Amaya Restaurant

3 Below Average

Food  3      Ambience  5      Service  2      Value  2     

Bought a voucher which covers 2x any entrée, main, dessert, and beer or wine in Amaya, and the fun began:

Since they are so "busy" and impossible to book for dinner, we had to go in for lunch. We were the only customers there for Saturday lunch and I am not surprised why after this experience.

For drinks, we were given the wine menu. After we've chosen the wine, we were told by the waiter, I quote: "it's either house red or house white wine".

We could not choose the "speciality entrées" in the entrée menu because, I quote the waiter: "any entrée does not cover speciality entrée."

About 1/3 of all items on the main menu was crossed out or not available.

Waygu beef tasted like (and most probably is) rump steak. The only seafood in their "Seafood pad thai" were chewy chunks of squid and soggy bits of fish meat. Based on other reviewer's experience with this restaurant, I am glad that there were no prawns in the dish.

All desserts on the menu were no longer available because, I quote the waiter: "we don't have them anymore because no one orders them". So the 2x "any dessert" were substituted with 2x "complementary dessert" which were a scoop of neapolitan ice cream served in a cocktail glass topped with 3 frozen berries...

This is a perfect example for voucher rip-off and a restaurant soon to be history. There are many good Thai restaurants out there and this joint should have no place in Sydney. Seriously through this could not get any worst, but somehow I was not surprised because I've read the reviews on eatability before going in, should have read it before buying the vouchers.

May 22, 2012 

7.5 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  7      Service  7      Value  8     

I had a bad experience a couple of months ago with a scoopon so was wary of my night here with another one. When I presented it, however, the waiter/owner showed no signs of a negative response and I started to relax.

We ordered 2 beers, duck parcels and chicken skewers to start. They were small but beautifully delicate flavours. Not over swamped with sauce or grease. Delicious. I went for the lamb shank massaman curry for it's unusual quality. It was a most delightfully tasty dish with cubes of sweetness (potato, pumpkin, cashews) and a lightly flavored sauce. The lamb was a little fatty for my liking but there was plenty of tender meat on it.

My friend ate beef salad I think. Again lovely with delicate flavours. And we were finally served ice cream and fresh kiwi fruit. The restaurant is very casual with a gentle atmosphere. We got talking to the owner who told us his wife and her sister created the menu, so it is a unique menu and do all the cooking. Their young daughter was with them, well behaved and just as calm as the owners. It was a very lovely way to spend a Monday night and I will definitely be back to try more of the interesting menu

Apr 24, 2012 

5.3 Average

Food  8      Ambience  7      Service  1      Value  5     

Went to Amaya Sunday and used a voucher from DEALS.com.au which included 2 entrées, one from a less expensive category (fried items) and one from a “specialty” section consisting of more attractive (non-fried). Also, 2 mains, and one dessert.

Handed the voucher to the server and he said to pick 2 entrées, but Only from the cheaper fried food section only. Also, he said to pick 2 mains, but that not all of them were currently available. As it turned out, the 2 we ordered were in fact available (probably because they were in the cheaper end of the range). The server made no reference to dessert at that time. But, he did say that a glass of wine each was included (pleasant surprise, must not have seen that on the voucher).

Our server asked if we would like to add Jasmine rice to our order as it was not included in the deal. Of course, we were happy to add it.

The food arrived and was very good. Service was very slow, but if you aren’t in a hurry it’s not a problem. Needed to ask twice before waters were refilled.

Our server informed us that dessert was not included with DEALS.com.au, but was with other vouchers (guess they are using multiple coupon sites). We were sure our voucher included it, but didn’t really care as it then became clear that they probably mixed up the wine as an “inclusion” with the dessert as an “exclusion”. We asked how much we owed, and were told $5.00 for the rice ($2.50 each). Handed him $5.00. Then, a few minutes later, left $6.00 on the table and departed.

Got about half way up the street and was accosted by a woman (no idea who she was, but turns out that she is likely the senior staff/kitchen staff) and was asked, in an abrupt manner, where we got our voucher from. She rudely said that we needed to pay for the wine and rice. Told her that we did pay for the rice (directly handed the $5.00 to our server).

