Steamed mushroom dumplings. Photo: Wendy Johnson

Aubergine chips… a vegetarian dish that packed a punch with chilli. Photo: Wendy Johnson

Wagyu beef… with wasabi, asparagus and pieces of pinkish pickled ginger. Photo: Wendy Johnson

Deep-fried beef dumplings. Photo: Wendy Johnson

Singapore king prawns… made hot and spicy with loads of garlic. Photo: Wendy Johnson

Duck pancakes… thickly sliced poultry with slices of cucumber and leek. Photo: Wendy Johnson

“We loved the food, adored the stylish décor, admired the direct views of the lake, but scratched our heads over the service.” Dining reviewer WENDY JOHNSON visits Cinnabar on Kingston Foreshore.

WHILE it’s tempting to rush to the enormous number of newbie places to eat in the capital, it’s also rewarding to support restaurants that have been on the scene for some time.

With that in mind, four of us headed to Cinnabar, Kingston Foreshore. Two in our party had been before and two were experiencing the restaurant for the first time.

We loved the food, adored the stylish décor, admired the direct views of the lake, but scratched our heads over the service (more on this later). 

Cinnabar has been on the foreshore for some years (my first review was in 2016). The interior is stylish and exotic and the gigantic black and gold lamps make a massive statement, reflecting light in intriguing ways. 

As dumpling lovers, we couldn’t bypass Cinnabar’s deep-fried beef version ($12.80 for four). They didn’t disappoint and neither did the steamed, earthy mushroom dumplings (same price). 

Also delicious were the duck pancakes ($24.80 for four). We had fun assembling the thickly sliced poultry with slices of cucumber and leek and adding a healthy dose of hoisin sauce.

The mains are a testament to Cinnabar’s innovative, modern approach to traditional Asian cuisine. The wagyu beef was to die for and the wasabi made a proud presence, along with asparagus and pretty pieces of pinkish pickled ginger ($28.80). 

Also loaded with flavour was the Singapore king prawn dish, made hot and spicy with loads of garlic ($28.80). The prawns were plump and perfectly cooked.

A winner was the aubergine chips ($20.80), a fabulous vegetarian dish that packed a punch with chilli. We agreed they would go oh-so-well on a hot day with a cold beer (dining outdoors).

Cinnabar’s wine list is well considered with good variety sourced from diverse locations, especially Australia and NZ. It’s reasonably priced and we enjoyed our Masterpeace Rose ($35 bottle and only $9 by the glass) by Andrew Peace Wines, Victoria. The strawberry and raspberry overtones were delicate and it’s a good drop with Asian cuisine.

While nothing disappointed on the food, everything disappointed with the service. It was painfully slow from the get-go. 

We waited and waited for a wine bucket, which eventually arrived without glasses, so we waited again until they arrived. Indeed, we flagged staff down six times throughout our meal. 

Cinnabar wasn’t packed and the staff repeatedly walked by our table without any eye contact or attention. At one point only two tables were occupied and two staff were operating front-of-house, so what was the excuse? 

Our dirty dishes remained on the table at the end of our meal and, suddenly, the music was turned off by staff signalling to us it was time to go. Hardly the “unparalleled” dining experience Cinnabar promises online.