We start with a plate of empanadas de hongos and these little Argentinian pastries, stuffed with mushroom, spinach and feta, were tender, tasty and perfectly adequate but the salsa roja that they were served with reeked, and a mouthful confirmed the harsh burn of too much raw onion with insufficient chipotle to balance it out.
Mexican food is all the rage right now so I had no fears ordering the negro nachos, especially as the menu enticed us to "purr your way through frijoles negro". The tortilla chips were the better quality, 100 per cent corn variety but they unfortunately erred on the stale side, particularly those that had missed out on the heat from the grilling. Any hopes I'd had for a bowl of velvety smooth black beans were dashed when the plate arrived with the tortilla chips already smothered in beans and cheese, having had a brief encounter with a grill. By this stage we were not exactly applauding or shouting for more in the food department, but we remained optimistic about the "second act" and it paid off with our mains.
Each night sees a different "Artists' Pot" feature on the menu and tonight's creation was pollo de Yucatan, billed as chicken in sour orange and mayan spices, served with Mexican rice. It was a delightfully citrusy affair with enough heat to just tingle on the tongue and the rice, flecked with cumin, had the nutty chewiness of oiled and baked rice. At $12.50 this was not only a bargain, but a true crowd pleaser in the flavour department. The lamb shank, a secret West Coast recipe apparently, was full of red wine and stock, deep and rich in flavour with the shank meat tender and gelatinous. Served on a mash, supposedly spiked with horseradish and truffle, and a chunk of bread to soak up the gravy, there were few surprises with this dish but that was just fine with us - it was a true comfort dish and well executed.
Desserts were a selection of cakes but we were feeling too well satiated and besides, the PA system was announcing that our night of rock 'n' roll was about to begin and we needed to leave room for the music.
The food may be a bit hit-and-miss but I'll welcome an encore dinner at Citizen Q when next I have a show booked, either there or at one of the neighbouring venues - it's all so irresistibly cosy and convenient.
From the menu: Empanadas de hongos $15, black bean nachos $14.50, artists' pot $12.50, lamb shank (single) $18.50
Drinks: Fully licensed
