With the timely arrival of the Mother of Booto from interstate and with it, the much anticipated arrival of a live in babysitter for Stinky, the Bloggers thought it an opportune time to circle back and tick off Da Bruno's from the 2008 Beaufort Street Challenge. As you can imagine, Booto immediately commenced salivating at the mere thought of the vast array of wine that awaited her. Alas, it was not to be. Despite our burgeoning reputation amongst establishments on the Beaufort Street strip, we were unable to secure a Saturday night booking (the Brains showed great restraint in not screaming "Do you know who I am??" down the phone line) and the Deliberator was otherwise engaged on the alternative Friday night.
With Booto desperate not to waste the services of a baby-starved grandmother who was more than happy to see the back of her daughter and enjoy a night of one on one with Stinky, the Bloggers shelved Da Bruno's for another week and returned to the next establishment on the challenge - Seven Seas.
After a quick glass of bubbles at the home of the Brains and the Deliberator, we arrived in good time for our 8.00pm booking. As we waited to be seated, the Brains and Booto duly noted the warm chocolate tones of the venue which was pretty much full - a good sign - and Brains congratulated herself for having made a booking earlier in the week to ensure a good table for the night ahead. Meanwhile, the Deliberator and the Sponge contented themselves with watching the big screen TV showing the Olympics - a bizarre aberration on an otherwise tastefully decorated interior.
Unfortunately, Seven Seas appeared to have lost our booking. Although to their credit, they did attempt to pretend they had not. However, a table directly in a thoroughfare and feeling the full brunt of the draught from the front door is always a dead giveaway!
Nothing could dampen the spirits of Booto however, who promptly called for the cocktail list and ordered her first Cosmopolitan post Stinky. The Sponge and Deliberator followed suit, whilst the Brains contented herself with a bottle of her trademark bubbles.
It was at this point, that it came to the attention of the Bloggers that they were not the only ones out for a big night at Seven Seas. The music was positively booming from the upstairs function room, making it hard to hear and overall, rather distracting. Surely, if you're going to have as function room above your restaurant, one would hope you'd go to the trouble of soundproofing. It seemed not.
However, despite the physical agony the Sponge was in (he's a massive Tom Petty fan and abhors all that "wretched doof doof noise"), the Bloggers focused on the task ahead....
In time honoured tradition, a couple of tasting plates were ordered. The usual foods were represented – including the ubiquitous fried chorizo and kalamata olives, several portions of arancini and some marinated octopus. It was all reasonably tasty but not particularly memorable.
The Sponge, Brains and Deliberator all ordered seafood platters for the main course, before Booto caved into the pressure to conform and thus made it a simple "2 x seafood platters for 2" for the Bloggers.
The "2 x seafood platters for 2" were served in good time which was just as well as the Deliberator was shivering in the draught and the Sponge had refrained from taking his jacket off.
Each platter was generous in size and included a generous mix of:
oysters kilpatrick - so drowned in bacon and worcestershire sauce, they resembled a parmagiana;
crumbed fish - to quote the Sponge: "unnecessary";
chips - always going to get a vote from the Deliberator on this one;
calamari - not melt in your mouth, but not too chewy either; and
whitebait – so crispy they were almost hollow.
Whilst the Bloggers would not rave about the quality of the fare offered, it must be said that Seven Seas do not skimp on quantity. Unfortunately, whilst the Sponge and Deliberator did their best and the Brains and Booto gave it their all, there was more than a little left over for "Mr Manners".
Despite being looked after by both a rather young waiter and a bizarrely dressed waitress (whose attempt at jazzing up her black uniform with some silver appliqué can only be described as plain scary), the Bloggers were duly attended, although all in all, it was hardly service to remember or indeed give much mention to on this blog. There were several instances where the bloggers were left waiting for wine, which was particularly irksome on a Saturday night when the general plan was to get as drunk as possible before midnight.
Despite feeling like falling asleep in our chairs, so full were our stomachs, the Bloggers soldiered on and called for the dessert menu. Whilst the Deliberator and Sponge opted for coffee and a licquer, the Brains and Booto dove right into the chocolate crème brulee and a chocolate sponge pudding. Booto’s brulee was quite delicious but the Brains’ sponge had a strangely familiar texture and taste – one that reminded her of those that came straight from a Betty Crocker packet.
