Seadogs Pizza and Pasta Bar

Seadogs  Pizza and Pasta Bar is in Cullen Bay.

This dining experience was a real pleasure. We sat inside and were impressed by the host's amiable nature. He seemed to know a lot of the customers quite well, pointing towards a regular clientele. The restaurant was  busy and I was surprised that we did not have to wait long for our meals.

We started with garlic bread, four slices for $4.50. I really enjoyed the garlic bread, it was very buttery with quite a lot of garlic.

I had the Tradewinds Pizza, medium size for $20. Pepperoni, capsicum, sweet brown onion and mozzarella. It was too much for me, luckily I was allowed to take the remaining pieces home. This was one of the nicest pizzas I 'd had for a very long time.

The Lasagna - $18, Home Made the Italian Way, was served with a simple garden salad. It looked like a small meal, however my dining companion enjoyed it and found it to be adequate.

There were quite a few customers sitting outside and we noticed many interesting meals  being served  from the kitchen. I could see the staff working well together to ensure that meals came out without delay.

I'm sure that everyone will enjoy their dining experience at Seadogs.

Virginia Tavern

This evening was a pleasant surprise. The Virginia Tavern, located on Virginia Road near Coolalinga, served up two very enjoyable meals.
The tavern is located in the Virginia Shopping Centre, 30km from Darwin and only 10km from Palmerston.  It's small and has a friendly atmosphere. It was quite noisy with lots of locals enjoying their drinks, meals and gaming experience. We sat inside and did not have to wait too long for our meals to be served.

Mexican Barra

Lasagne

Mexican Barra, $25, pan fried with red and green capsicum, semidried tomato, dill, garlic, lime juice in a
tomato base. This dish comes with either baked vegetables and buttered beans or chips and salad. This evening I chose the vegetables and was so pleased I had done so.

When the meal first came out I was a little disappointed that it wasn't very hot. But I was soon to forget about that once I tasted the delicious flavours. The fish piece wasn't very big, but it was tasty and moist. 

I would have to say, that without a doubt, this was one of the most enjoyable meals I've had since starting this blog. 

Lasagne, $19.50, home made, served with garden salad. This was also a very enjoyable meal.

We passed our congratulations onto the chef. 

This tavern has a traditional feel to it, suited to the man on the street and his family. The restaurant has tables both inside and outside on the verandah and this evening they were full.  All the meals I saw coming out were large servings. Their menu was extensive and prices ranged from $16 to $30. 

There is only a small dining area inside, running along the length of the bar. They have a large selection of beers on tap and a good selection of wine. 

Parking is minimal at the centre, however there is parking available across the road. This made for a tricky journey back to our vehicle in the dark. 

There is also a small gaming area but we didn't partake as each machine was occupied. We did however have the opportunity to buy some tickets in the good old meat raffle.

If you are looking for a pub atmosphere with friendly staff and great food, then this is the place for you.

The Hub

Every year the Hub, in Palmerston, sends out a birthday letter which entitles you to a free meal. These are a really great way to say thank you to members. This evening two of us had the birthday letters, a good excuse to spend a pleasant evening at the Hub.

Grilled Chicken Breast with Creamy Garlic Prawns

Grilled Chicken Breast with Creamy Garlic Prawns - $22.00

Chicken Schnitzel Mexicana topped with Melted Cheese, Jalapenos, Guacamole and Sour Cream -$17.50 (unfortunately, no photo of this meal)

Chicken Schnitzel with Garlic Prawns - $22.00

Chicken Schnitzel with Garlic Prawns

All three meals were huge, with lots of vegetables. We did find it really unusual that no potatoes came with the meals. We asked about that and three delicious baked potatoes with sour cream were brought out for us. 

The Hub was really busy tonight, thus it did take quite a while for our meals to be served. We had bread rolls to nibble on while we waited. I find it disappointing that they don't bake their own bread rolls. The rolls on offer look like the standard ones you can buy from Woolworths. 

The staff here are always pleasant and the atmosphere is warm and relaxing. One comment that I'd like to make is that I feel it's about time a new entertainer was hired; we need a fresh voice to listen to. It would be ideal to have an entertainer who could actually play the piano, not one that bashes away at an electronic keyboard while mutilating lyrics. 

Cafe Durack

This week we decided to stay local and eat as cheaply as possible due to a fairly expensive dining experience coming up next week. Hence we ate at Cafe Durack, Palmerston, which you will find beside the service station at the bottom of Durack.

