The Curious Squire

It could be said that this blog as been on somewhat of a hiatus.  It's not that I haven't been thinking about it - or that we haven't been eating out, to be honest I've probably just been a bit lazy.  Anyway, during this time we have been to the Curious Squire a couple of times... 

Our first time was after Paul had picked me up from after work Friday night drinks and I had been nibbling away even though I knew we were going out for dinner… if there's tasty food in front of me it takes more self control than I have to turn it down!  So when we went there all I got was some onion rings (because I loooooove me some onion rings!)… oh.  And I got a dessert.  Of course.

Paul got a BBQ chicken pizza (which I had a slice of and it was bloody amazing) and for dessert we got a chocolate fudge sundae… each.  I didn't think anything of it really, my thoughts were more yes yum sundae uurrghh delicious I'm not even hungry but chocolate mmm.  Alarm bells should have rung when the girl taking our order confirmed with us twice that we were ordering a sundae each.  At the time, I didn't think anything of it.

When our onion rings and pizzas were done and the sundae's came out I realised "oh, these things are huge… and look at that, they each come with two spoons".  They each come with two spoons.  I guess that's why the girl wanted to be sure we were getting one each.  I mean, she could have said, just so you know they're big and usually shared between two people… but she didn't.  Instead she chose to reiterate the point she never made by having them still come out with two spoons.  Please don't read this in the wrong tone, it might sound a little mad, but I'm not at all.  We were both crying from laughter at our piggishness.  And lets be perfectly honest… if she had told us, we probably would have got one each anyway.  

So to set the scene - there we are at our table surrounded by people with a half finished pizza, drinks, finished onion rings and two biiiiiiig sundaes… and four spoons.  We looked a little part funny but I didn't care because I was in my happy place.  Surrounded by delicious food and my favourite boy. 

Our second time was on an empty stomach so I had all the more room to fill, and this time I filled it with a burger.  A cheeseburger to be exact.  A cheesy, tasty, mouthwatering, can't-talk-eating, burger.  This thing was on par with Burger Theory.  The glazed bun and the perfect patty, holy moly I loved it.  Paul had the "Sliders Trio" which was one of each angus beef, wild boar and chicken parmy.  A mans platter.  We didn't over do it this time... because after dinner we made our way down to dairy bell and had to save room!

There are so many things on the Curious Squire menu that I want to try it's a sure thing we'll be back there! 

General Havelock Hotel

Tonight was a new kind of experience for Paul and I. We spoke about it and it was going to be okay for both of us. We agreed on the girl. Tonight was our first threesome.

First threesome date night, that is.

A friend from work was having her birthday at the Havelock, so another girl from work, Kathy, joined Paul & I for date night dinner.  The last time I had been to the Havelock for a meal I had a schnitzel. A bloody good one at that. However, that last time was on my friends 18th birthday, could the Havvy Schnitty still be tip top after 4 years?

After a quick after work outfit change in the car on Hutt Street across from the Havelock (I try my best to stay classy), we were on our way in for an early 6.30pm dinner. 

Little did I know that the Havelock actually had a huge variety on their menu, a lot "different" stuff that I wouldn't have thought a typical pub would have on offer (ilke Soy Plum Kangaroo Fillet and Moroccan Lamb & Cous Cous Salad). So when it came to choose it turned out I had a lot more options than a schnitzel.  It was tough, my mind was boggled with what I had promised myself and the options I had in front of me.  What if I see a schnitzel going past and I regret not getting one?? As you can probably tell, what to eat being my biggest problem I've got a pretty good little life happening. 

Anyway, the hard decision was made. Chicken schnitzel with bacon, bbq sauce and cheese. Holla. Full bacon rashers too, none of that "bacon pieces" stuff, real meat thank you!

My friend from work had also decided before we got there what she was having so that made things easy (Salt & Pepper Tofu fyi). Paul had the Lemon Oregano & Garlic Chicken which looked and smelt too good. Paul had a try of the s&p tofu but I wasn't game enough. One day.

The S&P Tofu, for future reference, didn't come with a dipping sauce and apparently needed it (along with some more salt and pepper, white pepper).  But apparently was overall fair good.  And as far as the schnitzel went, it still held up.

After our meals it was onto drinks upstairs and a fairly early night because it was my cousins wedding the next day and I did not want to be any sort of tired for that :)

Tap, tap, tap it inn

Of the two of us, Paul is particularly fond of the Tap Inn and even had his 18th birthday dinner there. We also have friends who chose to have their wedding reception in the "fancier" part, so we were both quite familiar with this place going into date night.

We've both previously had good experiences here, no general complaints. But coming up to this date night we heard a lot of bad things. From the schnitzel's taking over an hour to come out, and then them not being cooked properly, and general schitty (laff) service.  It's hard to go into a place with an open mind after hearing a few bad reviews - even online they were getting 1 - 2 stars because of their service (good reviews about the food though). 

I had faith in them this time though, mostly because we were using a scoopon that entitled us to 2 schnitzels, 2 beers and a bucket of balls each! So when we made the reservation they knew what we were there for, and surely it wouldn't take too long. Damn skippy!

We ordered a garlic bread - downside was I had to pay for lemonade because they wouldn't swap a beer, but really no biggie. We sat down with our drinks, admired the tree next to us 

and then boom garlic bread. so good and so quick! We got given a little bread basket which we downed straight away… even though we were getting garlic bread and our mains. 

