheridan Randall - 19-08-19