Bushfire Flame and Grill 19th June 2009

Alex's choice. Present: Gerry, Ken, Irene, Michael, Rosellen

Overall Rating: 2.75*
Total Cost per person: $78.00
Ratings scale: Excellent; Very Good; Good; Not so Good; Poor; Abysmal

Greeting and Seating: Excellent
Table Presentation: Good
Settling in - drinks breads etc.: Good
Menu selection, variety price etc.: Very Good
Specials presentation: All food explained fully and the share Churasio Experience was explained and demonstrated.
Wine selection, variety and price: Very Good
Drinks Service: Good
Food Service: Not so good - waiters had to be called over constantly.
Ambiance: Acoustics not good, but rest of decor suitable to type of restaurant.
Music: None - the food was the entertainment.

Food choices: The Churasio Experience choices were a combination of entrees and mains, or mains and desert.Our choices on the staff's suggestion was three with entree and three with desert.
Entree: Tapas - a plate of smoked salmon, fish in batter, chicken sticks, melon, prosciutto and feta to share - not a large serve but all very tasty and well presented.
Main course: A red cabbage salad, baked cauliflower and broccoli gratin, Chat Potatoes, Pork crackling, horseradish and other sauces were all served on the table to share whilst waiters circulated with skewers of flame grilled meat which they sliced off at the table. Diners used tongs to pull the meat off the skewer as it was served. The pork was the outstanding meat with other serves including Chicken, Chirozo sausage, Beef and flame grilled pineapple coated in Cinnamon sugar. Pots of meatballs and seafood were also placed on the table to share.
Sweets: Sweets were a delicious Belgian chocolate fondue to share with fruit, chocolate cake cubes, marshmallows and biscotti, and a generous cheese plate to share.
Drinks: Gina and Tonics, champagnes to start with and adequate red and white wines which I again forgot to write down. :-)

Summary: An interesting and reasonably priced way to dine out. This restaurant is let down by its service. We had to constantly call over the waiters and as they were serving the food this was annoying. Again, for a large international class hotel, better was expected. Wait staff were mostly ESL and the restaurant lacked character due to poor communiction skills.. Food dropped on the floor waited over long to be cleaned up, and then only after several requests. The wine service was also slow and several prompts were required.

Kewarra Beach Resort 22nd May 2009

Irene's choice. Present: Ken, Rosellen, Gerry, Alex, Irene

Overall Rating: 3.1 *
Total Cost per person: $100.00
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.: Not so good
Menu selection, variety price etc.: Good
Specials presentation: N/A
Wine selection, variety and price: Good
Drinks Service: Poor
Food Service: Poor
Ambiance: Very Good
Music: N/A

Food choices:
Entree: Tomato and capsicum soup 3* 3x cajun prawns 3 * form all; Smoked Salmon 3*.
Main course: 2 Eye Fillet Steak both 4*; Moreton Bay bugs 3*; Rack of Lamb 3* Barrimundi 4*

Sweets: Cheese plate 4*; 2 x Lavender Creme Brulee 4*; Apple and Rhubarb crumble 4*.

Drinks: I was slack and didn't write this down but we had adequate bottles of red and white.

Summary: Ambiance is typical beach resort open style restaurant in beach side rain forest setting. very pleasant. Food was adequate but nothing to rave about. Service was poor - particularly given that it is an upmarket resort.

Hanuman at the Hilton 20th March 2009

Neil's choice. Present: Gerry, Ken Irene, Neil, Andrew

Overall Rating: 4.79 *
Total Cost per person: $85.00


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

Greeting and Seating: Good
Table Presentation: Very Good
Settling in - drinks breads etc.: N/A
Menu selection, variety price etc.: Very Good
Specials presentation: N/A
Wine selection, variety and price: Very Good
Drinks Service: Excellent
Food Service: Excellent
Ambiance: Excellent
Music: None

Food choices: Food was selected to share as per the asian theme.
Entree: Oysters, Fish, stuffed mushrooms, pork stirfry, porknonya and rice paper rolls. Entrees were inthe mid & teens prcie range.

Main course: Pork Belly, Barrimundi, Red Duck Curry, Lamb Korma, Baby Bok Choy. Mains were all in the high teens early $20s range.

Sweets: Affogatto was ordered but as there was no vanilla ice cream available they were unable to supply it.

Drinks: A bit dissapointing - coffees did not come with chocloate or any of the tid-bits expected in such an establishment.

Summary: An excellent and reasonably priced Asian menu and great ambience - full glass windows overlooking light gardens. Excellent service as one would expect a the Hilton. No vanilla ice cream was a major ovesight for a restuarant at an establishment such as the Hilton ! Our friend David (from the Donini's days) looked after us well.