Chris McKay

'Trying to eat healthier :)'

Reviews

Harrigans Irish Pub, Pokolbin

Pubs, Licensed, Serves Breakfast, Serves Dinner, Serves Lunch

Overall 7.7 2

5.6 Average

Food 5 Drinks 7 Ambience 6 Service 5 Value 5

I don't know whether there is a diferent Harrigan's Irish pub in Pokolbin, but the experience my family and I had was nowhere near good enough.

Although the food was served pretty quickly, the service wavered between friendly for the Irish guy who pulled my pint of Jame Squire to almost dismissive for the girl on the register who refused to answer my brother in-law's question about whether a plain beef burger was something that Harrigan's normally has on the menu (as there was only a steak burger available). The food itself can only really be described as very average/flavourless. Just because it's a pub, there is no excuse for lazy, unimaginative cooking. They're charging like a restaurant, so they need to cook like one.

Drinks were on the whole very good, with a wide selection of beers on tap (including the usual Irish beers you'd expect). The exception to the drinks was my wife's lemon, lime & bitters which consisted of lemonade, a quarter of a teaspoon of lime cordial and a few molecules of bitters. I went back to see if they could put some more colour in it and the girl behind the bar looked at me like I had just passed wind in front of her. Without a word she put 3 more drops of bitters in.

The pub does have some interesting memorabilia in display cabinets on the walls. It's a pretty big pub with lots outdoor areas. I'm sure it'd be a great place to spend an evening with live music and a few drinks. Would I go back? Probably not.

Nov 01, 2011

Victoria Room, The, Darlinghurst

Restaurants, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Has Bar, Licensed

Overall 6.5 159

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4 Below Average

Food 5 Ambience 7 Service 2 Value 2

Prentious, rude and overpriced. Why do these too cool for school hipster establishments continue to pop up and why do people support them?

As another reviewer questioned, $30 for 3 golf ball sized veal and mushroom balls is obscene. While they were tasty, the value simply was not there. The $32 angus porterhouse I ordered was more like a beef medallion, not the thick juicy porterhouse I was imagining. It was not a bad cut of meat, but it was not as I imagined. Oh and the drinks. My wife's $20 Horny Diemen was a single shot of vodka, a dollop of fruit extracts/syrups and 80% of the glass filled with ice.

We skipped dessert as I didn't have my pay slip with me to have the finance approved. The venue itself is pretty to look at and certainly feels smooth, but the music is too loud. It's a restaurant and bar, not a nightclub. This suits the rude, condescending staff down to a tee though as it gives them a sound barrier to hide behind.

Much more effective for avoiding customer service duties and dodging comments about the watered down drinks and portion sizes. I won't be back and I will make sure that everyone I know gives it a wide berth.

Jun 28, 2011

Del Mondo Pastries, Concord

Cafes, Italian, Good For Groups, Child Friendly, Has Cafe

Overall 6.5 29

3.5 Below Average

Food 4 Ambience 4 Service 3 Value 3

My wife and I used to end up here after our evening walk to grab a coffee. Until recently that is. We have always received mixed service and quality here. Haven't really tried the cakes or pastries, but if a coffee shop cannot get coffee right most of the time, the rest doesn't bode well. Recently there seems to be an inordinately long wait to receive coffee, even when there is hardly anyone else in the shop. We've put it down to inexperienced staff performing the job of a barista.

My wife ordered coffee yesterday and this morning out of desperation as everywhere else is closed at this time of year. The shop was full yesterday and it took ages (15 minutes) to receive her coffee. The shop was not busy due to increased patronage. It was because the young ponytailed man described by the reviewer below was so slow. We have chatted with him previously and agree that he is funny, charming and friendly. But he is not a barista and should not be at front of house making coffee. Too much time talking, not enough time pulling coffee shots.

This morning it was the complete opposite situation but a similar result. Apart from my wife and 3 other people it was an empty shop, but she was warned that it would be 10 minutes before her coffee would be ready. The young guy behind the counter was arrogant and self assured, but couldn't make coffee to save his life. Forgetting what people ordered, forgetting to tell people their coffee was ready, screwing up a coffee and having to start again. Not good. The cappuccino my wife ordered still had not appeared after 10 minutes.

One guy waiting there demanded his money back and walked out. The couple sitting at a table waiting for coffee were asked once again what they had ordered. What had he been doing behind that machine for 10 minutes? My wife had noticed a skim cap that had been sitting on the counter getting cold for about 5 minutes. She had ordered a full cream cap, but when she asked where her coffee was she was directed to the one on the counter with a very abrupt "You ordered a cappuccino didn't you?". She picked it up and threw it in the bin in front of him.

