Saturday 19th Jan '08

The weather was absolutely perfect today as we drove into the Swan Valley to have lunch at the Valley View Restaurant. We drove past and saw some people having lunch on the front verandah and turned back.


entrees: Sarah - deep fried crumbed camembert or brie (I forget which)
Myself - the chicken liver pate.

the chicken liver pate

mains: Sarah - Surf 'n' Turf
Ben - Burger
Myself - Calamari Salad

On the way back from lunch, we stopped to buy some fruit and vegies, as well as visiting a few antique stores on Guildford Road.

Later in the evening, Marissa, Teresa, Maria and I dined at Just in Como - a restaurant commended for its tapas. We were really looking forward to the evening but things turned ugly before we even got there. We were running about five to ten minutes late and, out of courtesy, rang to inform them but were met with rudeness. As if this was not enough to deter us from eating there, when we arrived we were shown to a high table right in the centre of the tiny restaurant where we felt we were in the way of everyone walking past. Just to get to my seat, I had to walk around the whole room.


The food was not the best we had, despite the rave reviews online and in the STM recently. To start us off, they brought us a little shooter of gazpacho which was devine! One of the tapas was tuna that tasted like charcoal. The pork dish was dry and flavourless. The lentils and rocket salad were probably my favourite - hardly worth going out to a restaurant for. I think the consensus amongst us was that the carpaccio was probably the best dish. We were very disappointed that after catering for Maria's gluten-free diet the last time she was there, they did nothing for her this time even though she had given them several days' notice. They still charged her the full price when she was not able to eat three of the eleven courses.

In saying all that, the presentation of the dishes was asthetically pleasing. It would be a great place to go for an informal meal and the idea of being surprised with the chef's creations is fantastic. The wait staff were also extremely friendly and polite to us, but we found the owner Charles Boog rather seedy and aloof, for lack of a better description.

Perhaps we will have better luck there next time, although I don't think we will be going back there anytime soon.