Greeted & Seated – Hobart Day 3 (photos)

I actually went down to Salamanca Place again because I was invited to by a guy on Grindr who said he’d make me a coffee of hot chocolate in his cafe down there.  I found his cafe and saw a guy behind the counter who could’ve been gay, but they seemed to be closing up as it was past 6pm.  He said he finished at 7pm.  I tried messaging him, but got no replies.  Maybe he saw me and got scared – probably.  I did see a gay guy walk past me in red jeans who took a look at me and kept walking.  I wasn’t sure if that was him.  It coulda been – similar face.
But then the same guy was still behind the counter inside the now-closed shop, and it wasn’t 7pm yet.

Anyway, I decided that it just wasn’t gunna happen and didn’t bother wasting my time.  It was a shame because we’d gotten along so well on Grindr and I would’ve loved to have met him 🙁

I’d been down there once before, but I didn’t realise there was a whole courtyard area behind the main street.  So that’s where the 24 hour cafe’ was!  I saw it’s neon sign, with a few people inside.

The weather tonight was muuuch warmer than the previous night.  I was thankful for that, although still rugged up.  I looked at the menu’s of a few places along Salamanca, and was quite taken by the sound of a ‘Double-cooked duck in orange-pepper sauce’ dish.  I seem to have gotten fond of duck lately, albeit it being rather pricier than chicken.

I walked past a few times, even though it was pretty much the last food place on the street.  I finally decided to walk in.  The electric doors opened, and I was welcomed immediately by a well-dressed, attractive young man.  I asked him if they had any tables for one.  NIGEL HERE!  GET YOUR LOSER NIGEL HERE!  Haha!  He responded immediately, ‘Of course’, and sat me down on a comfy booth-style seat at a table for two.  He handed me two menu’s, one for food/dessert and one for wine.  I ordered a lemon lime and litters to start with and browsed the menu, despite already knowing what I wanted.

I didn’t change my order, but I did opt for the Huan mushrooms (Huan is a town not far from Hobart as far as i could tell) instead of the fat chips – i figured it would be more healthy, although I’m not exactly sure how good duck is.

It was then that I noticed a group of three guys sitting at the corner table, on the same booth seat I was.  One facing toward me – absolutely.. cute…as…all…hell.  Great.
And I could see it, typically Tasmanian boys liked I’d been told by my landlord – bogan as.  I had to tell myself to stop sneaking peaks at him.  He was just too easy on the eyes.  It’s not my fault!  Pretty sure he was like ‘Wtf is with that guy?’
Talk about embarrassing – I tried to sneak a photo of him to show you guys, but I didn’t realise they’d dimmed the lights in the restaurant, and my flash lit right up, facing right toward him! LOL!  I quickly squished my phone around and pretended like I couldn’t get my phone to work, hitting the screen buttons hard LOL – oh gee – see the trouble I go to for you guys?  Despite Tobimac calling me creepy.  I’m just tryna share the hot guys I see!  How is that an issue?  You can forget about the Fuck Factor yearly entries then!

There was also two guys who sat at the table to the other side of me, older guys probably mid-40’s, who struck up a conversation about, mainly finance.  They were talking about business’ and shares involving the high six-figure areas.  Since I was alone, it was quite interesting to eavesdrop on.  Haha.  Between the stunning guy (all three were actually fuckable) on my left and the intelligence on my right, when the food came, I realised I had something else to distract me.

Now, the duck – was DEVINE.  Wow.  I don’t think I’ve had a nicer duck dish than that in my life.  I struggled to get through the mushrooms however.  They weren’t bad, but I guess I’m just not used to them.  I realised I was filling up my tummy quickly.  I’d pretty much completely forgotten about the guy who said he wanted me to come to his cafe.  I was in the midset of acting like I was a food-critic.  My lemon-lime and bitters had run out so, since Salamanca seems to be an entire strip of cafes and restaurants that all have breweries inside of them (there’s just so much alcohol), I decided that I would try a wine with my meal.  Why not?  I’m on holidays, and I should just try.  I asked the waiter if they had any sweet reds.  I’m not a fan of the taste of wine, but I decided I might be able to try a sweet one, because I can’t stand bitter.  He said he’d ask ‘Alex’ (who was the hot guy who initially had me greeted and seated in the restaurant).  I knew he was good with his wine knowledge because he said to the older guys to my right "Try the 2006, if you can get it – it’s devine.". 
"Impressive", I thought.
So ‘Alex’ suggested a certain red for me and I asked the other guy the price.  He said $8.50.  I knew I’d brought out $90 in cash with me (I tend not to carry too much with me when i’m out at night in places I feel insecure in) and was adding up in my head how much I’d spent so far.  Yup, I could afford that.
So, the wine was a struggle to drink down lol.  Oh well, I guess I’m just not a wine person.  I’m just not an alcohol person.  I much enjoy water, juice or anything really over an alcoholic drink.  What the fuck is wrong with my Aussie genes??