When we drove up to the cafe, on dusk, we nearly didn't stop. The tinted windows and no sign of life gave us the impression the cafe was closed. Luckily for them we took a closer look. My first advice to the owners would be to put some brighter lighting outside or some  sort of flashing open neon sign; I'm sure others driving past would have also got the impression it was closed. It wasn't until much later, when it had become dark, that you could notice the lights inside.

Upon entering we found a warm and inviting cafe with delicious cakes on display and an interesting menu. We chose the Durack Burger, Fish and Chips, and Beef Curry.

Durack Burger - $12.50 - homemade beef pattie, egg, bacon, cheese, salad and chips. This was a BIG burger and certainly was a filling meal. The homemade pattie was rather bland lacking in flavour, however it had melted cheese over it which saved the day. The chips were hot and crispy.

Fish and Chips - $15.95 - local Threadfin Salmon, salad and chips. (With this meal you could have a choice between Barramundi or Threadfin Salmon.)  The meal was served with a garden salad and crispy chips. It was a big meal and certainly enjoyable.

Beef Curry - $9.95 - curried beef and rice. This meal was ordered off the special's board. It was a small serve, if you're really hungry you would be better off with one of the more substantial meals on offer. The curry was really spicy, which may not be to everyone's liking. The meat was tender and lean. This was a very ordinary looking meal with no garnish.

We finished our evening with coffee and Apple Pie. We were saved from fake whipped cream by being allowed to have icecream with it.  For me the apple pie was rather bland, I would have preferred some sweetness or extra flavour in it, such as cinnamon. Perhaps if it had been warmed up it would have improved the taste. All their cakes are made on site by the cook and I would have to say they all looked really delicious.

The cafe was not busy, we wondered how many people had driven past not realising it was open. It has potential; the staff are pleasant, the menu is adequate and the cafe itself is clean and inviting. There is also an outside eating area. Their prices are good compared to the size of the meal served. If you are looking for a low key dining experience, this may be the place for you.

Dolly's Bar

Dolly's Bar - Hibiscus Tavern

Dolly's Bar has a pleasant atmosphere, a quaint decor with a mixture of interesting seating options inside, and is obviously a popular spot with the locals.

From off the menu we ordered Marinated Lamb Cutlets, served on a sweet potato mash $19.50; Tuscan grilled chicken breast with Italian salad, served with a light mango coulis, $16.50; and Irish Stew with tender pieces of lamb slow cooked with seasonal vegetables, $13.50.

We had paid for the meals on two dockets but had explained that we were sitting together on the one table. I ordered garlic bread and asked for that to be brought out first. Not long after we sat down the Irish Stew was brought out. Why? Where were the other meals? And where was the garlic bread? We sent the Irish Stew back, we wanted all our meals to be served together.

The young lass informed us soon after that she had found our other docket and the meals would be ready soon.

Yummy garlic bread. The first plus.

There were three medium sized marinated lamb cutlets which were quite tasty and the gravy was delicious.  Unfortunately though this meal was served with chips which really was ridiculous as the lamb chops were already sitting on a bed of (almost cold) mashed sweet potato. Two servings of potatoes on the one plate is not a brilliant idea. There was no salad. The meal was small and not filling at all.

Later on I inquired as to whether a salad should have come with the meal or not, and I was informed that yes, it should have. I asked for a small refund, the manager came out to speak to me, apologised and offered either a free drink or dessert.

Interestingly, we noted several other people had sent their meals back as they didn't have salads either and I overheard one lady at the counter complaining that she had not got hers. It seems the kitchen staff need some further training in this area.

The Tuscan Grilled Chicken was actually a very nice meal indeed. "Beautiful" was the comment given. It was presented nicely with not too many chips. Another plus.

The Irish Stew was a dismal failure. Tasteless, even the seasonings didn't help. The stew consisted of 6 small pieces of lamb, potato puree, potato chunks, carrot and celery. It had a pastry round on top to give the appearance of a pie. At $13.50 this dish was an injury to taste buds and  pocket. We wondered where the traditional dumplings were. This meal needed some drastic improvements.

The free dessert brought out was the Homemade Citrus Cheesecake served with ice-cream, cream and chocolate sauce.  I had seen it on the menu, it sounded good and I wanted to try it out. I shouldn't have. The texture and taste of the base was definitely that of a packet mix. It had a stale taste to it. The chocolate sauce was cheap and nasty, with a sharp taste that went up the back of your nose. Whipped cream from a can! How hard is it to whip fresh whole cream?

