Tourist trap restuarants...

When I'm in a foreign city, I tend to avoid the obvious tourist areas when it comes to places to eat. In Sydney, that means Darling Harbour, Circular Quay, and The Rocks.

Why do I avoid these areas when it comes to food? Because they don't need to rely on repeat business, and some tourists can't pick a restuarant to save themselves.

This evening I walked down to Walsh Bay with the intent to dine at one of my favorite Sydney restuarants, Ottoman Cuisine - except, of course, for the simple fact they weren't open. No big deal though - I'll just go somewhere else I thought.

So, I walked around, under the bridge, past the YouTube orchestra who where playing under a tarpaulin, and into the rocks.

Reading the menu at Cafe Vintage it seemed like a reasonable place to eat (though the menu is almost impossible to read outside in the dimmly lit alley), so I went inside to grab a table. The table I was given had not yet been cleaned (which they dealt to within a minute, so I can forgive that), and there was rubbish on the floor near my table (which remained there, and was still there when I left).

Cafe Vintage, The Rocks, NSW

What really sucked me in to this place in the first place was the fact that Patatas Bravas appeared on the menu. It's always the first snack I order from my favourite Christchurch Restuarant, the Curator's House.

Anyway, I ordered the Patatas and a steak. The patatas where fine (though a bit more paprika would've been more to my taste), but the steak was god-awful. I knew I was in trouble when it arrived. Here's what it looked like:

Cafe Vintage, The Rocks, NSW

The steak meal comprised three boiled potatoes, with a nasty steak on top (you know, the one you get if you just pick a random steak from the bargain section of the supermarket freezer), some brown gravy ("pepper sauce" on the menu, I think it might have been OXO), a sprig of parsley. The steak had a few tough bits for good measure too.

I'll be generous and give this place a three out of ten (3/10). The atmosphere in the old building is kinda neat, but they really should clean the place up and offer a steak meal that's better than what can be had at many Sydney pubs for ten bucks.