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The Green Ant Cantina, Cairns
Tuesday night is usually cheat meal night for MS and I so we racked our brains all day to think of somewhere to go or more importantly something that we wanted to eat. I know this whole dieting and cheat meal crap probably sounds like a load of wank but it’s something that has to be done for the time being. I’m certainly not going to be giving up eating and/or writing about food that’s for sure. But, a word of warning… For the next few months you will probably see that the majority of my posts are going to be about foods that aren’t exactly healthy. Not all of them, but yeah most of them. Having said that I do have a couple of healthier posts in the pipeline. So yeah like I said we racked out brains all day about where we should go for dinner. Did we want pasta? No. Pizza? No. Fish and chips? No. Steak? No. Did we want to go to Fetta’s? No. Anyway after trolling the menus of a couple of restaurants online I came up with a bonza idea that would satisfy both MS’ craving for something big and meaty (haha) and my craving for… well anything with cheese on it. That is when we decided on the Green Ant Cantina.
Now I have already done a post for the Green Ant (as it’s known by locals) about a year and a half ago but I am going to do another one, firstly because I have written about nearly three quarters of the restaurants in Cairns already and am running out of ideas so some are bound to come around for a second write up sooner or later (please don’t bombard me with ideas because I know there are still plenty to write about, it was a joke). And secondly because MS and I were on the back end of our Melbourne Cup celebrations that particular night so I’ll be damned if I could remember much about the place, apart from what I wrote down.
When we arrived we were greeted by a friendly blonde barmaid who said we could sit anywhere we liked although the area out the back wasn’t opened because there wasn’t enough people in the restaurant to fill it. The barmaid informed us that if more people turned up then she would open it up but for now we were confined to the front area and inside adjacent to the bar. We were happy to sit at one of the roomy booths inside and set up shop at the closest one to the bar. I did notice that the chair part of the booth was a little bit far away from the table which for someone who is 5 foot nothing like me is a little annoying especially considering I drop food and drink on myself at the best of times. It wasn’t a problem however for 6 foot something MS who didn’t seem to mind.
The waitress brought over a couple of menus for us to look over and took our drink order. Although I rarely drink I did feel like a glass of white wine and asked the waitress if they had any Sauvignon Blanc. I couldn’t see a drinks menu so I trusted her to do the right thing by me but made sure she wasn’t going to fetch me a glass of house wine. MS ordered a Green Ant Cider to wet his whistle and we continued looking over the menu. Being the fatties that we were feeling like on this particular night we decided that we would both get an entree and a main each. The best thing about this whole cheat meal thing apart from the obvious (another joke) is that I can get whatever I like on the menu. Normally when I was just eating, ummm normally, I would look for a healthy-ish option on the menu instead of the really mouth watering-ly fatty ones that I really wanted. Not now, oh no. Now I want the biggest, fattiest, cheesiest thing with the most carbs that I can find (oh god I hope my trainer doesn’t know about this blog).
Although there was a little encouragement from the waitress to try the “Wings of Death” which are chicken wings “doused in secret sauces from the hottest chillies known to man” MS and I opted for a couple of tastier sounding entrees. Plus a free beer and my name on the wall doesn’t particularly float my boat since I have seen video footage of someone eating these things and it really wasn’t pretty. MS and I were at the Green Ant to enjoy our meals not cry over them. Well hopefully not anyway. So after looking over the entree menu MS couldn’t go past the Pork Belly Taquitos for AU$15. They are described on the menu as ‘Crispy fried tortillas stuffed with Mexican style shredded pork belly and served with sour cream’. Sounds amazing to me and I was glad that he chose them because it was something that I was more than happy to share. Having developed a recent craving for ‘fake’ tasting cheese (I could smash a box of Easy Mac I really could) I chose the Chilli Con Queso Dip – Warm Mexican cheese dip with herbs and spices served with toasted corn chips for AU$14.
Next up for the mains true to form MS just can’t go past anything that has chorizo in it so he chose the Choice Chorizo Quesadilla – Grilled 12″ flour tortilla folded and stuffed with chorizo, spinach, spanish onion, capsicum and cheese served with fresh tomato salsa, aioli and fresh lime on the side for AU$25. Myself? Well I stopped reading after the Chilli Cheese Fries. Everything on the menu sounded great but this… well, this was in a field of it’s own. It reads as ‘A mountain of famous chunky chips topped with our Texan style chilli con carne slow cooked for 8 hours, made with diced rump steak and a dash of Jack Daniel’s, oven baked with melted cheese and served with sour cream’ for AU$25. Ay caramba!
