GOOD things always come in threes; three French hens, three-ring circus and even three-piece suits.

And at the Kingston Foreshore this adage is true of three linked establishments – The Merchant Deli & Café, Prohibition and the Market The Grocery Store.

The Prohibition bottle shop, a collaboration with Australian Liquor Marketers, has a distinct look and feel, some great labels and specialty items such as Cuban cigars and chocolates. Market The Grocery Store is super convenient for those living at the Foreshore and The Merchant Deli & Café (byo) complements the other eateries in the area.

We were off to The Merchant. The super friendly staff promptly greeted us in our possie in a spot of sun.

The menu has changed since my visit, but we were impressed with the range of share options, including a charcuterie plate ($28), featuring small goods from Italy and Spain, including smoked pepper turkey, an antipasto plate ($28) and a fromage selection ($28). I love share plates. It’s a wonderfully social way to dine.

Having said that, my tastebuds demanded that I order the braised lamb shoulder pappardelle ($22). The shoulder was slow cooked with cumin and coffee. The dish came with minted green peas and 24-month old grana padano, undoubtedly one of Italy’s most popular cheeses ($22). It sounded sensational but the dish didn’t nail it for me. It was watery, lacked depth of flavour and I wasn’t impressed with the grissle. However, it was a generous serve and nicely presented.

My friend was in the mood for a hit of chilli – not an unusual situation – and so ordered the spanner crab linguine ($22) served with cherry tomatoes, broccolini (gotta love your greens) and lemon olive oil. At first she wasn’t sure there was enough chilli for her liking, but the flavour came through in the end. It was a lovely dish.

Both our meals needed extra seasoning for our taste. We got up and grabbed salt and pepper from another table.

We hadn’t planned on dessert but were convinced to try “a sweet” after being told they were sourced from Sydney’s Yael’s Cakes. And so it was that we shared the black forest cheesecake. We were glad we accepted the tip. It was a fab way to end our meal.

Also on the sweet list (cakes $8; tartlets $6) was an Oscar Torte, a carrot and orange cake (no nuts), New York lemon cheesecake and sour cherry and almond flan. The desserts are reasonably priced and remember that The Merchant offers drinks, cakes and coffees all day.

3/2 Trevillian Quay, Kingston Foreshore. Open seven days. Times vary. Call 6162 1359.

Photos by HOLLY TREADAWAY