A friend had her birthday lunch at Walt and Burley on the Kingston Foreshore. It had been a while since I’d dined here and I noticed a brand new menu. Since I wanted dessert, I decided to order the pulled confit duck salad ($28) as my main. The salad was really just rocket. A LOT of rocket. Unfortunately the duck was dry and cold. It did not taste like confit duck at all. I was disappointed and not satisfied with my lunch. So much potential with this dish! I should’ve ordered the side of chips like I wanted to…
J ordered the house smoked kransky dog ($18) served on a milk bun topped with bacon, onion and cheese. It came with a side of fries, tomato sauce and zucchini relish. I picked at the fries (to break up the rocket) and found they were really good. Similar to McDonald’s fries – thinly cut, crunchy and salty.
A friend ordered the tempura battered flathead fillets ($24) with shoestring fries, green salad and tartare sauce.
Another ordered the slow cooked shredded pork burger ($20) served on a brioche bun with apple, fennel slaw, swiss cheese and aioli. The burger was small but piled high with pork.
A vegetarian friend ordered the quinoa salad ($20 with watercress, asparagus, feta, pine nuts and a poached egg.
For dessert, I ordered the Devil’s Chocolate Tower ($15) made up of a chocolate fudge brownie, then layered with three types of chocolate mousse. This was served with a side of house made raspberry sorbet. This was pretty decadent and I would recommend sharing between two or three. I really enjoyed the raspberry sorbet which was more sour than sweet and helped cut through the sweet chocolate. There wasn’t enough sorbet and the mousse became too sweet for me in the end.
My friend ordered the raspberry, pistachio and rosewater semi-freddo ($15) with pistachio praline, fresh raspberries and home made Turkish Delight. I got major food envy when this came out, how pretty does it look? It also tasted very refreshing and was a much lighter dessert to the chocolate tower.
Table service is provided in the bistro area. As it was a busy lunch time period, it wasn’t easy trying to get someone’s attention to take our orders. My pregnant friends at the table requested their meals be cooked well done. One burger had to be sent back as it was still under cooked. Our waiter was apologetic and it didn’t take long for another to arrive at the table. Fully cooked through. The new menu offers quite a variety of items that would suit the majority. Everyone was semi-satisfied with their main meals except for me. An observation – it seems like the unhealthy but more popular food options such as burgers and fish and chips are the winners in terms of taste, while the healthier salads need more work to make them taste good. The desserts have been revamped and I liked the presentation of both dishes.
Walt and Burley is open every day for lunch and dinner, and on weekends for breakfast.
Foodgasm 5/10
Value for money 7/10
Service 6/10
FPJ score 18/30
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