|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
User Reviews on The Paragon Cafe
|
| |
|
Displaying 1 - 10 of 18 comments
|
| |
|
Page:
1
2
Next
|
|
| |
|
|
| Overall |
 
|
Not Recommended |
 |
Food 5 |
Ambience 1 |
Service 1 |
Value 1 |
|
|
We visited the Paragon over the June long weekend after requests from a family member. He had been visiting this cafe since a child and had very fond memories of lunch and then yummy waffles for dessert. So, we went. We were ushered to the back room, which was like a meat locker - freeeeezzzzzziiiing cold! A small gas heater was doing it's best to heat the room, but was doing a very poor job.
A very unpleasant waitress then shoved some tacky menus (typed on standard paper and then laminated, with the laminate coming apart) and within minutes asked if we were ready to order. When told no, we needed more time, she made it very obvious she wasn't happy and demanded to know how much more time we wanted. When we told her 5 minutes she turned on her heel and stormed off.
The majority of food was ok, but the "meat nachos" was served in a soup bowl and was more supermarket salsa loaded with capsicum rather than meat. As soon as you got through the first layer the rest of it was all soggy. But you couldn't do anything about it, as the menu very obviously stated that if you had a problem with your meal, you had to say something before eating any of it. If you started eating it, then tough luck. Leek and potato soup was ok, but way to salty and pitiful half bread roll.
7 serves of waffles was ordered, which came out one by one. Seriously. They must have only had one waffle maker working, and we were all stunned that by the time the last one arrived at the table, everyone else was ready to go. The bathroom was freezing cold with the "hygiene bins" outside the cubicles rather that inside. Yuck. Did I mention the prices? $12.00 for a bowl of soup, yikes! And that was the cheapest thing on the menu.
I could make a much better version and it wouldn't cost me half that much, and I'm just a mum. The Paragon has been a Katoomba institution for years, and its just so disappointing that the owner is relying on the name, and not doing anything about the quality of the food or the service.
We definitely won't be back, and will tell anyone within ear shot about our awful experience.
|
| |
|
Was this review helpful?
|
|
| |
dixichick -
See my reviews 1 , 08 June 2009
|
Manage this Listing to respond
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Overall |
|
Not Recommended |
|
Food 1 |
Ambience 1 |
Service 1 |
Value 1 |
|
|
I went to the Paragon yesterday, it was disgusting, when we walked in we asked the waiter if they had a high chair to which he responded "don't think so"... I then asked him again.. "are you sure"... to which he replied "pretty sure we don't"! I should have walked out then. Eventually he brought over a high chair and it was filthy. Another lady who worked there grabbed the chair, made a comment about how he didn't even clean it and walked off with the chair.
The lady returned with a clean highchair. We ordered a Ploughman's Lunch, pie and lasagne. My husband is a chef and he was disgusted at the presentation, not to mention the 1 piece of cheap french stick loaf served with it! plus chicken wings, never have I seen a Ploughmans with chicken wings. The pie arrived with vegetables that were cooked in old oil and butter, the potatoes were raw. The actual pie filling was edible. The lasagne was horrible.
My guess it is one from the freezer section of the local supermarket. I bet I could have found a tastier one at Katoomba Hospital, or railway station. On our way out I decided to buy some chocolates ($16.75 for 7!), when I arrived at the counter a poor young girl who had just started said she had to wait for the supervisor as she couldn't work the till.
The "senior staff" arrived. He was the chap who had been parading around the restaurant coughing and spluttering onto the sleeve of his shirt. He had been outside having a cigarette so reeked as he walked past us. I was choosing my chocolates, and he told us how he loved chocolate. Then proceeded to eat chocolates from the display as he was serving us. Surely this somehow would infringe health standards. I could hardly believe what I was seeing.