There was probably only about 30 people in the place, most of which were only there for a few quiet drinks so we got our entrees pretty quickly. After a couple of photos we dug into the Pork Belly Taquitos, dipping them in a bit of chilli sauce and then sour cream. They were ok. After the description on the menu I was expecting a lot more and these things sort of resembled samosas more than a taquito. They were almost certainly pre-made and then tossed in the deep fryer for a little bit too long since they were overcooked and a little too crispy. They were also very… flavourless I guess is the word I am looking for. Also the sour cream seemed like it had been watered down a bit. It wasn’t thick and creamy like sour cream should be but more watery and tasteless. Disappointing and not what we were expecting. I had a couple of taquitos while MS wolfed down the rest.
Pork Belly Taquitos – Crispy fried tortillas stuffed with Mexican style shredded pork belly and served with sour cream (AU$15)
The Chilli Con Queso Dip was still nothing spectacular although we ate the lot – we were so hungry! The dip just wasn’t cheesy enough. It was a good sized serve with a good amount of corn chips (probably should have been more) but it wasn’t all I had imagined it to be. Like the sour cream it was also a little runny and not thick enough for a dip. I was sad I didn’t get the fake cheese flavour that I had so desired (or any cheese flavour for that matter). Here’s hoping the mains were a bit better!
Chilli Con Queso Dip – Warm Mexican cheese dip with herbs and spices served with toasted corn chips (AU$14)
Our mains arrived about 10 minutes after our entrees dishes were cleared. The waitress asked if there was anything more that she could get for us (there wasn’t) and left us alone with our food. MS’ Chorizo Quesadilla was about the same size as his dinner plate and cut into three fat portions. He squeezed a bit of lime over the top (I’m assuming that’s what you do with it) and hoed into it dipping each forkful into his aioli as he went. Apparently it was exactly what the cheat doctor ordered because he absolutely destroyed it (that’s my way of saying demolished). In fact he even said that he could have eaten another one it was that good. It left him rather full though so he probably couldn’t have fitted another one in. I tasted a bite of it and it was delicious although I didn’t like the capsicum inside, that’s just me though.
Choice Chorizo Quesadilla – Grilled 12″ flour tortilla folded and stuffed with chorizo, spinach, spanish onion, capsicum and cheese served with fresh tomato salsa, aioli and fresh lime on the side (AU$25)
My Chilli Cheese Fries were enormous. I felt like a total pig when it was placed in front of me but also secretly thanked myself for ordering it. The thick cut chips were perfect having been baked in the oven till they had just the right amount of crisp on them. The slow cooked pieces of beef were delicious although a little few and far between. They may have been hidden underneath since I didn’t get very far. I was in Chilli Cheese Fry heaven but unfortunately only got through about a third of it before I was stuffed. Maybe it was the large plate of Chilli Con Queso Dip, corn chips and the taquito that I had eaten prior or maybe it was the fact that I am not used to eating that kind of food. I only wish that I had ordered some guacamole on the side because that would have been the cherry on top. It was everything that I though it would be. Pure unadulterated carby goodness.
Chilli Cheese Fries – A mountain of famous chunky chips topped with our Texan style chilli con carne slow cooked for 8 hours, made with diced rump steak and a dash of Jack Daniel’s, oven baked with melted cheese and served with sour cream (AU$25)
So the mains had come through with the goods and saved our very ordinary entrees. In the grand scheme of things if we did it all over again I think MS and I would just order the mains on their own because they are certainly enough food but on this occasion our eyes were too big for our stomachs. We had a most enjoyable meal on what was a nice quiet night at the Green Ant Cantina. There are some really yummy dishes on the menu and although I do think that some of them are slightly overpriced (it is a backpacker hangout after all) they are all pretty large serves. I remember they used to do a 2-4-1 locals deal with all main meals but this seems to be only for steaks now which is a bit of a shame but I haven’t tried their steaks yet (check out my dinner page for more info here). The service was friendly and maybe a slightly overbearing but that could also be because we were seated so close to the bar and cash register. The atmosphere is laid back and chilled out during the week but picks up a little bit over the weekend so if you want a quiet(ish) meal then head there between Mon and Thursday. If you think you are all tough and reckon you could destroy a plate of the “Wings of Death” and get your name on the wall then be my guest. Just don’t blame me when you are a snotty, drooling mess by the end of your dinner. They don’t just serve Mexican food and eye-wateringly hot chicken wings at the Green Ant, there is also burgers (a world famous Kangaroo Burger apparently), salads and some sh*t hot sounding desserts. Stoner’s Delight with chocolate fudge brownies and Kahlua chocolate sauce anyone? *wipes away drool*
Green Ant Cantina
183 Bunda St, Cairns QLD 4870
Ph: (07) 4041 5061
Opening Hours: Mon – Sat from 4pm till 12am
Website: greenantcantina.com
Where is the Best Eggs Benedict in Cairns now?
