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.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
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.
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.
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.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Sacred Spice at Stratford 8th August 2008
Rod's choice
Present: Gerry, Alex, Ken, Irene, Rod, Louanne
Overall Rating: 3.45*
Total Cost per person: $62.50
Ratings scale: Excellent; Very Good; Good; Not so Good; Poor; Abysmal
Greeting and Seating: Very Good.
Table Presentation: Good
Settling in - drinks, breads etc.: Very Good
Menu selection, variety price etc.: Very Good - limited to menu. Could do a nightly special.
Specials presentation: none
Wine selection, variety and price: Not so good - not a good selection.
Drinks Service: Poor
Food Service: Poor
Ambiance: Good: minimalist restaurant with appropriate decor for a "spice" restaurant.
Food choices
Entree: Two red hot chili squid; Two oysters, a flamed prawns; and lemongrass Cha Bo. All rated excellent.
Main course: Sour fish rated excellent; Lamb shanks rated excellent, Cardamon chicken rated good; Saffron seafood soup rated not so good; West Indies spiced goat rated good; Am Char fish Very good although the salad was drowned.
Sweets: Fig and almond Semi Fredo; Marsala dates; chocolate tart; flaming bananas all rated excellent.
Drinks: Red and white choices extremely limited and several choice on the menu not available.
Summary: Overall disappointing as a "spice" restaurant. Meals, particularly the seafood soup were bland and quality of the main courses did not match the quality of the entrees and sweets. Service was extremely poor and the only evidence of professional training was in the Maitre de. the one waitress had no training and obviously little restaurant experience. Given the number of patrons, service should have been much better.
Present: Gerry, Alex, Ken, Irene, Rod, Louanne
Overall Rating: 3.45*
Total Cost per person: $62.50
Ratings scale: Excellent; Very Good; Good; Not so Good; Poor; Abysmal
Greeting and Seating: Very Good.
Table Presentation: Good
Settling in - drinks, breads etc.: Very Good
Menu selection, variety price etc.: Very Good - limited to menu. Could do a nightly special.
Specials presentation: none
Wine selection, variety and price: Not so good - not a good selection.
Drinks Service: Poor
Food Service: Poor
Ambiance: Good: minimalist restaurant with appropriate decor for a "spice" restaurant.
Food choices
Entree: Two red hot chili squid; Two oysters, a flamed prawns; and lemongrass Cha Bo. All rated excellent.
Main course: Sour fish rated excellent; Lamb shanks rated excellent, Cardamon chicken rated good; Saffron seafood soup rated not so good; West Indies spiced goat rated good; Am Char fish Very good although the salad was drowned.
Sweets: Fig and almond Semi Fredo; Marsala dates; chocolate tart; flaming bananas all rated excellent.
Drinks: Red and white choices extremely limited and several choice on the menu not available.
Summary: Overall disappointing as a "spice" restaurant. Meals, particularly the seafood soup were bland and quality of the main courses did not match the quality of the entrees and sweets. Service was extremely poor and the only evidence of professional training was in the Maitre de. the one waitress had no training and obviously little restaurant experience. Given the number of patrons, service should have been much better.
Salted Vue 4th July 2008
RoseEllen's choice
Present: Neil, RoseEllen, Michael, Gerry, Alex, Ken, Irene, Andrew, Alex
Overall Rating: 4.8* Total Cost per person: $58.00
Ratings scale: Excellent; Very Good; Good; Not so Good; Poor; Abysmal
Greeting and Seating: did not provide table on verandah as arranged when booked. Expressed disappointment at table provided inside. Wait staff reacted by providing a ridiculously overlarge and cramped table on the verandah. After asking for the manager and some manoeuvring the table was rearranged and eventually we were accommodated. Manager was very helpful and accommodating.
Table Presentation: Nothing special - verandah table open wood with place mats.
Settling in - drinks breads etc.: very good eventually.
Menu selection, variety price etc.: Set menu. 3 courses at $34.50. Selection of about six items per course.
Specials presentation: none
Wine selection, variety and price: Average for this type of restaurant.
Drinks Service: Excellent
Food Service: Excellent
Ambiance: Very good but a lot of noise coming for The Esplanade. Cars, Motor Bikes, bungy rides etc. spoiled ambiance of an almost waterfront location.
Music: Piped music on the verandah far too loud for a restaurant - even given that there was a lot of noise to get over. choice of music also very annoying and several guests commented that it got on their nerves. Eventually asked for it to be turned down.
Food choices
Entree: Three cauliflower soups rated 4.5; Two Thai beef rated 4; Asian pork rated 5; Wild mushrooms rated 4; Fish Cakes rated 4. All reported as excellent.
