Sunday, June 2, 2013

Eighty Six (language warning)

Yes another new Canberra restaurant, and this one - people either love or hate. I'm undecided. 

Greeting: You have to have a certain amount of bravado to meet you guest with the line "who the fuck are you two?". Granted the guy knew the third person of our party, but...well, I'm not sure if that is the best way to meet a customer. I kinda love this, but then I sort of hate it because it seemed to be part of the overall schtick. 0 hate stars / 0 love stars 

Ordering: We'd heard bad things about this so were prepared. Our guys was normal in that he just let us read the menu on the blackboard and then order. 3 love stars

Food: You know what? I'm sick of deconstructed food. The chicken - it was great with no deconstruction there. Just well cooked chicken. But it was just chicken. And the slaw tasted exactly like KFC slaw. So that is either an awesome post modern tongue in cheek achievement, or just KFC slaw. The vitello tonnato ....try hard dish with bits of veal, on top of anchovies, on top of tuna with scattered capers. Duck confit with brussell sprout was a similar dish. Bits of duck without flavour with bits of bits.  I don't know guys, it really isn't innovative if everyone does it. Popcorn with caramel and icecream was ok, but would have been wonderful if better icecream was used. 1 hate stars

Ambiance: Do you like your Friday night restaurant to be kind of similar to a nightclub. Not a lounge bar, but a really loud and brash club where people arrive looking like boat-whores? Yes, that's a term we coined throughout the night to describe all the boys wearing rolled up denim pants with sockless moccasins (remembering we are in the midst of winter in Canberra) and with the girls accompanying said faux sailor dudes looking like whores - boat-whores. 4 hate stars for the noise an 4 love stars for the people watching.

Bill: It came quickly with a stupid book that I think you were supposed to write something totally outrageous like "Fuck I wish we'd booked Italian and Sons". I'm giving it a love star because paying meant leaving. 1 love star.

So to summarise - the hate equals out the love and quite frankly I don't know what the fuck this place is trying to be. Canberra has a million (ok 7) amazing restaurants I'd rather go to. Good luck and get the chicken.

2 comments:

  1. ugh pretentious. I predict many Canberran's will love this shtick.

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