Bites: IS Donburi

In William St. Arcade Northbridge, a change has swept the place making it home to the likes of Love Ty Neighbor, Superstar Waffles, and now, IS Donburi.  All of which has promising names and a superb feel of culture of them.  My previous visits to Superstar Waffles have made me mostly happy although, inconsistency are starting to be appear more obvious with the poor handling of crowds.  Its inability to cater for a wider demographics such as a gluten free society also reduces its marks.  So how does the new IS Donburi do when it comes to food?  Earlier this week, the boys and I had lunch there where we ordered:

Chicken Katsu Don (Spicy) @ $12.50 was bliss with a decent serve of deep fried good night set on an omellete egg cooked with onions and soy.  It was faultless and felt like a decent home-cooked meal but just extremely crunchy on all corners.  The spiciness for me was just spot on.  Its not like you get a spicy battered chicken but the chefs at ID just managed to squeeze in the heat unnoticeably.

 

Fish Teriyaki Donburi @ $12.50 was Andrews choice.  These deep fried goodness coated with Teriyaki Sauce was a pleaser as Andrew felt no fault with it.  The fish came in three types which were the salmon, king fish and basa.  For me, that is a brilliant spread of protein despite being all fish.  Its healthier for sure.  Andrew found it delicious, but for me, a little on the sweet side.

 

Kimchee Udon @ $12.50 was Win’s choice but a tragic event it was.  This was by far the worst I have seen.  To sum this pot, it’s a $12.50 bowl of carbs with Kimchee and a few slices of crab sticks which were incorrectly called fishcakes on the menu.  For me, there had to be a better deal than this.  Maybe more meat, a thicker broth or even some pork belly which would make it more Kimchee Chigae-ish?  All of which on a Monday afternoon did not really please my buddy Win.  I would not be very pleased either.

 

Other than what we ordered, I called a sushi to share with the guys for $3 bucks! That was a steal.  Rarely do we find $3 rolls anywhere.  But when spicy pork roll is filled with Korean style spicy pork, my mind was on a rewind back to when I first walked in.  The chef, the waitresses.  Hey its all Korean?  Ok not sure whether was it just me or what.  But that in no way matters as anyone can cook any food.  That has always been my belief and I standby it.

 

So, in the end really it was all about IS Donburi and for a lunch place, I find the price – quality balance plausible.  But for me, my tummy was not on an overdrive of hunger.  If I had came here for dinner, I could easily rake up $30+ on my bill, and I would definitely think twice.  Places like IS Donburi falls into my category of dilemma where a middle quality restaurant charges me for middle quality food.  For little more than $40 comes the set menu at Bonsai and other places like Halu, Satsuki, Izakaya Sakura will only need $50+.   Cheaper yet extremely bitchy place like Kanta  @Langford charges $20-30 for an awesome meal.

 

This sort of things makes places like IS Donburi extremely unattractive.  For me, it has certainly priced itself out of the market.  I would go to Tan PoPo or Taka for one cheap meal and a damn good one elsewhere like Bonsai, Ha-Lu, Satsuki and what not.   This really to me feels like a no brainer.  Such concept also extends to my steak meals where there is no way I would pay for two $40 dollar meal at Hog’s Breath anymore.   Instead a home cooked steak and a meal at Rockpool.  Sorry IS Donburi.  You are only lunch material.

 

WenY

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Bites: Thailicious @ Northbridge

Thailicious is one of the newer restaurants in town which really benefits the coupon selling industry.   Without new experimental places like these, people like me tend to get caught up in our comfort zone by going to restaurant we always go to.   Placed along the bustling strip of James Street, Thailicious sits next to Oliver’s, a place which I had high regards for.  Arriving on time, I was promptly seated by the waitress and was politely informed of the limitations for the coupon I had which she did again when my dining companions arrived.  Admittedly, I have always had a soft spot for the service provided at Thai restaurants as they are  often more polite than most. 

 

For appetizers, we started with tiny morsels of decadent Thai chicken balls.Before you readers get at me for calling simple chicken balls moreish, how many times have chicken balls served to you come out tasting like pre-made ones of out the bags?  For me, one too many times.  These here were the subject of some TLC before being crumbled and fried.  Though dressing and salad felt all too cliché, I was sold as the balls packed good flavor.  But 6 balls for $19.50 is a hard buy.  Top Nepalese restaurants sell 10 momos for $15 and that was simply sublime when I had it here @ the Himalayan Restaurant Victoria Park.

