Sometimes, the simplest things are the most beautiful; a tiny manicured Japanese garden, a bijou kitchen in the backstreets of Paris, sweet carrots plucked from the earth during winter, or a bread oven full of tomatoes softening in heat left over from long baking sessions.
When planning the menu and space home to new Adelaide Hills bistro Thelma in Piccadilly, chef Tom Campbell took inspiration from time spent working in Japanese and Parisian kitchens. He and co-partners Olivia Moore (LOC Bottle Bar) and James Spreadbury (Noma) chose this small, leafy Hills nook as the place to build community.
The tiny space, formerly home to Brid Space, still feels familiar. The fit-out was crafted using the previous café’s timber benches and décor, while new blue windowsills, country-cottage white walls and curtains (made by neighbour Ensemble Studios owner’s mum) add elegance.
Campbell arrives long before the sun rises to bake crusty sourdough baguettes accompanied by butter, anchovies, charcuterie, or dipped in house-made ricotta or parfait. By mid-morning locals pop in for grab-and-go ham and Comté sangas before city dwellers emerge to graze; some at sun-kissed outdoor tables, others tucked away on kitchen-side benches or in the small indoor dining space.
The petite menu comprises eight produce-driven dishes. After working at Summertown Aristologist, Campbell’s connection with Adelaide Hills growers runs deep, particularly organic Australian flour millers and Spreadbury’s brother’s small-scale biodynamic market garden, Presqil. The offering changes weekly (sometimes daily). A tender cylinder of leek accompanying Nannygai topped with a handful of mussels is an unforgettable combo, largely thanks to fish stock sauce finished with lashings of butter, a touch of lemon, and the umami katsuobushi Campbell carried back with him from Japan.
If high winds mean Eyre Peninsula fishermen can’t hit the sea, classic King George whiting escabeche heaving with pickled veg is swapped out for raw dry-aged beef or large dolmades made with lardo and charcuterie offcuts. Fried onions, garam masala, herbs, garlic and a rich, complex sauce (with the slow-cooked tomatoes) elevate the comforting Greek dish.
The natural wine list champions the likes of local wine brand The Other Right and a few European gems, all aligning with the minimal intervention approach in the kitchen. Campbell believes all the hard work is done by farmers and as a result, works without the assistance of gadgets; just two inductions and a couple of pots.
The approach hits all the right notes. It feels thoughtful, authentic, purposeful and fun. Just the way the neighbourhood dining should be.