We were disappointed. One nice meal out of two. Not good enough.

It was almost a relief when the music forced us to leave.

Cazalys Palmerston Club

Upon entering the club the non members were unceremoniously told that we needed to hand over photo ID, no explanation given. One club member in our party asked several times if she was required to sign us in - she was rudely ignored. I handed over my student ID card and was told to stand in front of the camera, still no explanation. I asked the young lady behind the counter if there was any written document pertaining to this ritual and was given a look of bewilderment. I had to explain again what I required from this club. Obviously they had nothing prepared and on hand at the counter, I was told that the Manager would bring something to me at my dining table.

When the "Privacy Statement" arrived roughly half an hour later we all read it with interest. Apparently giving my ID to them upon entry gives the club permission to store my information for up to 365 days, share my ID with other clubs using this system and the Police.

I can understand the club wanting to maintain a safe environment for their members, but I did feel that having to hand over my ID plus get my photo taken was a bit obtrusive. If the lady behind the front counter had explained politely why we were asked to do this, or had written information to hand out straight away, it would have been more appropriate.

Anyway, over the first hurdle.....

The club was busy, always a good sign.

Four of us dined this evening, and we were all satisfied with our main meals.

Schezuan Chicken - not a huge meal, but adequate for $15. Very tasty.

Chicken Kiev - tasty, moist chicken, creamy pepper and mushroom sauce.

Stir Fried chili Prawns - an enjoyable meal.

The salad on offer is basic, bordering on boring.

Fresh fruit - rockmelon - a pleasant way to cleanse the palate after spicy dishes.

After having such a tasty main meal we all decided to try our luck with desserts. We shouldn't have!

Baked Cheesecake - bland with a texture not typical of a baked cheesecake. We were adamant this was not baked.

Cream (creme) Brulee - only had a very thin Brulee topping.

Pavlova - small and mushy, lacking the crispy meringue that I love so much.

Sticky Date Pudding with Ice Cream - Pleeeeeease, where is the customary custard that traditionally goes with a sticky date pudding?

Service was great, meals were served promptly, staff pleasant. A drink waiter came to our table several times.

Coffee machine behind the bar - with skinny milk, a bonus.

Poky machines handy in the room next door, free coffee and nibbles for punters.

Later on in the evening the thump, thump music started in the bar next door. Time to go!

The bouncer had kept a watchful eye on us all evening, I wasn't sure if it was because I'd asked for information about the ID process or if he was just doing his usual job. As we were leaving he asked if we needed a taxi called. I thought this was a very helpful gesture and certainly not one offered by bouncers in other local sporting clubs.

Red Lantern - Palmerston

Well...where do we start.

Grimy looking windows, If you walked past through the day time you would not want to enter these premises. Luckily once inside you realise it's the transfers on the windows that make them look this way.

Very ordinary attire worn by the waitress. She looked very much like she was going out for a jog, tight leggings and all.

Comfortable chairs - quite a pleasant change, and a proper tablecloth on the table. Elegant looking menus. Dimmed lights but no candles at the tables.

We waited about half an hour for the first meal to be brought out, and around another ten minutes before the others arrived.

Two of the ladies ordered Laksa Soup, one without pork. When the soups arrived they were told that the chef had not wanted to make a mistake so both soups had no pork. Now, is this a qualified chef, or is he just a cook who does not know what he is doing?

Both of these ladies did not like their Laksa soup. Too watery and no flavour. It was also interesting to note that later on in the evening both of these ladies had headaches and did not feel well.

My meal was quite tasty, prawns with cashew nuts, although I was a bit put off by the odd aroma when it first arrived. I couldn't work out if it was the over abundance of bamboo shoots or the cooking oil used.

The fourth meal was satay prawns, this meal went down well too. I would have to say though that both the prawn meals were quite small.

Quite a few people at the restaurant although not fully booked out. Lots of people ordering take aways. It started to get a bit warm as the air conditioner worked overtime.

They allowed us to pay the bill separately, with no fuss. A plus.

As we were paying our bill a couple left the restaurant telling the staff at the counter that they had only been served their entrees and had been waiting two hours for their main meal. They were not prepared to wait any longer.

Oh I forgot, my plate had a big chip out of it.

Overall I found it inadequate and would not recommend this restaurant to anyone.

Kenny's Fusion Grill - Palmerston

NOTE - this restaurant has now closed. 

Kenny's is fairly new to Palmerston and is on a site that has seen several other restaurants. One of my friends commented that this might be an omen.

