Diggers - June 6th

Irene's choice. Neil 3*, Alex 3*, Gerry 2 1/2*, Ken 3*, Irene 3*, RoseEllen 3*, Michael 3*

Overall Rating: 2.9 stars
Total Cost per person: $74.00

Ratings scale: Excellent; Very Good; Good; Not so Good; Poor; Abysmal

Greeting and Seating: Abysmal
Table Presentation: Good
Settling in - drinks breads etc.: Abysmal
Menu selection, variety price etc.: Good
Specials presentation: Poor
Wine selection, variety and price: Abysmal
Drinks Service: Poor
Food Service: Good
Ambiance: Very good
Music: Good

Food choices:
Entree: Scallops (P) Oyster Kilpatrick (P), Oysters Napoli (P), Smoked Salmon x 2 (VG), Soup (Mushroom Zuccinini and Bacon), (G) Oysters natural (G).
Main course: Duck x 3 (2 G, 1 P), Waigu steak x 3 (P) Rogan Josh curry (G)
Sweets: creme brulee x 2 (G)
Drinks: Yalumba Merlot, Yalumba Shiraz, 2x Jacobs Creek Chardonnay.

Summary: This restaurant is in a motel in the northern end of Digger St. which services the lower end of the motel/apartment tourist market. The greeting and seating was non existent, we were left to find our own table, which we identified because it was the only one set for 7 people. Tables were pushed together and this meant that the person in the middle had to straddle two large chunky wooden table legs. Other diners were obviously lone motel residents, except for one loud group of women obviously on a cheap girls night out. The decor is straight from the 80s with mirrors and heavy wooden furniture.
The wine selection, at $17.00 a bottle was cheap enough but limited to a choice of three Jacobs Creek white varieties and three Yalumba red varieties. Fortunately they do allow BYO. The food selection was standard for this style of restaurant, but the waitress had no idea of the specials, then informed us that half of them were off. Quality was patchy, with all reporting the oyster small and the steaks dry. The smoked salmon, on the other hand, was served in large proportions. One of the duck dishes was so tough it was almost inedible, but the other two were reported tender and fine with a very tasty sauce.
The lights were switched down at 10 pm and we were asked to leave. A nice surprise on the way out was that one of the party turned out to knew the owner from previous restaurants, and we were given a 10% discount.