The Better Half- a lovely hillcrest secret!

Wow. I heard about the better half in the City Beat review and realised it was our second closest restaurant and just had to check it out on Saturday. We loved it.

We were a little confused by the half bottle concept, they only do wine by the half bottle. I dont think they really need a gimmick to appeal to people, the fact that they have a good selection of half bottles is enough. Having said that, we really enjoyed the fact that we had a nice spy valley pinot with our first course and a wine that our waitress suggested with our second course.

We had a duck consomme for our amuse bouche. Being a non meat eater, I didnt have this but I'm assured it was very good. I was really touched that they brought me a slice of terrine instead.

I enjoyed a delicious beet salad which was an impossibly high stack which I had to topple. My companions devoured the charcouterie, and the uncured bacon belly. All wonderful.

They brought us a mango sorbet in a little cone and much hilarity ensued as we decided we were in lilliput with all the small things. Oh dear, the poor waitress.

We then moved on to the pasta which reminded me of something I'd had at trattoria aqua except much better, a seafood ravioli. We also had the pork scallopini and the duck two ways, and were served brussel sprouts, which were nice to try. All delicious.

Even though we'd had a lot to eat, we managed to share the bread pudding, which was sublime, the sour cherries cut through the sweetness beautifully. The creme brulee was good although it seemed a little overcooked. Maybe a bad day.

I'd highly recommend the place, it was wonderful. Very quiet. I hope they make a go of it, its had at least 4 incarnations in the 2 1/2 years we've been in Hillcrest. I really loved the service, being served amuse bouche, and sorbet, then bread rolls with tongs felt very old school and special.