Its a week since I went to 373 with the other half and I am still not 100% sure what to make of it. One thing I am sure of, its definately not the same place it was 18months or even 12 months ago. It feels alot more "corporate".
The wait staff have changed. We had a youngish lad, who was a little Basil Faultesque in his manner - later proved when he somehow managed to knock the water jug off the table which is at the front as you enter. I guess he was trying for silver service formality but falling a little bit short.
The food was good but uninspiring really. Stephen had the Pork Belly and fennel roulaude for entrees and the proscuttio wrapped eye fillet for mains - the eye fillet tasted really nice, but when its all said and done its just steak.
I had the soft shell crab omelette for entrees, and one of the entree specials - twice cooked beef cheek for mains. The omlette was a tad salty and you really couldnt taste teh crab - which was a pity as soft shell crab is apparently considered a delicacy. The beef cheek was quite nice, very soft and a fair bit of flavour, but at the same time there was something missing. I'm not sure what it was, but the meal just didnt feel "complete".
Now its a well known fact to most people that I am a cheese fiend. No meal at a good resturant is complete without cheese of some sort - so we ordered some. Keep in mind we ordered the cheese when we placed our meal orders, so there was a good hours lee way between ordering and eating. We ordered 2 french (a Comte and a Roquefort) and 1 English (a chedder). Now if you order cheese at somewhere like Terraces in Launceston, or Monty in Hobart they will be served at room temperature, and you will be told which cheese is which. These were still slightly cold (the comte was still fairly solid near the rind) and we didnt get told which cheese was which. I had to ask for the menu back and work it out from the descriptions. The Roquefort was horrid..its supposedly one of the last family made ones in France, but personally it tasted like disinfectant and the texture was almost slimy.
I didnt have dessert but Stephen had the Brulee which while nice and crunchy on top apparently had an odd texture in the middle (he is the brulee freak not me, so I am taking his word for it). Another question - how hard is it to actually serve coffee WITH the dessert and not after? This isnt just a 373 quirk, quite a few places I have been lately have done the same thing...its kinda annoying.
One there 373 are known for are thier amuse bouche, which once again were lovely. The popcorn and olives, followed by a lovely soup - I cant remember what it was but it had garlic in it and I think sweet potato. The lemon sorbet was good.
Overall I would really only give 373 about 3.5/5 - the atmosphere isnt really there anymore, and the staff need to stop trying so hard. The food is good, but not as spectacular as it used to be, and the buzz which you used to get going there seems to have disappeared a bit.
Went to Raincheck for breakfast last Tuesday with a friend. The Eggs Benidict on GF bread was REALLY REALLY good. The Hollandaise tasted good and everything was nice and fresh. The hot chocolates were really really good as well. Good value for money as well.
Went to Mures Lower Deck last night with a friend before heading off to a wonderful TSO concert at the Federation Concert Hall. I still believe their soup of the day for 6.50 is some of the best value in town. Last night it was smokey fish chowder with lovely big chunks of fish and a great smoked taste. Coupled with a bread roll and good company its a lovely cheap night out.
Finally went down to Kettering today to Lee's pork sale - 90 dollars later and a quick lesson in butchery from Lee on how to get spare ribs from Pork belly I came home very content. Stopped at the Fruit and Veggie market just outside Snug (the big one near the cross roads) and bought veggies - unfortunately got stuck behind a busload of ppl buying veggies before heading off to do touristy things, so what SHOULD have been a 5 minute in and out become a 20 minute waiting game.
Had Lee's pork sausages in bread rolls from Mondos with grilled apple and mustard for lunch. I dont need dinner.
So thats me up to date. Next food adventure is yet to be determined.
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7 comments:
A funny sort of review as my husband has been going to 373 since it opened ( on his boys nights ) and I have been maybe 4-5 times over the last year or so and I have always found it very good. The young lady who is now in charge is always nice and friendly and with her support staff make you feel at home. The free bits are something nobody else is doing and the menu just changed this week and I think its better than ever. We had the pork belly with apple strudel ( very nice) and the wallaby shank with a amazing consomme, then the best lamb stew EVER! and a salmon fillet with dill spaghetti( great), also had cheese and it was room temp and a qunice tart tartin. Knowing a lot of friends who go to 373 and none of them ever say a bad word but i guess thats what you bloggers do.
Hi Lisa,
Dont get me wrong, I have had lovely meals at 373 previously, its just this time things didnt seem as "polished" as they had previously.
Lisa, the young lady waitress there is very good. I hadn't realised there had been a change of staff - though come to think of it I haven't seen the smaller guy (I think the head waiter / manager?) around the last couple of visits. I'm normally pretty blind to staff changes, but ge stuck in my mind from my first visit because of his enthusiasm for the restaurant, knowledge of the dishes plus his quiet efficiency.
I've dined there 5 or 6 times since it opened and I've recommended it to friends and workmates - in terms of the food, service and the atmosphere. Its a nice place for a romantic evening.
But my last visit there left me a bit oh-hum about it. I can't even pinpoint the problem to the front or back of house, but there's something missing.
Maybe the winter menu will reinvigorate things! I'll save my pennies and be heading back soon.
Raincheck's staff always seem cold and unwelcoming - by 'always' I mean the two times we've visited, so the sample size is a bit small!
Anon 19.02 - the smaller enthusiastic guy you refer to who used to be at 373 would be Jay - who has now opened his business Pigeon Hole on the site of the former Jean Pascals in Goulburn St.
Get along there and check out the food one lunch time! You'll love it, and he's still enthusiastic - but about his own product now!
Lisa - I'd LOVE to try the dill spagetti on the salmon fillet! I must trot along again to 373 and check it out.
TG - interesting review! Glad you got along to Lee's, and enjoyed his products. It's good to see you blogging more often too. Keep it up!
LOL, trying to work out what "beek cheek" would taste like!
OOOPS! - Fixed now.
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