 

The next appetizer were the fish cakes tasted TYPICAL.  It had all the qualities of a Thai fish cake in terms of flavors but what it lacked for me perhaps is that just cooked till right consistency which was a little bounce and an easy to bite apart feel.  These felt a little overcooked making them tough.

 

After our appetizers, it did not take long for our mains to be served.  This I guess were one of the benefits of eating out on a weekday!The chicken fried rice was served very artistically shaped like hmmmmmm a flan? Ok bad description but lets move on.  It tasted alright but felt a little sweet.  Each bit of rice was perfectly cooked mainly whole although crush at some places.  And here comes my biggest complain.  I hate those god damn frozen vegetables which I term “3 color poison”!.  These are just a pain to see and eat.  My travels in Bangkok never once was I served such pesky vegetables but they are all over in Australia.  Is it really that hard for some leafy greens to make their way onto the table?  SAD! :(!

 

The Panang Pork curry was one of the highlights that night.  It was simply sublime when served hot.  When my friend’s mom made this for us earlier this year,  I was blown away.  I am used to the runny curry just oozing with flavor but when served dry, it actually alleviates the taste of the curry.  At Thailicious it falls somewhere in between and was to me, still delicious.

 

The duck curry to me is still my very first experience at Thai curry when I first flew to Bangkok nearly 13 years ago.  And even today, it still is a dish I hope to relive its glory.  For me, the only curry which has a good balance of fruitiness, spice and textures are the ones served at Ying Thai 2 in Melbourne.  My past experiences in Perth has never left me satisfied.  Unfortunately, Thailicious falls into that category as well.  For me, it was tasty but overly sweet and the amount of duck meat was miniscule.  And to a certain extent, a little too oily!

 

The deep fried fish fillets topped with aromatic Thai herbs was another dish that is on my good books other than the Panang Pork curry.  The fillets were crisp, the herbs were tantalizing and more importantly, well executed.  But be vary, do not bite into the herbs at the top.  I did and I almost died there.

 

The last dish was the basil stir-fried beef with chilis! It was again another dish that was rather typical but it was typically good.  For me, this dish is a comfort food used to top a rice bowl and finished with a fried egg.  This was no lesser of standard compared to S & T Thai Café on William Street which to me serves the best Pad Ka Prow.

 

At the end of the night, we were all filled.  It was a long dinner of 6 mains (some with no pictures) a few appetizers and drinks for the table.  For the quality of food that we were served, I felt satisfied.  The coupon for 6 of us costed something like 70 bucks which was extremely cheap.  Comparing that price to the menu, the meal should have cost more than $150.  I recently read comments on Urbanspoon mentioning that the city has a gap of somewhat the cheaper places like S & T Café which is more suited for a quick meal and the more expensive places like Dusit Thai.  True enough, places like Thailicious with a more upmarket setting fits nicely in the middle.  But how does this compare with the need?  After all, it is being really good or really bad that keeps you in people’s memories.  Being average is really nothing to shout about.   Fortunately though, its just the pricing that falls in between, not the quality.  Most of the dishes served to me was pretty good.  Even my picky sister would agree with the exception of the tom yam which she felt tasted like out of the bottle.

 

WenY

Bites: Dragon Seafood @ Northbridge.

While its younger brother Dragon Palace on Francis Street is known for the posh and glitzy interior, its the older Dragon Seafood that still packs the punch many might have overlooked in search of ambience.  My lunch there earlier this week clearly proved that because if anything at all, Dragon Palace merely recreates the quality of dim sum seen at Dragon Seafood.

The usual suspects included the Siew Mai which pack a burst of juicy pork and delicious prawns under the same skin.  As I have mentioned before, the Siew Mai at Dragon Palace is the best in my opinion and this clearly was not any lesser.

These were deep fried crab cakes which were ok.  Typically, I find most Chinese Restaurant using crab flavored meat than the real deal itself.  This was no different.

Bean curd rolls were one of the more moreish food that lunch.  I enjoyed it delicious filling of meat, vegetables and prawn.  The braising sauce used was flavorsome as expected.