I am in the travel industry and am often asked to recommend restaurants in the Blue Mountains. I will never recommend the Paragon. This could be a goldmine for the lady who owns it, but obviously she is making enough money where she can treat patrons like this. Even the way the menu's were printed are second rate. But after walking down Katoomba Street and seeing how a lot of the cafe's restaurants were empty, hope that we don't see a 'For Lease' sign on such a famous old restaurant.
|
| |
|
Was this review helpful?
|
|
| |
|
sydneyjo1 -
See my reviews 1, 06 June 2009
|
Manage this Listing to respond
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Overall |
|
Not Recommended |
|
Food 1 |
Ambience 1 |
Service 1 |
Value 1 |
|
|
After hearing from my mum how lovely this place is, I decided to visit and experience it's renowned old world charm. Sadly, the only charm lies in the 40 year old decor. We went in there for afternoon tea on a Friday, and the place was empty. We were only sitting for 5 minutes before we realised why.
The young guy waiting our table was hopeless, he made a chocolate milkshake that tasted like frothy milk, and when my husband was asked by an older woman waitress how it was, he said he didn't like it and that it tasted like powdered chocolate. She was obviously offended, insisting that it's real chocolate and that they don't make it like that anywhere else. Unfortunately, yes, they don't make milkshakes that terrible anywhere else, so they can proudly wear that badge.
I ordered waffles, which on the menu are supposed to come with either maple syrup or chocolate sauce, and a side of gelato and cream. My waffles came out with maple syrup, but no gelato or cream. My husband ordered a piece of cake with gelato and cream, which was actually nice compared to my bland waffles, but I think the most disappointing factor is that we were still waiting at least 20 minutes for our food when we were the only people here (I understand why).
Anyway, I will never be back here and we regretted entering the place within the first 5 minutes. Food was disappointing, service was appalling and the lovely surroundings are really overshadowed by the dead atmosphere inspired by the dreadful service and attitude of staff towards the customers.
|
| |
|
Was this review helpful?
|
|
| |
|
christyisyourfriend -
See my reviews 25, 15 May 2009
|
Manage this Listing to respond
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Overall |
|
Below Average |
|
Food 5 |
Ambience 5 |
Service 3 |
Value 5 |
|
|
|
All I have to say is that the food is average and the value for this food is not present. Will add in shock, that the waitrress was heard in the background after taking my order for sparking mineral water saying, "what's sparking mineral water?" Great I thought, they don't have it and she thinks tap water is what I mean. Well I got just plain old mineral water. This place has so much potential, it is beautiful inside with $200,000 dollars worth of lights!!! However the manager / owner has no idea, how sad.
|
| |
|
Was this review helpful?
|
|
| |
|
Atnegam -
See my reviews 9, 12 April 2009
|
Manage this Listing to respond
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Overall |
|
Average |
|
Food 5 |
Ambience 7 |
Service 6 |
Value 1 |
|
|
|
Very disappointed, not as we remember it in the past. Scones were undercooked, meagre amounts of cream, jam, and tea, very overpriced for the serving! Floors needed a thorough vacuuming, and the tidy bin in the toilet was so huge the door couldn't be opened fully to get in. This is a gem, but needs a good general tidy up, lift your game, to match the prices.
|
| |
|
Was this review helpful?
|
|
| |
|
lexsan -
See my reviews 1, 08 April 2009
|
Manage this Listing to respond
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Overall |
|
Highly Recommended |
|
Food 10 |
Ambience 9 |
Service 7 |
Value 6 |
|
|
|
It was a few years ago that we visited here. But I have been hanging out to return, well until I read the bad reviews below. The Hot Chocolate I had here was the best hot chocolate I have ever had. Then the Ceasar Salad was brilliant too! The boys loved their hamburgers, good size too. I am really disappointed to hear the recent bad reviews. I will be returning soon and will report back again.
|
| |
|
Was this review helpful?
|
|
| |
|
aussiecarla -
See my reviews 13, 20 February 2009
|
Manage this Listing to respond
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
|
| |
|
| Overall |
|
Average |
|
Food 5 |
Ambience 7 |
Service 3 |
Value 3 |
|
|
My husband and I went to Paragon just yesterday (13/4/08). We stood at the foyer and noticed that there were no seats available, the young lady making the coffees said that it would be a 5-10 minutes wait. We were happy to wait, luckily 2 booths became available within 5 minutes, however, we continued standing waiting to be seated. Two senior staff walked right past us as the young waitress making the coffee continued her job.
