When I arrived at Republic Bar and Kitchen I initially thought the place was closed. If not for a few thirsty patrons, sitting alfresco chugging back their beers (at 11:45am), I would not have realised that the doors, though closed, were in fact unlocked. I entered.
This place is cavernous, as in huge & dark! Appropriately the cave-paintings adoring the walls, stretched from the floor right up to the 2nd storey roof. A troglodyte's paradise for sure.
The restaurant is adjacent to the bar, with little to denote a dining area except for the cutlery, a napkin & cruet set on the tables. This area must be used for extra seating at nights when their resident DJ spins his magic on the turntables. The open plan kitchen gives the diner a bird's eye view of the chefs and one could see two of them busily prepping for service.
An affable wait-person greeted me, showed me to a table & ordered my drink from the bar. The place was in darkness, I strained my eyes to read the printed menu. Suddenly, as in the Scriptures, there was light. I had apparently arrived before the opening time of 12:00pm, hence the murkiness. It was then I was able to note a blackboard menu situated next to the kitchen dispensary listing a soup & 2 mains as Daily Specials. I perused the menu.
There is nothing eye catching about it, the fare is standard - all day breakfast, some lunch dishes & of course the blackboard menu. You can order some dishes entree size or main size, convenient when minimising selection without apparent compromise. It also makes your busiest service times and prep more manageable.
I ordered the Steamed Mussels with coconut milk & chilli for my entree, Crumbed Calamari with aioli and a side salad as my main.
The mussels were fresh. That is the only good thing I have to say about this dish. Presentation was poor, I detected no chilli whatsoever, and the closest encounter to coconut milk would have been in the aircraft that pass over Manukau Westfield on their way to the Pacific islands. The waiting person did offer me a spoon to eat this dish with, a finger bowl would have been more appropriate - 10/10 for trying on her part.
The main dish arrived & although presentation had improved considerably, the aioli lacked olive oil & garlic. The calamari had been done almost tempura style, with little care though. This delicate seafood should be drained properly on a paper towel - it had not been, & so formed a tangled, clumped up mass which needed separation before ingestion. The taste however was delicious and the green salad with a very tasty dressing was the perfect accompaniment.
Republic Bar & Kitchen need to tweak their food style & presentation. Two chefs in a kitchen that size should be able to produce outstanding meals, it's not as if the menu is comprehensive. I paid $45 for lunch, the most I have paid for a long time. Pick your game up Republic, I look forward to writing a more favourable review on my next visit. read more