I read about the new Sorell Providore in GP’s column a while back and thought no further about it, till speaking to an ex-workmate this morning who had eaten there over the weekend, and suggested I check it out.
Having a few spare hours on my hands I made the snap decision to go there straight away – so did!
It’s on the site of David Seipen’s former Red Chilli Pepper (or whatever it was called) café on the main road into Sorell. It’s an upmarket food shop, bottle shop and café. The renovation has really cheered up this previously shoddy café, and successfully bought it into the 21st century. It has a lovely warm feeling to it, and this, combined with the ultra-friendly staff, made me feel like eating there, so I made another snap decision to try late breakfast there, so ordered scrambled eggs, crispy bacon and toast, with a pot of English Breakfast tea.
Well, blow me down if what I actually ordered, I got! Never in my life have I ordered crispy bacon and actually got it! I always get chef’s sanitized version of crispy bacon – which no way would I ever call ‘crispy’! This was crispy and gorgeous! AND – the toast….you wouldn’t think toast would be too hard an ask, would you?
Never, in all my myriad days of dining out, have I ever had toast done the way I prefer it, and have it at home….but Sorell Providore managed to achieve the impossible for me today – they provided me with crunchy (not soggy) warm toast (white bread, which I prefer too) with butter (yes, butter!) on the side! Thank god I lived long enough to witness this small miracle occur for me!
So – you take it as a given that I wholeheartedly recommend Sorell Providore. They are still getting settled in there, with more produce arriving daily. They are open Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights as well, with a night menu which reads very well. Go check it out and see what you think!
Having a few spare hours on my hands I made the snap decision to go there straight away – so did!
It’s on the site of David Seipen’s former Red Chilli Pepper (or whatever it was called) café on the main road into Sorell. It’s an upmarket food shop, bottle shop and café. The renovation has really cheered up this previously shoddy café, and successfully bought it into the 21st century. It has a lovely warm feeling to it, and this, combined with the ultra-friendly staff, made me feel like eating there, so I made another snap decision to try late breakfast there, so ordered scrambled eggs, crispy bacon and toast, with a pot of English Breakfast tea.
Well, blow me down if what I actually ordered, I got! Never in my life have I ordered crispy bacon and actually got it! I always get chef’s sanitized version of crispy bacon – which no way would I ever call ‘crispy’! This was crispy and gorgeous! AND – the toast….you wouldn’t think toast would be too hard an ask, would you?
Never, in all my myriad days of dining out, have I ever had toast done the way I prefer it, and have it at home….but Sorell Providore managed to achieve the impossible for me today – they provided me with crunchy (not soggy) warm toast (white bread, which I prefer too) with butter (yes, butter!) on the side! Thank god I lived long enough to witness this small miracle occur for me!
So – you take it as a given that I wholeheartedly recommend Sorell Providore. They are still getting settled in there, with more produce arriving daily. They are open Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights as well, with a night menu which reads very well. Go check it out and see what you think!
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20 comments:
Sounds great Rita!
If you're into really good crispy bacon, try Bosso and Boo in Battery Point where Mummy's used to be!
My flatmate and I had an awesome brekkie there last weekend! Excellent hollandise, perfect crispy bacon and awesome homemade beans! The flatmate also had black pudding which neither of us had ever had before and it was delicious! We'll definitely be heading there again.
sir grumpy has left a new comment on your post "Out with the old, in with the new":
At last, someone else who understands ``crispy bacon''!
Well done (no pun intended) the Sorell mob.
Soggy-bacon types just don't get it, oh the crunch....
(I think this comment was meant to go with the Sorell Providore post, so have added it here. Hope you don't mind, Sir G. Rita)
Not trying to be a smart arse, but does anyone here know how to get crispy bacon without burning it?
When I am cooking here at home I always aim for crispy bacon but it usually ends up burnt! I cook it on my little George Foreman fat blaster grill.
Anon 10.03 - totally hearing you! But I have come up with (for me) the ideal solution. I now buy proscuitto instead of bacon. I buy it freshly sliced (ie I get the deli staff at either Hill St or Salad Bowl or Italian Pantry to slice how ever many slices I want, and I specially request they slice it paper thin, also explaining, but not at IP, that I'm not being a cheaparse wanting it paper thin but that is the way to fully taste the fine flavour of it, just in case they aren't aware of that - never waste an opportunity to inform the younger generation!). Then when I cook it (either grill or fry) it easily crispens up, and complements my morning eggs perfectly and crisply!