It has been brought to my attention that the Botanical Gardens Restaurant and Cafe no longer serves the Best Eggs Benedict in town. I have read a few really bad reviews on the place and how downhill it’s gone. What the hell happened?! I would hate to think that my previous post “Best Eggs Benedict in Cairns” is directly people to a now defunct Eggs Benedict so I am putting a call out to find the new “Best Eggs Benedict in Cairns” . Any ideas?
Little Ricardo’s, Cairns
After our massive binge in Sydney the last thing that MS and I wanted to do was come home and continue on our downward spiral… NOT! We started out with the best of intentions but at some point in time on our flight home we decided that we would re-start our healthy eating the next day and not that afternoon as originally planned. (Disclaimer: I’m not going to be one of those people that harp on about healthy eating and me being on a diet and other boring sh*t like that because when it comes down to it I normally eat what I want, within reason, but like I said I have a particular goal in mind – no it’s not just to lose weight – and all this is part of the story, ok?)
Then the conversation of just where we were going to eat that night began. MS, true to form, wanted to go to Bel Paese since he had quite a penchant for large creamy bowls of pasta and cheesy garlic bread. I was a little reluctant to go to Bel Paese, firstly because our last dining experience there wasn’t anything to write home about and because, well, I have already written about that place. If I was only allowed one cheat meal a week then in theory it needed to be somewhere that we hadn’t already been so I could post about it on foodvixen later. So, we decided on the pasta theme but couldn’t think of where to go. I suggested Fasta Pasta, La Fettuccina and Villa Romana but neither of us were really excited by any of those suggestions. Last time I went to Villa Romana, which was years ago, my dining buddy found a giant moth in her salad and last time MS and I went to Fasta Pasta we ordered two completely different dishes to find they both tasted exactly the same. As for La Fettuccina, well, I am saving that one for a special occasion. Then I remembered a little place that we had walked past on Sheridan Street about six months ago. Hell, we drive past it nearly every day. So off to Little Ricardo’s we went.
Little Ricardo’s is located on the strip of cheap motels directly across the road from Cairns High. Everyone has driven past and seen it there, as have I. It’s just inside, near the pool area of the Adobe Motel. I don’t know how long it’s been there but at the very least it’s been there since 2008 because an outdated sign out the front claims that Little Ricardo’s was voted Best Pizza in 2008 by Cairns locals. We went inside and found ourselves in a quaint little restaurant with dim lighting, a stocked wooden bar over to the left and the air conditioner turned up full bull. We were greeted by a friendly waitress whose name was Julie Ann and since there was no one else in the restaurant at the time she let us choose our table. With a bit of a shiver from the aircon MS and I chose one-off to the side out of the direct breeze. Julie Ann asked if we would like her to turn the fan above us off to make us a little more comfortable to which we happily obliged. She then brought us over a couple of menu’s and a jug of water with some glasses and left us for a few minutes returning to take our drinks order. I was happy to stick to water but MS asked if he could have a glass of Coke to be brought out with dinner. The menu had the usual Italian fare and although the pizza’s were voted the ‘Best in Town’ in 2008 we were both there for the pasta.
