We went to a French Eatery in Parnell last night, it was Stew's Work Christmas Dinner.
I was really looking forward to it. We had pre-ordered our dinners. We were given a choice of two dinners: Chicken, or Wild Boar. We both chose the wild boar.
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Dinner Options for Wednesday 14th & Thursday 15th December
1. Ragout of Wild Boar (braised with mushrooms, speck and garlic)
2. Rotisserie Chicken cooked with cafe de Paris Butter served with Garlic Aioli
2. Rotisserie Chicken cooked with cafe de Paris Butter served with Garlic Aioli
Starter of: Charcuterie Platter
Dessert: Rhubarb Clafouti served with cream or Vanilla Rice Pudding with caramilized pineapple
Before the 'main' we were served a TINY selection of cold meats with some crusty bread. There were 10 people at our table... and the amount served would have easily done for TWO or maybe THREE people. Not 10.
First FAIL.
Then dinner arrived. They placed two bowls of pork casserole on the table, one small platter of chicken pieces, and two bowls of small cubes of potatoes. About 30 minutes later they finally brought out the 'salad'... two bowls of MIXED LETTUCE leaves!
Second FAIL.
I thought the pork casserole LOOKED lovely. Until I tried to eat it. It was spiced heavily (to me) with pepper. I HATE PEPPER. So I couldn't eat it. So I had another little piece of bread.
And a small piece of the chicken. Bearing in mind we have chicken ALL THE TIME, it was not something I would ever choose to eat 'out'. And it was dry.
Third FAIL.
So I'm thinking, it's OK, I shall have dessert and that will be nice. It was going to be a Rhubarb pie thingee and Vanilla Rice Pudding. I was REALLY looking forward to that..............
until they brought out the cutlery for dessert.
a teaspoon.
FUCK... my spirits hit the floor then. And sure enough, the dessert was ONE small platter of the rhubarb pie, enough to feed maybe 4 people, and the vanilla rice pudding, again ... at a pinch enough to feed 4 people. I had a 'taste' of both.
Fourth FAIL.
SO... I give that eatery, on a scale of 1 to 10 ... a miserable 2. AND that is being generous.
To say I was bitterly disappointed would be an understatement, and I wish I had taken photos to show you just how shitty it was.
Sorry it's another negative post... but I aim to be honest!
Today is the last day of school for the kids. They come home at lunchtime and that is it for 7 weeks.
I have several ideas for entertaining them over the holidays... and am actually looking forward to doing things with them.
But for right now... I'm going to enjoy this morning just plodding around doing odd jobs in the house.
ONWARD...
I sold some Christmas Cards to a lady in the USA and she told me she had posted payment and some cute stones she makes about a month ago.
As it hadn't arrived as of yesterday I said to Stew last night I doubted it was going to ... I mean it should have arrived after about 3 weeks MAXIMUM.
How TYPICAL:
ABOVE: they arrived TODAY! It did make me laugh. THANK YOU Christine, the stones are really cute and yes, the money was there too. *smiles*
Did you know I used to be a Potter years ago? I made all sorts of things ... and loved it and taught pottery to Adults and school groups too for a while. But not anymore. It's just too expensive nowdays.
I've had a lovely morning shopping (again) .... and shortly the kids will be home so I better make the most of my last hour without kids in me face.
Kids got home. I made them really lovely ham salad sandwiches for lunch.
They both had a gift from 'Secret Santa' at school. Griffin got a big block of Chocolate.
While my back was turned he took ALL his lovely sandwiches and chucked them in the compost bin! I do believe the thought he was going to have chocolate for lunch!
NOT SO.
He now has to starve until dinner time. Maybe next time he thinks he can throw away perfectly good sandwiches he will remember how FEELING STARVING feels!
Hmmmm, wonder how late I can make dinner? lol
ABOVE: 'pigs in mud' comes to mind.... how about 'dogs love rug'? They really do love that rug... shame I'm going to vacum in a minute....
WOMBAT: but of course we had to pay for it. In advance even! NEVER ever going there again that's for sure.
End of Day: have come down with a really nasty headache... off to bed early I think.
nite nite.
I sold some Christmas Cards to a lady in the USA and she told me she had posted payment and some cute stones she makes about a month ago.
As it hadn't arrived as of yesterday I said to Stew last night I doubted it was going to ... I mean it should have arrived after about 3 weeks MAXIMUM.
How TYPICAL:
Did you know I used to be a Potter years ago? I made all sorts of things ... and loved it and taught pottery to Adults and school groups too for a while. But not anymore. It's just too expensive nowdays.
I've had a lovely morning shopping (again) .... and shortly the kids will be home so I better make the most of my last hour without kids in me face.
Kids got home. I made them really lovely ham salad sandwiches for lunch.
They both had a gift from 'Secret Santa' at school. Griffin got a big block of Chocolate.
While my back was turned he took ALL his lovely sandwiches and chucked them in the compost bin! I do believe the thought he was going to have chocolate for lunch!
NOT SO.
He now has to starve until dinner time. Maybe next time he thinks he can throw away perfectly good sandwiches he will remember how FEELING STARVING feels!
Hmmmm, wonder how late I can make dinner? lol
WOMBAT: but of course we had to pay for it. In advance even! NEVER ever going there again that's for sure.
