So here goes....
Tonight, (IP having returned from a Levuka weekend) we were in no mood to do the cook and (heaven forbid) clean thing. So we decided to go to The Fish Grotto, but it was closed and then drove past a noisy and full Normanby, ending up at the newly renovated Newmarket Hotel.
I must admit, I was impressed by the decor and ambience of the restaurant. I though surprised at the limit of options (and of course there was steak) on the menu. In retrospect I think that this is probably not such a bad thing.
Food: I ended up resisting the steak, and ordering the Tasmanian Lamb Rump and IP had an eye fillet with garlic prawns. The Lamb was great (it came with a bean mash, an olive tapenade thing and beans). It was all the things lamb rump should be - moist, medium rare, yum. IP noted that his steak was good, although the prawns were very average. One thing we both noted was a "charcoal" flavour which was a tad unpleasant.
Service: Service started off well, but then resulted in being average. The chick managed to bring out the wrong beer for IP, so he ended up getting a full strength Cascade Lager (he asked for the light version) which was more $$$ than the prefered same strength Boags - which he would have ordered if he wanted to have a full strength. Lucky he wasn't driving, oh wait a minute he was.
Overall: I reckon that they are a 7 out of 10.
RATING GUIDE - 10: perfect; 9: excellent; 8: very good; 7: good; 6: passable; 5: disappointing; 1-4: woeful.