We watched in awe as amazing meals were brought out to other tables. The meals looked huge and customers seemed to be enjoying them immensely.

Our meals arrived. I was disappointed with my choice. Thai Chicken Salad. The chicken was a bit dry and there was far too much chili. I do like chili, but this was too much and spoiled my meal. The salad was pretty basic.

There was much consternation and discussion at the table over how the rice had been presented. A mound of rice with a cherry on top. NO chef would have been trained to serve rice in such a fashion. NO woman wants to be confronted with food that imitates a part of the female anatomy.

Our meals were not as big as those we had seen served to other customers. We then realised they had most likely ordered the specials - quite pricey specials I might add.

I noticed the chef (or is he just a cook) looking through the window of the kitchen door. He kept looking out at the customers. This was a bit off-putting.

Service - Not once were we asked if we would like to order a drink. Kenny's is byo, however they do have soft drinks in a fridge.

Decor - not changed since the last owners had it. Still has the pizza sizes painted up on the wall. Tacky!

For me it was disappointing.

The Hub - Palmerston

The Hub has been around for years. Family oriented sports club, situated next to CMAX cinema.

Over the years the Hub has changed chefs several times. Some good, some not so good. I had heard on the grapevine that the present chef was okay, so decided to book a table for Friday night.

Line up and order your meal, typical club style. Menu hasn't changed in years. Same old thing.

Staff are pleasant and do their job adequately.

The salad bar had the usual salads offered, I tasted most of them and found them all to be quite tasty indeed. The potato salad was divine.

We didn't have to wait too long for our meals. I ordered the Chicken breast with garlic prawns. I'd have to say the chicken was a bit dry. It's hard to find a restaurant that doesn't over cook a chicken breast. The sauce with the garlic prawns was too salty. I love my chips, but these ones just weren't crispy enough for me. I actually left some on my plate!

Surrounded by local children - I had forgotten that families come here for dinner. I felt like I needed to hide. Maybe they should set up an area with tables that have no children.

Decor - how many colours can you see? It looks like they bought all the paint that was on special at Bunnings.

Gaming - spend your money and get a lovely hot chocolate and piece of fruit cake. Now, that was pleasant.

Overall - I was hungry so the meal hit the spot. But it was a club meal, nothing overly special.

Hog's Breath - Palmerston

Newly opened restaurant, one that I had been eagerly awaiting.

It's a long, narrow restaurant giving one the feeling that we are squashed in like sardines. The seats are quite narrow and hard to sit on. Obviously not meant for customers to partake in long, leisurely meals. Very busy, very noisy.

Service is great - smiling, happy employees. Bending over backwards to assist.

The meals were quite good although rather small for the price. The amount of meat on the ribs would have been one mouthful.

Split bills. This is fantastic. Hog's Breath has the facility to allow split bills on their registers.

K-Tong in Palmerston

K-Tong has been in Palmerston for a few years and has a fairly good reputation.

This night K-Tong was a big disappointment. To be honest, I'd eaten there previously and had really enjoyed the meals. But this night they just couldn't get it right.

Service - they certainly weren't falling over us, it was as if our table had the plague and they were warned to keep their distance.

When the final ladies arrived and sat down we waited and waited and waited for service. Finally we called a waiter over and asked for glasses and water.

The young lady taking our meal orders seemed confused and perhaps didn't understand English that well, she had great difficulty understanding that she needed to write up two of the meals as separate orders. Eight ladies at the table. Six ladies ordered meals to be shared. Two ladies ordered separately.

The shared meals came out far too slowly with not enough on the plate. Sitting around for quite some time waiting in between dishes. One of the dishes we believe they forgot all together as the waitress started clearing away peoples' plates before the final dish was served. At that stage one of the ladies, who was rather upset, told the waitress to "forget the final dish, it's too late now, we don't want it!"

Now as for the two ladies that had ordered separately. One ordered Laksa, a soup dish. Her meal was the first one served. The other lady waited, waited, waited and waited, quite patiently, until such time that she was completely starving and feeling a little left out so inquired as to where her meal was. Ten minutes later a rather haphazardly slapped together dish was served. It looked like they were trying to make up for their mistake and cooked two pieces of fish, both crumbed, and had slapped them onto a plate on top of each other. Quite bizarre.

Paying the bill - oh no, one of those restaurants that does not like people paying separately. How hard is it to use a calculator and work out what each person pays?

Overall the experience was quite disappointing. Service was poor. Food not as good as previously experienced. And we were made to feel like aliens because we wanted to pay separately.