Tuesday 2 March 2010

Aura Cafe





(Above, from the top, the salmon, the Thai beef salad, then the Caesar)



Venue:
Aura Cafe, Kingston
Ph 6227 2315
(It’s at the former Welcome Inn, now Southern Lights Hotel)

Food eaten:
E – Thai Beef Salad ($15.50)
E – Salmon Caesar Salad ($15.50)

M – Sesame Seared Salmon ($25.50) – Tasmanian salmon fillet cooked medium rare coated in sesame seeds on a crispy wonton vegetable base.
M – Tasmanian grain fed Scotch fillet ($26.50) - cooked to your liking on roasted potatoes with mixed steamed vegetables and red wine jus

Notes:
Standard: excellent, this ‘80’s throwback, whilst being reasonably dated décor-wise, provides a menu that everyone will find something they would like to see on a menu, has caring and attentive waitstaff (thanks to Simon and Simone), and food that, for the type of venue it is, is top class (thanks to Javier, ex-Rockwall).

I sampled every item named above and thoroughly enjoyed all. You know how sometimes you order an entrée and it wouldn’t fill your cat’s tummy, and other places it’s as big as a main? Well at Aura, I think you could quite happily order 2 entrees and maybe a side, and find yourself quite contented, or maybe ready for their Crème Brulee dessert later.

For those who have complained that you have nowhere decent in the Kingston area to eat at, may I humbly suggest you give this place a whirl, and go there? They even have the Giant Hamsters playing there in a few weeks!

Posted on by Rita
25 comments

25 comments:

Anonomouse said...

Is it just me or does that Beef look a little... pet food like...

Rest looks nice though. That salmon dish could be a lot smaller - your there to feed and not fatten. Half the size would be good I think. Charge a little less, and get them ordering dessert. You make a lot of your profits out of dessert. I'd also like them to wipe the plate a bit. Looks a bit messy. I'd like to see a sauce for it. Just something to give a little moisture. No major changes, just the little touches.

Rita said...

Anonomouse - I'm afraid the blame for the pics lies squarely on Rita's head. I am definitely not a photographer, or food stylist and feel my pics reflect this lack of skill. The fact that you don't see a pic of the steak is due directly to Rita's sheer piggery. Having been so delighted with the main course when it arrived, I instantly hoed in, then suddenly remembered after 5 minutes that the pic hadn't been taken. By then the whole thing was decimated! So please cut them some slack with appearance.

Christina said...

I KNEW that's what happened!!
I wondered where the picture of the steak was, then thought to myself "bet Rita bloody ate it before she remembered to take a photo".

Rita said...

LOL Christina - I thought of you as I wrote that comment about eating it before I took the pic! I just KNEW you would SO relate to that!! You've eaten with me WAY too much now, and know my shocking habits well!

Rita II said...

I have eaten there twice, and beenn pleasantly surprised. And it's the eatery nearest my partner's house! But what really impressed me last time was not only the food, which I enjoyed, but I then had a Brandy Alexander which was absolute perfection!! Their choice of cocktails was good, but so not what you would expect in Kingston.....

Claudia said...

this has nothing to do with this post but I was just wondering if Rita knows anything about the new, enormous cafe / coffee roasters on Murray st (just up from the library) which looks like it is set to open soonish. Looks intriguing

Susannah said...

Completely off topic - we are planning a family dinner next week, and I'm keen to find a venue that will accommodate some 'meat and three veg' diners as well as some of the more adventurous. The 'little plates' of Picallilli might be a bit too 'fancy', and the menu at Marque IV has already been dismissed as having too many dishes that have been mucked around (not necessarily my view - just reporting the differing views i need to accommodate!)

any recommendations?

Rita said...

Rita II - I have to confess to having had the Brandy Alexander for a pre-dinner drink there last night - so I'm 100% with you there!

Christina said...