Finally we were seated about five minutes later. As we sat down, the table was cleared (from previous customers), the table was not wiped down and we were not given any menus. As we waited for some service and while senior staff continued to walk pass us I looked around and noticed some menus sitting on a counter.
We were hungry and could not stand to wait any longer thinking they had forgotten about us after we were seated. I helped myself to the menus. As we looked through our menus we were given a lunch time special menu by a senior staff, she had obviously noticed that we helped ourselves to the menus, and then she walked away.
The food was average, we had eggs benedict and big breakfast, mocha and iced chocolate. Mocha was okay and iced chocolate tasted good but was not cold, there was no icecream in it. Our waiter who took our order and served our food was friendly. Altogether, average food, poor quality service, expensive for the food and service you get but the cafe itself is cute.
|
| |
|
Was this review helpful?
|
|
| |
|
janemcrawford -
See my reviews 21, 14 September 2008
|
Manage this Listing to respond
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
|
| |
|
| Overall |
|
Below Average |
|
Food 5 |
Ambience 3 |
Service 1 |
Value 2 |
|
|
We went into the Paragon for a late afternoon snack. All we wanted was a pot of tea, some coffee and a sweet treat. The staff basically ignored us, and when we finally did get our orders taken we were treated as if we were a burden and not customers.
It was busy but so was every other restaurant we went to that weekend, and at none of the others was there such poor service. We waited 45 mintues for a pot of tea and a flat white. The woman had absolutley no customer service skills whatsoever, in fact I really don't think she cares for her customers whatsoever. She treated not only us but other customers who had been waiting for much longer for a waffle or a gelato (which they had none of, and failed to inform the customer then acted as if the customer should have known all along they were out of stock when it was still on the table and the menu) with utter contempt as if we were at fault for her having so much business.
I asked if there was anything gluten free - she didn't check but simply said no there was absolutly nothing gluten free. As I walked out there was a whole lot of gluten free nougat. They simply didn't care, there were no apologies for the service and the tea/coffee simply wasn't worth the wait. Would never go back or recommend this restaurant to anyone.
|
| |
|
Was this review helpful?
|
|
| |
|
kylies84 -
See my reviews 2, 28 July 2008
|
Manage this Listing to respond
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Overall |
|
Not Recommended |
|
Food 3 |
Ambience 4 |
Service 2 |
Value 1 |
|
|
Very pricey and poor service. The guy who served us took forever to bring out our drinks and then the waffles took about 40 minutes as they had to wait for waffle maker to heat up.
My guess is they're purposely trying to run this business into the ground as they looked like they didn't want to be there and they were rather incompetent. Great heritage decor but that's about it. Will not go there again.
|
| |
|
Was this review helpful?
|
|
| |
|
entree -
See my reviews 32, 30 May 2008
|
Manage this Listing to respond
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Overall |
|
Not Recommended |
|
Food 1 |
Ambience 6 |
Service 1 |
Value 2 |
|
|
A friend requested to go there as she had heard so much about it and had never been. We were ignored upon entering and we sat ourselves at a booth near the back of the room. Menus arrived quickly so I guess the 2 staff members had noticed us come in. We asked what cakes they had and the waitress pointed to the front of the shop and told us they were "over there" Did we ask for a map? We declined her invitation to service ourselves.
At nearly $10 a bit of service shouldn't be too much to ask. Our latte and very nice hot chocolate arrived pretty quickly and the muffin we requested soon after. It was burnt on top, black on the bottom. It sat in a greasy paper case with a forlorn lop sided tilt. When we complained we were told that the chef would be asked IF it could be replaced! The waitress returned and told us that they were all like that and the sugar sinks to the bottom and then caramelizes.
Did a chef really say that? She shrugged and removed the muffin. Waited ages to pay while being ignored by the 2 staff. Our drinks came to just over $10. I wonder if they sleep at night?
|
| |
|
Was this review helpful?
|
|
| |
|
snowpea -
See my reviews 6, 05 April 2008
|
Manage this Listing to respond
|
|
|
|
|
Special OffersRegisterTell a FriendAdvertiseRestaurateursLogin
Hi, Anonymous
Favourites
Map
Weather
Tell Friends
Print
Add to your list
