Taminga - CLARE

Smells like your grandmother's house. Tastes like your grandmother's house. Beer was off. Staff unfriendly and blasting TV shows for their own entertainment rather than music for customers. Restaurant closed for meals and bathrooms smelt like cigarettes.

Nice place for a drink and some pool. We didn't eat here but definitely keen to give it a shot, regardless of all the bad reviews.. The pub itself inside and out definitely is the nicest in appearance and charm.

I would recommend avoiding the braised pork and rice; the meat was dry, and the skin and fat had an unusual taste. It lacked any flavorful sauce that braised dishes typically have, either in the dish or served alongside it. The rice was sticky, and my prawn spring rolls were frozen inside, with a dipping sauce that was very watered down. The Pad Thai came in a tiny bowl with rice on the side, and the satay serving was small, drenched in a very runny and spicy sauce. The restaurant wasn't busy, with only two other tables occupied, so there's no excuse for the lackluster, meager, and tasteless meal we received. Another issue arose with the bar that serves both the poker machine patrons and the dining area, managed by an older woman with short blonde hair. Upon arrival, I waited ten minutes for a scotch and Coke, with no sign of staff until I called out for the third time, at which point she emerged from an office. My two friends later went to order coffee but found the woman missing again; one of my friends even went to check the poker machine room and saw her back in the office. When our other two friends arrived, they too found her absent, leading them to call down the hall for drinks. I later tried to get a lemon-lime bitters and noticed two people on the poker machine side waiting for drinks and change. Throughout lunchtime, this woman kept disappearing and was quite curt and rude, both to a young couple who walked in and left after only a drink and to an elderly couple wanting wine with their lunch. I believe the owners need to revitalize the bistro concept with real pub food and hire well-mannered staff who actually care about looking after customers. Several locals we spoke with mentioned they would never return to that pub again.

I only visited the gaming machines, so I can't provide any comments on the food or service.

The food at the restaurant is quite pricey and the portions are small.