There was no dilly dallying in deciding what we wanted at Little Ricardo’s, even MS made up his mind quickly for once. We chose the Garlic Bread (AU$5.90) as our entrée but asked if we could have cheese on it as well. Julie Ann happily obliged and assured us it wouldn’t be a problem. Then for his main meal MS chose a large Boscaola with Tasty Cheese, Mushroom and Parmesan for AU$23.90 with Fettucine. He also added bacon, chicken and a hint of chilli to his dish (we’re not difficult customers I swear!), which Julie Ann said was also not a problem at all. After tossing up between the Amatriciana and the Marinara pasta I ended up going with the Marinara which was described on the menu as Fresh Local Seafood Combination with the choice of Cream or Tomato Base for AU$25.90. The Fresh Local Seafood Combination sold me pretty much straight away. I also chose the fettuccine and opted for the tomato base as opposed to the heavy cream base. Ok, ok I have a confession to make… I ordered a large serve too. Don’t judge me.
While we were waiting for our meals to arrive a couple more tables filled up and then a couple more until there was about 5 more occupied tables in the restaurant. I was pretty impressed considering that it was a Monday night. Many restaurants in the city would struggle to get that amount of people in on a Monday. Julie Ann brought over a big bowl of ‘stinky cheese’ as MS calls it whereas I just call it powdered Parmesan Cheese and some little plates and cutlery followed closely by our entrée of Cheesy Garlic Bread. We got three pieces each and after fighting over who got the three biggest pieces we dug in. The Garlic Bread was simple, yet tasty and with just the right amount of cheese melted over the top. It was really yummy and not as yellow as it looks in the picture below. We even managed to save a couple of pieces to mop up our pasta sauce with. I have a massive weakness for Garlic Bread and if I were religious I would ask god “Why, oh why did you invent Garlic Bread?” Just when I think I am going good and eating well. BAM! Someone brings out a loaf of Garlic Bread (or I order it) aaaaaaand I’m screwed.
Cheesy Garlic Bread for AU$5.90
Right before our meals arrived and without prompting Julie Ann brought MS over a glass of coke and placed it on the table in front of us. Again I was impressed. I hadn’t had service this pleasing in Cairns for a long time (with the exception of Waterbar and Grill). The owner of the restaurant Richard brought us out our main meals which were placed steaming hot in front of us. He saw me whip my iPhone out to take a couple of pictures of the food and politely offered to take a picture of the two of us. Errr, yeah sure! Richard was lovely and friendly and we had a bit of a laugh with him about him covering half of the photo with his thumb. Never mind, nothing a little photo cropping won’t fix and I have sh*t tins of photos of MS and I at dinner anyway. The large serve really was a large serve. Each of our bowls were overflowing with large mounds of pasta. There was plenty of extra bacon and chicken mixed through MS’ Boscaola and he was beside himself as he twirled his first mouthful of fettuccine around his fork. After a few mouthfuls the only sentence that escaped his mouth was ‘Oh god this is good’ as he twirled more fettuccine around his fork. It was that good that he ate till he couldn’t fit another mouthful in, leaving only a couple of strands of pasta in the bottom of his bowl and announced that Little Ricardo’s was his new favourite restaurant.
Boscaola with Tasty Cheese, Mushroom, Parmesan and extra Bacon, Chicken and a hint of Chilli (AU$23.90)
Looking down at my pasta I could see two big fat juicy scallops with the bright orange roe on them (as it should be!) and my mouth began to salivate. There was also prawns, fish and super tender pieces of squid mixed in as well. My Marinara was absolutely to die for and I was glad that I had chosen that over the Amatriciana (even though I hadn’t had the Amatriciana yet). The pasta was cooked ‘al dente’ and the bountiful bits of seafood throughout my dish were all full of flavour and cooked to perfection. My mouth is seriously drooling thinking about this dish. There was just the right amount of sauce, not too little, not too much and with a bit of ‘stinky cheese’ sprinkled over the top I too ate nearly the entire bowl and mopped up the remaining sauce with my ‘smaller’ pieces of Garlic Bread. The only thing that I think it needed was a little hint of chilli but that was my own fault for not asking for it. Where’s my bottle of Tabasco sauce when I need it?
