Twist Cafe & Bar

Since our first choice of Restaurant II, the only reputable restaurant in Newcastle, wasn't available, this was our choice out of those from Honeysuckle Wharf.

Food

Before I start to comment on the food, let me point out that all spelling were taken from their menu, and the spelling mistakes are not my own.

Anyway, after a long wait (which is the norm according to sis), our meals arrived:

• seared blue eye cod fillet in South Indian aubergine and potato curry topped with seared scallops and riata ($26) - is my pick of the bunch. The fish was moist and the vegetable accompaniment was well cooked and the sauce – not too complex but binded it all together.
• pan fried yellow fin tuna served on sauteed kiper potato, asparagus and sundried tomatoes with wild roquette, basil oil and essence of balsamic ($26) - after the waiter promised "sashimi grade" tuna, I asked for it to be cooked medium rare. When my fish arrived and I saw that the thin piece of fillet was on the well-done side of medium well, I already had comprehensions. One taste of the too dried flesh confirmed my suspicions. The delicate sweetness of the flesh and the melt in your mouth creaminess of "sashimi grade" tuna was non existent. Unfortunately, the accompanied essence of balsamic was more like sweetened sugar – missing all of the caramel tones of real, or even medium balsamic. At least the potatoes were cooked correctly … if it wasn’t, well, there wasn’t very much left on the dish.
• roasted whole spatchcock with french lentils, currents, speck and merlot glaze ($24) - I didn’t try the spatchcock, but the French lentils were on the charred side, but it imparted that lovely “burnt” flavour to the lentils.
• chargrilled bangalow pork cutlet with roasted parsnip and thyme mash, sauteed baby spinach and caramelised apple jus ($26) - at least the skin was nice and crispy, and there was a big layer of fat rimmed around the cutlet. The meat was sweet and flavourful. I found the apple sauce a little too sweet for my liking, but the parsnip and thyme mash was heavenly.
• seared atlantics salmon with beurre blanc, asparagus spear and potato rosti ($26) - a only had a taste of the salmon, which was actually cooked medium rare as requested, meaning it’s actually juicy. If only my tuna was the same…sigh…

A bit of an up and down experience. Unfortunately, even the up is only average. I really hope this isn’t the normal standard for Newcastle.

Rating - 5

Atmosphere

Since we had to leave by 8pm, all the people dining there were of the older set and people with young kids. Otherwise, the décor is supposedly to be for the "cool crowd", by that I mean, dim lighting, booths, candles, pink glow and funky lamps. It’s an ok hangout, but what atmosphere there was, was wrecked by mum’s constant complaints about how dark the place is, how loud everything was, and how the plates were so big and the servings so small, and so on and so forth…not a place to bring your parents no doubt.

Rating - 1

Service

They were booked out for the night, but I gave them credit for accommodating us, if we were going to be out by 8pm. With the parents in tow, I’m sure that won’t be a problem at all. Our waiter gave us the menus, and then said each of the specials were "really really good". She then went on to explain what "sashimi grade" was and "bangalow pork" is. I really hate waiters who say everything is really really good.

We didn’t really have a problem with the service, but did watch a table get their mains mistakenly delivered to them, in the middle of their entrees. The waiters weren’t really at a spot where you can see them, so it’s hard to get their attention. For those prices, you still have to do everything yourself.

Also, one of the waiter was my sis’s uni friend, who was apparently very bitchy to her patients. She didn’t serve us so I’ll let her be the judge of that.

Rating - 2.5

C-factor

Crap spelling, gushing waiter, long wait, not delivering to my order and having to listen to my mum yak does not an enjoyable dinner make.

Rating - 0

Brownie Points - 8.5

Info

N3 The Boardwalk
Honeysuckle Drive
Newcastle
NSW 2300
Phone (02) 4926 1766
Website