Good Fun, Bad Value
Jul 21st, 2008 by Dani
Saturday night was my 20 year high school reunion. Great fun to get out and see how people have turned out and what they’ve done with themselves over the last twenty years. The reunion was held at Canvas Restaurant in Hawthorn.
According to the invitation it was to be a standing dinner and it was held in a separate bar area, not the main dining area. We were asked to pay $65 which apparently included a ‘donation’ to the school alimni fund and a contribution towards door prizes. So I am assuming that $45 was headed Canvas’ way. Drinks were to be paid for separately at he bar. I was a little unsure exactly what a standing dinner would entail but for $45, I expected it to be reasonably substantial.
It seems that a standing dinner is finger food. Nice, unremarkable finger food. Spinach pastizi’s, very tasty and obviously made in house. Thai style meatballs, quite tasty. Tiny vol au vent case filled with a sundried tomato puree and topped with half a kalamata olive. The pastry was a little underdone but they were otherwise fine. Dishes of calamari, piping hot and very tender.
A glass of wine, on average was around the $!0 mark. So whilst I had a great time and can’t complain about either the food or the service, definitely not good value for money. I hope the restaurant proper offers better in the value department.
Being a veteran of many such functions, I have found the best strategy is to strike up a conversation with a long lost school buddy next to the kitchen door. Particular attention should be given to having something from every tray that leaves the kitchen and to clean up the trays on their way back in to the kitchen. Striking up a good rapport with the waiting staff is not essential but highly recommended, if you can learn their names and make your food preferences known to them even better.
You were lucky, finger food with free alcohol is a recipe for a very messy function.
Ricks last blog post..Cashew Nut and Vegetable Stir Fry
Problem is, there wasn’t enough variety or interest in the finger food to want to enough pieces to form an actual meal. There was a lot and unfinished platters were left on a large table in the middle.
True about the free alcohol and finger food, somewhat reminiscent of the Bread Winner’s Christmas Party last year LOL No messy behaviour as such but many a sore head the next day.