Chilli&Garlic

Reviews

Restaurants, Spanish, BYO, Child Friendly, Licensed

Overall 7 253

8.3 Highly Recommended

Food 8 Ambience 8 Service 9 Value 8

A tremendous tapas restaurant that's been at it for years. Noisy, bustling, with plenty of staff ready to jump to your needs - really! Helpful and friendly, which is not quite what I expected after reading some of the reviews.

The portions are large, and all really delicious. We also had the Arroz Negro - squid ink rice. It was wonderful! And huge! At the end of our meal, with only half our dishes eaten, we wondered what we should do. I said sheepishly "could we..." and the waiter immediately said "Would you like to take that with you? Sure! No problem!" A great way to end a great evening. Well done!

Apr 23, 2012

Cream Cafe Bar, Canberra

Cafes, Modern Australian, BYO, Has Bar, Licensed

Overall 5.9 25

4 Below Average

Food 5 Ambience 5 Service 3 Value 3

A Sunday breakfast with family, made unpleasant by uninterested staff who seem as if you're being done a favour. We actually asked for butter and there was eye rolling!
Portions are small on small plates - value lacking. I was also unimpressed with the spinach side that was not only expensive, but completely saturated in oil. The fit out is good, and we were warm and comfortable, but good service really is an unknown concept here.

Apr 23, 2012

Izakaya Fujiyama, Surry Hills

Restaurants, Japanese, Serves Dinner, Serves Late Dining

Overall 6.6 4

4.5 Below Average

Food 4 Ambience 5 Service 5 Value 4

Very disappointed. An Izakaya is typically a place to drink and eat snacks. They are often noisy, and always have an extensive menu, with prices ranging from cheap through to items higher on the delicacy scale. It would be great to have one in Surry Hills.

Whilst Izakaya Fujiyama has a large sake list, there are more limited beer offerings, and limited wine offerings. All are priced beyond their competitors, and thus discouraging repeat visits.

The food menu, while well prepared and authentic, is very limited. More limited in fact than most restaurants, an izakaya should have way more offerings than a restaurant. The food is also overpriced. Staples such as rice and miso soup are missing altogether, and something as simple as agedashi tofu is $13.

This is almost Surry Hills Hipster-ville, but not quite. The ambience is cool without being pretentious, and the staff are friendly and efficient. Perhaps, the rent is too high? There has to be some reason for the limited food offering and high prices, other than a captive hip crowd.

Really needs a game-lift, or a menu re-vamp, or a direction change. Close, but not on the mark.

Apr 13, 2012

Mohr Fish, Surry Hills

Cafes, Fish and Chips, Seafood, BYO, Child Friendly

Overall 6.9 49

6.8 Recommended

Food 7 Ambience 6 Service 7 Value 7

A unique place - part old-school milk bar, part kitchen, part take-away shop with tables. Scrubbed clean and brightly lit, it's a place to eat good fish cooked well, not for a romantic or lingering dinner.

The waitress is typically pleasant and attentive, and is aware of what's going on. It's nice to be greeted with complimentary bread, and then to be served really well priced and delicious dishes. Prawn and fish dumplings are great, as is the fish pie. It's consistent, fast, and novel.

And you can buy wine or beer at the pub across the road and bring it in, glass and all. Very sweet and neat, and makes for a pretty easy meal.

Apr 13, 2012

Fish & Co., Annandale

Restaurants, Seafood, BYO, Licensed, Serves Dinner

Overall 6.9 67

7.5 Recommended

Food 9 Ambience 7 Service 7 Value 7

One of the most delicious fish experiences I've ever had. Informed and sustainable food with staff who really understand it, then top notch preparation and flavours. A great little local restaurant that has a good vibe with quality fare.

Apr 10, 2012

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Member since 2006

Last updated on 1st Jun 2012

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Displaying: 1 - 10 of 63 reviews

