Crocodile actually does taste a little like chicken. Ostrich and kangaroo, on the other hand, taste more like beef.
These are just some of the things I discovered at Down Under Wines, a small retail shop and wine bar almost hidden in a strip mall on the north side of Chandler Fashion Center.
The front of the store is crowded with wood racks of wine from Australia, New Zealand and elsewhere. In the back, the space decorated with boomerangs and Aboriginal prints opens up a bit to reveal several tables and a small bar.
Working behind the counter are gregarious co-owners Roger Carpenter and Phil Roberts (pictured). Shaven-head Carpenter looks like the big-game hunter in “Jurassic Park 2.” Roberts could be Jeff Spicoli’s long-lost uncle.
Both know their wines — Carpenter was a master sommelier in Sydney — and can suggest, for example, an excellent Australian Shiraz for under $20. In fact, most of the glasses on the wine list are under $10.
Down Under also sells Coopers, the only Australian beer available in Arizona. (Ask about Foster’s and Carpenter will bark, “It’s made in [expletive] Canada!”) The preservative-free craft beer ($3.75 per bottle) comes in five varieties.
The menu, mostly small dishes meant for noshing, is Australian-Asian fusion, meaning almost anything from chicken satay with black Forbidden rice ($8) to seafood lasagna with shrimp, whitefish, squid and octopus ($11.50).
The more exotic offerings, though, are some of the most popular at Down Under.
Topping the list are the crocodile potstickers ($8.50) filled with ground white meat and accompanied by a soy-ginger dipping sauce. Ostrich sliders (three for $12.50) with caramelized onions are chewier than their chicken equivalent.
“Baybee Emu Wings” ($8), Down Under’s tongue-in-cheek name for a bowl of whole chicken wings, are grilled with a hint of caramelized Vegemite, a dark brown paste that’s the national condiment of Australia. They come just one way: Hot.
Kangaroo, grilled and marinated, hops into the picture on the kangaroo salad ($11.50). You also can get ‘roo on a baguette with horseradish as part of the Aussie Meat Sampler ($13, with two croc potstickers and an ostrich slider, pictured at right).
For those with a hearty appetite, the Aussie Mojo Meat Pie ($8), sort of a pot pie served with ketchup, salsa and corn chips, delivers 680 calories and a heart-threatening 40 grams of fat. But it’s worth it.
Of course, not everything on Down Under’s menu is so adventurous. A hummus duo ($8) pairs traditional and red pepper. You also can mix and match six kinds of bruschetta (any four for $10).
Delicious cheese plates ($12-$15) include fruit, nuts and crackers and are large enough for several people to share. There also are paninis and small flatbread pizzas.
Down Under Wines
Where: 3305 W. Chandler Blvd. (in front of Chandler Fashion Center)
Open: 11 a.m. to close Monday through Saturday, noon to 8 p.m. Sunday.
Prices: Appetizers $8-$10, salads $6-$11.50, paninis $8, entrees $7.50-$11.50, desserts $5.
Info: (480) 705-7131 or downunderwinestore.com
(Photos by Ralph Freso, East Valley Tribune)
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