LE RENDEZ VOUS

          Across the street from one of the older establishments in town, the 21 Club, is one of the newest, Le Rendez Vous restaurant.  On the Friday night of our visit, soft pleasant dinner music from a live band invitingly wafted from the entrance way, a large blackboard with numerous specials was posted for perusal, and the Hostess of the House, Anna, and servers greeted and seated a steady stream of diners into the high-beamed expanse of the Dining/Bar salon overlooking a sweeping panorama of the inner harbor and Iririki Island. We were seated next to the Chefs prep area, which, if you are fascinated with how your meal is orchestrated, is great, but if you prefer more quiet, there is ample seating elsewhere. 

          Looking over the menu, we found in addition to the classical beef and veal fillets, grilled lamb chops, fish and chips, etc., some intriguing Hungarian and Sri Lankan inspired selections.  What a curious combination.  There must be a good story here…  Anna, herself a full-fledged Chef, and husband, Larry are Hungarians, who worked many years in Australia, he, as Director of Informatics at Nissan Australia, and now as the brains behind the non-food scenes at Le Rendez Vous.  One day, in Russia, while on an assignment for Nissan, Larry receives a phone call from Anna who took a holiday rather than stay home alone. “Guess what, dear?  I’ve just bought a building in Vanuatu!”  But from where does the mysterious Sri Lankan connection come?  Wanting 5 Star Chefs, and at the suggestion of Larry’s Sri Lankan colleagues, Anna traveled there and found First Chef, Sanjeewa, formerly of the Dubai Hilton, and Second Chef, Hirag, from a prestigious establishment in the Maldive Islands. Chefs there must study 5 years, not just 1, as in Australia, Larry explained.

          And so, that’s how I came to have a Hungarian salad, and Budapest style beef fillet, and Luc, Hungarian Goulash soup, and a sampler plate of Sri Lankan curries!  Mine were: cool, crisp cucumber in garlicky sour cream dressing, and a quite unique fillet with marinated chicken liver, a green pepper ragout, and peas.  Luc’s hearty soup warmed the stomach, and the curry flamed the lips in a satisfyingly spicy way.  Other tantalizing menu choices include Sri Lankan Deviled Chicken, and Coated Wahoo – wrapped with sage, brie cheese, and smoked ham, and dishes with interesting accompaniments like whole wheat noodles, polenta fish cakes, and dumplings.  But the Gold Medal winner of the evening was the Sesame Tulip Cup dessert.  Take a morsel of each element of this attractive dish all in one bite for the most exquisitely different of taste sensations!   There are so many tempting dishes on the menu that one would have to return many times to taste them all.  And that’s the whole idea, isn’t it?  This story may end up happily ever after, after all.

          Open 7 days/wk for Lunch and Dinner, Sundays also for Breakfast/Brunch.  Entrees/salads: 700-1650vt, Mains: 1600-2900vt (3700-3900, seafood-750gm lobster), Desserts: 700-1050vt. Phone: 22375.

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