Scusi Bistro Parkview, Revisited - Too much of a good thing

As Shakespeare once wrote, too much of a good thing can be bad.

It saddens me to have to write a bad review about a restaurant I previously wrote a very good one about. But I hope this shows that I am here to be objective. If your food or services goes downhill, I feel it my duty to report on this; similarly, if your food and service improves, and you impress me, I will give credit where credit is due. Like the Magical Sitar in Moulin Rouge, I too, only speak the truth. And let it be known, neither me, nor any of my party on this occasion were fussy eaters.

I previously dinned at Scusi and was absolutely delighted to have come across this little gem; therefore it was a no-brainer to select this quaint little bistro a stone through away from the Alliance Francaise for our girl’s dinner.

 

The good:

Still a lovely ambiance, and the friendly service; unfortunately that was about it. I played it safe with a tomato tart for starter and Mushroom Risotto for main, which where both decent.

 

The bad:

There were only 2 specials available, both for main course; and both big cuts of red meat.

The other 2 ladies ordered the grilled Halloumi for starter, and neither of them could eat even 2 of the fingers on the board. I had a taste, and can honestly say that this is the saltiest halloumi I have ever stated in my life, in fact, not only was the saltiest halloumi, it was the saltiest anything I have ever tasted. I am pretty sure this is what it is like to lick a salt-lick.

A Scusi salad – looking delectable on the menu, turned out to be a mountain of mixed leafs (thank heavens for the mixed leafs, it could have been worse and just been Iceberg lettuce…), 4 slithers of Avo, 4 quarters of raw semi pickled artichokes (literally inedible) and a couple of shaving of parmesan cheese. Tisk tisk tisk.

The piece de resistance, pan-seared beef fillet with mushroom risotto. The “meat” on this plate was so pale that we were convinced that this might be pork; we asked the waiter if he was sure they did not by mistake provide pork? He advised that this was in-fact beef, and that the reason for it being as pale as a ghost is the method of pan searing… Now I know I no longer eat meat, but even I could see that there was something drastically wrong with this meat.

A medium-rare beef fillet, no matter the method of cooking should have a dark golden, almost trickle like colour to it, and should be very pink in the middle, no?  My friend who was the unfortunate one with this on her plate confirmed that this does not taste like meat at all, or at best like a piece of meat that has been washed, and scrubbed, repeatedly, to rid it of any blood or meaty taste. Or perhaps it was just a very anaemic cow.

After having discussed this with the waiter, and having taken a bite of the cardboard, she advised the waiter that it really tastes worse than it looks, and just not like fillet, or any kind of meat for that matter. The waiter advised the manager, who came along, and after a 5 min long explanation, he offered to give her one of the other cuts of meat that is on special. She declined and ordered a burger instead.

The burger was nothing to write home about, but at least edible, accompanied by the most tasteless mushroom sauce. I think mushrooms around the world would be offended, and bow their head in shame.

The ugly:

Not too much to say here, it was actually nice that they did not charge us for the paper-mâché “fillet”. But a little annoying that we were asked three times why we were not taking the half burger as a take-away, and if we were sure that are you sure that it was just okay? Yes we were.

Come on guys – to mess up a salad and a burger? That takes a special kind of apathy towards your food.

All in all, 2 out of 6 meals were acceptable. This is not a good rating.

I won’t go back here soon. I might give them another try in summer – when there might be (one can only hope) a new menu.

Happy Monday!

Until we eat again…