She then said that we needed to pay for the wine. We said that our server informed us that it was included in the voucher. She said, No, and you need to pay for it. We tried to clarify that, perhaps, there was some confusion across different types of vouchers, but all she said was that we needed to pay for our wine, while refusing to address the topic of the missing dessert (totally not getting the concept of listening skills, reasonability, or professionalism). Said we were not paying for the wine, which was offered to us, especially since we did not get the dessert. She turned around and stormed away.

We were left standing there, dumbfounded, wondering if she had gone back to the server to verify the accounting of events, or is she had just given up. As she returned to the kitchen (hence, senior staff/kitchen staff), after about a minute, we assumed we were “allowed to leave”.

After getting home, went back and read all the fine print. It turns out that there were several issues, including: An entrée from the “specialty” section was included, but disallowed. Wine was not included, but one dessert in fact was included. Rice, as charged at $2.50 is listed in the menu at $2.00.

Cannot remember being treated so rudely in a restaurant. Clearly, this confusion is all on the restaurant due to the multiple discounted deal sites they are using (DEALS.com.au, cudo, etc.). What is very perplexing is why the senior staff/kitchen staff, who we never had any contact with, felt it was proper to chase us down the street accusing us of running out without paying (especially the rice, which was paid for) instead of checking with our server.

We literally felt like we were thieves and were being watched by the other people on the street like an entertainment event while being yelled at. If this is the treatment after leaving a tip, beware to those who leave no tip! Beware if planning on going to Amaya, especially if using one of the many vouchers out there.

Apr 17, 2012 

4.3 Below Average

Food  6      Ambience  7      Service  2      Value  2     

I used to think that people who complained bitterly about the service of a restaurant on eatability were just difficult people, the kind of people who attract arguments, or who were unlucky, and that things would be different for me.

Then I went to Amaya. Now I understand. Amaya has the worst service of any restaurant I have ever been to. Here is an extract of ordering a meal for our group of 4 in the almost-empty restaurant:

Waiter: "Are you going to be sharing the dishes?"

Me: "Dunno, maybe a bit."

Waiter: "So are you happy for each dish to come out one at a time so you can all share each one?"

Me: "Actually, we'd prefer if they came out all at once so that we get our meals all at the same time."

Waiter: "No I'm sorry, but this is a restaurant providing fine dining. If you were expecting us to whip up some rice or noodles, we can bring them out all at once, but otherwise we will bring them out one at a time as otherwise our kitchen will get very stressed. Also, it might take a while between each dish so you might be here for a while. Just wanted to let you know how it is, so you can choose whether you want us to whip up some noodles, or have something nicer, it's up to you."

This was a lot for us four to take in. Firstly, last time we checked, 'fine dining' didn't mean bringing each person's meal out separately.

I also never thought that 'fine dining' meant bringing the wrong number of beers, the wrong number of cokes, the wrong number of wines, billing for 4 entrees when only 3 were provided, having the waiter argue with you that the bill is right and in fact 4 entrees were provided, billing the wrong amount for mains, and again billing the wrong amount for mains when the discrepancy was brought to the waiter's attention.

There were many other exchanges that night in which the waiter was just plain rude for no apparent reason, unless, perhaps, he just hated people who used spreets vouchers.

True to the waiter's word, however, the food came out one dish at a time. Even the rice came out separately, after the curry it accompanied had been sitting on the table for a while.

The restaurant has a good atmosphere. It has nice food too. Avoid it.

Apr 15, 2012 

1.3 Not Recommended

Food  2      Ambience  1      Service  1      Value  1     

This is the first restaurant that makes me so uncomfortable when I just started a booking. I had to go because I had the Groupon Voucher but when I rang to make a booking, the one picked up the phone was so so Rude!

He asked us to expect 1.5 - 2 hours wait even we have made a booking and explained that this is just the way they operate. Also 1 hour wait is expected before the food arrives.

Terrible service even before you start dining there. Very unhappy! Horrible service!

