Simon Wilkinson reviews Mrs Q
“EXPERIENCED waiters needed.” The note at the bottom of the stairs leading up to recently opened Asian eatery and bar Mrs Q is only marginally less disconcerting than seeing a similar sign taped to the door of an airline cockpit, or on the way into the operating theatre.
Good staff make good restaurants. They can turn an ordinary meal into an enjoyable night at least as much as delicious cooking can paper over a few failings in service. But tonight, ladies and gentleman, we have the double whammy.
Mrs Q is a new name and a re-ordering of priorities for what was previously the Loft Oyster and Wine Bar. Deciding the space would have better potential as a dining room, the owners have recruited high-profile Thai chef Nu Suandokmai to oversee the concept and put his name to the menu.
The cavernous former ballroom, with black vaulted ceiling and a balcony looking over Gouger St, is now split into two zones by a row of planter boxes, display cases and screens. A portrait of “Mrs Q” on the far wall looks a poor cousin to Madame Hanoi’s towering mural across town.
Seated with a large group at the back, on a long banquette, we watch the comings and goings in a dining room that, by 7pm on a Friday, isn’t close to half full, though patronage does pick up through the night.
The squad of young women waiting tables aren’t all that busy, then, but their lack of expertise still rings a few alarm bells. We ask how many dishes make up the “Mystery Box” menu. “I’ll check with the kitchen,” comes the reply. Then we want to know if a non-seafood-eater can be looked after. Back she goes again. Then the remains of a bottle of wine are poured into two glasses, leaving the third empty. Not hanging offences, perhaps, but...
The Mystery Box is aptly named. The dishes sent out, its says, are left up to Chef Nu but what the thought process is behind our opening salvo of starters isn’t clear.
The one common denominator is an affection for corn, of all things. It’s one of the dominant ingredients in a bizarre san choy bow filling that also includes what looks and tastes like ham or bacon pieces. It reminds me of one of those desperation dishes made up to get rid of the last of the Christmas leftovers. However, on checking, we’re informed the ham is actually meat substitute, sliced from a big stick “like a salami”. Hmmm.
Popcorn chicken are deep-fried nuggets of minced chook that are studded with more corn kernels, as well as finely diced chilli and aromatics. As crunchy, fried snacks go, they are just OK.
Certainly they are a step up from steamed vegetarian dumplings that are made with skins as thick and doughy as any I can recall and soaked in a big pool of Chinese black vinegar. And “Scallops in Japanese style” are flabby, flavourless and served with a sickly, syrupy “sake pear sauce”.
It’s not all bad. Chargrilled prawns, peeled around the midriff but heads and tails attached, are large, meaty and good eating. They come with a salad of mixed leaves and herbs, all doused in a snappy nam jin dressing.
The curries are winners as well. Pieces of flathead and shredded banana flower splash about in a Thai-style red curry sauce that’s not too sweet, not too sour, just right. Better again is the Malay chicken in a darker, thicker concoction that lets the spice do the talking. Shame about the spongy roti on the side. Pad Thai looks a million bucks in its egg net shroud but, once that is torn open, the chicken and noodles inside are pale and seem to have stewed rather than seared in a hot wok.
After being served a scoop of ordinary, icy ice-cream for dessert, apparently by mistake, we ask about the sticky rice with mango which had been promised. We shouldn’t have bothered. The rice is stodgy and topped with a few tiny, token bits of diced mango, strawberry and nuts. The Central Market, just up the street, has plenty of fruit if they were running short.
Given the chef’s reputation, it is a disappointing meal, with too many misses among the dishes that had been selected for us. Hopefully Mrs Q gets a good response to its advertisement for waiters but, based on this night, it might need help in other areas as well.
MRS Q
1/128 Gouger St, city, 8211 8887, mrsq.com.au
OWNERS Jarrod Leow, Patrick Teoh
CHEF Nu Suandokmai
FOOD Asian
SMALL $8.90-$18.90
LARGE $20.90-$32.90
DESSERT $12.90
DRINKS A short wine list weighted towards big reds and well-known brands. Beer selection is disappointing. BYO $15
THE SCORE 5/10
MRS Q is open for LUNCH Wed-Fri, DINNER Wed-Sun
The Advertiser Food Guide 2017, available at the News Shop, 31 Waymouth St, city, newsagents and book stores for $14.95