Sister’s favorite were the pot stickers which did not appeal on the outside but on the inside, it was all game on.  Super juicy pork meat with the perfect amount of green onions.  Perfect for dunking in the vinegar or enjoyed just by itself!

These are one of my dim sum favorite but as I have always complained, the chicken feet in Perth are plagued with inconsistency revolving about the tenderness of the dish.  More often than not, the dish has not been given sufficient time in the steamer making it touch to chew.  Unfortunately, this is one of those times :(!

Last but not the least were the egg tarts.  Not only is this a favorite of mine, but dad’s as well.  These were delicious except for the fact that they were serve cold which possibly indicates the lack of demand.

At the end, the food was no 10 out of 10 but neither was it a flop.  For me it is good as the benchmark of dim sum has been met.  But the usual complain is what really stands out to make a dim sum place outstanding.  For me, there isn’t a factor that makes this place perform better than other.  But if you hate the queue and can do with a less dainty setup, Dragon Seafood definitely meets that criteria.  Also, chili sauce and oil is a self service thing here with no extra charge, so if you are sick and tired of flagging one waiter after the other just for sauces, this might just be your cue!  Despite a rush lunch, I was satisfied with the food I had.

WenY

Bites: Crust @ Victoria Park

Crust Pizza has been from my memory about a 2 year old franchise in Victoria Park.  Its that sort of thing which the little darling says she want to try and we kept mentioning it but never actually did go and try it.  Fortunately, one can make amends and recently, I received an invitation from Crust Mount Lawley’s Michelle to go and give their latest offering a shot.  To celebrate the summer season, Crust Pizza has decided to reinvent the classic Margherita and to finish the meal on a healthy note, a caramelized fennel salad.

 

Crust @ Victoria Park!

 

The Heirloom Tomato Upper Crust Pizza @ $19 is one of Crust Pizza’s new offering.

For this price you get delicious flavors which for me highlighted the intensity of the tomatoes.  The tomatoes under the pizza oven has developed to the extent where it start caramelizing creating that plump juiciness which just oozes when bitten into.  I could barely fault with the tomatoes being the main element except for its content!  It was perfectly ripe, juicy and just perfect in so many ways.  While that for me was an extreme highlight for such a pizza, I on other hand do question the existence of the buffalo mozzarella which as my photo shows look no more than dollops of mayonnaise.  It barely had any effect.  For $19 it soon becomes a question of value as such old school Margherita was executed so close to perfection but its content did not suffice.  For me, I could have passed on the buffalo Mozzarella but definitely double up those tomatoes.

 

The next pizza which the Peking Duck Pizza @ $24 came recommended by close friends and the store owner Michelle herself.

This pizza unlike the vegetarian Heirloom Tomato one was covered by a generous amount of shredded duck meal and bok choy.  Its flavors felt close to a typical Peking Duck but could have been better with if those fresh pungent spring onions.  The flavors were really good all in all.  For me the only thing that my fussy side faulted with is the crust of this.  Not quite used to such rough and crispy edges for my Peking Duck dish.  But hey, this is a pizza is it not? Overall, this was a pretty solid performer.  It had quality and consistency albeit my dining companion found the sweetness a little too intense for her liking.

 

And the refreshener to lift the mood off the gueey cheese was the Caramelised Fennel Salad

If this dish is all about the caramelized fennel, then this is already a winning recipe.  But because the fennel is part of the dish and not a dish of its own, it has to gel with the rest of the lot which includes crumbled ricotta, proscuitto, fresh greens and roasted hazelnut.  For me, it was pretty good if not for the lack dressing which made this too dry.  Just felt as if there is not enough moisture as all we were given was a small packet to pour on top. Over as a salad it was not bad but definitely could have been better.

 

Now that I have eaten as much as I could, I was stuffed and jaw was partly aching from my attempt of trying to down both pizzas which failed miserably.   I cannot thank Michelle enough for this special invitation as I am now able to tick Crust of my list of to places try for 2012.  What Crust has offered me today is a very unique combination of pizzas which buck the trend of what is considered typical.  But with  a price that is not in any way cheap, Crust face a whole lot of contention including Italian staples like Ciao Italia or Il Padrino and even Australian Champs Little Caesars and  Olympic pizza champion Delizioso.   Nevertheless, I believe the Pizzas such as the Peking Duck are there to stay as fans will always look forward to the outstanding flavors the Crust has an offer and while a well composed Pizza Margherita is likely to sell, the few tomatoes are a hard buy for its price.  It either has to be a fair bit cheaper or a whole lot more tomatoes :)!

