Dragonfly

Dragonfly, a small bar near the markets-courts-lawyers precinct on the city-centre Victoria Square, serves okonomiyaki. In both vegetarian ($10) and ‘squid’ varieties ($12). This is in itself a wondrous thing, for it’s rare to find okonomiyaki in Adelaide, and okonomiyaki is one of the tastiest methods of preparing food ever conceived (essentially: with cabbage, in an omelette, topped with kewpie mayonnaise and a sweet soy sauce concoction).

That this Japanese delight can be found at a small bar in a central location with an unbeatable drinks menu, 200g steaks ($32) and the possibility of a frangelico affogato ($12) is the realisation of some kind of beautiful, twisted dream. The fact that the walls are painted with disorienting red-and-black zigzags only adds to the sense of topsy-turvydom. 

On TIme Out's recent trips to Dragonfly at dusk during after-work Friday drinks, they’ve turned the music down a bit, thank feck. When the place first opened, the management were mistaking ‘happening’ for ‘unreasonably loud’. Dragonfly is best when it’s a place to talk and mingle, and now that balance has been struck wonderfully. That said, the music is often excellent, and a perfect accompaniment to your choice of poisons.

Dragonfly offers an impressively curated menu. Although it’s not the largest choice, there are McLaren Vale standouts: 2009 Pertaringa Two Gentlemens [sic] Grenache ($9/glass), a fantastic lighter red, and the full and flavoursome 2009 Hedonist Shiraz ($8.50/glass) that won over even the most stubborn of Shirazophobes among us. Peroni and Dirty Granny Apple Cider (both $8/pint) are the only tap drinks, but both are fine specimens. The one (long) page cocktail menu is a best-of-the-best list, and the bar favourite Fuzzy Tingle Times ($17), featuring raspberries, peach and mandarin-infused vodka, lemon juice and what seemed like sherbet, was a winner. Espresso martinis are also highly recommended, both specific to Dragonfly and as general advice for life.