Dined with friends at SoulFood Kitchen in Erindale last night. Interesting. It’s Cajun themed, and run by a bloke who looks as if he should know what he’s doing.
The prices are “good restaurant” prices, but the ambience is pure McDonalds – you have to order from a counter; the floors are hard-surfaced as are the tables, so it’s noisy; the knives and forks are wrapped in a paper serviettes and there’s no table service, though there are lots of staff who seem to stand around doing nothing.
I ordered Victor’s Smokin’ Ribs, which were OK but quite bland – certainly not spicy as I’d expect Cajun ribs to be. They were a good size but, at $32, I’d expect them to be a good size. I asked for some chilli sauce, which came in a little bowl. It was OK, but I had to order another since it was very mild. The Mrs ordered red beans and rice, which she said was OK but I’d have wanted two at that size. Other friends ordered gumbo, though they all had to send it back for reheating since it was lukewarm. My mate ordered cornbread for $6: it was a tiny half-cupcake sized morsel.
All in all it was disappointing. If the prices had been half what they were it’d be reasonable value.
It seemed to me to be a wasted opportunity. The boss does seem to know what he’s doing as far as cooking’s concerned; they have the staff to provide proper restaurant service but don’t; the food isn’t bad but the prices are silly for the ambience and the level of (non) service. Even the music wasn’t Cajun.
It’s a damn shame. I wish them luck. I’d love to see a good Cajun restaurant in Canberra but I’d be very surprised if Soulfood Kitchen survives unless they slash their prices or lift their game.
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