 

WenY

Bites: Mrs. S @ Maylands

The significant changes in Maylands has seen its café strip become more attractive. Many indie boutiques  are budding in the area along with some of the bests brunch places in town.  Of the lot, Mrs. S has been the talk of the town for a long time now.  Coming here twice in last few weeks, I can easily tell why.  The food has been great and its menu is not sterile of ideas.  It has changed from my last visit but still keep favorites like the Granny J’s corn bread and the big breakfast on.  But with toast and poached eggs so consistently done over here, it distinguishes itself well with its service.

Coming in late for brunch means we almost did not make it in time for their breakfast menu.  Worried that we might miss out, the waiter made for us a makeshift table consisting of milk crates and magazine but promptly asked us to sit inside when a sit was available.  Service win? Yes it was although it was the little darling that spotted the table first haha.

 

I previously came here and my sister ordered the passion fruit curd cake.  A very lovely cake with a fruity curd in there. This time around, we ordered the lemon curd cake for $4.50 which was no lesser a cake.  It still packed the same fruitiness I had before, this time around with a more citrusy touch.  What kept me puzzled is their clotted cream.  It was hard like half churned butter @@!  It tasted fine nonetheless! Just a little hard to smear on the cake.  Darling who was meant to have a taste ended up having most of it as I knew this was her sort of thing and ordered it more for her then myself :)!

 

The Fishman decided to have Granny J’s Corn Bread with the lot.Granny Junes thick cornbread, bacon, poach eggs and real maple syrup!  The bread is not your typical some bread as it felt a little crumbly to a certain extent and came filled with corn kernels.  But the real beauty lies in its sponginess.  It seems like the bread has absorbed a whole lot of the maple syrup poured onto the bread.  The bacon and syrup on pancakes combination have been a tradition for certain people for a long time now and this for me was absolutely splendid.  Having said that, I only had a mouth of this!  Maybe I would get this the next time around :)!

 

Darling’s poached eggs on toast with bacon and herbed mushrooms with a side of relish $20.50.  This was only a dollar cheaper compared to the big breakfast, but for the little darling, why waste when you know you cannot finish it.  Her words are absolutely true.  Her toast and poached eggs were well cooked but her bacon I thought, could be a little crispier.  Mushroom looked perfectly cooked and as a whole it was cooked well. What surprised me was the fact that she had not used her relish.  In a dish like that, relish is an immensely beautiful condiment to help bring all element on the plate together.  The relish at Mrs. S is tangy and really is good.  This I know because I happily finished whatever darling left on the plate haha.

 

My dish was full on vegetarian like what I had before at Mrs. S and there is absolute no regrets.The beautiful mess of falafel, tatziki, pickled cabbage, rocket, brioche and fried eggs on flat bread toast for $19.60 is not what one would consider cheap.  But considering that the trouble in preparing all the elements required more than just a pan and oil, this was well worth its price.  The brioche was perfectly salted and the sourness of the pickled cabbage was just spot on.  I loved the eggs as it did not feel rubbery and it all went well together.  What I felt could have improved was the finesse of the falafel.  The herbs in there felt a little too subtle.  I wanted more, I wanted the fragrant and aroma of the spices.  The cucumber yoghurt was OK but for me it just lacks the freshness being sat upon all the things which were served hot.  Perhaps next time a served in a shot glass for the diner to pour it where deemed suitable?  This definitely could have been better.  For most parts of the dish, Mrs. S has got it right but because the falafel for me was an important part, this was definitely an average dish.

 

Full like a pig when we were finished. I was satisfied having nibbled at everyone’s dish but for me, my breakfast could definitely have been better.  The cake for me was an absolute pleaser with a delicious curd in the centre.  Darling’s breakfast was good but to me, felt a little too common. It not for the relish, it was really just a decent dish.  Next time around, I would definitely come back for Granny June’s corn bread with the lot.  For me, other than the curd cake, that was the highlight of my trip this time.  Do not get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with Mrs. S, it serves up some pretty kickass breakfast but for me, I am just a little fussy!

