How many times have we been to Garagiste ... too many to remember. Never had an average meal there ... and the last visit was so superb.
We went there with family last friday. As usual, fantastic service all night long. And it was not as busy as usual ... maybe because its Christmas and you can't book tables.
Anyway, we were quickly ordering tasty dishes - first up four oysters, lightly steamed and served with apple cider vinegar emulsion. I normally prefer them natural, but these were plump, warm and delicious.
On to potato crostini dressed with baked onion, potatoe mousse, herbs and flowers. Almost too pretty to eat. Very delicate, and very delicious.
Char grilled fatty lamb ribs with a delicious lemon, corriander and pepper dressing that cuts through to provide a beautiful tasting treat.
Eel, quail eggs, onion fondue and bread. Wow.
Trumpeter and urchin row. Fantastic.
Tripe, shitake pickles, beef cheek and garlic. How good can food get.
Luke takes great delight in turning the ordinary into something very special, and we are very glad he does. Five stars.
Monday, December 19, 2011
Saturday, August 13, 2011
New Motorcycle
Having just finished my first year on P plates, I was pleased to find that I was no longer restricted to riding a LAMS motorcycle. Don't get me wrong. My Suzuki GSX650F was a great bike, but it did have its limitations, and not being able to ride at more than 80kms (or, to be more precise, the risk of being caught riding over 80kms) was restricting.
So fast forward to walking into Motorworks and seeing a beautiful Triumph Sprint ST sitting there on special. Fantastic bike, in fact the one I wanted when I first started to ride again in 2009. I WILL HAVE IT.
I can't actually ride this beast officially until Monday, so my first impressions are very fleeting cameos around town, extremely cautious, and anyway, I am running my baby in aren't I.
BUT
What a difference. The Suzuki is like making souffle while the Triumph is like a spit roast. The Suzuki is great on take off ... very quick and nimble through the gears. The Triumph roars and shakes its way ... and before you know it you are ten km over the limit without even thinking about anything. This is a bike for the open road or the race track. It is a harnessed beast around town, and I love it.
So fast forward to walking into Motorworks and seeing a beautiful Triumph Sprint ST sitting there on special. Fantastic bike, in fact the one I wanted when I first started to ride again in 2009. I WILL HAVE IT.
I can't actually ride this beast officially until Monday, so my first impressions are very fleeting cameos around town, extremely cautious, and anyway, I am running my baby in aren't I.
BUT
What a difference. The Suzuki is like making souffle while the Triumph is like a spit roast. The Suzuki is great on take off ... very quick and nimble through the gears. The Triumph roars and shakes its way ... and before you know it you are ten km over the limit without even thinking about anything. This is a bike for the open road or the race track. It is a harnessed beast around town, and I love it.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Fish, OnBar and Raincheck, North Hobart
Living near the North Hobart strip means that a quick eat is within five minutes walking distance. Just at the moment, five minutes takes the breath away and just getting there is the first real achievement of the night.
Our quick eats centre around three restaurants - Fish, Raincheck and OnBar. While all three provide good quality quick meals, each is quite different.
I am not fantastically fond of seafood - and Fish tends to be a bit more production line than I would like, so this is probably the one that sweetheart and I fight over most. But when we get there and order I am always pleased that we have come. Not that the menu changes that much. The service is always friendly and professional. And fast. You can be in and out of there within thirty minutes easily. And you can stay longer if chatting and people watching is what you want to do. The atmosphere is bright and energetic. The coloured pictures on the wall is testimony to the number of family groups that come through. But they get a wide cross section of people - young ones on their first date, local residents doing what we are doing, parents taking out their kids, and kids taking out their parents.
OnBar, on the other hand, offers much more than it delivers. It is stylish and slick, and has a great location for sitting and watching the bustle of the city. The staff are really friendly and the service is great. The menu looks fantastic, but that's where it all unravels a bit. Sweetheart and I don't go here often - especially at the moment because its the furthest to walk to and lets face it, bloody cold. Anyway, back to the food. Menu looks great, presentation done very well, execution ... hmm, I reckon competent is about as good a description as I could give. Don't get me wrong, its still good ... we are particular about where we eat.
Ah, Raincheck. They have introduced the chefs table. Been there for a while now - twelve months? Available Wednesday to Saturday. Sometimes a bit hit and miss, but most often bloody fantastic. About $55 for four courses - tapas style, for two. Throw in the recommended wine and you are out of there for less than $90. And the food is cooked with love. And the staff treat you like you are long lost friends dropping in to visit. And if you are really lucky you see North Hobart street life at its best ... who knows who or what is going to walk in through the door or go past the window.
There ... three great restaurants all within five minutes walk of home and perfect for quick eats on those down nights when fine dining is not on the menu but you don't feel like cooking. Love it.
Our quick eats centre around three restaurants - Fish, Raincheck and OnBar. While all three provide good quality quick meals, each is quite different.
I am not fantastically fond of seafood - and Fish tends to be a bit more production line than I would like, so this is probably the one that sweetheart and I fight over most. But when we get there and order I am always pleased that we have come. Not that the menu changes that much. The service is always friendly and professional. And fast. You can be in and out of there within thirty minutes easily. And you can stay longer if chatting and people watching is what you want to do. The atmosphere is bright and energetic. The coloured pictures on the wall is testimony to the number of family groups that come through. But they get a wide cross section of people - young ones on their first date, local residents doing what we are doing, parents taking out their kids, and kids taking out their parents.
OnBar, on the other hand, offers much more than it delivers. It is stylish and slick, and has a great location for sitting and watching the bustle of the city. The staff are really friendly and the service is great. The menu looks fantastic, but that's where it all unravels a bit. Sweetheart and I don't go here often - especially at the moment because its the furthest to walk to and lets face it, bloody cold. Anyway, back to the food. Menu looks great, presentation done very well, execution ... hmm, I reckon competent is about as good a description as I could give. Don't get me wrong, its still good ... we are particular about where we eat.
Ah, Raincheck. They have introduced the chefs table. Been there for a while now - twelve months? Available Wednesday to Saturday. Sometimes a bit hit and miss, but most often bloody fantastic. About $55 for four courses - tapas style, for two. Throw in the recommended wine and you are out of there for less than $90. And the food is cooked with love. And the staff treat you like you are long lost friends dropping in to visit. And if you are really lucky you see North Hobart street life at its best ... who knows who or what is going to walk in through the door or go past the window.
There ... three great restaurants all within five minutes walk of home and perfect for quick eats on those down nights when fine dining is not on the menu but you don't feel like cooking. Love it.
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