Apr 13, 2012 

1 Not Recommended

Food  1      Ambience  1      Service  1      Value  1     

With a fine selection of good value Thai places around Sydney, I highly recommend you give this place a miss. Food was poor and lacking. Service is remiss and certainly testing of one's patience. A complete waste of time and waste of my night.

Apr 01, 2012 

4.3 Below Average

Food  5      Ambience  4      Service  4      Value  4     

Dined with a spreets voucher. The voucher clearly stated Any three entrees, with "Any" in capitals. We were not allowed to choose from the specialty entree menu items such as the Peking duck pancakes which appear on the website.

Instead we could only choose from a very limited entree menu which largely consisted of deep fried items such as vegetable spring rolls, vegetable curry puffs, and fish cakes, things we generally would not order, and certainly would not go to a restaurant for. Discussed the situation with senior staff member who suggested we take it up with spreets as they had poorly worded the voucher.

Another staff member said they had not checked the copy on the deal before it was launched. Yet they took no responsibility, trying to make a distinction between the Entree menu and the Specialty Entree menu. It is worth noting that items on the specialty enter menu are only around $1-2 dollars more than the entree menu.

Mains were quite good. A glass of wine was included in our deal. We ordered a Sauvignon blanc. The waitress returned telling us that the only white wine they had left was a rather cheap "dry white wine" blend.

We ordered two servings of rice to go with the main. On the menu it it is $2.00. We were charged $2.50 each. This seems to be one of their common tricks, having now read other reviews.

Ambience is poor, and would be more suitable for a quick weekday lunch. Don't dine here with a voucher unless you don't mind feeling ripped off!

Mar 05, 2012 

8 Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  7      Service  8      Value  8     

We went with a voucher as well, but didn't have any problems others claim. Rice is charged extra, but this is quite normal for voucher deals. At whole menu price, the food is priced fairly anyhow. It was a bit of a rainy night, but the place was warm, we were able to change tables from out to inside once it started raining. This is a cosy thai restaurant with a modern interior. The food seems to be made very fresh, so of course it will take longer than a corner thai place where all the meats have been simmering for hours. We had a prawn dish with garlic sauce (very tasty) and an excellent red curry with duck meat. The server was very warm and friendly. I would recommend this place whole heartedly.

Mar 01, 2012 

9 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  8      Value  10     

At last Sydney has a restaurant laneway that's developing to be as good as Melbourne. Unlike Melbourne there are plenty of Thai restaurants around Sydney and I have been to most in the city/east.

I have to say that Amaya is one of the best for food at a reasonable price. I am not into vouchers so I can't comment on that. I also agree that it can take some time for the food to come out but when it does is just great. While you are waiting you can enjoy the passing parade that only Kings Cross can offer and of course your 'company'.

If you are in a hurry give it a miss and go to McDonalds but if you're organised and like fine tasting food without being ripped off it's worth the wait. I love it.

Feb 26, 2012 

1.3 Not Recommended

Food  2      Ambience  1      Service  1      Value  1     

We had a Groupon deal tonight and were greatly disappointed. The voucher indicated we could have any 2 entree's, any 2 mains and any 2 desserts plus a glass of wine/beer from the menu.

Entree - several were crossed out and we were advised we could only have the cheaper mains. We chose the mixed main each which would have included a chicken wing, spring roll, fish cake and money bag, we were not given the money bag although the full paying table next to us did. When we complained the senior staff advised us to take it up with Groupon

Main - many of the options were not available, we waited over an hour and my partners meal came a further 15 minutes after my own, portions were entree size, we were not offered rice, and the prawns had a horrible "stale" taste.

Dessert - all desserts were not available on the menu. We were given one scoop of home brand ice cream (we saw it being scooped out of the tub) and a few small pieces of tinned fruit.

Wine - the waitress took my wine order and the male senior waiter came and advised I could not have that wine I needed a cheaper glass ($1/glass less than what I ordered).

Horrible experience, we felt completely ripped off and we highly recommend you choose one of the much nicer restaurants in the same street!

Feb 16, 2012