I finished my meal, somehow.  I was so full.  The hot guys had left and I had a good perve on the hot one’s arse as he stood at the counter.  God, such a perve 😉  If you’re gunna show it, I’m gunna appreciate it!

I went up to the counter, completely impressed with everything about the meal, despite the taste.  I was treated like they cared, and it was just like I’d read on the FourSquare tips.
Just a tip for anyone trying to find somewhere out in public to eat (like I was this evening).  Lately, I’ve been logging into the FourSquare App on my phone and reading the tips (reviews) that others have left about the place.  Turns out this restaurant, "Rockwall", had 11 reviews, mostly positive, and one was that the restaurant was opened by a former Melbourne AFL player and they treat their customers like family.  Since the duck had appealed to me, and the reviews were in favour, I walked in to try it out.  I must’ve walked up and down that strip three or four times trying to decide on a venue (and looking for Clayton, initially) before I made my decision.  So the FourSquare app can really be effective if you’re not sure about a place before walking in.  I sometimes leave reviews of my own.

The meal came to just over $60 – for the $38 duck, side, soft-drink, wine and then the delicious dessert.  Two guys who’d served my table during the night (the hot one and another guy) were there at the counter and the other guy said I’d made a good choice with the dessert.  I told him I was tossing up between that one and the Ferrero Rocher icecream with Frangellico.  He went off to do his own thing and the hot guy finalised my payment. 

There’s a first time for everything.  I slid an extra $20 across the table and said, ‘There’s a tip mate.’  I don’t believe I’ve ever tipped in a restaurant before.  I know it’s known in the USA, but it’s not something that’s done generally in Australia.
He was surprised at the gesture and said to me, ‘I’m glad to hear you enjoyed your meal!’
Business-like all the way.  I loved it.

So I left there, happy, and I’m home now.  I wanted to get an early night so that I can properly enjoy my final full day in Hobart tomorrow.  I got back to the hotel and changed my key (like I explained in the previous entry) for a new one and went into my room.
That reminds me, I was freaking out earlier on today cos I was running around my hotel room naked when I heard someone trying to access my room with their key.  I don’t think I’d ever dived for the bed and under the covers so quickly in all my life.  If that door had opened, that coulda been embarrassing!  i was starting to think that maybe the girl had forgotten that I’d extended my stay and had hired out my room to someone else.  Luckily the door didn’t give them access.  Phew!

Yes, so – here’s a few photos I’ve taken so far.  They are lame because I’ve only really been out on dusk and at night so far.  I’ll try and get some nice ones tomorrow 🙂

View from my 4th level hotel room of the one-roundabout there seems to be in Hobart 😛  At least I get good ABC reception.

The mountains in the far distance are the ones that get snow on them!  I wish it were snowing – I would love to see that 🙂

The huge bay behind the marina.  It’s hard to get a good photo of it – maybe tomorrow.

God, I’m such a tourist, taking photos of trees lol

A lot of construction going on around the wharves atm, but a lot of the cruises leave from here.

Salamanca – where I was walking during the video entry a few entries ago – on Saturdays, the markets line the street, apparently

Pretty sure I found the queer watering hole 😛  It wasn’t open lol

Salamanca Square – night pics are shit

This was my duck meal 🙂  Sorry vego’s!

And this was my dessert!! 🙂

 

I wasn’t out for long on the town today, but I’m glad I had my little mini trip to check out Salamanca properly.  And the weather was much nicer, as it had been pouring rain earlier on all day, but was fine when I went out.  I took my umbrella, but I didn’t need it 🙂