I feared dining options on a Sunday night in a small town might be limited when we arrived in Eden. It was a pleasant surprise when our host at the B&B told us three take-aways, two restaurants and the Fisherman's Club would all be open.
We headed into town to check out the options. Ruth wasn't a fan of the Fisherman's Club and we wanted something a bit more formal than a take-away so we headed for our hosts top pick; Restaurant Mystique at the Halfway Motel. Unfortunately it was closed so we headed to our only other choice The Wheelhouse.
We arrived at just after 7pm in the large restaurant which only had three tables seated and plenty of empty space. I was immediately put off when the waitress said she'd have to check with the chef if they could fit us in. Are you expecting a coach party?
A quick look at the menu also made me sceptical. $25 - $28 for the vegetarian mains. Not exactly cheap. The omlette was $27!!
I decided upon the fish of the day. The pak choi was cold, overcooked, had absorbed a lot of water and really wasn't very nice. There was a decent portion of fish, but it required both wedges of lemon and a lot of salt and pepper to bring out any flavour.
Andrew ordered the fillet steak (no photo). Despite asking for it medium it was very definitely well done.
Despite the rather shocking price Ruth's vegetarian lasagna was the the most flavoursome dish of the night. The mustard mayo dressing round the edge of the plate provided a nice bit of zing.
At $98 for three main courses (no drinks) it certainly wasn't cheap for the average food we were served. As you can tell I wasn't a fan.
We were all shocked when one of the departing tables booked a table for the following night! If I go back to Eden I'll be following the locals and trying the Chinese take-away which seemed quite busy when we walked past.
That's disappointing to spend nearly a hundred on meals that weren't anything special.
ReplyDeleteMaybe the other rebooking table had beer goggles on.
In May we broke down in Eden & were at the Halfway Motel for a month, courtesy of RACV Total Care. At that stage Restaurant Mystique had only been open about two months so it was all very new & exciting. We dined there several times & found the food & the service to be first class, the decor is beautiful too. Rod & Liz made us feel so welcome & nothing was too much trouble. We actually went back there last week & I had a peek at the delicious new summer menu which was starting after we left, so now it looks like another trip to Eden.....
ReplyDeleteNew Year's Eve is looking good :)
If you get the opportunity again, don't miss it!!
Hi Anon - good to hear a positive review of Mystique. Sounds like Eden has at least one good dining option for my next visit!
ReplyDeleteWe were in Eden a couple of weeks ago and had a wonderful meal at The Wheelhouse, most definitely the best we've had in the 3 weeks we spent down under. We went for fish on both starters and mains - I had the wok-tossed calamari in chipotle sauce and the mixed fish grill and my husband had the smoked fish on mini-pancakes and the grilled catch of the day (leatherjacket). We also had dessert - mud cake and raspberry panna cotta. Everything was just so tasty I nearly wanted to cry. The prawns and scallops were bursting with flavour, in particular. I agree it wasn't cheap, but definitely worth the money.
ReplyDeleteOn another note - the fish&chips on the opposite side of the wharf had the best fish & chips I've ever had, and super cheap! we went there two nights in a row!!
Hi there - just to let you know that Wheelhouse (whilst the signage still remains) has a new chef and owner and that is what you probably encountered the night you dined. It is now called Vicky's by the Wharf - we are all very excited to have the return of a great chef to this iconic location in Eden. I hope Richard gives it another go next also.
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