Hotel SA November 2023

T H E E L E P H A N T H O T E L
But now, there are new regulars.
“We’re getting a lot more females in – for lunch and the
after work crowd.
“Rundle St is certainly growing in popularity.
“Enzo’s sister restaurant, Enoteca, has just opened up
down there.
“There’s a new burger bar opening up, the shops are
filling up. That’s always a good thing.
“I think people have got past the Royal Adelaide Hospital
closing.
“I think (the vibe) is coming back.”
THE THEME PUB EQUATION
Kym maintains the Elephant British has not lost its
Britishness.
“I think we’re British enough because what is British
now?
“We’re not trying to cover every base.
“But yes, we’ve got British beers without having a dark,
dingy, wooden bar with a ceiling on your head because
now days you just won’t survive.”
The days of the dedicated themed pub are all but gone,
Kym said.
“I think if you go down that track and stick to it 100 per
cent, things are very tough.
“But if you theme yourself like we have, yes we’re British
but we’ve also got Australian beers and gins and all that,
it suits the punter a lot more. It’s more a broad-range
spectrum.
“You need to be bright, you need to be bigger because
everyone’s space conscious after COVID.”
An impressive range of English Ales sit among the
24 taps downstairs, with several unique brews such
as Scotland’s Belhaven Robert Burns Brown Ale and
Oxfordshire’s Hobgoblin Ruby Beer. Then there are
more recognised tipples like Guinness, Kilkenny and the
popular Old Speckled Hen.
They are complemented by standard beers Kym said are
also hard to find in Rundle St.
“I think we’re the only pub in the area that has
mainstream beers on tap.
“So if you want a Carlton Draught, a Great Northern or a
Hahn Super Dry, you come to us.
“We’re not going heavily down the craft market. I think
that’s sufficiently looked after in Rundle Street.”
MUSHY PEAS
The menu also gives a nod to the Old Dart with its everpopular
fish and chips and its side that keeps diners
coming back.
“We just can’t keep up with the mushy peas,” Kym said.
“They love them. It’s something that stands us apart
from the others. It’s very, very British.”
But whether mushy peas are your thing or not, if you’re
still feeling nostalgic at the Elephant, you’ll find it in the
sanctuary of its exceptionally well-priced menu.
As some pub menus rising as inflation continues to
impact costs, the Elephant still proudly trumpets its
pasta of the day at $19, its curry at $21 and staples such
as schnitzels for $22 and salt and pepper squid for $23.
It’s stretching Kym’s pursestrings but it’s a decision he
has taken both strategically and proudly.
“Absolutely. To me hospitality is about looking after
the client.
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