End of Day: have come down with a really nasty headache... off to bed early I think.
nite nite.
That's a bugger, especially when you are looking forward to it. Hope Stews work complains about it. Rate them on the restaurant review place online can't think of what it is called at the moment. Have an awesome day/weekend :)
ReplyDeletehttp://www.dineout.co.nz/restaurant.php?rest=3449 link for it
ReplyDeleteWrite and complain to the restaurant. La Cigale is meant to be one of the best in Auckland. It is "fine dining" so usually not huge portions but there is no way you should leave hungry after 3 courses.
ReplyDeleteGo the blog Michelle made me , she does amazing things with snowflakes cut from rubbish post that comes thr,. the door
ReplyDeleteleave a comment a on restaurant guide about it, so the next people are warned
ReplyDeleteLOL, it probably would have been better to just have a nice juicy hamburger and fries than what you were served. We ate at a place like that once, but there was plenty of food to go around and it was good. Can't remember what it was, but do remember good. So much for that place. Of course perhaps Stews Company was trying to feed too many on a skinny shoe string. lol....debbie
ReplyDeletehmmm.... that is poor. If they can't cater for big groups they should not take the booking. I would not expect to go to a fine dining restaurant and have to serve my portion from a platter. Everyone should get their own individual serve from the chef and perhaps shared veges but when the portion on the platter is not enough it makes an awkward atmosphere on the table as you don't want to take any as you know someone will miss out. I bet Stew's work paid a lot for the meal too!
ReplyDeleteGood luck keeping the kids entertained. I read a whole list in last Saturday's paper of things you could do, from memory a lot involved baking in the kitchen which I thought was a lack of imagination. There was draw on concrete with chalk - your kids are probably past that. I remember one holidays I taught myself to cross-stitch but it was a print on the canvas not following a pattern. Like I say Good luck ;-)
Ack! That restaurant sounds woeful. Just the sight of Wild Boar on the menu would put me off from the start!!!
ReplyDeleteGuy his home from school today for 7 looooong weeks. He's OK, but having both him and Corby is gonna be tough for me. Wish me luck!!! xxxx
Just thought of something funny! It's the book Why French Women Don't Get Fat. It's probably because they eat teeny tiny portions with teaspoons!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.amazon.com/French-Women-Dont-Get-Fat/dp/1400042127
Chris, had to laugh at Griffin. Reminded me of the time my sister and I ran out dinner out to the alley and buried it under some fresh cut grass...we were busted...and had to to directly to bed. lol ...debbie
ReplyDeleteNice one with Griffin. I've done that with Dobby too on occasion. If they're hungry enough they'll eat it!
ReplyDeleteWhat a shame about dinner last night. Did any one say anything to the restaurant and demand money back? I would have paid about 1/4 of the price, given that they only fed about 1/4 of the guests! haha.
xxx
I hate when a new restaurant doesn't live up to expectations. Sounds like a dud.
ReplyDeleteLove the dog picture. They are so cute and comfortable looking.
Thank you for posting the picture of the stones! Its really cute. Feel free to hand them out. MIL loved her cards and called us up hooting and laughing and having a blast. I am sure she will do the same when she sees todays post! Bummer deal on the restaurant. We tend to eat "fast food" a bit too much. But, the last time we ate at a nicer place the serving size was laughably small and everything was dry.! Pooh. We left hungry.
ReplyDeleteOh my! Shocked that Griffin did that! But he should know you better than to think he can pitch food and then eat candy for lunch...
ReplyDeleteThat restaurant sounds very smelly. Too bad you didn't blog with pics because wow, that's just incredible.
Nice try Griffin - bet he will be so hungry at dinner time he will eat anything you give him.
ReplyDeleteI've done exactly the same with my kids, I have also made them take the same manky sandwiches to school if they did not eat their lunch nut then came home & pigged out on junk. I am sure they didn't actually eat them but they certainly ate dinner the next night.
nothing worse than coming away hungry and disappointed from a restaurant! Sounds like one of those places that tries to be fancy when everyone just wants some grub!
ReplyDeleteSo did you have dinner yet??
Tomorrow is the last day for my kids for 2 weeks. I have to go to work though so they will all try to kill each other I'm sure. Well I do get 3 holiday days in there so not the whole time.
I did that once at dinner with silverbeet I hated it and I jammed it inbetween 2 plates it was cold and limp MY dad caught me and made me eat it cold I was gagging and even was sick a little I never did that again.
ReplyDeleteWhen you said wild boar, I pictured a whole pig with an apple in it's mouth! At least you didn't have to pay for it (or did you?) WOMBAT
ReplyDeleteYour dinner last night sounds like it was a total rip-off. I would have been ultra disappointed too. Enjoy the holidays :)
ReplyDeletenite nite chris. hope the headache has gone gby the time you read this
ReplyDeleteAround here, there's lots of restaurants like that. They can survive on one time customers who never come back after getting ripped off.
ReplyDeletePisses me off.
hi just registered ,, tina
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear you dinner was so disappointing. Its an on going joke that French Cuisine is known for being skimpy. Good luck keeping the kids busy. Hope you feel better in the morning.
ReplyDeletethose stones are so cute and love the colors, you will have such a pretty mini garden :)
ReplyDelete