Comments on: Gingerboy http://tummyrumbles.com/2006/10/gingerboy.html ...satisfying the internal growl Thu, 11 Mar 2010 07:15:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Anonymous http://tummyrumbles.com/2006/10/gingerboy.html/comment-page-1#comment-2237 Anonymous Sat, 03 Mar 2007 08:44:00 +0000 http://tummyrumblesblog.wordpress.com/2006/10/26/gingerboy/#comment-2237 Recently went to Gingerboy as a tourist. Food was OK - we were starving - but it wasn't a revelation. My main complaint is the service. Server was quite rude and abrupt to me and my boyfriend. Perhaps he thought we were dumb Yanks (we're dumb Canadians, actually)? Recently went to Gingerboy as a tourist. Food was OK – we were starving – but it wasn’t a revelation. My main complaint is the service. Server was quite rude and abrupt to me and my boyfriend. Perhaps he thought we were dumb Yanks (we’re dumb Canadians, actually)?

]]> By: Anonymous http://tummyrumbles.com/2006/10/gingerboy.html/comment-page-1#comment-2236 Anonymous Tue, 13 Feb 2007 23:55:00 +0000 http://tummyrumblesblog.wordpress.com/2006/10/26/gingerboy/#comment-2236 I've really enjoyed reading everyone's comments. I am yet to eat in the dining room, but spent a couple of nights at the bar late last year for cocktails and, on one occasion, the dessert platter. While only one other entry has mentioned it, I was hugely put off by the lack of adequate ventilation in the kitchen, meaning that the bar area (at least) is filled with smoke, and strong 'cooking' smells. It was unpleasant while we were there, and also after I left and realised that I needed to dryclean my entire outfit to remove the strong lingering smell. I would be interested to know if this problem has been addressed in recent months. I’ve really enjoyed reading everyone’s comments. I am yet to eat in the dining room, but spent a couple of nights at the bar late last year for cocktails and, on one occasion, the dessert platter. While only one other entry has mentioned it, I was hugely put off by the lack of adequate ventilation in the kitchen, meaning that the bar area (at least) is filled with smoke, and strong ‘cooking’ smells. It was unpleasant while we were there, and also after I left and realised that I needed to dryclean my entire outfit to remove the strong lingering smell. I would be interested to know if this problem has been addressed in recent months.

]]> By: Anonymous http://tummyrumbles.com/2006/10/gingerboy.html/comment-page-1#comment-2235 Anonymous Tue, 12 Dec 2006 06:36:00 +0000 http://tummyrumblesblog.wordpress.com/2006/10/26/gingerboy/#comment-2235 poor service<br/>average rather than stunning food<br/>mean serves - you would need at least two "large" dishes to feel satisifed<br/>overpriced<br/>too cramped<br/>atrocious wine list<br/>did I mention poor service?<br/>3/10<br/>won't be back poor service
average rather than stunning food
mean serves – you would need at least two “large” dishes to feel satisifed
overpriced
too cramped
atrocious wine list
did I mention poor service?
3/10
won’t be back

]]> By: Anonymous http://tummyrumbles.com/2006/10/gingerboy.html/comment-page-1#comment-2234 Anonymous Tue, 05 Dec 2006 09:44:00 +0000 http://tummyrumblesblog.wordpress.com/2006/10/26/gingerboy/#comment-2234 Hi all<br/><br/>I feel like I should comment further on my previous comments about the disappointing food at Gingerboy and distracted service.<br/><br/>Though I understand and admit that the general populous will find the food at Gingerboy interesting, my point of contension is that it is not Asian Hawker food as it has widely been called. It is a populised version of this, with dumbed down chilli and spice aspects and over the top sweetness that can tend, to again dumb down the palate. I am aware that Teague has a tendancy to overcompensate for the popular opinion and not offer a truer version on the dishes he serves. Perhaps I am just mostly disappointed that with the amazing multicultural environment that we live in more people are not demanding the styles of food that you do eat on the streets in Asia...<br/>In regards to the service, I have since read that the night I dined was the night that U2 had their after party at Gingerboy (hence Teague dining in the bar when I left), perhaps the staff where too anxious about the celebrities about to arrive and careless and frustated that they where doing an 'early sitting' prior to U2.<br/>As follow up to this I ahve gotten past the fact that I felt I did not get value for money from my experience, especiallysince I have spoke with quite a few other industry friends that would also not go back for the ame reasons as mine.<br/>Come on guys lets not settle for popular opinion, lets strive for what the web site says it offering, and lets not be satisfied paying over $30 for a main course costing about $5 to make (the stringray dish I had)<br/>I reserve further judgement until Lethlean reviews, probabley very shortly...<br/>Jack Hi all

I feel like I should comment further on my previous comments about the disappointing food at Gingerboy and distracted service.

