this is the fourth time i had dinner at geronimo. i had good experiences before but i am very disappointed with the recent 5 small dishes plus a main menu set up. it is understandable and it appears that a lot of local restaurants go into set menus due to financial challenges presented by covid. however, for 2people, the portion of 5small plates plus a main can be too much yet the 5small plates plus a dessert would be too little. it also feels that they are doing so that they can also better manage stock for the day and sell the dishes as takeaways.
starting with small plates, the beef tartar and croquettes were great with well-balanced flavors. however, some others like the grilled tiger prawns and octopus appear to be cheap asian street snacks with expensive price tags. the grilled octopus on skewers were hard for anyone to eat elegantly in a restaurant. we thought the prawn and chicken dumplings were an asian fusion done alright with an interesting hint of herb, yet a bit dry.
for the signature main we had the lamb shoulder. surprisingly, it came in a massive three dishes of couscous, lamb, and salad leaf. the portion was overwhelming for fine dining, which makes anyone lose interest before finishing half. the lamb was too salty and must be served with a mix of couscous to blend it out. the salad leaf is very unrefined. the flavor ends up being very boring and force a whole table of people to eat the one same main.
overall, we think the portion is quite off, and the dishes are less refined than before. dishes used to be strong, refined, and memorable and now they seem to have lost their focus. i think i can find better meals in a melbourne pub than the signature main we had. and for this price, i expect food more than asian street food. they used to have a great pate with nuts i would order every time and unfortunately, it’s not on their menu anymore. i remember we used to pay less for a better experience at this restaurant. i hope they can return to the previous fine standard at least and focus back on the dishes. we will not recommend and return unless the menu changes.servicewas not bad.