Salamanca Wharf Cafe / 17a Castray Esplanade, Hobart TAS 7000 / $$ / Open brunch 7 days / Ph: 03 6224 6250 / http://www.salamancawharfhotel.com
“This place ticks so many boxes. Except a big one…”
The sun shone, the location is terrific. The fit out – modern, clean with lots of glass, the communal table, and booths. This place ticks so many boxes. Except a big one, which is why we were there – the food. And the service was hilarious.
Our waiter was funny, laughed easily, and she served with such a smile, constantly, we wanted what she was on, if anything. Delightful. She even managed to laugh when she kicked the dog bowl. Not a problem.
Such a different experience to the last time I was there. I didn’t review it. Wasn’t worth my time or effort. Our waitress was surly and boy, will I ever forget the altercation? Nup. I had asked for green tea, and it came in time, in a small red, heavy cast iron pot. But the lid didn’t sit properly.
“The lid’s a bit wonky on this,” she said as she plonked it down on our table. Hmm… Seemed a bit strange to me. It looked like it should fit. Always loving a challenge, I took the ‘wonky’ lid off, lifted out the strainer of leaves a little, and looked into the pot.
“Ah! It didn’t take an Einstein to see the previous tea strainer had fallen in, unnoticed, and was still there, blocking up the order of things. So this poor pot was struggling to cope with two babies instead of one, deep in its belly…”
The Wharf Cafe Exterior
Were they that busy that the tea maker could shove two strainers on top of each other?
It was, and will always be a mystery. Not one I particularly cared about. But when I pointed out the superfluous strainer, the girl picked up the pot and took it away. When she returned she announced I’d been given ‘a fresh batch’ as if it were an incredibly generous gesture on behalf of the establishment. Sigh…
This time, all was looking good, and my brunch partner and I ordered the house baked beans for me, $18, and the waffle, bacon and eggs for him $21, and sat in the sun, enjoyed our coffees (good), and chewed the fat of business and Hobart.
The young waiter entertained all of us outside, with her antics, and it was a refreshing gift of personality that so many places seem devoid of. But the food arrived, and my beans, though tasty, were dry. And the bacon? Well, the picture tells the story.
Pre-cooked and let to dry out until it resembled something from the Stone Age, it was disappointing and obviously a bit tough to eat. Here’s the rant: FF’s sake! Chefs, cooks, kitchens everywhere, if your food has dried out, add water, or throw it out in the bin where it belongs and do a fresh lot.
Salamanca wharf Beans – dry beans
Salamanca Wharf Waffle and… dry bacon
We’ll wait. We’d rather wait than be served aging produce. Don’t. Do. It. Because these days we have too much choice, and you’ll lose what could have been loyal and happy customers. And we’re hard to come by now. I know that.
The public are not stupid. We’re savvy shoppers, clever customers, and we expect and deserve the best you can give. BECAUSE WE ARE PAYING. You are not giving your food or services away, we pay for the privilege, and we expect what we pay for.
It makes my blood boil when I’m served tired food. I’m tired – that’s enough for both of us!!!! How do you feel readers? Or are you more forgiving than I?
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Chrissie 🙂
