Shout out for Good service...

Just wanted to say that I had absolutely wonderful service from the boys at Vermeys butcher in Sandy Bay today. WEnt in and very vaguely asked for 2kg of chicken pieces with bone. Neal came out and asked me what I was cooking, how was it being cooked and how long for, and devised a plan that involved Chicken marylands, a cleaver and chopping, along with a discussion about how chicken is used differently in different dishes. I learnt something, bought the meat I needed, and ended up enjoying a lovely meal of sherry infused roast chicken this evening which looked almost EXACTLY like the picture in the magazine. So THANK YOU!

Ebb, Taste and Kawasemi.

The eating out has been curbed a bit due to the demise of my main income source (DAMN time limits on scholarships! ;-) ). However I have been taken out a couple of times and decided I had better write about them, just so that everyone knows I am still alive.
Firstly thanks to everyone who posted on my previous review, it appears I am in the minority with my opinion about Orizuru. I'm willing to go back and give it another try, we may have just caught it on a bad day - but first impressions do last.

First up is Ebb in Swansea. This was a group of four of us for my birthday in early Feb. Its not the first time I had been to Ebb - stopping in twice in December on my way too and from a writing retreat. Both those times were wonderful - delicious smoky filling chowder on one visit, and an amazing oyster taste selection on the way home.

However this time was not as good as those too. I am not sure why - if it was the menu - or the day we went, or the fact I was depressed as it was my 31st birthday but it just did not seem as polished as it did previously.

I dont drink, but the boys did whinge a bit about the cost of a bottle of bubbles, they ended up ordering a white as it was a tad cheaper (but apparently not by much). I have no idea what the prices were, as I was being treated as it was my birthday. The other big gripe was on being asked would we like water, on replying to the affirmative it was assumed we wanted bottled, instead of tap. (well that wasnt my gripe because if I recall correctly Swansea is on a boil water alert still).

I ordered the Oysters to start, with sour cream and fish eggs - which were lovely, plump, fresh and juicy. I personally would have loved the oyster taster which I had last time, but for some reason it wasn't on the menu we were given. My main was the cured salmon stack with crispy wontons, nashi pear salad & wasabi aioli, which was nice, but the wasabi aoli totally overpowered any of the other flavours which had the potential to be there. The salad which did not have the wasabi aioli on it had a lovely crispy light texture to it, with the sweet pears really complimenting the salmon.

The others had Tempura battered Fish and chips,oven baked fish with crispy potatoes, lime & ginger salad & wasabi aioli and seafood marinara with scallops, salmon, trevalla , mussels & linguini pasta. *thanks to Rita whose posted menu jogged my memory*

Verdicts were mixed, with the oven baked fish and the tempura battered fish both being "good but nothing special" and the seafood marinara being voted best value and best tasting of the day. It had a good half dozen mussls in it, along with everything else you would expect in a marinara in massive quantities - leading to a filling and tasty meal. (We all got fed bits as the person who ordered it, despite being a competitive swimmer found the serving a little too big!). We skipped dessert and headed out into the wild yonder of Swansea, where Stephen bought a large hat, I bought Indian Ribbon and the other boys had a discussion about rings.

If this was my first impression of Ebb I am not sure if I would rave about it. But know what they are capable of made this visit a little disappointing. I honestly suspect it is dependent on who is around, as although we had the same staff who served me in December, Jamie was not on hand, and the lack of polish was obvious.

I was going to write a long diatrabe on Taste, however the moment has past. Suffice to say I still dont like it and until they sort out the whole seating/queueing/crowd control thing I will be avoiding it, despite the fact the food appeared better this year than last.

I have been to Pigeon Hole on average once a week, generally devouring either a panini or the granola - I love everything at the cafe, and now knowing Jays background a little better can appreciate what he is trying to achieve. I also heard of his plans for the future, which are brillant, and I hope that they turn out.

Kawasemi the week before last was lovely. Its still impossible to get a table on a Friday night unless you book, but I actually had thought ahead and booked on Wed for Friday night at 7. Had a lovely bento box with tempura, sushi, sashimi and all the other yummy things you expect. The tempura with lovely and crisp, the sushi fresh and the sashimi tasty. The other half had chicken misoyaki which was delicately flavoured and generously served with japanese potato salad and rice. This little resturant is phenomonal and I hope it continues for many years to come.

Am off to the Monty's seafood Degustation next weekend, the menu looks amazing and I am looking forward to it.