Susannah, I know Rita wiil join me in recommending the Grain to you.
It's the old Maypole Tavern in Newtown, and in my opinion it has every thing you're looking for.
Check out Rita's reviews.
Prices ar right too.

Anonymous said...

Claudia, that coffee place is a new Oomph with their roaster back in town and much other goodness previewed here:

http://www.oomphcoffee.com/newsletters/october09.php#roastery

Anonymous said...

new chef for PB in three months coming from melbourne & has worked at Circa-hope he likes Burger Night!

Duckleg said...

Its funny you mention Grain Christina!! I was think of that exact place when i read the comment.

Rita said...

I'm with Duckleg and Christina, Susannah. Go to the Grain.
Thanks Anon 1.27 for giving Claudia & us the coffee news.

Anonymous said...

I went there once and frankly was not that impressed. Staff who couldn't carry more than two plates, didn't know how to para-phrase and lacked any knowledge of even the most basic conceptual matters.

Food was ok but not particularly good.

Oomph are opening too many new stores, it's turning into a McDonalds Franchise methinks.

Christina said...

Susannah, let us know where you end up for your family dinner. Hope you enjoy yourselves.

duckleg said...

Looking forward to reading the Hobart Food bloggers section in the Mercury tomorrow!

Anonymous said...

What there finally gonna publish it?

Rita said...

If you're to believe today's Mercury, informing us that tomorrow's paper will have an article about Tassie food bloggers - that would be a big fat YES!
Damn! I knew I shouldn't have shot my mouth off! I am praying the other bloggers they interviewed had way more to say than me, and Rita's contribution to the discussion takes up a measly 2 lines! There's nothing I want more than a quiet life!

Nola said...

Oh look. Stainless steel and gray carpet. Really? Another one?

See you in the paper tomorrow Rita? I'm right there with you!

Anonymous said...

Heads will roll, egos will be crushed. employers will wince or it could be just another puff piece?

Anonymous said...

Another exciting day for the Tasmanian food scene?

Anonymous said...

No, yet another yawn inducing reportage from the merc. a few zesty comments from some local 'experts' & on Tuesday(Mon public hol) evryone will be talking about their piles or incontinace issues

Anonymous said...

Rita for gods sake!
That food looks so unappetizing!
Thai beef salad? I'm sure David Thompson would be impressed-NOT!
Whats Thai about it? Looks like soy boiled pigs dicks on Houstons Farm rocket if you ask me?
That Caesar, those jagged edged croutons look as sharp as Bea Smith's tongue(Gen Y's, she was a character from an Aussie show, yes we made them once, with an acerbic wit) for God's sake is it a hotel lobby or an orthadontists waiting room. WTF!

Rita said...

Anon 10.48 - After I finished laughing at your comment, I remind you that I already acknowledged my lack of skills in the photography area. Aura Cafe at Kingston doesn't really have to fear David Thompson's judgement, as I think the highly-esteemed and highly sought-after David has much bigger fish to fry overseas, but I take your point.

What we have here is a small-ish suburban restaurant component of a small regional hotel, doing its best to serve a mixed variety of patrons a tasty meal. I respect this small business' contribution to the dining out scene because they are currently doing what many others in that situation fail to do....attract others to eat there over and above their in-house captive audience.

If you've followed my blog at all over the past 4 years, you'll know Rita has travelled to the mainland frequently on business, and has eaten a large amount of in-house 'delights' at a myriad of hotels. I can think of only one of those scenarios where I would return to the hotel sheerly for the delight of eating their in-house restaurant food.

That is why Aura deserves recognition. They are doing what they are doing extremely well, and that's what I acknowledged them for - not for being huge competition for, for instance, Lenna's clientele, but for just having a damned good go in their own way, and producing food of such an unexpectedly high standard (given their location, demographic, size etc) as to excite the palates of the locals.

sir grumpy said...

The said David Thompson isn't garnering the best reviews in London. I've seen some caustic remarks in the UK press.