Note to cafes: If you insist on saving a few bucks by hiring inexperienced baristas, then at least lower your proces to reflect this. I'm tired of paying $3-$3.50 for a disgusting brew. All this does is breed a culture of accepting mediocre coffee as the status quo and will ultimately affect percetion of your business. Why would someone patronise a specialist retailer when their specialist product is sub-standard? Especially when the market is so saturated.

Dec 30, 2010

Otto Pezzi, Mortlake

Restaurants, Italian, Pizza, BYO, Food Delivery

Overall 7.7 43

8.3 Highly Recommended

Food 9 Ambience 6 Service 9 Value 9

While it isn’t the prettiest place out there, Otto's pizza is spectacular and the service is warm and friendly. Using fresh ingredients and adding a big dollop of passion, Otto’s pizzas are innovative and delicious without being pretentious artworks. We are particularly fond of the Prosciutto pizza and the Eggplant pizza.

It’s a pretty basic cafe style setting, although it would be a fun place to sit for a few hours on a balmy evening. The wood fired pizza oven would also be nice on a cold winters night. While the pizzas are not technically cheap, they are excellent quality. If your idea of value for money is the largest lump of cheese, meat and dough you can get for $10 then this place isn’t for you.

Oct 30, 2010

Al Aseel, Surry Hills

Restaurants, Lebanese, BYO, Has Bar, Licensed

Overall 6.2 31

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5 Average

Food 5 Ambience 6 Service 4 Value 5

Al Aseel Surry Hills is not even close to the service, value and most importantly the quality of the food of the Greenacre establishment. This seems like a way to cash in on the success of the Greenacre mothership and they appear to have forgotten their roots.

The serving sizes are significantly smaller while the prices are noticeably higher. This would be easier to swallow (pardon the pun) if the food was better than or even as good as Greenacre. Sadly, it isn’t. The Lemon Garlic Chicken was excellent as always, the Falafel was first rate, however, the lamb was tough. Not to mention that we felt a little stung by the “fresh lemonade” at $6 a pop. This is basically the same lemon drink you can buy in almost any half decent Lebanese restaurant (e.g. Jasmine at Lakemba).

We will eat again at Greenacre (how could we not?), but never again will we darken Al Aseel’s doorstep at Surry Hills.

Oct 30, 2010

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Member since 2008

Last updated on 30th Dec 2010

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Displaying: 1 - 10 of 22 reviews

Harrigans Irish Pub, Pokolbin

Pubs, Licensed, Serves Breakfast, Serves Dinner, Serves Lunch

Overall 7.7 2

5.6 Average

Food 5 Drinks 7 Ambience 6 Service 5 Value 5

Nov 01, 2011

Victoria Room, The, Darlinghurst

Restaurants, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Has Bar, Licensed

Overall 6.5 159

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4 Below Average

Food 5 Ambience 7 Service 2 Value 2

Jun 28, 2011

Del Mondo Pastries, Concord

Cafes, Italian, Good For Groups, Child Friendly, Has Cafe

Overall 6.5 29

3.5 Below Average

Food 4 Ambience 4 Service 3 Value 3

Dec 30, 2010

Otto Pezzi, Mortlake

Restaurants, Italian, Pizza, BYO, Food Delivery

Overall 7.7 43

8.3 Highly Recommended

Food 9 Ambience 6 Service 9 Value 9

Oct 30, 2010

Al Aseel, Surry Hills

Restaurants, Lebanese, BYO, Has Bar, Licensed

Overall 6.2 31

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5 Average

Food 5 Ambience 6 Service 4 Value 5

Oct 30, 2010

Adriano Zumbo Patissier, Balmain

Cake Shops and Patisseries, European, French, Serves Takeaway, Cake

Overall 6.3 54

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

2 Not Recommended

Food 2 Ambience 2 Service 2 Value 2

I've given a 2 across the board, not because I believe that Adriano is undeserving of his MasterChef fame. That being said, I do believe he was simply in the right place at the right time. My 2 rating is also not because his fare is putrid. Although the pastries and cakes were well below what the hype (and ridiculous London blitz bread queue sized line-ups) suggested and were overly sweet, without any significant innovation. I gave Adriano Zumbo Patisserie a rating of 2 because this establishment simply does not deserve a rating of 7.2.

My wife and I finally had to satisfy our curiousity about this place after seeing how busy it was day in and day out. Walking past today, the line was long (just outside the door) but bearable. When we reached the counter, we hurriedly decided on something called a “Wheely Wildly Wendy” and an "Ed something, something". Both were laden with sugar to the point of being inedible. Note to Adriano: Sugar does not equal flavour. The macaroons we chose were also very, very average. They could only be described as chewy and again very sugary.

