This review was based on the Let’s Do Lunch meal during the Good Food Month in October 2007.

Let's Do Lunch 2006, The Wharf Restaurant

The lure of a cheap lunch found me sneaking out of work, to meet a friend for some alfresco indulgence at The Wharf Restaurant in Pier 4, Hickson Road, Walsh Bay.

We started with chicken liver paté with caper berries and balsamic dressing. The serving was huge, making for a leisurely lunch, as we sipped our complimentary red wine to keep the chill at bay.

The featured menu of braised wagyu with potato-leek gratin translated to a stew with potato slices and a large, luscious mushroom. ‘It’s caldereta!’ I said with some surprise, after taking my first bite. Although the mushroom was juicy, the meat was too tender, the potatoes were bland and the dish lacked excitement. ‘Would it be crass,’ my friend asked quietly, ‘if I asked for patis (fish sauce)?’

Complimentary tea rounded off our meal. The bill totalled just under $90 for two, which was rather indulgent. But I’ll definitely be back for dessert.

Pate, bread and olives at The Wharf, 2006

This review was first published in the December/January 2007 issue of the Australian Filipina. The review was accompanied by the first photo, but I love the photo of the olives and bread so I included it here.