I actually don't mind it burnt (not incinerated!) but ideally aim for crisp not burnt. To us afficionados, there is a fine distinction!
Anon - First start with good bacon - BOKs or as Rita said a thin sliced version. Second - I always find the Georgie (that's what we call ours) doesn't do the bacon justice but popping it under the grill on a lower setting gets it crispy without burning! If you want it crisp but still juicy a fine mist of olive oil while grilling helps too. This same style of cooking is best for lamb loin chops too - cripsy without burnt edges. Hope that helps!
Great article in todays Age Epicure about Tasmania's first & most knowledgable rare breed pig farmer & butcher Lee Christmas. Free-range pig farmer news! Well deserved press for someone who has helped and inspired many people to get involved in this feldgling industry through his passion for maintaining rare breeds and his commitment to farming ethically. With Lee the pig always comes first and the marketing a very distant second, a fine example of getting prioroties right in this age of product hype.
Yes Rita, here is where I wanted the comment!
I just use time and low heat for my crispy.
Little oil, bacon, low heat.
Give youself plenty time.
Scots chef Nick Nairn did what he calls ultimate crispy...with proscuitto and DEEP fried (well at least in about an inch of oil). It looked the business.
Free range pork producer Lee Christmas is the father of the free range pork movement here in Tasmania, everyone else is riding on his shirt tales and expertise.
There isn't anyone here who hasn't benefited from his knowledge be it Matthew Evans,(gourmet farmer) Jen Owen (the eat locally person) or the Munt Gnomon farm people who I beleive are just starting off.
Crispy bacon is to die for. I must admit the bacon that the Raw guys (Matt and Ross) do crisps up really nicely. I think its got to do with the fat and the type of fat....
WOW! Rita you are a hard woman to please, crispy bacon, white bread & butter. No wonder 373 could not satisfy you.
Thanks for the tip Emma - I'll make sure I pop in there soon.
Thanks to everyone else for your crispy bacon hints.
Anon 7.10 - Mt Gnomon's Guy and Eliza got their original pig from Lee Christmas, so, yes, they are across the Wessex Saddleback 'scene' here in Tassie.
Don't be such a gastronomic snob Anon 11.51. And yes, if 373 had served up some crispy bacon they would have won me over. Anything particularly wrong with that?
I thought 373 SERVE white bread and crsipy bacon butties
They bloody should crispybaconlover! That's just what I've had for brekky this morning.
Oh the old bacon butty is to die for, best served on fresh sourdough with a lovely relish.... mmmm... craving it now....
Ah - breakfast food! Well done, it is the ultimate meal. Good bread - baguettes or croissants with home made jam, or toasted sourdough. Eggs - gently scrambled or perfectly poached. CRISPY BACON!!! (no more need be said). And in winter, porridge (Devlish espresso does a nice version, with banana and maple syrup). And good coffee.
I think the key to a good kitchen (at home or a restaurant) is turning simple, good ingredients into delicious food. You can't get much simpler than breakfast. When its done well, it sets the bar very high for the rest of the day!
Good to hear that you liked this place. It encourages me to give it another try. We discovered it a month or so ago and were a tad underwhelmed. The full - sans bacon - breakfast was just a bit bland and my fruit toast was just plain disappointing. I reckon they used "bought from the supermarket sliced too thinly" fruit bread and it was cold and crunchy by the time it got to me. "On the side" butter had to be laid on in destined never to melt strips. Given the rather good bakery just up the road, I think they could do much better than this - slice your own for a start! But I'm up for a revisit now - thanks Rita!
My experience at the Sorell Providore was B A. Staff were all over the show - tables were so cramped together it was uncomfortable - service was slow and the food didn't reflect the description.No desire at all to re turn.
The food and drinks were great, the service was very slow and take away orders were getting preferance over the restaurant, took about 3mins just to get a Hot Chocolate.
***30 minutes
Hi Rita,
I'm interested in the photos of Sorell Providore. I have tried emailing you through your blog. Unfortunately, the form is not working for me (word verification image not showing up). So, please contact me at splinesstudio[at]gmail[dot]com. Hope to hear from you in order to explain my interest in the photos.
Thanks & regards,
Caryn
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