Delayed 373 Review and other food matters...(raincheck b/fast review and Mures lower deck)

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.