There are much better patisseries in Sydney including the fabulous La Renaissance and Baroque establishments in The Rocks. Both serve desserts that leave you wanting more. Adriano's food leaves you feeling sick after a few mouthfuls and can only be described as being overdeveloped and dare I say it... a little gauche.

I hate to say it, but the 7.2 this place has is as a direct result of the people who line up outside for 90 minutes just to purchase something with Adriano's name on it voting blindly. It's not all one sided though. I Love Zumba t-shirts? Really? Can you get any more pretentious? Zumbo’s is less of a food lover’s dream and more of a brand. A bit like MasterChef really I suppose isn’t it?

Oct 30, 2010

Braza Leichhardt, Leichhardt

Restaurants, Brazilian, Steak House, Vegetarian, Fine Dining

Overall 7.5 209

6.8 Recommended

Food 8 Ambience 6 Service 6 Value 7

My sister in-law asked for some suggestion for her hubby's birthday. This was one of the contendor's I sent back as I've been wanting to try this place for ages. Both my brother in-law and I are big meat eaters and I've had some generally positive experiences with Ridikio (Brazillan BBQ) cuisine before. She was really happy with the suggestion as they had also been wanting to try this place. Given the high Eatability rating I felt sure we had a winner.

Food: While they have a few options on the menu, the decision was an easy one given the $42 "all you can eat" banquet. We placed our order and waited after about 5 minutes we received these lightly flavoured cheese ball/bread things. We were starving, so they went down quite well. Being used to digging right on in at these banquet places, we waited about 10 minutes more before flagging a waitress down.

We'd watched passadoes pass us by with all manner of meats. They'd look down at us and stop at surrounding tables. We were dying (the smell was driving us crazy) and figured we were missing something. The waitress said she'd look into it. After a few minutes, the side dishes started coming out. Potato salad, baked potato and eggplant, fried banana and something that tasted like seet potato maybe, and a few different types of salad.

Once these landed on the table, the meat carvers started paying us more attention. We were told there were 23 different types of meat/seafood available. We tried 4 types of chicken (even chicken hearts), a few types of beef (garlic kebab was fantastic), some lamb, pork, chorizo and some tasty BBQ prawns.

All in all we had 14 or 15 types of meat. While the majority were absolutely delicious, a few tasted, perhaps, just a bit too salty. But overall, juicy, tender, flavoursome meat was the order of the day. We missed out on the banana leaf wrapped fish too as we were on our way out (stuffed). Apparently this is a highlight but had not seen it served until it was too late.

Ambience: It was noisy. We were seated next to a large table and the noise certainly carried. This is to be expected. Braza is a communal eating establishment. It's not the place for a romantic dinner, but a chance to enjoy plenty of food and drink amongst friends. The decor wasn't anything to write home about either, but I wasn't really expecting much. The reason for our visit was the food, not the ambience!

Service: As it is "all you can eat", we asked for a few repeat dishes that we liked. My wife and sister in-law are not big meat eaters, so we asked for more of the baked potato/eggplant starter. We eventually had to ask 3 times before it arrived. So too when we asked for serviettes, as opposed to wiping our greasy paws all over the cloth napkins, we had to repeat the request a few times. Service was reasonable enough I guess given the frantic nature of the service.

Value: Now this is a bog if. If you are a big eater. If you like meat. If you have sufficiently stretched out your stomach in preparation. Braza is reasonable value for money. The quality of the food is good and the servings are endless. My brother in-law and I nearly needed to be stretchered out as we'd eaten so much.

My wife struggled with the concept slightly as she would also request a serve when the carvers came round, only to promptly dispatch it onto my plate once they'd gone. But we left more than satisfied.

Overall: A good night out if you're hungry. Meat is of a high quality, without being exceptional and given that it's all you can eat, Braza represents solid value for money for those that can handle the pace.

Jul 19, 2010

Thai-namic, Leichhardt

Restaurants, Thai, Hip and Trendy, BYO, Food Delivery

Overall 7.2 40

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

8.5 Highly Recommended

Food 8 Ambience 8 Service 9 Value 9

We have been meaning to visit this restaurant for ages. My wife and I generally put a lot of faith in Eatability ratings, especially when a restaurant has more than 10-15 reviews. I noticed that reviewer below me gave the overall rating a savaging with their harsh review but still thought this place a worthwhile thai experience to try out for my sister in-law's birthday.

