PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIAThis restaurant’s got more than three hats, but they’re not the kind you would usually associate with restaurants. These ones line the walls, come in all shapes and colours, and you can don one before you’ve been seated at the table. No doubt due to its quirky sense of fun, Tharens Restaurant in the heart of the Cross does a roaring trade in hen’s nights. Visiting recently for one such occasion I was pleasantly surprised by the food, the service and the atmosphere. Yes -it’s a hat trick! Although you might want to think twice before you bring your new love interest here for a romantic dinner; That said, Tharens caters for all types of functions and you can’t beat it for the party atmosphere. Offering a three-course meal with a choice of six entrees, mains and desserts with bread and salad for $51.50 per person, the value is pretty decent too. Start with something light such as the ocean trout gravlax with cucumber, lime and baby herbs, or the zucchini and parmesan tart with balsamic reduction. Prosciutto-wrapped chicken with camembert and asparagus is divine for a main course, while roast veal on sweet potato mash with red wine jus is equally lauded. If your party doesn’t finish with ice-cream cake and sparklers, the vanilla bean creme brulee will sort you out.
Shelley Hepworth