Though I understand and admit that the general populous will find the food at Gingerboy interesting, my point of contension is that it is not Asian Hawker food as it has widely been called. It is a populised version of this, with dumbed down chilli and spice aspects and over the top sweetness that can tend, to again dumb down the palate. I am aware that Teague has a tendancy to overcompensate for the popular opinion and not offer a truer version on the dishes he serves. Perhaps I am just mostly disappointed that with the amazing multicultural environment that we live in more people are not demanding the styles of food that you do eat on the streets in Asia…
In regards to the service, I have since read that the night I dined was the night that U2 had their after party at Gingerboy (hence Teague dining in the bar when I left), perhaps the staff where too anxious about the celebrities about to arrive and careless and frustated that they where doing an ‘early sitting’ prior to U2.
As follow up to this I ahve gotten past the fact that I felt I did not get value for money from my experience, especiallysince I have spoke with quite a few other industry friends that would also not go back for the ame reasons as mine.
Come on guys lets not settle for popular opinion, lets strive for what the web site says it offering, and lets not be satisfied paying over $30 for a main course costing about $5 to make (the stringray dish I had)
I reserve further judgement until Lethlean reviews, probabley very shortly…
Jack

]]> By: mutemonkey http://tummyrumbles.com/2006/10/gingerboy.html/comment-page-1#comment-2233 mutemonkey Thu, 30 Nov 2006 11:37:00 +0000 http://tummyrumblesblog.wordpress.com/2006/10/26/gingerboy/#comment-2233 Finally got to go to dinner at Gingerboy this evening, and had an overall positive experience - the food was sensational, and lived up to my high expectations! The cucumber and lemongrass martini, son in law eggs, taro dumplings, vietnamese mint sorbet and tom kha creme brulee were the culinary highlights, and in contrast to other posts here we found the staff to be perfectly friendly (though we were at an early sitting - if the restaurant had been full they may not have been able to spend so much time with us.<br/><br/>However, we do have a few nitpicks...<br/><br/>1) I must agree with previous comments regarding the music - noticeably inappropriate hip hop followed by nouveau reggae beats (blech) - my dining companion, who had not seen this blog, commented to me that she felt the music really didn't fit the mood of the place. Turn the volume down, fellas, and play music that's not so look-at-me - we're here to eat and enjoy our dining companions' company, and don't want our conversation drowned out by lame music...<br/><br/>2) Yes the food is served banquet style as and when it is ready, as the staff were at pains to explain, but the fact that four "small" dishes arrived simultaneously on plates that did not appear to have been pre-heated meant that some of the dishes were cold by the time we got around to eating them. Either the plates need to be a little warmer, or the staff need to use their discretion and if four small plates are ordered, try to stagger their arrival at the table somewhat.<br/><br/>3) Gingerboy needs to get over itself just a wee bit. The sample dessert plate was overpriced, and whilst the staff again went to great lengths to explain that Gingerboy doesn't have "entree" and "main" dishes, but "small" and "large" dishes, I must point out that actually, guys, they're the same bloody thing. Yes, I too agree that Ezard is a bit of a legend, but let's not get too fatheaded about the whole thing.<br/><br/>Oh, and we thought the lemon wedge wrapped in muslin was totally wanky and pretentious. But other than that, we loved it, and will definitely be back, if only for the awesome cocktails and son in law eggs! Finally got to go to dinner at Gingerboy this evening, and had an overall positive experience – the food was sensational, and lived up to my high expectations! The cucumber and lemongrass martini, son in law eggs, taro dumplings, vietnamese mint sorbet and tom kha creme brulee were the culinary highlights, and in contrast to other posts here we found the staff to be perfectly friendly (though we were at an early sitting – if the restaurant had been full they may not have been able to spend so much time with us.

However, we do have a few nitpicks…

1) I must agree with previous comments regarding the music – noticeably inappropriate hip hop followed by nouveau reggae beats (blech) – my dining companion, who had not seen this blog, commented to me that she felt the music really didn’t fit the mood of the place. Turn the volume down, fellas, and play music that’s not so look-at-me – we’re here to eat and enjoy our dining companions’ company, and don’t want our conversation drowned out by lame music…

2) Yes the food is served banquet style as and when it is ready, as the staff were at pains to explain, but the fact that four “small” dishes arrived simultaneously on plates that did not appear to have been pre-heated meant that some of the dishes were cold by the time we got around to eating them. Either the plates need to be a little warmer, or the staff need to use their discretion and if four small plates are ordered, try to stagger their arrival at the table somewhat.

3) Gingerboy needs to get over itself just a wee bit. The sample dessert plate was overpriced, and whilst the staff again went to great lengths to explain that Gingerboy doesn’t have “entree” and “main” dishes, but “small” and “large” dishes, I must point out that actually, guys, they’re the same bloody thing. Yes, I too agree that Ezard is a bit of a legend, but let’s not get too fatheaded about the whole thing.

Oh, and we thought the lemon wedge wrapped in muslin was totally wanky and pretentious. But other than that, we loved it, and will definitely be back, if only for the awesome cocktails and son in law eggs!

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