Main course: Two steaks rated 4; A Coconut chicken rated 4; Pork cutlet rated 4; Atlantic Salmon rated 5; 3 lamb dishes rated 4.
Sweets: Two chocolate tarts rated 5; Four Chocolate eclairs rated 4; A Merangue rated 4 and a lemongrass panacotta rated 4.5.
Drinks:
Summary: Overall great food and great value. Adequate wine list and great value for money. Not the place for a quiet night out. The Managers attention smoothed out the initial hiccups. We all agreed thought that we probably would not go there again because of the noise.
Present: Neil, RoseEllen, Michael, Gerry, Alex, Ken, Irene, Andrew, Alex
Overall Rating: 4.8* Total Cost per person: $58.00
Ratings scale: Excellent; Very Good; Good; Not so Good; Poor; Abysmal
Greeting and Seating: did not provide table on verandah as arranged when booked. Expressed disappointment at table provided inside. Wait staff reacted by providing a ridiculously overlarge and cramped table on the verandah. After asking for the manager and some manoeuvring the table was rearranged and eventually we were accommodated. Manager was very helpful and accommodating.
Table Presentation: Nothing special - verandah table open wood with place mats.
Settling in - drinks breads etc.: very good eventually.
Menu selection, variety price etc.: Set menu. 3 courses at $34.50. Selection of about six items per course.
Specials presentation: none
Wine selection, variety and price: Average for this type of restaurant.
Drinks Service: Excellent
Food Service: Excellent
Ambiance: Very good but a lot of noise coming for The Esplanade. Cars, Motor Bikes, bungy rides etc. spoiled ambiance of an almost waterfront location.
Music: Piped music on the verandah far too loud for a restaurant - even given that there was a lot of noise to get over. choice of music also very annoying and several guests commented that it got on their nerves. Eventually asked for it to be turned down.
Food choices
Entree: Three cauliflower soups rated 4.5; Two Thai beef rated 4; Asian pork rated 5; Wild mushrooms rated 4; Fish Cakes rated 4. All reported as excellent.
Main course: Two steaks rated 4; A Coconut chicken rated 4; Pork cutlet rated 4; Atlantic Salmon rated 5; 3 lamb dishes rated 4.
Sweets: Two chocolate tarts rated 5; Four Chocolate eclairs rated 4; A Merangue rated 4 and a lemongrass panacotta rated 4.5.
Drinks:
Summary: Overall great food and great value. Adequate wine list and great value for money. Not the place for a quiet night out. The Managers attention smoothed out the initial hiccups. We all agreed thought that we probably would not go there again because of the noise.
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Diggers - June 6th
Irene's choice. Neil 3*, Alex 3*, Gerry 2 1/2*, Ken 3*, Irene 3*, RoseEllen 3*, Michael 3*
Overall Rating: 2.9 stars
Total Cost per person: $74.00
Ratings scale: Excellent; Very Good; Good; Not so Good; Poor; Abysmal
Greeting and Seating: Abysmal
Table Presentation: Good
Settling in - drinks breads etc.: Abysmal
Menu selection, variety price etc.: Good
Specials presentation: Poor
Wine selection, variety and price: Abysmal
Drinks Service: Poor
Food Service: Good
Ambiance: Very good
Music: Good
Food choices:
Entree: Scallops (P) Oyster Kilpatrick (P), Oysters Napoli (P), Smoked Salmon x 2 (VG), Soup (Mushroom Zuccinini and Bacon), (G) Oysters natural (G).
Main course: Duck x 3 (2 G, 1 P), Waigu steak x 3 (P) Rogan Josh curry (G)
Sweets: creme brulee x 2 (G)
Drinks: Yalumba Merlot, Yalumba Shiraz, 2x Jacobs Creek Chardonnay.
Summary: This restaurant is in a motel in the northern end of Digger St. which services the lower end of the motel/apartment tourist market. The greeting and seating was non existent, we were left to find our own table, which we identified because it was the only one set for 7 people. Tables were pushed together and this meant that the person in the middle had to straddle two large chunky wooden table legs. Other diners were obviously lone motel residents, except for one loud group of women obviously on a cheap girls night out. The decor is straight from the 80s with mirrors and heavy wooden furniture.
The wine selection, at $17.00 a bottle was cheap enough but limited to a choice of three Jacobs Creek white varieties and three Yalumba red varieties. Fortunately they do allow BYO. The food selection was standard for this style of restaurant, but the waitress had no idea of the specials, then informed us that half of them were off. Quality was patchy, with all reporting the oyster small and the steaks dry. The smoked salmon, on the other hand, was served in large proportions. One of the duck dishes was so tough it was almost inedible, but the other two were reported tender and fine with a very tasty sauce.