Marinara with Fresh Local Seafood Combination and the choice of a Cream or Tomato base (I chose Tomato obviously) for AU$25.90
MS and I joked that we had just traveled to a foodie lovers paradise (AKA Sydney) and then flown back to Cairns and had the best meal and service of the entire weekend. Even though the restaurant picked up with more arrivals after our own Julie Ann didn’t miss a beat and delivered fantastic, efficient and friendly service from the moment we arrived to the moment we left. The atmosphere and dining setting isn’t fantastic and to be honest it’s pretty dated but you know what? I think it works. On doing a little bit of online research it appears that Little Ricardo’s is ranked 5th in Cairns out of over 200 restaurants on Trip Advisor, which doesn’t mean a whole lot since I am still trying to figure out why an ice cream shop is number one, but it definitely pays homage to the wonderful things Richard and his team are doing down there at the Adobe Motel. (No offence to the ice cream shop.) The only problem with going to Little Ricardo’s for the first time is that now MS and I want to go there all the time and have already been back again (this time for more Cheesy Garlic Bread and to try the Amatriciana). Little Ricardo’s where have you been all my life?
Little Ricardo’s
191 Sheridan Street, Cairns QLD 4870 (Adobe Motel)
Ph: (07) 4051 5266
Opening Hours: 6 days Mon – Sat 5pm till late
Website: http://www.littlericardos.com
$17.95 Quick Lunch at Dundee’s, Cairns
(^Yes I did use the same Dundee’s photo I have already used). After hearing a few people rate the Quick Lunch Menu at Dundee’s over the last twelve months or so I decided it was about time I gave it a go. I did vow to never go to Dundee’s again after a run of crappy dinners there for various friends birthdays but I figured lunch may be a different story. Another reason I hadn’t dined at Dundee’s for lunch until recently was because I expected the meals to be too small to satisfy my rather large hunger pangs (turns out I was right and wrong). Dundee’s have a $17.50 Quick Lunch Menu available from 11.30am till 4.30pm Mon – Fri, $21.95 Sat & Sun. The whole 5 hours, 7 days a week thing is certainly something I must commend them on since most Cairns lunch specials are only available Monday to Friday and up until around 2.30pm. I almost always manage to miss the 2-2.30pm cutoff for lunch so MS and I end up scouting around for somewhere to have a late lunch sometimes ending up at the Crepe place at Cairns Central because we are out of ideas (or Crape as they like to spell it). Since my first Quick Lunch at Dundee’s just before Christmas I have dined there another two times for lunch. I’ll explain the reasoning for that a little bit later…
Lunch #1
My first lunch date was with my ex boyfriend’s parents BC and JC whom I have remained close with since my relationship with NC ended just over 5 years ago. Some people might think it’s a little weird that I still ‘hang out’ with my ex’s parents on occasion but I don’t really mind because the relationship ended on good terms and I also think they are cool to hang out with – NC now lives in Perth and no we don’t keep in touch. On the plus side MS doesn’t seem to mind either however he does find it a little odd that BC and JC want to have us over for dinner one night. Something we are yet to do but fine with me since JC cooks the best goddamn Steak Diane I have ever had. Enough about my ex and let’s talk about Dundee’s.
So BC, JC and I ended up at Dundee’s on a Saturday afternoon for lunch. We walked in and took up a seat near the back of the restaurant. One of the female waitresses came over and poured us some water and handed out some menu’s while we chatted. There is a selection of 11 dishes to choose from in total with pretty much something for everyone from Pasta, to Seafood to Steak Burgers and Salads. I must admit I was quite happy with the menu and there was certainly more than one dish that I wanted to try. I do however think that there were too many Pasta Dishes on the menu with 5 out the 11 dishes being pasta. I guess it is a ‘Quick Lunch’ menu and what’s quicker to whip up than pasta? BC decided to go with the Steak Burger – Char Grilled Rib Fillet, Fresh Grated Beetroot, Roma Tomato, Balsamic Onion, Swiss Cheese, Lettuce and Paw Paw Chutney in a Toasted Turkish Roll with Chips and Smokey BBQ Sauce. JC went with the Fish and Chips with Aioli Dipping Sauce and although I really wanted Chips and Bread with my lunch I figured since Christmas was only a few days away I would choose a less stodgy option so I went for the Calamari Rocket and Apple Salad which was Calamari Coated in Dundee’s Special Seasoning, Lightly Fried and Served with Tom Yum Mayo and Rocket and Shredded Apple Salad. Prior to ordering this I asked the waitress if the Calamari was local to which she replied that she didn’t know but she would find out. She returned not long after and assured me that the Calamari was indeed local squid. Ok then.
