Persimon (National Gallery of Victoria) 09

It worried me a little when the lone gentleman the next table not only left almost his entire entree but also only ate a small portion of his pigeon and manchengo empanada. Never mind the sculptures

out the window are interesting, the place is quite attractive and if it doesn't taste good at least it looks good. We'd soon find out. Our waiter soon turned up with menus and a wooden platter with different breads AND plenty of butter. They have a variety of a la carte offers including two courses and a glass of wine for $35 or three for $45. and a Dali dinner which didn't look like it was designed to shock. We settled on a range of entrees and mains. The combinations on the plate were quite strange but they worked to produce an assortment of clashing but not offensive tastes. A dry loin af rabbit wrapped around a duck liver pate and surrounded by a prosciutto wrap was relieved by a sweet quince jelly and some whitlof. The Hapuka served with oxtail (a bean stew in a separate small copper pot) was also a little overcooked and dryer than it might have been. Strange that two serves should have looked so different. The pigeon was served in a semi puff pastry pocket with little resemblance to the empanados of South America but it tasted fine. This small salad was another entree of no distinction.We skipped the free glass of wine for a very pleasant pinot noir. The small wine list is adequate and not expensive.

Service was slow and obliging but inefficient, particularly with regard to leaving empty dirty plates on the table for lengthy periods. It's almost a year since our last visit (see our review from the alphabetical index) and the food is not as good as it was bu tin all it's all a pleasant place for lunch for visitors to the gallery. That fellow at the next table must have been feeling unwell!
Score: 13.5/20