 

WenY

Bites: The Precinct @ Victoria Park

The Precinct is one of the more exciting restaurants that have placed itself in the bustling café strip of Victoria Park.  With so many new comers to the business, the Precinct is one of the few that have received fairly good reviews for its  environment and  ambience.  Stepping in, the graffiti scribbled wall in an industrial setting definitely gave the place a feel which I can only describe as  “roomy with a sense of activity”. 

The group sitting area with the colorful and inspiring graffiti.  Is that Queen Elizabeth?  Definitely not my grandmothers for sure hehe.

 

For starters the group of us decided to share a Whitebait with Beer Aioli and Chicken Wings with Nam Jim sauce:This is my first time having Whitebaits and it was a little more than what I expected.  It was not crispy through as I thought it would be.  It still has a meaty texture in the center with a stronger than expected fishiness.  More importantly was how well this would have went with drinks instead of the water we had.  This was unexpectedly salty.  Perhaps Whitebaits are beer foods!

 

The saving grace for our appetizer was the Chicken Wings with Nam Jim sauce.  I enjoyed the sauce a whole lot as it was a smartly played concoction of sweet, sour and saltiness. But at the end, the chicken especially the wing felt a little dry for my liking.The chicken were not cooked to a level which it was meant to be.  It felt slightly drier than expected but the sauce gave it the much needed moisture and flavors. 

 

As for our mains we all called what we thought was nice and decided to share it out:The fishman ordered steak frites with slow cooked egg in medium.  A picture tells a thousand word and what does it tell you about the beef?  At best, the steak was a medium – well-done.   The relish gave a refreshing fix to the Potato Gaufrettes which some has described as no more than store bought chips.  But it was not that bad.  Additionally, fishman complained that the slow cooked egg was overdone as the center was not runny as we had hoped.

 

Good friend and fellow blogger Glenn ordered the ‘Lancashire hot pot’, lamb, potato, pickled cabbage.   When it arrived, it looked like a reinterpretation of its original form.  We had expected a homely casserole style dish with root vegetables but this was totally irregular.  Perfectly arrange slices of lamb topped with pickled cabbage led the pack.  First bite in and I though it was ok as the lamb was soft but tender enough it was not.  All the benefits of a hot pot seems rather redundant in this dish.  It needed more tenderness or some sort of moisture.  Perhaps a hotpot sauce spooned over the beautiful arrangement was all it needed?  At least that was what we thought.

 

For me, I played it safe following the recommendation of another blogger who had eaten there awhile ago.  The half roasted chicken, Jerusalem artichokes, jus.  Unlike conventional roast, the chicken had a slightly crispy skin and a really tender inside.  A tender inside which was so very lacking in all its other dish.  The sauce until now remains a mystery.  Glenn reckons a marmite mix but I had absolutely no idea.  Definitely no ordinary jus or reduction here.   My tender chicken pieces were accompanied by a very nice side of what seemed like pureed chestnuts and an assortment of root vegetables.  This was by far the highlight of the night.

 

The girls decided to share a whole fish stuffed with fish herbs and lemon.  After the little darling and I had some pretty damn good meals at Nine Fine Food and Fuku in the past fortnight, she was absolutely devastated to be served something like that.  For starters, the fish has not been cleaned properly leaving a horrible odor in the stomach.  To make matter worse, the fish still had scales on its belly and the tail section.  To top it all, the dry fish and quinoa absolutely did not make things any better.  In an attempt to get it fixed, I asked for some sauce where none came out until we decided to settle with some beer aioli, for which we were charged an extra $2.  I really am surprised that a fish dish can come out so unpredictably.  This is clearly a warning sign for anyone who think a serve of fish in a place like this is a good idea.

 

To finish off our meal, the little darling had to have her dessert after a disappointing main.Between the 5 of us, we shared two desserts.  The first was a bread and butter pudding.  This to me felt like a very catchy way to serve a bread pudding.  But to serve a whole chunk is asking for trouble.  The moisture was not well spread making it hard to eat.  For me, it would have been heaps better if it was arranged in alternating layers of custard and bread making it a very moist experience.  Sigh.. at least the sauce was rather fragrant.

