CMatt

Member since 2008

Last updated on 13th Feb 2012

Reviews

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Displaying: 1 - 10 of 25 reviews

El Torito, West End

Restaurants, Mexican / Latin American, Vegetarian, BYO, Serves Dinner

Overall 7.5 3

6 Average

Food 7 Ambience 4 Service 7 Value 6

Another overly noisy restaurant. Seriously, why can't people have some manners when they go out and keep the noise to a minimum? Anyway, I don't often go to Mexican restaurants but of the few I've been to, this is the only one where the entire food menu didn't consist solely of nachos, burritos, tacos and the like. Thank-you for showing us a side of Mexican cuisine beyond the stereotypes!

Aug 26, 2011

Brew, Brisbane

Bars

Overall 6 1

6 Average

Drinks 4 Ambience 6 Service 7 Value 7

This place really has potential. Tucked away and hidden from the world, it has the makings of one of those hidden gems we all like to discover. However, the staff really need to learn to make drinks before that will happen. And I am confident that it will happen. Perhaps just a tad too noisy, but not disturbingly so. I have heard stories of some good food available here, but I only had drinks so I can't really comment on that. I will be back. I have no doubts that the sub-standard drinks are a temporary glitch.

Aug 12, 2011

Beach House Bar & Grill, Brisbane

Restaurants, Seafood, Steak House, Has Bar, Licensed

Overall 6.2 4

6.5 Recommended

Food 7 Ambience 3 Service 8 Value 8

A rather too noisy establishment, but if you manage to find yourself there on a quiet day, I think it would be rather pleasant. As much as I like live music, the singer/guitarist (who was actually very good, but I didn't get her name) was a bit loud which didn't help. The food is much ad one would expect from a place such as this, with a price to match.

Aug 12, 2011

Sono Japanese Restaurant, Brisbane

Restaurants, Japanese, Seafood, Vegetarian, Good For Groups

Overall 7.9 18

9 Highly Recommended

Food 10 Ambience 10 Service 10 Value 6

After spending far too long eating Japanese in Melbourne, it is always wonderful to come to Brisbane to remind myself what decent Japanese food is all about. The food here is simply flawless. Yes, it's quite expensive, but it's worth a visit just so you can learn how Japanese food can be.

Aug 11, 2011

Hancook, Woolloongabba

Restaurants, Japanese, Korean, BYO, Licensed

Overall 6.2 2

6.5 Recommended

Food 6 Ambience 6 Service 7 Value 7

I eat here practically every time I'm in town. Last time the food wasn't up to their usual standard for some reason, but they remembered my drink (that's twice in a row now, usually they bring everyone else's except mine!) so they get an extra service star. It was quiet which is always nice, but TVs do not belong in restaurants! They lose two stars for that.

Aug 05, 2011

Chalk Hotel, Woolloongabba

Pubs

Overall 5 2

5.2 Average

Food 7 Drinks 5 Ambience 3 Service 4 Value 7

Standard pub food. The steak was nicely cooked although my friend said his was practically raw in one spot. The major distractions here were the very slow service and some particularly obnoxious patrons. They're a pub, they have bouncers. Isn't it their job to keep this element out? Fortunately, we were about as far as we could get from the riff-raff, otherwise the ambience rating would have been much lower.

Aug 05, 2011

Golden Fields, St Kilda

Restaurants, Asian, Has Bar, Serves Breakfast, Serves Dinner

Overall 6.9 4

5.5 Average

Food 6 Ambience 5 Service 7 Value 4

The food is well cooked but the flavour combinations are very hit and miss. Some work quite well while others... let's just say I have no idea what the chefs were thinking. We largely gravitated towards many of these more unusual combinations and were sorely disappointed.

Similarly, the prices are sometimes OK but sometimes ridiculously expensive. Many of the dishes are quite small and there's no way in the world that they're worth the prices they're asking.

Given the hit-and-miss nature of the menu, it's surprising that the place is so popular. The restaurant was packed quite early in the evening. Consequently, the noise levels crept up which made the atmosphere slightly uncomfortable.

I won't be hurrying to return, but by all means if friends want to go I'll certainly join them. I just hope they get their menu sorted out in the meantime.

Favourite dish - twice cooked duck.

Jul 22, 2011

Caffe Sienna Ristorante, South Yarra

Cafes, Italian, BYO, Licensed, Outdoor Dining

Overall 6.9 8

4.3 Below Average

Food 6 Ambience 1 Service 6 Value 4

It's been a few days since I went to Cafe Sienna and I can't even remember what I ordered. I remember the food ok but not fantastic, but it was overwhelmed by the appalling atmosphere. The venue was so noisy that we couldn't hold even the barest hint of conversation. We were served by a horrendously staff which made me feel sick every time he came to serve us. If you must employ this staff, make sure they keep them hidden!

In all, it was an experience I won't forget, but not in a good way. I won't be going back.

Mar 26, 2010

Stokers Coffee & Pancake Lounge, Ivanhoe

Cafes

Overall 6.6 9

4.8 Average

Food 4 Ambience 5 Service 5 Value 5

Some of the worst coffee in living memory and some very mediocre pancakes combine to make this a very disappointing experience. I think they tried to provide a nice ambience, but it somehow misses the mark and comes across very half-done. Given the lack of food quality, the price is unjustifiable. They do have some redeeming features though. There is plenty of off-street parking available and it is open until quite late considering its location.

Jun 08, 2009

Bopha Devi @ Yarraville, Yarraville

Restaurants, Asian, Cambodian, Vegetarian, Licensed

Overall 5.8 6

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.8 Average

Food 8 Ambience 2 Service 7 Value 6

Fantastic food, unfortunately, spoiled by a terribly small dining area. Being hit continuously in the head by the electricity meter cupboard (I assume that's what it was) and being accompanied by a large ugly gas meter, it was not a pleasant place to eat. The food, however, far exceeded the quality one might expect from such a place.

May 26, 2009