~ Curious Charlie ~

Dinner at South Wharf - Meat Market @ Thursday, February 09, 2017

Monday 23rd January

Another lovely evening dinning by the waterfront. You can't dine at South Wharf and not sit outside! - Unless it's winter...
Like Bangpop we've been here just once, as part of a progressive exploration food tour. Why don't we dine here more often? It's far, and you're paying for the location, which is lovely on a midsummer night. Thanks to Dimmi's 50% offer we've been exploring much more than usual this month.

Dinner with the professor (not mine, he's in my class though) and jas. I've never actually dined with the professor before, but it turns out he's a vegetarian by preference, and we're at the Meat Market...

Boundaries, there's a rope setting the boundaries of the restaurant, drinks on one side and cigarettes on the other XD. The professor found balance, with one foot on each side, a drink in hand on the restaurant side, and ciggy on the wharf. This is exactly why we aren't invited places!

Bruschetta $12.50

Peas, Broad Beans, Cherry Tomatoes, Meredith Feta Cheese

The professor ordered the bruschetta which wasn't what I expected at all! We expected salsa on a slice or two of toast with mainly tomatoes and a green garnish. Instead it was a huge slice and a mountain of peas among other things. This is not finger food, or your traditional bruschetta. He says it was quite nice and had a red wine vinegar dressing, which countered the pea flavours.

Pork Belly $33

Cottechino, Caramelized Fennel, Petite Apple & Pork Jus

Jas had the pork belly, served on a palette of shades of sauerkraut it was the opposite of my crab salad at Bangpop. What did he think of it? It was good, meat was delicious, crackling crispy, the onion and fennel maybe a touch oily.

Roast Pumpkin With Butter Roast Seeds & Sage $10

I intended to order a salad to go with my steak though ended up with a vegetable, pumpkin, a favourite. Tastes exactly as expected, it's good but for two slices it's expensive! Also dulled in comparison to my peppercorn jus, not a good pairing there.

Kilcoy Eye Fillet 200g with Peppercorn Jus $36

Served with half a fancy sliced baked potato (where's the other half?) and water cress, and a smear of peppercorn jus (there's more in the vase). On presentation I felt that it was missing something.

Medium? No... medium rare it was a bit chewy in the middle, unless all the bites are thinly sliced. It was good though nothing remarkable. It is what you'd expect to be.

[A Bucket of] Shoestring Fries $9

Served with tomato sauce, though I was happy to consume them bathed in peppercorn jus. We were all happy with the fries! There was quite a lot, great for sharing, for at least two people. We requested tomato sauce on the side.

The dessert menu wasn't online, and the professor oped for another drink over dessert. O.o

Apple Tart $14

Puff pastry and the smallest scoop of vanilla bean ice cream I've ever seen. Thinly sliced granny smith with buttery pastry, served with a light buttery sauce and those crispy balls I love 'Callebaut Dark Crispearls' from Savour in Brunswick!

It was quite a light dessert and kinda small dessert, one I'd love to make at home! Reminded me of a dessert from Dish'd Frozen Food (but their food was real and quite good). Oh and that isn't a wafer, it's a stick of high quality chocolate. I'd love it, would order it again and high recommend it!

Cheese Platter $28

Jas preferred the cheese platter with a strange toasted bread I'm unfamiliar with, I prefer the water/wafer crackers and crispbreads with more fruit paste and muscatel clusters. The cheeses were: cheddar, brie and blue. The classics.

Service was good, though nothing remarkable (jas didn't tip) the bartender was very friendly though. Our bill came to $95.75 for three people, with two wines and a beer. $32-ish per person, which was great. That total is with the 50% off food by the way. You're looking at $60 per person normally.

Would we normally eat here? No. It was good though not amazing, Bangpop is around the same price, location and was amazing.

Saturday 15th July

Lunch at the Meat Market, outside undercover with the glass walls. It's lovely out here with no smokers. An afternoon by the window bathing in the sunlight by the wharf reading that book that had been on my list for three years. I finally did it!

Chicken Lollipops $13

Roast Pumpkin Seeds, Green beans & 'Bam Bam sauce' (3)

Tender juicy chicken with a sweet chilli Chili Sauce!

A bit hot for me but it works with the fennel salad.

Fennel & Orange Salad $17

Green Beans with Toasted Flaked Almond

The salad there's way too much of! Also it was a bit basic so it's like an actual side rather than most salads I order which could be a main. This was meant to be a side for 2+ people... wish the waiter told me that.

French Fries $9

A bucket of Fries, or a pail. No you can't order a half serve :P

Have you dined at South Wharf recently?