Lesley & I went to the Theatre with Ross & Helga and availed of the Dublin Theatre Festival combined Show and pre-Theatre set menu Dinner offer in Cafe Novo at The Westbury.
We were looking forward to our night out. On arrival at Cafe Novo the Maitre D’ immediately demanded “where’s your vouchers?” without a welcome and our party of four was left standing in the middle of the restaurant while I fumbled to separate and extricate the Theatre Tickets from the Food Vouchers. While passing the vouchers over and realizing our guests were still standing in the centre of the restaurant I asked where our table was and was given a nod towards the window with the words “over there”. So a curt, cold welcome to Cafe Novo – where we have eaten before I might add.
The meal was nice mostly due to the good company, the service brisk and this wine – La Garde from the Languedoc, a fine blend of 50% Colombard and 50% Ugni Blanc (Trebbiano) – quite palatable.
Pale straw colour, pleasant nose, fruity, not too acidic and chilled dry. €22.50.
Interesting, given the palaver over the vouchers while not being shown to our table, the bill when it came included the cost of the food and I had to point out that we were on the Dublin Theatre Festival set menu deal. So Vouchers are definitely not welcome at Cafe Novo, maybe Novo stand for No Vouchers? Should they change the ‘vo’ to ‘go’ or just drop it from their name entirely.
Later we had a slight chuckle over a nightcap at the surliness of our welcome in Cafe Novo however, the Wonderkammer Circus at the Gaiety was engrosingly entertaining and we all thoroughly enjoyed our night out.