Submitted on Tue 18 Jun 2024
This month, the TRC Lunch Club ventured into uncharted territory: Morena, a Latin American inspired restaurant in Martin Place. Originally, a larger group of us were supposed to enjoy this culinary escapade, but a bout of sickness left just two brave souls to carry the torch. So, did Morena deliver an intimate dining experience that hit the spot, or did it leave us longing for a quiet night in with a takeaway? Let’s find out.
Holly Scully 3.75/5
"It was a great venue for a gloomy, rainy Friday. On the upside, I had an amazing coconut sponge cake for dessert! In fact, I couldn’t fault any of the food (great steak too!). Luckily for me, our COO knows how to hold a conversation, so despite losing several attendees to sickness, we still managed to chat for 10 hours (seriously!). Just 2 negatives from me: 1. The tables were pretty squishy and close together 2. The toilets are in the adjoined hotel, meaning about a 10-minute round trip each visit (which was a few after some cocktails and wine). I’d go back for a business lunch again, but not so much for a catch-up with friends or a date night."
Holly, ever the conversationalist, managed to hold court for a marathon 10-hour chat session, despite the no-shows. The coconut sponge cake clearly stole the spotlight, though the cramped seating and loo logistics were a bit of a letdown.
Simon Moss 4/5
"The service was brilliant, I loved every recommendation and everyone was really friendly. I didn’t feel rushed to leave and we managed to stretch out our 2-hour session way beyond that. The food was mixed. There was a really interesting combo of lots of Latin American flavours with lots of other influences mixed in - very unusual and interesting. The octopus starter was one of the best I’ve ever had, the swordfish main was a bit bland. But the dessert and cheese was amazing as was the Latin American red wine. It's an odd space and I felt quite claustrophobic when we first went in, but it actually worked quite well and I relaxed into it quite quickly. Not sure how it would have worked with the much bigger group we had planned (who dropped out due to sickness).
On the downside, I had to sit with Holly for 10 hours! 😀
Solid 4/5 from me, would definitely go back, if only for the wine which was amazing (wish I’d written down the name)."
Simon, our resident wine enthusiast, found himself in a bit of a love-hate relationship with Morena. The octopus starter was a knockout, but the swordfish was more forgettable than a Monday morning meeting. Still, the wine was a revelation, and the service was awesome. Just one downside: enduring Holly’s chatter for 10 hours!!
Final Thoughts:
So it’s safe to say, Morena managed to charm us, despite a few hiccups. The service was stellar, the wine was divine, and the desserts had us scraping our plates. The ambiance was a bit of a squeeze, and the trek to the loos was a mini marathon, but hey, it’s all part of the experience.
Venue Score: 3.9/5
Recruiters, fancy a gig that’ll take you to swanky restaurants, and give you the opportunity to visit places like Bali, Las Vegas, and more? Check out our current vacancies here. Who knows, your next lunch could be on us!
Until next time, happy dining and even happier recruiting!
