Cho Gao at the Pier 9th January 2009

Gerry's Choice. Present: Irene, Ken, Neil, Alex, Gerry, Andrew, Elly.
Overall Rating: Prior to music = 3.9 stars After music commenced = 2.2 stars

Total Cost per person: $52.00 ( excludes deserts and final drinks - deserts and final drinks at Donini's was a further $20.00 per head.

Ratings scale: Excellent; Very Good; Good; Not so Good; Poor; Abysmal

Greeting and Seating: Good
Table Presentation: Excellent
Settling in - drinks breads etc.: N/A
Menu selection, variety price etc.: Excellent
Specials presentation: n/A
Wine selection, variety and price: Good - not a big selection
Drinks Service: Very Good
Food Service: Very Good
Ambiance: Excellent
Music: Abysmal. Subtle Asian themed background music until 8.30 when the DJ came on. The doof doof dance type music - disliked by even the younger members of the party - was a total turn off. What had been a pleasant evening was spoiled by loud, inappropriate music and the arrogance that accompanied it. The waitresses were sympathetic, but were unable to have any influence on the DJ who, gyrating to the music was so absorbed in his own head phoned space that the requests of mere paying customers for a bit less noise whilst eating were treated with disdain. Many people left, and so did we. We were forced to finish our meal at another restaurant. (Our old favourite - Donini's at the Pier).

Food choices: All meals were shared in the Asian Fashion
Entree: Peking duck; Sam Cho Boo; Chicken Curry puffs and Rice Paper Rolls. all rated Excellent.
Main course: Most of the choices rated Excellent: Beef Rendang - tender, hot and spicy; Pork crispy belly was as good as you would get anywhere; Baby Barrimundi was tender, fresh and subtlety spiced with ginger and shallots; and the Pork Stiry fry was colourful and tasty. The only slight disappointment was the Massamum duck curry which rated not so good, as the duck was tough and fatty, and heavily laced with potato at the expense of the duck. Roti and Dhal accompanied and both rated Very Good.
Sweets: N/A
Drinks: Sticks Cabernet Sav. @ $36.00 and a Chapel Hill Unwooded Chardoney @ 38.00 were chosen and were adequate.

Summary: This restaurant/bar has a location to die for and the use of verandah, bar area with high tables and stools, and separate low seated dining area is cleverly done. The bleached bare timber effect and Asian shaped table stools and louvered internal partitioning all add to the Asian flavour. Service, though slightly slow to start, was excellent once warmed up, and bordered on professional once complaints about the music began to flow.

A pleasant dining experience turned into a head splitting, thumping nightmare when the DJ started up at 8.30. It was far too early for this type of music in an eating venue, and the music was totally in appropriate. The trouble is Cho Gao is trying appear to be a restaurant but wants to act like a bar. Its neighbour "Bella Vista" is a very popular bar, and given that they are owned by the same people, one would think they would be better allowing Cho Gao to be the food venue - at least until a little later in the evening. Shame, because the calibre of the food would indicate that they are serious about being a food venue.

All agreed that we would go again, but only early in the evening as a pre movie or show type venue.

Star Apple at Yorkey's Knob Golf Club 12th December 2008

12th December 2008
Ken's choice
Overall star rating: 3.9 Stars
Total cost per person $70.00
Present: Irene, Gerry, Ken, Alex, Neil
Ratings scale: Excellent; Very Good; Good; Not so Good; Poor; Abysmal
Greeting and Seating: Very Good
Table Presentation: Very Good
Settling in - drinks breads etc.: Good
Menu selection, variety price etc.: Good
Specials presentation: Good
Wine selection, variety and price: Good
Drinks Service: Excellent - new glasses for each wine.
Food Service: Very Good
Ambiance: Good. View out to gold course on a moonlit eveing impressive. Would not have been so good if looking back into the golf club house though.
Food choices:
Entree: Oysters (Very Good); Scallops and proscuito (Very Good) Salt and pepper squid (Good) Egg net (Not so good - tasty, but presentation disappointing based on previous experience of some diners)
Main course: Steak (1 Excellent and 1 Very Good); Fish (Good) Garlic Prawns (Good)
Sweets: Creme Brulee (Excellent) LYchee sorbet (Very Good) Cheese plate (Excellent).
Drinks: Red and white wine correctly served.
Summary: A good quality restuarant in an unlikely location. Needs to find a better location to do the food and service justice and attract more clientele. Even though we finished early, the club house had been long deserted and we were aware that we were keeping the staff from their beds.

Sonia's by the Sea 14th November 2008

14th November 2008
Alex's choice
Overall star rating: 4.1 Stars
Total cost per person $65.00
Present: Irene, Gerry, Ken, Alex, Neil
Ratings scale: Excellent; Very Good; Good; Not so Good; Poor; Abysmal
Greeting and Seating: Good
Table Presentation: Good
Settling in - drinks breads etc.: Good
Menu selection, variety price etc.: Very Good
Specials presentation: none
Wine selection, variety and price: Not so good - limited range but price good.
Drinks Service: Not so Good - Red was too hot.
Food Service: Excellent
Ambiance: Excellent. Seaside with good clientiele feel.
Music: Subtle good quality latin-ish/regae music (piped)
Food choices:
Entree: Oysetrs Naturale (Excellent), Cajun Calamari (1-Good, 1 very Good), Whiting (1 Good, 1 very Good)
Main course: Sticky Apple Pork (Good), Bob Marley Goat Curry (Good) Jimi Hendrix chicken (1 Good, 1 Very Good) Pasta Trinidad (Not so good).
Sweets: Cheese plate for 2 (Excellent)Pineapple Brulee (Very Good), bread and Butter Pudding (Very Good)
Drinks: Red wine served far too hot but otherwise Good.
Summary: A surburban beach side casual restuarant with surprisingly good food and a friendly neighbourhood ambience. Excellent selection of music and nicely themed.

Luminere 12th Sept. 2008

12th September 2008
Louanne's choice
Overall star rating: 3.75 Stars
Total cost per person $82.00
Present: Louanne, Rod, Irene, Gerry, Ken, Alex


Ratings scale: Excellent; Very Good; Good; Not so Good; Poor; Abysmal
Greeting and Seating: Excellent
Table Presentation: Not so good
Settling in - drinks breads etc.: Very Good
Menu selection, variety price etc.:Very Good
Specials presentation: very Good
Wine selection, variety and price: Not so good - limited range but price good.
Drinks Service: Good
Food Service: Excellent
Ambiance: Not so good. Noise spill over from other open areas annoying. Open area needs shielding off from other eares. Too open and bare. At least some plants or barriers dividing the area off would have improved the ambience.
Music: None
Food choices:
Entree: Pate, Terrene, Scallops, prawns - all rated excellent except the Prawns whcih were rated good.
Main course: Rabbit Pie, Steak and Oysters, Confit of Duck, Coq au Vin - all rated excellent except the duck, which was tough. - only a Good.
Sweets: Chocolate tart, (Good) Creme Caramel (Good), Creme Brulee (Excellent), lemon cheescake (Good).
Drinks: Shadowfaz Victorian /shiraz $35.00; Olive Grove Chardonnay. Good.
Summary: This new water front area needs to mature. Too open to the other resturants in the strip. Food was good, service excellent. Needs to develop character.