Encasa, Sydney

Restaurants, Spanish, BYO, Child Friendly, Licensed

Overall 7 253

8.3 Highly Recommended

Food 8 Ambience 8 Service 9 Value 8

Apr 23, 2012

Cream Cafe Bar, Canberra

Cafes, Modern Australian, BYO, Has Bar, Licensed

Overall 5.9 25

4 Below Average

Food 5 Ambience 5 Service 3 Value 3

Apr 23, 2012

Izakaya Fujiyama, Surry Hills

Restaurants, Japanese, Serves Dinner, Serves Late Dining

Overall 6.6 4

4.5 Below Average

Food 4 Ambience 5 Service 5 Value 4

Apr 13, 2012

Mohr Fish, Surry Hills

Cafes, Fish and Chips, Seafood, BYO, Child Friendly

Overall 6.9 49

6.8 Recommended

Food 7 Ambience 6 Service 7 Value 7

Apr 13, 2012

Fish & Co., Annandale

Restaurants, Seafood, BYO, Licensed, Serves Dinner

Overall 6.9 67

7.5 Recommended

Food 9 Ambience 7 Service 7 Value 7

Apr 10, 2012

Original Europe Grill, Newtown

Restaurants, European

Overall 6.7 87

7.3 Recommended

Food 7 Ambience 7 Service 8 Value 7

Eating here enabled a fun and noisy Saturday night dinner for 4. It's one of those stable restaurants, with a balance of food, decor, price and service that seems to work, and so the mix has not been fiddled with - ever! And for the better. There's grilled meat a plenty, and very little in the way of vegetables to be seen, As one carnivorous friend said "last time I came here I didn't have a bowel movement for a week! It's great!"

The staff are friendly, chatty, and have you worked out immediately, it becomes all about you, and our waitress is a natural.

We had the fetta cheese bread entrée and tried the cream chilli sauce that compliments it - yumm! The mains then came and were absolutely enormous. There was one t-bone steak that was the size of the plate! After jovially stuffing ourselves stupid, there came a complimentary glass of port. It's the little things that win you over.

Mar 25, 2012

Zilver, Sydney

Restaurants, Asian, Chinese, Yum Cha, Fine Dining

Overall 6.7 180

7 Recommended

Food 7 Ambience 7 Service 7 Value 7

Zilver is a typical Sydney place for Yum Cha, and, as with most of them at this level, ticks all the boxes. The seafood leaning yum cha menu is a great bonus and is welcome.

The service here is more polite than most, however, with some care being shown to ensure customers are satisfied. Brash Cantonese service is usually the norm, but I was with my parents who are Not used to it but it didn't matter as the staff all make a point of being clear and helpful. A pleasant surprise.

A typical high-quality, high-standard and well-run place for yum cha, as good as you can get anywhere in the world. Sydney is just food heaven!

Mar 20, 2012

Insieme Cafe Pizzeria, Ultimo

Restaurants, Cafes, Italian, Pizza, Seafood

Overall 7.4 22

8.5 Highly Recommended

Food 9 Ambience 8 Service 9 Value 8

I have been to Insieme 4 times in recent months, and I have decided that this is now my favourite little local Italian restaurant, with quality food and service at a cafe price.

My first visit was with a very fussy friend who decided this was a place I should try. it was a delight! The specials are always interesting and fresh. The portions are large, and the pasta always perfect. My favourite is the spaghetti alla marinara - a truly delicious sauce! Another friend another time had a marinated lamb cutlet special which he declared the best of that kind he had ever eaten, and he too is a fussy one! The stuffed mushrooms entrée is also excellent.

On my first visit, we were greeted in a really friendly way by the very excited waiter(? owner?). My second visit, he remembered me, and has done so on each subsequent visit - great service, and a level f care that I appreciate.

The other lovely touch is the free limoncello I have 3 times received at the end of the meal. A relaxed and easy place, with good quality food at a good price. A perfect regular!

Mar 18, 2012

Boathouse on Blackwattle Bay, The, Glebe

Restaurants, Modern Australian, Seafood, Fine Dining, Hip and Trendy

Overall 7.8 207

9.3 Highly Recommended

Food 10 Ambience 9 Service 9 Value 9

This has been an outstanding restaurant for years, which is an achievement in itself.

We needed a venue for a quick lunch and The Boathouse came to mind. I hadn't been for years, but the reviews still seemed good.

We were so impressed! Staff have the balance of service right. Friendly without being familiar, efficient without being intrusive, sophisticated without being snooty, a pleasure to be around. The view is an interesting one of the working harbour, with glass surrounding the restaurant it feels almost like being in a boat, great lunchtime views.

We only had time for 2 main meals, but they were both exceptional. I resisted the fish pie (despite it's legendary status) and had a New Zealand John Dory. My companion had a trevally with the spanner crab bisque. How often do both people at a meal take their first mouthful, look at each other, and say "yum!" What an absolute delight. The fish was cooked as I wish I could, and the accompanying morsels and sauces were simply delicious. Put this one on your "must visit" list!

Mar 14, 2012

Essenza Italian, Surry Hills

Restaurants, Italian, BYO, Licensed, Restaurant Bookings

Overall 7.4 35

7 Recommended

Food 7 Ambience 7 Service 7 Value 7

Cute and enjoyable Sunday lunch here, with the set menu of 2 courses for $22.
We were the only patrons which felt odd, but the wait person was knowledgeable and attentive, and all staff remained professional and discreet.

The Fritte de Mare was great, perfectly cooked, and the other dishes were delicious, from the pasta to the mushrooms, to the panna cotta. If only wine prices in these cute little places was better, or a decent house wine was offered.

Feb 26, 2012