Monday 7 January 2008

Lunch at T42

..on Saturday was average. Not great, not bad. Average.

I'm well over T42, as regards reviews, because everyone seems to bring up the subject of T42 when restaurants are discussed. So, if I skim over details, I'm sure you'll understand.

The service was good; the food, as mentioned, average. The suggestion of T42 as the lunch venue was made because of the horrendous midday heat on Saturday. I tried hard to think, on the hop, of an air conditioned venue to meet for lunch, and decided that if nowhere else had aircon, T42 would. Well - I was wrong! It was like a sauna inside there! They have heaters mounted on the wall - but no aircon - well, if they do, it wasn't working.

I shared Sesame Crumbed Calamari and shoestrings, along with a Chicken Caesar, with Bec. A hearty enough meal for those who need their appetites replenished, and if that's all I lived for, it would have more than satisfied me.

T42 has a definite place in the restaurant heirachy of Hobart, and serves its purpose.
Posted on by Rita
29 comments

29 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey Rita,

T42 is always a bit hit and miss for us. We love their breakfasts, and two out of three times is was amazing. Their waitpersons are always curteous and helpful.

However, on Sunday we breakfasted there with a friend and we waited 35 mins for our coffees and breakfasts, when Boy queried the status of our order (as he had to go to work) the waitperson came back apologising profusely. our order had been lost in the mix somewhere along the line. We were assured it would be 5 mins and completely on the house.

Admittedly, we were rushed through our breakfast, but the coffee was great and the food was amazing. We were very impressed at our meal being comped by T42 for their mistake, and that means we will go back.

Although - another time, we waited 35 minutes for a cup of coffee, and walked out.

Cheers,
Amy

Anonymous said...

I've never heard of anyone actually really enjoying a meal at T42. Breakfast, lunch or dinner. It is much like the Taste I expect, people go simply because it's there. Once again mediocrity wins out in Hobart Town.

Anonymous said...

Just a note on portion size...raised earlier, Rita.
That's the abiding memory Catch has for my wife and her pals.
Tiny portion size that left them feeling still hungry and ripped off.
Some of them were going to grab a pizza on the way home.
Think they'll be back?
PS where was Yobbo's comments posted, didn't see them.

Rita said...

Hi Amy - that's great that T42 gave you the freebie - and so they should - but many wouldn't. So well done them.
But I agree with you, and Forde, that generally T42 can be/are remarkably unadventurous and 'safe' in their menu. And yes, I remember having a rant last year about mediocrity being the yardstick in many Hobart venues - so I won't repeat myself.
Sir G - am hearing you about portion sizes. Nothing more annoying than that - except on a degustation menu!
Re Yobbos comments - he initially made very belated comments on one of my old posts about Lee How Fook, and I have since spoken to him privately.

Anonymous said...

Weent to Francisco's on Friday. Ordered 2 seafood platters for main course - no, not just me!! One seafood and one meat platter turned up. Waitress apologised - her mistake. Another seafood platter would take 10 minutes. Did we want to just put up with meat platter? Well. we did. One platter among five was a bit lacking if we waited for the second platter.
No apology from waitress.
No discount on bill.
Should I have made a fuss?
Will we be back?
Will we recommend the restaurant?
Am I being a cow?
Kzee

Rita said...

Hi Kzee - you said in the body of the story that "waitress apologised - her mistake", then you said at the end that you received "no apology from waitress". ?? Please explain?
Apart from that - what were the platters like?
I can understand a complete stuff-up/accidental ordering the wrong platters in the kitchen, but if the attitude about said stuff-up after you've drawn her attention to it was "Oh well, basically, who gives a shit? It didn't affect my day one iota, and I definitely don't give a toss", well I reckon that's grounds for bagging them and not recommending them, and even being a cow!

Anonymous said...

Quite true, Rita. i s'pose it was really that there was no real choice about putting up with the beef platter or having the seafood one 10 minutes after the other one.Confusing old bag, aren't I?
Kzee

Anonymous said...

Forde,

My mediocre breakfast was great.
Certainly better than most of the breakfasts I've had at Hobart restaurants. Can you recommend anywhere less mediocre?

Amy

Tassiegal said...

Amy try Express Cafe at Newtown Station Nursery.

Rita said...

Amy - have you tried Timeless Way in Hunter St, next to the School of Art? They also do a good brekky.
And of course - Gilt!

Anonymous said...

Breakfast out is one area I completely ignore, Rita.
It's so American-Diner I don't want to know.
Also too early! Breakfast is for home...even brunch at 11am is a tad too early to even consider eating out.
Don't encourage them.
Let's do away with brekky eating out all together...that might force Hobart places to stay open past 8pm.
Oh for supper clubs.

Rita said...

Well, Sir G - all I can say is that you should thank your lucky stars Rita isn't your wife cos she'd be dragging you out of bed every morning, and off to brekky at all manner of places!

Also be warned, don't give Rita your phone number or you too will be dragged resentfully out of bed at 6.30 am to have an earnest conversation about something vital, like the validity of foam on restaurant menus!

Anonymous said...

You've got me Rita!
I'm a noon to 2am man. Guilty as charged.
But I'm almost human by 5pm.

Rita said...

Sorry sir g but 5.00 pm is WAY too late for me to wait for brekky!

Anonymous said...

On a point of mediocrity.
As a person who has been through a large evolution in menus since being here, is it not worth saying that if it sells and it works, then do it.
On my menu last year we had items that we knew were good, but did they sell.. Nah. Too different, too frightening. So its back to basics and what they want.

