Paragon Cafe, The

2.5 Not Recommended

Food  5      Ambience  2      Service  2      Value  1     

A soviet gulag grafted on to a twee cafe in Katoomba. If you can stomach the prices ($4.95 for a Sunday morning coffee, $5.50 if you want the luxury of skim milk) this place would be worth a visit just to be reminded why you hate primary school and that annoying teacher (you know the one) that swatted you into a straight line when he passed.

From the sign "Do not seat yourself, stand behind the white line" to the "Under no circumstances will payment be left on the table" memorandum in each booth, the aggressive and imperious directives tackily posted on to every available surface serve as an immediate disincentive to eat here.

When we decided not to pay $19.80 each for cuisine-noveau-without-the-cuisine breakfast, we timed our exit to the door so as to avoid patrolling staff. As we emerged, blinking, into the light, we felt a sense of freedom wash over us. I can't comment on the food - we didn't eat here. So if you do, please let me know how the food is - and whether the service gets any better.

Aug 06, 2007 

3.8 Below Average

Food  5      Ambience  5      Service  1      Value  4     

I took my wife here on a busy Sunday during the school holidays and totally agree with the last 2 reviewers. The service by the junior waitstaff were fantasic - however they are obviously not valued as highly by the management.

Jul 17, 2007 

7.5 Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  8      Service  5      Value  8     

I agree with the previous reviewer in regards to the woman behind the counter selling the chocolates. I was waiting in line and she served another customer standing beside me even though I had been standing at the counter first. She also seemed to get impatient with customers deciding which chocolates to purchase. When you are paying a high price I feel you should be able to take a bit longer selecting the chocolates.

The young waitress who served our delicious scones with jam and cream was excellent. These are the largest scones I've ever seen. I'd love to know how they manage to get the scones to rise so well. My daughter also enjoyed her waffles.

Jul 09, 2007 

4.5 Below Average

Food  7      Ambience  5      Service  1      Value  5     

My family and I recently came here for afternoon tea. It wasn't the first time we had been here, and had always had a good experience. As lovely as the food and the setting was, the ambience was ruined by who I'm assuming is the senior staff and two occasion. Firstly, her treatment of staff infront of customers was appalling. I can appreciate it was busy, and she has a business to run, but the way she was treating staff definitely killed the old-world feeling that the paragon has.

Secondly, when we paid and were observing the chocolates the woman again was very rude to us. I was considering buying chocolates as a present for a friend and as a poor student, $16 for 8 chocolates was too expensive for the context that I was buying them. She proceeded to snap at me and say that I would be better off to go get cadbury's if that was my attitude, and basically threw us out of the shop saying that she was sick of being told that they were too expensive. This woman needs to improve her attitude or get out of the hospiltality industry. As long as you have no dealings with her, you will probably have an enjoyable time.

Jul 04, 2007 

7 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  6      Service  7      Value  7     

This historic icon has really lost its beauty over the years but the punters keep coming. Creaky floor boards, the smell of musty, old wood, hard wooden bench seating, hand made choccies, all adds to the 1930's charm. Staff stretched to the limit all wearing hard soled shoes on, you guessed it, hard wooden floors so the ambience is likened to a day at the trots........clop, clop, clop. Food it ok and the coffee and tea are hot.

Jun 23, 2007