Stephen P.
Google
Picture this: a lazy Sunday afternoon, the kind that whispers promises of indulgence and relaxation. With the kind of anticipation usually reserved for a long-awaited reunion, we found ourselves again at Jackalope Estate for what we hoped would be yet another beautiful meal at Rare Hare. Spoiler alert: it was not.
What unfolded was less a dining experience and more a chaotic food frenzy, reminiscent of a fast food chain’s worst day. Five dishes landed on our table before we even had a chance to sip our wine, an unceremonious assault on our senses that obliterated any hope of savoring what could have been a memorable afternoon.
Let’s break it down:
Half a dozen natural oysters, the highlight of the meal, though they felt forgotten in what was a dining race.
A sardine fillet on dry, cold toast, an uninspired pairing that left us wanting.
Raw albacore tuna, which was fresh and delicious but overshadowed by the chaos around it.
Soft shell crab that lacked the vibrancy we craved, that sat cold looking like a fish and chip shop offering from a day gone by topped with a Japanese-inspired wet topping.
Wood-fired eggplant with coriander, a dish that could have shone but was lost in a mountain of coriander.
Wood-fired monkfish with saffron cream and mussels, served dry and overcooked, a tragic hot pass misstep in execution and a result of the brakes being put on our meal at our request. And let’s not forget the bottle of Rare Hare Grenache Shiraz, which, while fine, could do little to salvage the experience, as steam brewed in my mind from the disgrace of a meal we had undertaken.
The table service was attentive and pleasant, a bright spot in an otherwise dismal dining affair. Yet, the kitchen’s frantic production pace turned what should have been a leisurely meal into a hurried exit. If we hadn’t paused to breathe, we’d have been in and out in twenty minutes, which is not what one expects from a top Mornington Peninsula dining favorite. Instead of savoring each dish, we were left scrambling to keep up, resulting in a mood of extreme disappointment. Given this experience, it’s hard to think of a return to Rare Hare, despite our long history with Jackalope....but we will someday give it another try.