Finally, with the Deliberator announcing he could take the cold draught no longer and the Brains and Booto having to deal with a rather rude punter on the table behind, the Bloggers departed Seven Seas with a rather indifferent feeling. Was it hideous - no. Was it great - equally no.
In summary:
Service: Average, but all the more interesting with the added sparkle to the waitress' uniform.
Food: Okay, but for a specialist seafood restaurant, with a name like Seven Seas, we do expect a little better than a pub standard seafood platter.
Ambience: Lose the party and the music resonating from upstairs and you might have something.
Highlight: Booto's cosmopolitan, although after 9 months of abstinence, her judgement tends to lean to the generous side.
Lowlight: Toss up between the party upstairs and being seated at a draughty table.
Rating: 2.5 crumbed frozen fish out of 5
Will we be back: With the high standards set by other seafood restaurants in Perth, probably not.
With Booto desperate not to waste the services of a baby-starved grandmother who was more than happy to see the back of her daughter and enjoy a night of one on one with Stinky, the Bloggers shelved Da Bruno's for another week and returned to the next establishment on the challenge - Seven Seas.
After a quick glass of bubbles at the home of the Brains and the Deliberator, we arrived in good time for our 8.00pm booking. As we waited to be seated, the Brains and Booto duly noted the warm chocolate tones of the venue which was pretty much full - a good sign - and Brains congratulated herself for having made a booking earlier in the week to ensure a good table for the night ahead. Meanwhile, the Deliberator and the Sponge contented themselves with watching the big screen TV showing the Olympics - a bizarre aberration on an otherwise tastefully decorated interior.
Unfortunately, Seven Seas appeared to have lost our booking. Although to their credit, they did attempt to pretend they had not. However, a table directly in a thoroughfare and feeling the full brunt of the draught from the front door is always a dead giveaway!
Nothing could dampen the spirits of Booto however, who promptly called for the cocktail list and ordered her first Cosmopolitan post Stinky. The Sponge and Deliberator followed suit, whilst the Brains contented herself with a bottle of her trademark bubbles.
It was at this point, that it came to the attention of the Bloggers that they were not the only ones out for a big night at Seven Seas. The music was positively booming from the upstairs function room, making it hard to hear and overall, rather distracting. Surely, if you're going to have as function room above your restaurant, one would hope you'd go to the trouble of soundproofing. It seemed not.
However, despite the physical agony the Sponge was in (he's a massive Tom Petty fan and abhors all that "wretched doof doof noise"), the Bloggers focused on the task ahead....
In time honoured tradition, a couple of tasting plates were ordered. The usual foods were represented – including the ubiquitous fried chorizo and kalamata olives, several portions of arancini and some marinated octopus. It was all reasonably tasty but not particularly memorable.
The Sponge, Brains and Deliberator all ordered seafood platters for the main course, before Booto caved into the pressure to conform and thus made it a simple "2 x seafood platters for 2" for the Bloggers.
The "2 x seafood platters for 2" were served in good time which was just as well as the Deliberator was shivering in the draught and the Sponge had refrained from taking his jacket off.
Each platter was generous in size and included a generous mix of:
oysters kilpatrick - so drowned in bacon and worcestershire sauce, they resembled a parmagiana;
crumbed fish - to quote the Sponge: "unnecessary";
chips - always going to get a vote from the Deliberator on this one;
calamari - not melt in your mouth, but not too chewy either; and
whitebait – so crispy they were almost hollow.
Whilst the Bloggers would not rave about the quality of the fare offered, it must be said that Seven Seas do not skimp on quantity. Unfortunately, whilst the Sponge and Deliberator did their best and the Brains and Booto gave it their all, there was more than a little left over for "Mr Manners".
Despite being looked after by both a rather young waiter and a bizarrely dressed waitress (whose attempt at jazzing up her black uniform with some silver appliqué can only be described as plain scary), the Bloggers were duly attended, although all in all, it was hardly service to remember or indeed give much mention to on this blog. There were several instances where the bloggers were left waiting for wine, which was particularly irksome on a Saturday night when the general plan was to get as drunk as possible before midnight.
