Fundamental

4 Below Average

Food  5      Ambience  4      Service  3      Value  4     

It basically ok for breakfast, but after lunch not very good food at all, basically pretty expensive and pretty average. Also I tried to use the entertainment book voucher in there and he tried to make it just be 25% off the food rather than the whole bill which the voucher quite clearly states - If you don't want people to use the voucher don't go in the book, I won't be going back.

Feb 08, 2012 

7.8 Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  7      Service  7      Value  8     

Very good breakfast, eggs benedict came with brie and some unexpected fresh fruit. Pity it was all arranged on the plate for aesthetic rather than practical reasons. Coffee good and strong. Service fast and efficient if a little unfriendly. Good value considering the quality of the food.

Dec 15, 2011 

6.3 Average

Food  6      Ambience  6      Service  7      Value  6     

On a beautiful Spring morning, a seat on the pavement with the sun shining seemed like a great idea - this was the only real hit of the meal. Had brekky here on a Sunday morning and it was ok, not terrible but there are much better places to have a meal.

Wife had french toast, she didn't rave about it. I had the big brekky and it was ok too, eggs well cooked which is always a good thing. Coffee was pretty bad and you are in a suburb that has high standards (look at the queue across the road at Bertoni Casalinga).

Service was reasonably prompt but they were pretty rushed, the staff did well enough. Overall not a bad place to go, just not showstopper material. Give it a go if all the other cafes are full!

Sep 19, 2011 

4.5 Below Average

Food  1      Ambience  6      Service  6      Value  5     

This place is fundamental to avoid. Lunch today was a major disappointment.
Partner ordered the chicken schnitzel, was very dark brown (almost black), way overcooked, chicken was dry and stringy. It should not have been served. We were too polite to send back but it was definitely the worst schnitzel ever seen in a cafe/restaurant/pub. My pancake order was underwhelming, extremely dry and strong bicarbonate taste. New chef obviously required here. Atmosphere and location the only positive.

Jun 26, 2011 

5 Average

Food  6      Ambience  5      Service  4      Value  5     

We ate dinner at Fundamental recently. The food was good but not great (heavily weighted toward seafood). What really let this place down was the service. The staff were pleasant and friendly but just not nearly attentive enough. We might have been persuaded to have coffee and dessert, as we often are, but once our table was cleared after the main course, we were ignored. Had it been a busy night one might have excused the neglect.

Jan 06, 2011 

7.5 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  6      Service  8      Value  8     

Had a good experience here, not amazing but definitely not a bad place to pop in for some food. And the coffee was really good too which always helps :)

Dec 23, 2010 

2.3 Not Recommended

Food  5      Ambience  1      Service  1      Value  2     

Severely disappointing. The second chance we gave this place was today, public holiday Monday.

Our meals came out over 45 minutes after ordering, one very much before the other, and much later than several couples who had arrived, ordered, eaten and even Left before we got our first meal! There was no apology, no offer of anything, but attitude from the waitress saying "Well, was it worth the wait?" What do you say to that when clearly our order was forgotten and we had watched others enjoy their meals way before us?

When reluctantly paying, the man behind the counter when asked "what happened to our meal" said "it's because we're busy". Funny though that they were this busy last time when we were here and this didn't happen. He then said, "it's because you had the omelette, this takes much longer". Funny that, last time it took 10 minutes! (BTW I've ccoked many omelette in my time and they're quick to make!)
No apology again.

Then when queried further and an explanation that others had been served, fed and left before we even saw our meals, he said "we put the orders in order of when the orders are taken". I said "you haven't even apologised". What a joke. We will never be back, regardless of the serving sizes. I would rather a quarter of the food and quality of meal for just a smidgen of good service. Disappointing.

P.S The pigeons walking inside under your feet begging for scraps really added a lovely ambience to the place...not.

Oct 04, 2010 

8.8 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  7      Service  8      Value  10     

Had the best cafe meal of my life here! Lamb shanks in balsamic jus on mashed parsnip with grilled pear. Absolutely amazing! The serving size was huge but I had to eat it all. Yum! First time here so can't compare it. Not a coffee drinking so just came for amazing food!

Sep 30, 2010 

9.5 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  8      Service  10      Value  10     

I love this restaurant. The fillet mignon is amazing and the staff are so friendly and efficient. Go anytime, breakfast, lunch & dinner.

Sep 17, 2010 

5.3 Average

Food  4      Ambience  6      Service  5      Value  6     

The daytime food in the "cafe" has deteriorated so much since the change of ownership. Servings are much smaller for the same price which is very disappointing, given the value in the large servings that the old Fundamental Fish used to serve. They have also changed over to a cheaper form of coffee which is now undrinkable. Another pet peeve of mine is the cooking of bacon and eggs in a seafood frypan, where you can taste the seafood on the bacon and eggs served. Ewwww.

Definitely will not be going back any more which is such a shame for what was pretty much an institution in Balmain.

Jan 28, 2010