I try not to get sucked into the gratuitous marketing ploys from retailers and restaurateurs that Valentine’s Day often encourages…but as V-Day fell on a Sunday (a night that I refuse to get in the kitchen) I insisted that MM take me out for a romantic meal and a nice end to our hectic weekend of socialising.
I’ve had the pleasure of breakfasting at Vagelis before, as it’s a hot spot on Racecourse Road during the Winter Racing Carnival in Brisbane, with a flurry of suits and fascinators dropping in for breakfast/brunch on their way to nearby Eagle Farm race track.
As I’d enjoyed my previous experience at Vagelis, I suggested to MM that we stop in and sample the night time menu, to have a quiet meal together for Valentine’s Day.
The dining area at Vagelis is all alfresco, and is a lovely dining spot for a balmy evening out. The tables were scattered with rose petals and candles to set the mood for the romantics which was a nice touch.
We were served promptly, however, it did take almost half an hour for our meals to arrive. I suspect they may have forgotten our order, as people who were seated long after us received their meals before us. This was a little disappointing, but we were quite content to wait as we had nowhere else to be, and were too tired to bother causing a stir.
MM ordered the rib eye fillet with roasted veggies and red wine jus ($33), whilst I chose the Cajun chicken risotto with baby spinach ($21). I didn’t sneak a taste of the steak, but I did eat the zucchini and corn pieces that MM pushed to one side. They were buttery and slightly crunchy – just the way I like my veggies. The steak was cooked medium-rare as requested and it was devoured with the usual level of elegance!
The risotto was ok – a little dry and lacked the creaminess that I would expect from a chicken risotto. The Cajun spice was well balanced and not too overpowering and the baby spinach wasn’t over-wilted. All in all it was pleasant. Our meals were accompanied by a side of thick cut chips which were pretty good as far as chips go.
Normally I’d be hard pressed giving a HOT to a restaurant if the main meals are forgotten – my criteria for getting this bit right are usually pretty black and white. But the service at Vagelis was friendly, the ambience was pleasant and the Mediterranean menu is reasonably priced with a lot of variety – the meals being delivered to tables around us (particularly the Meze share plate) looked exceptional.
Past experience tells me that Vagelis’ worth going back to. Worth a shot.
- Vagelis, Shop 2, 30 Racecourse Road, Ascot +61 7 3268 4293
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