By Franz Scheurer
Finding
a place with halfway decent food in a country town can be a challenge. Although
every town has its local Chinese, the food they serve in most of these, is
about as Chinese as the Sydney Harbour Bridge. A good option can be a counter
lunch at the local pub, usually good honest fare at a reasonable price,
however, in the evening this generally not offered.
I
spent last weekend in Gunnedah, a sizeable town near Tamworth with a great
choice of very ordinary restaurants and I would have much rather eaten in one
of my friend’s homes than go out. Alas, circumstances prevented this. It was
with a fair amount of trepidation that we entered the ‘recommended’ Rosie’s
Chinese Restaurant, inside the Gunnedah Golf Club.
The
size of a couple of football fields, stark and cold it looked about as tempting
as entering a dragon’s lair. The waitress, obviously new in her job and
flustered, did not exactly help. We waited around while she set a table for us
although there was only one other table occupied. Setting the table meant
cutlery, glasses and paper serviettes on laminex tables. Eventually seated, we
received the menus. A bit like the wine list on Level 41, if offered anything
you can think of and more.
Although
suspicious, my mood improved a little.
Soon
after, Rosie (I presume) visited our table welcoming us and as she was clearly
of Chinese origin, we ordered some of the more interesting items from the menu
and a few that were not on the menu. The wine list was dismal but this really
did not matter, as most of us preferred beer anyway. The food, when it arrived
was fresh, well prepared and much better than expected.
My
mood improved some more.
The
“San Choy Bow” was excellent as was the “BBQ Duck”. The “Beef in Black Bean
Sauce” probably the best dish of the night, closely followed by the “Chinese
Greens with Garlic and Oyster Sauce”. The “Salt and Pepper Squid” was very
aromatic, a little tough and the batter a bit too thick but the “Chilli Pork
Szechuan Style”, spicy, slippery morsels of perfectly cooked pork with lots of
red dried chillies, easily made up for this. The “Mongolian Lamb” and the
“Boneless Duck in Crabmeat Sauce” did not leave an impression but were not
offensive and the kids loved the “Deep Fried Ice Cream with Caramel Sauce”. (Do
not blame me!)
They
tried hard to look after us and mostly succeeded. They need to work on the way
they handle the drinks orders, as the bar-area is removed from the restaurant.
This also means you will get a food and a separate drinks bill, which for some
strange reason you can’t pay with one transaction. As for a dining experience
in Gunnedah, I reckon this is your best bet in town. I will be back.
Score:
5/10
For
more information or bookings:
Rosie’s
Restaurant
Gunnedah
Golf Club
George
Street
Gunnedah
NSW 2380