BC, JC and I continued chatting away after our lunch orders were taken whilst exchanging Christmas and birthday gifts (I had celebrated my 21st birthday only a few days before, haha). After about 15 minutes another waitress returned to confirm our order because apparently it had been confused with someone else’s. She assured us that our meals were not too far away. We waited about another 10 minutes and our meals finally arrived. So much for the whole ‘Quick Lunch Special’. Maybe they ought to change it to simply the ‘Lunch Special’? (Sorry about the shitty photos in the post. They either turned out crap or I forgot to take them altogether).
So onto the food… I was extremely surprised at the size of the lunches placed in front of us. BC’s Steak Burger and Chips was huge and looked absolutely delicious giving me a pang of food jealousy. The Onion Rings on top looked so good I was hoping he would offer me one but he didn’t *sad face*.
Steak Burger – Chargrilled Rib Fillet, Fresh Grated Beetroot, Roma Tomato, Balsamic Onion, Swiss Cheese, Lettuce and Paw Paw Chutney in a Toasted Turkish Roll with Chips and Smokey BBQ Sauce
Battered Fish and Chips with Salad
Calamari Coated in Dundee’s Special Seasoning, Lightly Fried and Served with Tom Yum Mayo and Rocket and Shredded Apple Salad
The next time around MS, myself and my good friend MD who was visiting for Christmas from Brisbane went to Dundee’s for lunch on Boxing Day after I had talked it up to the two of them. We arrived to a pretty much empty restaurant and were seated by a very friendly young man that seemed pleased that he had a group of English speaking diners. Apparently Christmas Day had been a very busy day for Dundee’s especially for Chinese and Japanese diners. I asked if there would be a surcharge on our bill since it was a Public Holiday to which the waiter replied that there wasn’t. Something I was most surprised about and apparently they don’t have Public Holiday Surcharges any time of the year. Nice.
We all had a look over the menu and MS being true to form with his current phase of ‘bulking’ or as I call it ‘his excuse to eat whatever the hell he wants’s ordered a pasta dish. He ordered the Bacon and Mushroom Linguine which was Sauteed Bacon, Mushroom and Baby Spinach in a White Wine and Creamy Sauce Finished with Green Eschallots. He ordered Chicken with it as well and was told by the waiter that it would be an extra $5 for chicken. Hmm I guess that is reasonable.
MD, feeling just as crap as me with our post Christmas physique’s, went for a more healthier option and ordered the Roast Sweet Potato and Artichoke Salad from the Entree section of the Main Menu with an extra of Chicken as well. The Roast Sweet Potato and Artichoke Salad came with Red Peppers, Bocconcini and Baby Spinach coated with a light dressing and Toasted Pine Nuts for AU$17.50 (the same as the Quick Lunch Menu but then with an added AU$5 for the chicken).
After overlooking it the last time I dined at Dundee’s with BC and JC and developing a bit of a penchant for Baby Octopus at a pre Christmas BBQ I decided to order the Octopus Salad – BBQ Marinated Octopus tossed in a salad of Sweet Onions, Roast Red Pepper, Black Olives and Wild Rocket with Crumbled Feta. I swapped the Roast Red Pepper for Sundried Tomato since Capsicum is another item on the short list of things that I don’t like to eat along with Celery and (sometimes) Onion. While we waited for our meals to arrive we made small talk about the Boxing Day bargains that MD and I had bought with our Christmas Gift Cards and how our dedication to being at Cairns Central at 8.30am had paid off and meant that we weren’t caught up in the horrendous Boxing Day crowds, particularly at Myer. We also had a laugh about all the silly girls waiting in huge lines to try on clothes in the Miss Shop area while just across the way MD and I had free reign over the children’s dressing rooms with arm fulls of clothes to try on.
There weren’t many people dining at Dundee’s on Boxing Day so we got our meals fairly quickly, only about 10-15 minutes of waiting. Our meals arrived and I could tell that my two dining companions weren’t impressed with the food that I had talked up over the last few days. MS’ Bacon and Mushroom Linguine just looked like it had been slopped into the bowl. The linguine was overcooked, the presentation was poor and MS wasn’t sure if there was even extra chicken in the dish. After careful inspection and calling over the waiter he was assured that yes there was chicken in there somewhere. A little disappointing considering he paid an extra $5 for it. He did eat the whole thing but said it was pretty disappointing.
