A few months back, rather unannounced, Zahr at 179 KW Road packed up shop. I wasn't upset by this as it wasn't a particularly exciting restaurant - serving the same old dishes in the same old way as so many other places do along KW Road and other dining strips.
Zahr made way for a new eatery. V2 Social House is its rather telling - I'm guessing its the same people behind it... V2 meaning version 2? - though aesthetically odd name. The 'social house' aspect sounds kind of fun. And if you look at the logo, it conjures up a bit of excitement. Is this place going to be as interesting as The Pot or Faraja? Communal tables. Interesting shared dishes. Yes please...
But then you eat there.
Zahr serves up more of the same. Small plates. There is certainly a Mediterranean twist to this menu which is nice, and many of the small plates do look interesting. Pizza. Really? Why must restaurants insist on pizza? And some disappointingly predictable starters - bruschetta, arancini balls. Please!
I went for a bruschetta for lunch. The bread was garlicy and oily - quite nice actually - and the tomato so ripe. It was fluffed up with a drizzle of fine olive oil but I couldn't taste a grain of salt. Oh, they provided me with salt and pepper on the side. Standard refined salt and that horrible cheap pepper dust your parents had on the table.
My Coopers pale ale was fine.
As I ordered I peered over the counter to see what sort of soy milk they used. Vitasoy. At $0.50 a serve to boot. Sorry, but this is inexcusable and an indicator of where there coffee is probably at. No barista worth their salt would combine a fine espresso shot with anything other than Bonsoy or Silk.
Service was half-half. One waiter was not particularly warm and friendly. The other was quirky if a little disconnected.
Perhaps this review comes across as a little hard or unfair. But no, I make no excuses for being just a little miffed by another restaurant doing the same old thing, where many other restaurants are already doing it better. If I hear one more restauranteur closing their doors and blaming penalty rates or The Greens or taxes, when its the fact they failed to differentiate themselves, I am going to scream.
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