Address: 21 Adelaide Street West (street level)
Type of Meal: Lunch
It seems like every time I return, something is changing about the place - read about my first two visits here. Just a month since opening they've already revamped their lunch menu with new offerings - albeit increased prices for their tacos (previously 3 for $15 and now $6 apiece). The good news is the changes, in my opinion, are in the right direction - they've earned an extra 0.5 on their Gastro World mark. With various shared plates, it certainly makes it easier to mix and match to your stomach's content. My friends and I are huge fans of sharing; ordering two small plates, a taco each and a sandwich was more than enough to satisfy the three of us.
SpeakEasy's
beef tartare ($15) is one for those who like the taste of raw beef but not
necessarily the texture. Served flat and topped with tons of ingredients (dried
egg yolks, chives, horseradish, capers and Caesar aioli) it's packed with
flavours and a great way to start the meal. However, I sense that if you're a
tartare traditionalist, this may not be the one for you given the beef does become
lost and almost secondary in the dish.
The pork
belly skewers ($14) were a hit with us covered with a sweet bourbon glaze. Although
the flavour was fantastic, the evenness of the cut of meat needs improvement as
there was a skewer which was almost all fat (quite frankly these pieces should
simply be discarded rather than served). But, the skewers where the meat and
fat ratios were more balanced, the combination of melting chewy fat and tender
meat was delicious
We all opted
for the baja fish taco ($6); it holds up to the other fish tacos around the
city (although the fish could have been a larger piece). Battered and deep
fried then covered with guacamole, lime crema, mango chutney, pickled slaw and
hot sauce there was enough flavours and textures within the taco to make it
interesting. I would suggest the chef considering using two tortillas as the ingredients
easily broke through making it messy to eat – we unanimously agreed these are
not first date or business lunch friendly.
Entrée salads
and sandwiches are on the menu for those who simply don’t like sharing. The fried
chicken club ($18) contained a good sized piece of crunchy deep fried chicken
breast, which could have benefited from being cooked a little less as was starting
to border on dry. Luckily, there was plenty of guacamole and smoked chili aioli
on it to add moisture and flavour. With the breading and crispy pieces of bacon
the texture of the sandwich was spot on, pairing well with the soft brioche
bun.
As with
previous visits service was friendly and pleasant. Lunch continues to be a safe
time to visit as they aren’t overly packed and dishes appear in quick
succession. Here’s hoping the improvements continue with each visit!
Overall mark - 7.5 out of 10
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Gastro World's Grading System
- Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
- 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
- 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
- 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
- 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
- 10 - absolute perfection!