Linguine with Sauteed Bacon, Mushroom and Baby Spinach in a White Wine and Creamy Sauce Finished with Green Eschallots
Roast Sweet Potato and Artichoke Salad came with Red Peppers, Bocconcini and Baby Spinach coated with a light dressing and Toasted Pine Nuts
![IMG_5151[1]](https://foodvixen.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/img_51511.jpg)
BBQ Marinated Octopus tossed in a salad of Sweet Onions, Roast Red Pepper, Black Olives and Wild Rocket with Crumbled Feta
The week after Christmas my mum, sister and a friend of ours went to Dundee’s for lunch after a suggestion from me. Mum wanted to go to Splash but I really wanted to test the waters again and try and get a final yay or nay with my so far 1 for 1 lunches at Dundee’s. We grabbed a table for four and had a look over the menu’s. Our friend VF being a non adventurous diner decided to order the Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli while my mum ordered the Cajun Ocean Trout – Ocean Trout Spiced with Cajun Spice on a Wild Rocket, Avocado, Tomato and Red Onion Salad with Dill Creme Fraiche Dressing. My sister (TW) ordered the Calamari Rocket and Apple Salad that I had a couple of lunches ago and I ordered the Roast Duck Spring Rolls – Shredded Roast Duck, Rice Noodles and Mixed Julienne Vegetables Rolled in Spring Roll Pastry with Chilli, Lime and Coriander Dipping Sauce and Asian Coleslaw.
Dundee’s was unsurprisingly busy for lunch time on a Friday but our meals arrived relatively quickly and all together which is always nice. My mum was instantly disappointed at the size of her Cajun Ocean Trout. It was so small that she contemplated taking it back but then decided that she would just eat it. (My mum’s New Years resolution should be to speak up for herself). In the end she enjoyed her Trout and decided that it was indeed enough for lunch although she wasn’t the slightest bit full however after finishing off my side of Asian Salad she was a lot more content.
Cajun Ocean Trout – Ocean Trout Spiced with Cajun Spice on a Wild Rocket, Avocado, Tomato and Red Onion Salad with Dill Creme Fraiche Dressing
Calamari Coated in Dundee’s Special Seasoning, Lightly Fried and Served with Tom Yum Mayo and Rocket and Shredded Apple Salad
Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli – Pasta Filled with Spinach and Ricotta Cheese with a Rich Tomato Sauce, drizzled with Basil Pesto
That’s two out of two meals that were disappointing on conclusion of my third lunch within a couple of weeks at Dundee’s. I wrote about my experience on Trip Advisor under the ‘guise’ of foodvixen around a week ago, along with about 13 other restaurants in Cairns. I was inboxed the next day from the Dundee’s Managing Director apologising for my bad dining experience and offering me a Gift Voucher to make up for it. If I accepted she wanted to know the date of when I would be dining there so she could follow through with the ‘front line staff’. I wrote back and pretty much said thanks but no thanks. It was a nice offer but I wasn’t going to accept a Gift Voucher to dine at Dundee’s again although my sister said she was happy to accept it on my behalf (sorry TW not this time). Also, the front line staff should be up to standard any day and every day not just the day that they were expecting me. It was a nice gesture though.
I dined at Dundee’s for lunch three separate times over two weeks during the Christmas period and each time my fellow diners were left disappointed with their meals. I noticed a total lack of consistency each time between the meals that were served particularly in regards to the serving size. The service still continues to be well below par with up to four waitresses/waiters serving you at once – resulting in our order being misplaced on the first occasion and the staff knowing little to nothing about the food being served by the restaurant they are working in. After my first lunch at Dundee’s a few days before Christmas I was super impressed with the meals and the value for money that the Quick Lunch Special offered so much so that I took my two friends for lunch only a few days later. As a result I was left disappointed and annoyed that I took them there. The third occasion was as I said ‘just to make sure’ it wasn’t all a fluke and to be honest, it seems all a bit hit and miss to me. Some days are good, some days are bad, some meals are good and some meals are bad. I want to like Dundee’s I really do but unfortunately I am going to have a hard time convincing my lunch buddies to go there again.
Dundee’s Restaurant on the Waterfront
*Quick lunch specials $17.95 Mon – Fri, $21.95 Sat, Sun and Public Holidays 11.30am – 4.30pm*
Cairns Harbour Lights, 1 Marlin Pde, Cairns QLD 4870
Opening Hours: Lunch 11.30am – 4.30pm, Dinner from 5.30pm till late
Ph: (07) 4051 0399
Website: www.dundees.com.au
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