Despite feeling like falling asleep in our chairs, so full were our stomachs, the Bloggers soldiered on and called for the dessert menu. Whilst the Deliberator and Sponge opted for coffee and a licquer, the Brains and Booto dove right into the chocolate crème brulee and a chocolate sponge pudding. Booto’s brulee was quite delicious but the Brains’ sponge had a strangely familiar texture and taste – one that reminded her of those that came straight from a Betty Crocker packet.
Finally, with the Deliberator announcing he could take the cold draught no longer and the Brains and Booto having to deal with a rather rude punter on the table behind, the Bloggers departed Seven Seas with a rather indifferent feeling. Was it hideous - no. Was it great - equally no.
In summary:
Service: Average, but all the more interesting with the added sparkle to the waitress' uniform.
Food: Okay, but for a specialist seafood restaurant, with a name like Seven Seas, we do expect a little better than a pub standard seafood platter.
Ambience: Lose the party and the music resonating from upstairs and you might have something.
Highlight: Booto's cosmopolitan, although after 9 months of abstinence, her judgement tends to lean to the generous side.
Lowlight: Toss up between the party upstairs and being seated at a draughty table.
Rating: 2.5 crumbed frozen fish out of 5
Will we be back: With the high standards set by other seafood restaurants in Perth, probably not.
Details: the bill was higher than expected, although this probably had something to do with the volume of alcohol that was ordered (cocktails were an outrageous $16.00 and a $28 bottle of Cloudy Bay Pelorus was $53). The food was priced as you would expect, about $82 for a seafood platter for 2. You can call them on 9370 3030, or visit their poorly designed website on www.thesevenseas.com.au.
11 comments:
Not sure if it was just the 'new restaurant smell' that impressed me when it first opened a couple of years ago, but I distinctly remember enjoying it several times back then.
After a fairly lengthy hiatus, we went back a couple of weeks ago and my overall opinion now is pretty much on par with you guys. Food is average, service was lax, and the place felt more and more like a barn.
While not quite in its death throes, the pulse is definitely getting weak...
One problem I find is that it never looks open or inviting. I walk past it almost every week, during lunch hour, and can never quite work out if they are open for business. . .
Dined there about six months ago and enjoyed the fare, but didn't consider it fine dining.
No wonder you couldn't get in to Da Brunos, there was a rave review in one of the weekend mags... the creamy pesto sauce is almost dribbling off the page.
I understand that the upstairs function can be noisy, but it is quite good if you are the ones functioning.
The two rooms upstairs + balcony are a good place to have a party. A good bar up there too, with great bar staff.
Seven Seas used to be a top venue... but of late they are now coined the Dead Sea.
excellent review. good to see youse have returned, despite struggling with how to spell liqueur.
Sadly it sounds as if our (far) outer suburban chippy puts on a better feed, however it is gratifying to see that the arrival of grannie is letting you out of the house more frequently.
brad - we couldn't agree with you more. Having been to Seven Seas twice in the early stages of its life and enjoying it, we were looking forward to some fresh and interesting seafood. Instead, we got ok-quality fish served with a minimum of style.
edward - good point, it's not a particuarly welcoming exterior. Which is a shame because that front veranda area should be a nice place to enjoy a bottle of wine.
cookster - we're just glad we missed that review of Da Bruno's, it would have made Seven Seas even more disappointing.
david - we didn't go upstairs, but the party sounded positively pumping so we would have to agree that it's a great function venue. We'll try our best to snag an invite to something up there.
grrlfrommars - hehehe, the Dead Sea. The Brains just came back from a holidy in Jordan, most of which was spent lying next to the Dead Sea with a book and a beer. She confirmed that it was a much better experience than our dinner.
david cohen - cheers. And you've got to admit that liqueur is a tough one. So many vowels towards the end, it's exhausting.
grendel - we would wager that the feed at Sevens Seas is better than your chippy, but not $70 better!
Walked past there this morning and there was a note pinned up saying that the owners were going overseas and had sold up.
Was on my way to have a coffee at Cantina- they make a nice black coffee.
Hi nick - you truly are a man who knows things, thanks for all the heads up. Very interesting about the sale, let us know if you hear anything further.
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