Eat here quite often, with family, friends or dates. Yesterday's dinner with colleagues was nice, but as you'd expect, food quality would be consistent at hotel restaurants. The ambience was warm and comfortable as usual, and as all the doors and window were opened, we could talk fairly loudly without worrying about noise.
We were a table of three, sharing two starters and two main courses with a bottle of Moët ice imperial, three bottles of corona and two bottles of San Pellegrino.
The drinks were served ice cold, but unfortunately, since the restaurant is by the pool, all glass/crystal ware are banned and our drinks were served in kiddie plastic glasses. A big deduction to the appreciation for our drinks.
For starters, we had the niçoise salad and the lobster and crab cake. The tuna was too well done for the salad, but I liked how it was a sliced piece of grilled tuna instead of crushed tuna meat. The greens were fresh and crunchy, and the whole Empeltre olives were juicy and tangy. The dressing was spot on, the vinegar was not overpowering. The lobster and crab cake was meaty, but too soft to my liking, with more crab meat than lobster. Overall, it was a bit bland and did not make much of an impression.
For main courses, we stuck with the chalkboard catch of the days (all from sustainable sources, or so they claim), we ordered the slightly more expensive halibut (don't know why it was more expensive) and the grouper (same price as the rest of the fish available on the board e.g. Tuna, salmon, rainbow trout, barramundi, pomfret etc.) both to be chargrilled (you could also order them pan-fried or blackened). The halibut's skin was nicely crisped but the flesh was not firm and flaky, as I hoped, it was even a bit tough and had a slight aftertaste of fishiness that you get from not too fresh fish. However, the grouper was nice and juicy and the meat more flaky and firm. No horrible aftertaste. Both were minimally seasoned with salt and was served on a bed of greens. Good presentation, nothing fancy.
Overall, a good night out with my colleagues and we had a good time. Nothing to stop us from returning. Good service and ambience, but just above average food.
Marks: 78/100