Food: As there were 4 of us, we got to try out a little of everything. We ordered Duck Surprise (basically just Thai Duck Salad), Lemongrass BBQ Chicken, Salt and Pepper Squid and Massaman Beef Curry. All were well flavoured and of reasonable size without being overly generous. The squid was not as nice as some S&P Squid dishes I've had, but the Massaman was excellent as was the Lemongrass Chicken.

Ambience: While the restaurant was cute, cozy and comfortable, the unavoidable noise from the overhead planes and Norton St traffic was a little distracting.

Service: Attentive without being overbearing. We did not have to wait long for our meals, nor the second bottle of BYO wine we asked them to put in the fridge for us. The waitress also brought us an ice bucket without having to ask for it which was a nice gesture.

Value: Standard Thai restaurant pricing across the board. We were not charged for corkage despite the menu saying it would set us back $1 pp. Overall 2 moderate eaters (my wife and sister in-law) and 2 eating machines (my brother in-law and I) ate very well for ~$75. Can't complain at all.

Apr 01, 2010

La Renaissance Patisserie, The Rocks

Cafes, Cake Shops and Patisseries, Serves Takeaway

Overall 7.9 74

8.3 Highly Recommended

Food 10 Ambience 7 Service 7 Value 9

Quite simply the best patisserie in Sydney bar none. Their cakes and desserts are absolutely incredible. We are in love with their Mousse Picasso and their very own creation Larme de Gaugin which is described as "an exotic tear-drop shaped cake, light creamy mixed berry mousse, encased in a decorative almond sponge, and topped with glazed mixed berries".

While the cafe itself is nothing to write home about, it is located in a heritage listed sandstone building. Sitting in the courtyard, its easy to imagine that you are in a Parisian cafe. The service can be a little abrupt at times, but it is efficient, fast and the staff are attentive. They are French afterall.

Given the effort that goes into each creation, their prices are quite reasonable. Ingredients are fresh and their presentation goes far beyond the usual Michel's cake you'll usually find at Aunt Betties 60th.

Do yourself a favour and drop by for an espresso and a treat when you're next in The Rocks.

Mar 12, 2010

Atom Thai, Newtown

Restaurants, Thai, Good For Groups, BYO, Child Friendly

Overall 8.5 227

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful

6.8 Recommended

Food 6 Ambience 7 Service 8 Value 6

Atom was a great find when my wife and I happened upon it about 2 years ago. No eatability rating at all when we first ate there. It was a fledgling Thai restaurant in one of the most Thai rich areas in Sydney, but it simply shone above all others we had experienced. The food was great, the service outstanding and a good meal did not break the bank unlike some of the competing Thai restaurants in Newtown.

Sadly, recent visits have highlighted what we feel to be slipping standards. The portions seem to have decreased slightly, while the price has risen noticeably. Quality of preparation has also taken a hit and as such the resulting dishes have suffered. The masaman curry has gone from a rich, thick gravy to being watery. The green curry was nice, but just a fraction below what I remembered. Overall, it just feels as though there is something missing. The food is now simply average Thai fare without the innovation and imagination that was present.

One thing that has not changed is the welcoming staff and cozy atmosphere. Nothing is too much trouble and you are certainly made to feel as though your patronage is welcome, not expected. They are to be commended in this department as it has been consistent since it opened. The wait staff obviously have passion for their work.

I hate to say it, but it is our opinion that it may be a victim of it's own success. Like a rock star that starts lip synching, Atom may feel that they are successful enough to start easing off the gas a little, riding their 8.6 rating and Top 10 ranking. It's obviously more economical to make more from less, while keeping the prices at a premium. Unfortunately, it saddens me to say there are now better, more consistently excellent Thai restaurants in Sydney that I would recommend to family and friends above Atom.

Response from Management:
Dear Chris McKay

Thank you for your comment.

As you mentioned, Newtown has a high density of Thai restaurants, we always strive to provide quality food and excellent service and find ways to improve ourselves.

Thank you for your positive comment on the service, and we will do our best to keep up the standard.

From feedback from many of our other regular customers, they have always commented on the large serving we offer at our restaurant. Despite the increase in the cost of the business - utilities, ingredients - vegetables/meat/dry goods, we do our best to provide great meal and service at a good/competitive price.

I will pass on your comments to our chef re some of the dishes, but our Massaman has always been on the lighter side, true to its original style, unlikely the rich thick sauce (with more coconut cream) served at some other restaurants. If you prefer that style, please let us know and we would ask the chef to cook to your liking.

I do hope to see you again soon. I sincerely thank you for your time and effort in providing us with your feedback.

Regards,
Atom