One thing that we did giggle at and is perhaps a little snobby of us, but the waiter seemed a bit new and i went to hand him the empty bread basket when he gave us our garlic bread to get it out the way, but he didn't take any notice and walked away. It was a little funny because of our small table and it was obviously in the way… but that was fiiiiiine. 

We hadn't even finished the garlic bread when our mains had come out. Our reservation was for 7.30… our schnitzels were in front of us at 7.39. NICE ONE TAP INN. They're winners in our eyes. 

We both stuffed our faces with our delicious schnitzels and then headed to hit some balls. 

Paul successfully hit a lot more balls than I did. Apparently I'm not the best ball hitter.  One hit I managed to fling the ball directly upwards and hit the roof, one I missed and hit it as I swung my club back down and hit the ball backwards, and a few I just kind of tapped and ended up throwing onto the green. Mostly I hit them honestly, I got pretty good towards the end there. 

Overall, a pretty decent date night. It's unfortunate that a lot of people have had bad experiences there because it really is a good, cool place to eat. I'd say don't listen to what people say and give it a go for yourself - you might get there on a good night like we did!

Oxford Hotel

By now, we could basically call ourself O'Connell Street regulars, we had wandered up and down that many times.  It was a lot of fun walking around like well, we've been there and there and there… I'm probably exaggerating and we haven't done that many but it FELT like it.

Everyone knows of the Oxford Hotel, and it seemed like a prime unbooked and unplanned date night location. Plus, it was a pub, they would have burgers… I do love a good pub burger ;)

The Oxford was so nice inside, and it was so easy to get a table. We were fairly early and it was a Saturday so there wasn't any after work mob there which was good.  I don't think I express enough how much I appreciate a good burger.  When it's just all put together right, and the patty is good. I don't like a patty that's too… if you've had the Primo Burger at Caffe Primo, I don't like it like that.  I guess I like it real? More homemade, not too greasy.  I know, I'm picky for a pub meal but oh well.

Anyway, so went to the bar to get us drinks and I'm pretty sure, not 100% but pretty sure the lady bartender hit on me.  You know when you get the eye? Not the stink eye, the Joey Tribiani "how you doin?" eye… I'm SURE it was that hahaha.  Just a fun little thing I'd like to share. 

I loved the chips they did, no fries here! They cut them up (with a v slicer I bet) and boom on the plate.  I didn't feel as bad about eating them because they weren't technically "fries" right? 

Paul had a lovely fancy pizza with pumpkin and an assortment of other pizza vegetables that I don't really like, but he freaking loved. 

I'd like to mention my eyes only look so crazy because of shadows - I don't actually have a super weird shaped monobrow

It was a pretty short sharp shiny date night which I was peachy keen for. 

The Cavern Club

Musical date night appeared when we got free tickets to the fab four gig at cavern club.

Paul's band Hurricane Jane have played a fair number of gigs at the Cavern Club, and the owner/manager there loves them.  For those of you not aware, the Cavern Club was basically an underground funky club/bar dedicated to the Beatles. I mean themed cocktails, memorabilia, general funkiness everywhere.

I say was because recently, in a (successful) attempt to get more business and bigger crowds, Cavern have been opening their stage to a lot of different musical genre's, ranging from swing to hardcore metal. Anyway, they maintain their Beatles love with the Fab Four being their regular Beatles cover band (and they are amazing).

As I said, we got free tickets to see them play, and Paul and I decided to make a (date) night out of it. We had a few other friends going too so we went a bit early and in date night fashion got dinner. Other times we had been to Cavern it hadn't been the busiest of places, so we assumed that we wouldn't need to make reservations.

People, on nights of the Fab Four make reservations. The place was off the hizzay.

When we got there we asked a waiter/server/whatever they're called for a table for dinner. Bad move, we sent the poor kid into a breakdown frenzy. "oh, you want dinner??" *looks around in mad panic for a table* "yep, yep sure sure". We got a table, we got dinner, it was lovely and fine. But my god I understood his panic, there were a couple of large tables of drunken middle aged people having the time of their life.

After dinner our friends arrived and Paul held my bag while I got my groove on a little bit. I really enjoyed the night, the band were great and middle aged can DANCE. They were getting their groove on more than we were that's for sure.

The first. The archer.

Hey-ho! the first date night was upon us.

We had just gotten back together after a break, and I got treated to a nice dinner before I went to a party.  Free food?  Who turns that down?! (no one clever).  I made Paul choose where we were going for dinner, I refused to make decisions.. just for fun.

Now keep in mind I'm writing this a little bit late (somewhat like the bible was), as the first date night was nearly a year ago now (yes, date night is still going nearly a year later).

From what I remember - I loved the food. It was great pub grub, I don't really remember there being anything too fancy on the menu (though there may have been). Paul got a burger, I have no idea why because as it turned out I was the burger fiend and he got ribs whenever he got the chance. But nevertheless, here is Paul enjoying his tiny burger:

As you can see, the Archer do huge burgers, and their chips are delicious.

I would recommend going to the archer. It's an easy pub meal in a nice place, and plus I hear it gets rowdy a bit later in the night ;)