 

We also called a banofee pie which might seems a little deceptive as we expected a classic English banana and toffee pie.  At Precinct, they have reinterpreted the dish with a crumbly layer ontop of a sweetened banana paste followed by a dark chocolate bottom.  On my first spoonful, I was thrown of by its extreme sweetness which immediately shut my senses such that the bread pudding had absolutely no taste anymore.  But going back for seconds, it was not the chocolate but rather an overly sweet banana layer that was horrible.   In fact, the chocolate felt pretty good.  It was a dark chocolate bottom that felt somewhat like Koko Black’s Belgian Chocolate Mousse.  Nonetheless, a simple English Pie with banana and toffee would have really made the day.

 

At the end we left slightly disappointed, probably more them than me considering out of the 4 mains we ordered, only mine had a above average quality in it.  The starters were mediocre and the desserts were out of touch.  A saving grace was that the waitress that served us was really friendly.  But her power only goes so far as to serve and in the kitchen, that is where all that quality should have been.  Urbanspoon reviews does not seem to be heading in favor of the restaurant as well because customers who have revisited the place since it had opened felt a declining quality too.  Did its popularity got the best of it or was it just a busy Friday?  Perhaps one or none but either ways, it will take a lot of convincing before we return.

 

WenY

Bites: Kanta @ Langford (the 100th time)

Kanta has always been an enjoyable eat.  For most of the food we shared today it was satisfying.  Every trip we had is joy and rarely have we found the food to be deplorable.  Nonetheless, its ever increasing popularity means the crowd is typically more than the 25 seats this places packs and they are immensely particular over their sitting.  You cannot opt for a 7.00pm sitting mind you.  Its either 6.30 or 7.30pm.  Anyways! I have done a few reviews now, the only reason for this is because I was just shooting around more with my new 25mm f1.4 Panasonic Leica lens.  A really shallow DOF for that sweet bokeh, but perhaps a little too shallow!

 

Appetizer on the house:Cold noodles with pickles!

 

Appetizer to share, Ika Shioyaki or grilled squid tentacles with salt.  Lovely!  A drizzle of lemon juice with some mayonnaise! RWAR!

 

Agedashi tofu.  Delicious sauce with nice condiments!   Always a crowd pleaser!

 

Main to share: Gyu tongue steak!  Supposedly one of the healthiest beef cuts in the market, this is one of my staples at Kanta other than the Teriyaki Chicken and Kamo Steak!  Slurps!!

BItes: Catalanos @ Victoria Park

The Entertainment Book has been a wonderful host of discount with various restaurants that are awesome.  Unfortunately not all are awesome.  My recent dinner at this the supposedly “favorite finalists” turned out a disaster and without much ado, the review.

The chili mussels were something the table looked forward to.  The mussels were perfectly cooked before being mixed into a sauce that was in my opinion too plain.  The flavor was very subtle which was good if you just wanted the taste of the mussels.  Clearly enough too, the mussels were cook separately from the sauce before being tossed in it for a bit.  Absolutely tasteless this dish.  Maybe that’s why it did not come with bread to damp the sauce.

 

Next, we order a fettuccini to share.  Our first impressions on this was one good despite the disappointing appetizer.  The creamy red sauce look fabulous with cheese sprinkled on top.  Chicken slices too, looked rather generous.  And that is where it all ends.  The fettuccini was severely undercooked.  I have watched Jamie Oliver and Master Chef in Italy.  It seems like they like their pasta slightly undercooked just below al Dante, and I am pretty sure this was not how it was meant to be.  We were dumbfounded that a basic cooking can be so carelessly prepared.

 

Next was the Carbonara which was probably the best dish that night.  Its pasta was cooked perfectly, the sauce was mild and it was over all a pretty good dish.  For me, all it needed was a little more salt.  Despite trying to avoid having too much creamy pasta, this was the only reliable dish that night.

 

Our last dish was the pan-fried veal schnitzel with thick cut chips, fresh salad and a red sauce.   Another massive disappointment on a plate.  Sauce was definitely lackluster.  It was literally flat.  Veal steaks felt as if it was just chucked onto a non-heated pan and left to “boil”.  It was overall horrible.  But hey, the cheep's were pretty nice.

 

Overall, my meal at Catalano’s turned out to be one massive disaster.   This is a place that if you stop outside and wonder whether to try or not, just WALK ON.  Not worth the time and money.  Can definitely get better elsewhere.  Diners clearly deserved better and this is one of the very rare times where my review has turned out so negatively.  The only other time was at Sake Bar and another Thai restaurant.

 

WenY

Bites: The Merrywell.

