Tonights pub meal was at the Ocean Child. I'm sorry I didn't take the odd few hints about the food there - but, you need to make your own choices in life, and I take full responsibility for that one.
To be quite frank - it was crap. $26 worth of crap. I can hear Nellie telling me I asked for that, going for a meal at a pub like that. Well, if everyone on Hobart had that opinion, the place wouldn't be trading.
You might have picked up on the fact that I'm a sucker for a roast. They only had the one roast on tonight - pork. As also previously mentioned, I'm not a big pork lover, so that was a no-go for me, leaving the Seafood Platter looking pretty good.
Big mistake - it was SO fatty/greasy/oily that I could only tackle 2 deep fried scallops, 1 mussel (crumbed & deep fried in its shell), 1 natural oyster, and 1 squid ring (which had been dipped in some mega-salty spice mix before crumbing then deep fried).
It was presented as a huge plate full of food, but mostly comprised a salad that had been extremely liberally doused in mayo first, and a handful of ordinary chips piled up with the seafood balancing on top.
Yuk, yuk and more yuk!
It was really noisy there too. We ate what we could, as fast as we could, and left. We went to Kaos for a coffee & a bit of peace & quiet.
I don't care if it's had a new paint job, or new owners. The food was shit. My tummy feels heavy and unloved.
I just don't understand why it was so full and so busy. If the number of people there tonight is any indication of the fine palates of Hobart, we're truly sunk, gastronomically. I'm jumping off this sinking ship now!
But - I'm full of hope for next week at the Queens Head.
Thursday, 22 February 2007
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8 comments:
Oh Rita. Look at it this way - you took one on the chin for the rest of us. And sometimes a place can be popular with the masses AND good too. (although I'm struggling to find the perfect example here)
re Queens Head - on Melbourne Cup Day (a few months ago admittedly) I had salt and pepper squid there that knocked my socks off. (and one of our party was gluten-free and the staff were knowledgable and helpful)
Good luck with it!
Oh poor tummy, Mummy.
At least you gave it a go; saves me the trouble. Mind you, I doubt I'd use my one-night-per-year dinner in a restaurant on a counter meal. Probably head to 373 or MarqueIV.
What a waste of $26.
Have you tried the Shoreline? Mr Nellie found himself there for lunch on Monday, and was also a tad disappointed with his crumbed scallops and chips. Luckily it was a freebie lunch.
Kitty - now you put it that way, I'm happy to "take one for the team"!
Re Queens Head - I noted you on Cup Day speaking about the Salt & Pepper Squid at QH. Am hopeful it's still on menu as that would be my pick too.
Nellie - 373 is booked for 14th March dinner. Looking forward to it.
No - haven't been to Shoreline lately. I too was disappointed with the last meal I had there about 2 months ago. Took a work colleague there for lunch. She too had scallops. Ended up leaving all (except about 3 scallops) on the plate, and waitperson didn't even enquire why, which I found astounding.
Breakfast there was fine though. A strange venue, given the selection we have here, but it was convenient on the day.
Shame about the OC, hate to say we told you so.
Shiny on top but shit underneath.
Stick to the front bar.
I know, I know Whitey. So sorry I didn't stick to your recommendation of the front bar. Next time I'm taking you along to keep me on the straight & narrow!
I've been to the OC many times and have never been disappointed with the meals. Noisy, yes, but it's a pub, one of the few pubs left, I'd rather listen to people noise than poker machines, sports TV's etc. It's small but it has great meals and service and the staff are great. Hard to find these days unless you want and over priced, pretentious place with no atmosphere(which are plentiful in Hobart)
Mmmmm!
Have to say I agree with Rita's first review of the Ocean Child.
And believe me I gave it my best shot.
We first visited Friday before last for lunch, a group of 7 family members.
A few scnitzels were ordered, fish, roast etc but I ordered New York cut porterhouse with mushroom sauce. The steak was advertised at 500g. I ordered mine medium rare.
imagine my surprise when approximately 8 minutes later all our meals were delivered.
Glancing around the table, the schnitzels looked fried and shrivelled to within an inch of their lives, Jen's salmon was so overcooked it had begun to flake and dry out and as for my steak, I was in shock. How could a steak that was supposed to be 500g, be cooked to very well done within 8 minutes!, because that's how it came out, despite how I'd ordered it. No way was it the correct steak and no way was it cooked to order. It was terrible.
The Child was quite busy, and as I wanted to eat with my family, and didn't want to make a scene, I enjoyed my salad and chips and waited til I got home to ring the owner and express how I felt about the lunch I'd been served.
I explained that I couldn't believe the steak had been so over done in so little time and that at $29.50, plus extra for sauce, I thought it was over priced.
After many apologies and a few excuses I was invited to return for a replacement meal.
Phil and I returned last night, after a call to the owner as requested, to let him know I was coming, we arrived and had a drink in the bar, while being reassured with plenty of confidence that all would be well tonight.
We ordered a pub loaf $6.50, I ordered the same meal as I'd had on the Friday and Phil ordered Chicken Parma. We paid for our drinks as we went.
The pub loaf had been heated in the microwave, being spongy and soft but was just okay. Phil's parma was also just okay, my steak was cooked to perfection this time, definately the correct size but still was just okay. I returned to the bar to order a glass of red and the owner offered to shout me this one for my trouble, which I graciously accepted.
When we went to pay the bill I was shown the docket and pointed out that we had been given the $10 cheaper Parma free, but charged for the steak. While that was being sorted I realized that my so called complimentary wine had also been added to the bill. By this time I was so fed up, to say I was flabbergasted is an understatement! What a farce.
I will not be returning or recommending this place ever. What a waste of money to even return and give it a second chance.
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