The lights were switched down at 10 pm and we were asked to leave. A nice surprise on the way out was that one of the party turned out to knew the owner from previous restaurants, and we were given a 10% discount.
Overall Rating: 2.9 stars
Total Cost per person: $74.00
Ratings scale: Excellent; Very Good; Good; Not so Good; Poor; Abysmal
Greeting and Seating: Abysmal
Table Presentation: Good
Settling in - drinks breads etc.: Abysmal
Menu selection, variety price etc.: Good
Specials presentation: Poor
Wine selection, variety and price: Abysmal
Drinks Service: Poor
Food Service: Good
Ambiance: Very good
Music: Good
Food choices:
Entree: Scallops (P) Oyster Kilpatrick (P), Oysters Napoli (P), Smoked Salmon x 2 (VG), Soup (Mushroom Zuccinini and Bacon), (G) Oysters natural (G).
Main course: Duck x 3 (2 G, 1 P), Waigu steak x 3 (P) Rogan Josh curry (G)
Sweets: creme brulee x 2 (G)
Drinks: Yalumba Merlot, Yalumba Shiraz, 2x Jacobs Creek Chardonnay.
Summary: This restaurant is in a motel in the northern end of Digger St. which services the lower end of the motel/apartment tourist market. The greeting and seating was non existent, we were left to find our own table, which we identified because it was the only one set for 7 people. Tables were pushed together and this meant that the person in the middle had to straddle two large chunky wooden table legs. Other diners were obviously lone motel residents, except for one loud group of women obviously on a cheap girls night out. The decor is straight from the 80s with mirrors and heavy wooden furniture.
The wine selection, at $17.00 a bottle was cheap enough but limited to a choice of three Jacobs Creek white varieties and three Yalumba red varieties. Fortunately they do allow BYO. The food selection was standard for this style of restaurant, but the waitress had no idea of the specials, then informed us that half of them were off. Quality was patchy, with all reporting the oyster small and the steaks dry. The smoked salmon, on the other hand, was served in large proportions. One of the duck dishes was so tough it was almost inedible, but the other two were reported tender and fine with a very tasty sauce.
The lights were switched down at 10 pm and we were asked to leave. A nice surprise on the way out was that one of the party turned out to knew the owner from previous restaurants, and we were given a 10% discount.
Mangosteins 18th April
Neil's choice: Rod 3*, Louanne 3 1/2*, Neil 4 1/2* , Irene 4 1/2*, Gerry 4*, Ken 4*, Alex 31/2*
Overall Rating: 3.2*
Total Cost per person: $85.00
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.: Very Good
Menu selection, variety price etc.: Very Good
Specials presentation: None
Wine selection, variety and price: Good
Drinks Service: Excellent
Food Service: Very Good
Ambiance: Very Good
Music: Very Good
Food choices:
Entree: Salt and pepper callimari (G), tempura and Kilpartick oysters (VG), Scallops (G) Oyesters Ninjari (VG), Callimari (NSG), Oysters natural (G)
Main course: Lamb shanks (NSG), Moreton Bay bugs (NSG), Seafood Basket x 3 (G, G, VG), fish of day (G) Atlantic Salmon (VG)
Sweets: Sticky Date Pudding (E) Chocolate pudding (E) Figs (E), strawberries (E)
Drinks: good selection well priced.
Summary: An esplanade restuarant so caters to tourist trade with an emphasis on sea food with a sea food theme. Service was friendly and the incorrect starter drinks were quickly replaced. Cloth serviettes were a bonus. The meals were generally reported to be below standard and this reduced the overall star rating.
Overall Rating: 3.2*
Total Cost per person: $85.00
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.: Very Good
Menu selection, variety price etc.: Very Good
Specials presentation: None
Wine selection, variety and price: Good
Drinks Service: Excellent
Food Service: Very Good
Ambiance: Very Good
Music: Very Good
Food choices:
Entree: Salt and pepper callimari (G), tempura and Kilpartick oysters (VG), Scallops (G) Oyesters Ninjari (VG), Callimari (NSG), Oysters natural (G)
Main course: Lamb shanks (NSG), Moreton Bay bugs (NSG), Seafood Basket x 3 (G, G, VG), fish of day (G) Atlantic Salmon (VG)
Sweets: Sticky Date Pudding (E) Chocolate pudding (E) Figs (E), strawberries (E)
Drinks: good selection well priced.
Summary: An esplanade restuarant so caters to tourist trade with an emphasis on sea food with a sea food theme. Service was friendly and the incorrect starter drinks were quickly replaced. Cloth serviettes were a bonus. The meals were generally reported to be below standard and this reduced the overall star rating.
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