Giant Steps/Innocent Bystander

4.3 Below Average

Food  9      Ambience  1      Service  1      Value  6     

We visited the Innocent Bystander restaurant and retail section on Monday 13 September 2010 for an early lunch, as we were visiting Yarra Valley Toyota for a service and test-drive nearby. I doubt that we will be back.

The food was absolutely terrific, great sourdough pizza, the most fabulous truffle and parmesan frites, that even my mum found delicious, and a great salad. Though pricey, the produce is of top quality. The waitress service was good, though ordering took a bit longer than necessary.

The real spoiler was the senior staff. We had bought several of the retail products prior to eating at the restaurant, bread and pastries and when we informed the girl at the till we would be sitting down for lunch, she told us she would transfer the amount to the restaurant bill, and we should sit down with our food at a table. As we were starving from an early start with no breakfast, we dug in and nibbled on some bread we had bought before our food came.

We were reading the papers and thoroughly enjoying the casual and comfortable surrounds, when a young man came up to the table and told us that as the retail section is separate from the restaurant, and goods priced appropriately, Innocent Bystander had a policy that retail food should not be consumed in the restaurant section. We were told we could buy bread from the restaurant at $1 per person. Therefore, and I quote, the young man told us to "put the food away". In that tone.

I have never been so shocked and degraded in a restaurant in my life. We looked at him disparagingly and continued as we were. After our meal, my father called the young man over and asked to speak to the senior staff. He declared that he was the senior staff. My father explained to him that never has he had such an experience, that in all his days he has seen backpackers and all sorts offered seating and water when eating their own food or food from other premises.

Here we had paid high prices for quality retail food in his own establishment and were still buying expensive quality food in his restaurant, and Innocent Bystander had a problem with it. He reminded him that the customer is the one paying him, and if Innocent Bystander has such a strong policy on this, Innocent Bystander should have a clear sign in the retail section and upon entry stating that retail food is not to be consumed in the restaurant, and consumers would then be free to vote with their feet depending on what they thought of the policy.

To sink our hard-earned dollars into the retail section of an establishment and order further goods in the restaurant section, and then be ambushed by a greedy and inhospitable senior staff prioritising his own profits and policy over customer service, is an absolute disgrace to the otherwise top quality Yarra Valley wining and dining experience. To his discredit, the senior staff had the gall to dispute that he had told us to "put the food away".

I told him I should have brought in my tape recorder to remind him exactly how brusque and rude he had been. We visited Innocent Bystander on the basis of a great review in a wine magazine, ironically read while enjoying the great wine, food and service of Yering Station Restaurant just a week ago.

It is incumbent on us as customers to let you know that, perhaps, this establishment has received a few too many good reviews and management's head has gone so far up, it's forgotten who it's there to serve - us, the customer. We pay your wage, and a little goodwill and good service goes a long way. We will not reward miserly policy with loyalty.

Sep 14, 2010 

3.8 Below Average

Food  5      Ambience  5      Service  2      Value  3     

Terrible service by male wait staff on the floor, need lessons in customer service.

Aug 16, 2010 

5.3 Average

Food  7      Ambience  7      Service  1      Value  6     

Will not be back despite good food and waitstaff. After spending 1.5 hours in Melbourne saturday traffic on the way we calculated we would be about 15 minutes late for our booking and thought the polite thing to do would be to call ahead and let them know. We were told they couldn't do anything but we needed to get there as fast as possible.

After we had ordered the senior staff approached our table and asked where we had come from, when we said Melbourne she responded "funny, no one else had problems getting here on time" in much the same way as a passive aggressive senior staff might address a casual worker.

Unfortunately, this incident spoilt the fact that the pizzas were very good and the waitress serving us was also very good. Just not quite good enough to justify the soup nazi treatment.

Jul 26, 2010 

6.3 Average

Food  5      Ambience  9      Service  10      Value  1     

Overpriced for average food. Disappointed with the pizza's we ordered, no flavor. Chips were great and the bread. Would only come here for drinks and starters. Shocked when we got our bill to not only find it was high but found we were charged a surcharge. Service no complaints.

Mar 22, 2010 

8.8 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  7      Service  10      Value  9     

After a disappointing experience at snobby, overpriced Tarrawarra, we thoroughly enjoyed our meal. A bit noisy, but a relaxed atmosphere, with great food, and fantastic, friendly service. A great place to eat in Healesville.

Feb 08, 2010 

3 Below Average

Food  2      Ambience  5      Service  3      Value  2     

Have been here quite a few times, but it is getting progressively worse. The lunch menu is shrinking. Apart from pizza everything else is very expensive. Have had the pizza a couple of times. The first time it was great, next ok, next, so charred on the bottom it was inedible and sent back and this time (you'd think we'd learn) burnt on the bottom, but not to the extent of the last time.

I also had a slice of tart that was not on the menu and was asked if I wanted cream or icecream. Beware, this will cost you an extra $2 and was not mentioned by the staff member. This used to be a nice place to come for lunch, now it is overpriced and the food is not up to standard. We will not be back.

Jan 10, 2010 

8 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  8      Service  10      Value  6     

The staff are very attentive. I didn't find them slow at all. Very prompt, helpful, friendly. I enjoyed the way the lady who was attending to our table asked how we enjoyed the wine tasting. Little things like that just show staff are co-ordinating in the background to create an experience.

Our table ordered a pizza each, which were very yummy, but I must admit overpriced. They are gourmet 'European style'. Only 2-3 toppings, which mind you are delicious, but a bit steep at $19 each. The wine tasting was generous (and free).

All in all a nice day out, although we did have to pick a snack for the drive home as the pizza wasn't very filling.

Nov 23, 2009 

2.3 Not Recommended

Food  1      Ambience  2      Service  5      Value  1     

I've eaten at Giant Steps on maybe five occasions over a few years. Well five is enough, no more. It's got progressively worse on all fronts. Slack food, slow service, constant up-selling to get you to order more.

The final straw was a $17 ham and cheese baguette. Oh, plus 10% surcharge. Yes, that's $18.70 for just ham and cheese on bread. To be honest I felt that they were treating us like fools for serving what they did for that price. Others in our group had ordinary pizzas, oversalted chips and poor coffee.

It's cynical and overpriced. It's sad really because it used to be good.

Nov 03, 2009 

7.3 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  6      Service  9      Value  7     

I've been coming here for years, and have recommended it to others as well as have taken people with me. Great wine and great food, with great service and a smile on top of it all. However, after my most recent visit I discovered something which I find extremely irritating and due to this, I will now bypass IB and peruse the million other equally good establishments in the Yarra Valley.

On my bill was a $10.80 surcharge, for doing nothing. It wasn't a corkage fee, a parking fee or to allow me to bring my own homemade sandwiches. It was just because it was sunday. Thats it. Thats one of those made up fees like line rental or admin fee. It means nothing more than the owner putting his hand in your pocket and taking out more money just because he wants to. Thanks IB for the past few years but now it's time for my friends and I to move on.

Aug 17, 2009 

7.5 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  9      Service  7      Value  7     

Love the atmosphere with the big tables to spread around on. Had some antipasti which was ok and a pizza, while tasty, 22 bucks is steep for what you get. Nice outdoor dining as well and the cheese platter was sound. Nice place for a simple lunch in the summer. They seem to be a little up themselves although waited 15 minutes to get sat.

Jun 17, 2009