Viktor B.
Google
Last week in Lisbon, we had the pleasure of visiting the Downunder Restaurant, which we chose to add a special culinary twist to our celebratory dinner. We selected it based on its Michelin recognition, as well as the restaurant’s reviews assuring us that with warning vegetarian guests would be well accommodated. We booked a week ahead, clearly stating one of us is vegetarian.
Our concerns began upon arrival when my partner asked the waitress which vegetarian options were included in the tasting menu. The vague and unconvincing response led us to abandon the tasting menu altogether and order à la carte instead. While the starter was acceptable (vegetable gyoza), her main course was deeply disappointing. The only vegetarian main offered consisted of roasted vegetables served with hummus essentially no more than a basic side dish. It was comparable to the complimentary appetiser often served at Turkish restaurants in London, rather than something worthy of a restaurant of this calibre.
I chose two dishes from the menu: the Signature Kangaroo Tartar and the 36h Pork Belly. Both were enjoyable, but neither felt particularly special or memorable. The tartare was served with such a small quantity of biscuits that I had to request a bread basket to otherwise, there would have been far too much tartare with nothing suitable to eat it with. As for the pork belly, the chips served alongside did not feel like a thoughtful or well-considered pairing I would have expected something more refined and complementary for a dish presented at this level.
The food presentation throughout was perfectly fine. However, the service fell noticeably short of expectations. Despite the restaurant having only four tables occupied at the time, with two waitresses on duty, service felt slow and somewhat disorganised. One of the waitresses appeared quite new and inexperienced, even asking whether she could clear obvious items such as our empty bread basket or finished water bottle. A small detail, but one that added to the overall sense of awkwardness.
Overall, the evening did not live up to the expectations set by the restaurant’s reputation. While there were some pleasant elements, the lack of thoughtful vegetarian options combined with uneven, hesitant service meant the experience fell short of what we had hoped for on a special occasion. Sadly, we left feeling underwhelmed and unlikely to return or recommend the restaurant especially to vegetarian diners.