The Merrywell is one of Crown Casino’s latest effort to boost its image from what was an aged complex to a more upmarket complex.  This high end pub showcases the dynamic duo chefs Grant MacPherson and Sammy De Marco whom Fishman have seen on the television a couple of times.  With a fancy interior and a new courtyard area, the Merrywell clearly distinguishes itself from other more casual pubs.  Unfortunately, the crowd is still typical. 5 men all trying so hard to woo one lady hahaha.

 

Walking up to the reception, we were served but was told that to get a sit on the inside, we would need to leave our names and they would call us back.  But guess what?  That is the worst system ever.  Some people take forever to come, leaving many sits empty!  In the end, the little darling, fishman and I decided to sit in the courtyard which means we had to order food from the bar.

 

When this restaurant first opened, there were rave reviews on food websites giving it a 90% approval rating and such.  Since then, it has plunged to 68%.  Rocking up to the bar counter to order my food, I totally understood why.  Wait for 10 minutes, lean over the counter and the grumpy lady tells you that this is not a service counter, go to the middle to order your food.  Head over to the middle counter, wait 10 minutes to be served and the next young lady says we do not do food at this counter.  It has now been 30 minutes and still no food.  The little darling gave them the WTF treatment and they UNHAPPILY served us.  Add this to half drunk blokes spilling their beers over her leg and that was a really bad and shit service.

 

For the purpose of this review, the quality of the food is kept separate from the service.

What really surprised us after we ordered is that Merrywell actually serves food quite quickly in contrast to what the reviews have mentioned recently.  Our wait for the food only look us 15 minutes.

For starters, we ordered a Mac and Cheese with in-house HP Sauce to share.

These delicious morsels of cheesy goodness definitely qualifies to be a Merrywell specialty.  It was crunchy with a balance of stringy melted cheese and macaroni making it absolutely yummy!  And for me, the HP sauce was definitely another highlight with a rich and tangy taste to it, elevating  the taste of the slightly bland Mac and Cheese.

 

The Lollipop Buffalo Wings were another specialty highlighted on the menu.Coming from home where American Pub food is enjoyed for lunch, delicious buffalo wings are no stranger.  To start, I was really pleased with the celery although I do not really like celery.  The ones used were well aged and not overly old and fibrous.  The Buffalo wings were not dry and was well-cooked.  But my complain lies in the lack of robustness of the flavor.  I wanted more acidity, more heat and all the other intense taste which one would normally dunk in the blue cheese fondue to cool.  For me and Fishman, it could have been better.

 

For our mains, the little darling ordered mini Wagyu burgers.I think these are easily one of the more impressive burgers I have eaten in awhile.  For me, it was the simplicity the stood out.  Its condiments were simple cheddar, BBQ caramelized onions, and pickles.  While the patty was not as juicy as other burger places like Jus Burgers, these little burger were impressive.

 

 

The Fishman as his names suggests, ordered the Roasted Tasmanian Salmon with Potato Pierogi, Pickled Beets, Sour Cream.He said it was pretty good and I would have to agree.  It was also the first time I have tasted Potato Pierogi which is a potato filled dumpling.  All the elements of this dish worked really well although all I had was one bite.  What might be a little turn off was that the salmon felt a little dry.  To be honest, such thin fillet should not be cooked for too long!

 

For me, I ordered Granny Grecco’s Chicken Parma with Spaghetti and Napoli Sauce.Arriving at the table, one thing which instantly caught my attention was the intensity of the sauce.  The flavors of the ripened tomatoes were such a hit in this dish that the slightly soggy chicken parma did not bother me the slightest bit.  The pasta was smooth and plausible but I really did not care about anything because, at that moment, it was all about the sauce.  It was really a good sauce in my opinion.  Most places tend to serve a very light and subtle sauce which sometimes makes me feel that the tomatoes used was barely ripe but the one at Merrywell was really just spot on.

 

At the end, I was really satisfied with my food.  It was pretty much a class act for pub food.  However though, for $40, it might look a little pretentious because pub food is not only about quality, but QUANTITY.  The serving sizes at Merrywell was OK but nowhere near a typical pub.  Service is barely worth mentioning unless it is about its crappiness.  BUT, would I return?  To be honest, I would.  Perhaps not on a weekends without an inside booking and service.

 

WenY