Anonymous said...

and that's why it will never change in tassie......how do people know what they want with such limited information? it's like a child saying it doesn't like what it hasn't tried.

Rita said...

Two excellent points well made, Cartouche and Anon 11.15.

Anonymous said...

Hmmm.. will try New Town on my next breakfast out.

Sir Grumpy - I am normally the chief breakfast cooker in our house (Boks Woodfired Bacon for both, eggs for Boy and thick toast with honey for me.) But some days... I just don't wanna wash up the pans. :)

Rita - I have had Timeless breakfasts many a time- did you like their menus? *wink*

Gilt. Never eaten breakfast there. And SOB SOB SOB by the way. omigod. This Friday is the party night for us Rita - hope to see you.

Cheers,
Amy

Anonymous said...

I did late breakfast on Sunday, Amy.
Actually went out to get ingredients...what a hero.
Couldn't find Boks, alas, so had to do with Castemaine bacon, which was fine.
Free-range eggs and croissants smeared with loads of organic butter and good tomatoes fried lightly in olive oil.
All of us enjoyed it and I scored brownie points.

Anonymous said...

Sir Grumpy,
I do vow to get creative with breakfasts one day, but I've only started to like raw or breakfast fried tomatoes in the last few months. (preferably smothered in balsamic vinegar...although a good raw one...) I've also grown quite fond of a mushroom. Admittedly the best cooked mushrooms I've tasted were at Lotus Eaters in Cygnet.

Organic butter. Made by who? (i've never found it...)

And re bacon, I'm not entirely sure what I did before Boks. I think we used to get fresh from the Salad Bowl. But Lucy the cat quite enjoys Bok's also. (ahem.)

And I too go out for ingredients, but alas, I live in a house behind shops, next door to the local IGA. We've discussed the option of putting in a trapdoor between the shop and my kitchen, or sending the cats out for groceries, but I fear we'd wind up with only Tassal products.

(surely it must be home-time soon, I think I've lost my marbles!)

Amy

Anonymous said...

A recent experience at T42 left a bit to be desired...
Planning dinner with a friend from interstate on new year's day was a bit difficult (practically everyone seemed to be closed!) but T42 was open. We had both dined there before, and ordered oysters and then mains. After some delay, the mains arrived.....but where had the oysters gone? The waiter expressed surprise - hadn't we had our oysters? Were we sure they hadn't arrived? (Well, yes!). He whisked our mains away, and came back about 5 minutes later. No oysters availabler tonight, he could arrange to get some (This sounded a bit fishy!) but our mains were ready, so would we like to just skip entree?

Surely someone should have picked up that there were no oysters available, and given us the option to pick something else?

Not as happy an experience as I would have liked.

Anonymous said...

We get two different types of organic butter. One is local....made by elgaar, the other is danish....harmonie....available at coles.
I must try the balsamic trick, cheers.

Anonymous said...

Please, please try eggs, bacon, and maple syrup. Couldn't believe how wonderful this is.Even added chipolatas last weekend.
Had it in Melbourne at Southbank but have never seen it on a menu here. It's my make at home special now but a bit time consuming with making the pancakes. Bought ones just don't cut it though.
Promise you won't be sorry. If anyone tries it let me know how you find it. I just think there is something magical about bacon and maple syrup.

Anonymous said...

It's american, isn't it Christina?
I've seen it on TV or the movies and thought it couldn't possibly go. I think the yanks do it with ``sausage'' and pancakes too.
Seems too sweet. You know those yanks, sugar, sugar.
But, based on your recommendation, I might buy a bottle and try a smidge.

Anonymous said...

When we had it in Melbourne it was called The Wall Street Breakfast, so yes I'd say very American.
But this is one thing I'd say they got right!
Please try!
Start with a little maple syrup and work your way up. It's great.

Rita said...

Hi Susannah and welcome. Bad luck there at T42. Seems like FOH staff need a bit extra training?
Christina - when I had the French toast and maple syrup at Farm Gate, Lee added a slice of his bacon to it - I ate it a bit suspiciously I must admit. Those American flavours and combinations are a bit strange.
I reckon I'd be OK now to have it a second time and give it a better go.
Don't know about tackling eggs, bacon and maple syrup though - it seems SO wierd! I'd really love to be daring tho - so I'll have a go this weekend, in the privacy of my home! (Sounds like I'm doing something really sexually deviant, doesn't it!?)

Anonymous said...

Like I said Rita, start with a drizzle of syrup and work your way up. It's realty addictive.
You deviant, you.

Anonymous said...

Bacon and maple syrup is a fairly good combination. I use maple syrup in a salad dressing when I made a roast vegie and bacon salad.

And for our breakfasts - boy has his eggs and bacon, I have toast with honey, bacon on side. The bacon gets mixed with the honey more than I should admit.

Having said that, I'm a extraordinary sweet tooth.

Sir Grumpy - mix a tiny smidge of raw garlic in the with balsamic and dredge your tomatoes heartily in the balsamic.

(makes the best BLT. Bacon....)

Susannah said...

Thanks for the welcome, Rita.

I would like to add my vote for the maple syrup/bacon combination. I enjoyed it served with French Toast when Zum was in Salamanca the first time, and subsequently in British Columbia with pancakes - the Canadians would no doubt challenge US claims to ownership. Quite delicious, either way!

Susannah