Cultura Expresso Bar and Restaurant

Location: 123 Liverpool Street, Hobart

Phone: (03) 6234 7111 

Website:  www.culturahobart.com.au

Opening hours: Mon - Thurs 7.30am - 4.30pm. Fri 7.30am - late. Sat 9am - late. 

Kids menu: No

Adults menu & Prices:  See website

Mumma Review:

"Oooh, this looks nice" I thought, as I entered Cultura with my baby girl in the pram, and my 2yo holding my hand.  We were on our way to meet my grandparents for lunch.  Automatic doors meant no wrestling with the door and no struggling to ram a wide pram through it.  Off to a good start.

We joined my grandparents and said our hello's, before a waiter promptly took our coffee orders.  There were no highchairs for bub, but we were able to set ourselves up at the table with the pram without any hassles.  The wait staff were all really friendly, and most of them stopped to coo at the baby or chat with the toddler.  When my little man enquired "you got marshmallows?" the waitress checked if it was ok for him to have some, then bought out his babychino with not one, not two, but three marshmallows!  A treat indeed.

My hopes for a civilised lunch disappeared before the coffee even arrived (despite the quick service!)  A spilled babycino, followed by a mouthful of spurted water from the toddler who was unable to stifle a laugh while drinking, ensured that the table quickly looked a soggy mess. Baby girl started to loudly complain that she would like her lunch please, so I dug around in my bag for a bib, found one with a stretchy head hole (as opposed to one that fastens around the neck) then proceeded to simultaneously nearly rip her ears off and snap her neck as I attempted to hastily ram it over her head.  "Maybe put that one away for the next baby" my grandmother gently suggested.  

Once fed she was still pretty unhappy, so I quietened her with a quick milk feed.  While this was going on our lunch arrived, and my toddler was extremely displeased to find that he would be sharing with me, and did not have his very own plate thankyou very much.  My grandmother stepped in to do what only grandmothers are allowed to do... order him a bowl of icecream for lunch instead.

The toddler seemed pleased, the baby was fed... maybe I could enjoy my lunch now? Oh no.  Baby girl was happy for the merest of moments before really starting to roar.  Come to think of it, she was looking extremely tired, so I thought maybe if I put her in her pram and just take her for a little walk she would drop of, then I could come back and enjoy my lunch?  Yes, thats what I will do....I got as far as the front door before I heard Muuummmmyyy! and turned around to find a tearful little boy who had no intention of letting my carry out that plan.  Bugger.

Back to the table.  I held one child on my knee while he got stuck back into his ice cream, used the other hand to jiggle the pram about on the spot til the baby stopped roaring and fell asleep, all the while trying to smile pleasantly, act like there was nothing wrong, and that I was thoroughly enjoying the lunch that my grandparents were so kindly taking me out for.  I managed to snap a couple of quick pics, but this one of the little man tucking into his icecream while sitting on my knee was the only one that was even close to usable.

I did eventually manage to eat my roast vegetable risotto... Delicious, but stone cold by that stage.  Perhaps I'll head back here during baby free time!  

So I'm sorry to say that this is not much of a review for poor old Cultura, just a story of my failed luncheon....come on, who hasn't had one of those?! Share, and make me feel better :)

Love Mumma Kel x