The Peasants Feast

Food

The Peasants Feast is an organic restaurant, with a focus on vegetarian food. The eight of us decided against the Banquet menu (Bread, tapas, choice of main, tea/coffee for $40) so we can save room for dessert. As well as the afore-mentioned vegetarian, the menu was filled with wintery dishes.

All the guys opted for the Cassoulet - From the farmhouses of Gascony in South West France, this famed dish of duck, pork, lamb shank, Toulouse sausage & haricot beans, immersed in a dark, robust broth (24.50) (their description not mine!) - this was the classic with loads of beans, shanks, veges. I didn't taste much sausages. It was big because of the amount of beans, but it wasn't as hearty as I thought. I had the Bendele Farm Organic duck with Organic duck sausage, orange, pistachio, spicy Morrocan cabbage and apple (26.50) - This was a better dish than the cassoulet. The duck was one of the most tender, moist and tasty duck I've had, maybe organic is really better? And the cabbage reminded me of sauerkraut, but it was sweet with the added apple, and very yum!

Rating - 7

Atmosphere

Friday night and Newtown was absolutely pumping. Well, that's not true, restaurants were either really full or really empty. We certainly felt special 'cos The Peasants Feast was so popular they needed a door nazi to keep people out. It felt like we were entering some exclusive party because my name was on the door list and we were let through. Decor wise, this place is like someone's house, albeit an eccentrically decorated one. We were seated upstairs on banquet seatings that was quite comfortable. You also shouldn't be surprised to find yourself seated next to some punks, this is Newtown afterall.

It was suitably dim, and the music? What music. It was so loud in there I could hardly hear myself speak!

Rating - 1.5

Service

This aspect was definitely the most disappointing part of the whole experience. First off, our waiter was very nice, but a total airhead. We asked him questions about the banquet menu and the entertainment card, and he had no idea! The worst thing though, was waiting for over an hour for our meal. We made an inquiry after about an hour, and the waiter (a smart one this time) assured us that our meal was next to come out. I didn't really believe him, but about 5 minutes later our meals appear, so we dug in. Mind you, it was around 9.30 pm when we finally got to eat, and we arrived at 7.30.

Rating - 1.5

C-factor

The occasion was planned so we could meet Chris, Shan's new bf. We certainly achieved that. Being an organic restaurant and being in Newtown certainly adds an extra something to it. As mentioned before, we used the e-card so ended up paying around $16 pp. If it wasn't for the e-card, I don't think it would be worth the money

Rating - 1

Brownie Points - 11

Info

121A King St
Newtown
NSW 2042
Phone (02) 9516 5998
Website