Anyone who's anyone has been to Moog Food + Wine on Bourke Street in Darlinghurst. Or at least that's the vibe you get from the place. It was one of the first restaurants my boyfriend and I went to since he moved to Sydney to live with me and he went to so much effort to read reviews and find the perfect place that regardless of how the night would turn out, I was always predisposed to loving it.

I will just say that I'm not about to start writing about the food - the chef I believe is some famous and highly regarded chef and so really there is no point in reviewing his food seeing that's been done to death. His food was tasty and good and I'm sure he knows that...it was modern, strong and very tasty and used the Spanish style of "tapas" for entrees. The only thing I really feel I must say is that (well apart from the fact that my boyfriend is still unsure as to why they would add salt to the Honeycomb chocolate bar with warm banana milk dessert), being Spanish myself I have a fair understanding of the culture of tapas. They are predominately a complimentary portion of food that is served alongside your drink to help the beverage go down...these days it is the chef's way of letting diners taste his food without having to order a whole plate of it. I respect that and think it's great - but if we're going to call them 'tapas' I think we should still absorb some of Spanish culture by serving a plate with as many portions as there are people on the table. Spanish dining is very much a community experience so serving any meal by the unit contradicts that sensation just a little bit. But, I take it that Moog is not claiming to be a Spanish place at all so will end my point right here.

So the food was yummy and the alcohol menu was not only impressive, large and unique but there were also staff that were familiar with it (very big thumbs up).

But there was something still not quite right. When we arrived we were quite excited as it LOOKED like an interesting place to eat...very modern, unique, red lights...but the fact that they had lost our reservation was not a good start.

Now, given the fact the place was empty at the time, you would think that the best way to resolve this issue would be to just sit us down somewhere, assure us there was no problem, and then panic in the back room. But no, Moog's way was to make an enormous very uncool fuss and finally seat us and make us feel very unwanted.

Then we continued to feel unwanted by the fact that we were seated at a very small table (granted all were strangely small) and we each were given 3 large drinking glasses (we had only ordered wine)...not leaving us much room for food or comfort.

I personally felt even more unwanted by receiving an entrŽe that had dairy when I specially said at the start that I couldn't eat dairy.

But really, apart from feeling like you're just not cool enough and apart from my customary complaints...it's an interesting, chic and very funky place to go (in a group I would recommend, as it has that 'Sex in the City' feel that doesn't quite feel right when in a couple situation) and enjoy good wine, delicious food (my boyfriend still raves on about the fact that the carrots he ordered as a side were the honest-to-God best carrots he's ever eaten in his life) and cool music.