Flaming Lion Wolf

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful

6.5 Recommended

Food  6      Drinks  8      Ambience  6      Service  6     

The Longeuville is my local hotel and somewhere I occasionally have gone for drinks and meals over the past 10 years. Their refurbishment a few years back also included a great new restaurant and fabulous pub menu that has unfortunately gradually declined in quality.

Last night my friend and I were there for dinner and drinks, and ordered the Arancini for a starter. Disappointingly, this dish was more Greek than Italian in presentation and flavor with a dish of around 8 darkly deep fried arancini balls served with a tzatziki dipping sauce.

We had to ask for entrée plates to be provided and then our mains were upon us before we had eaten one “straight from the deep fryer to mouth” ball each.. but at least this gave the steaming balls time to cool down a bit while we surveyed our mains.

I had ordered the Wagyu steak (cooked medium rare to perfection) which was served with sauteed broccolini, carrot and bean strips with roasted rosemary and garlic potatoes. My steak was chargrilled and 100% delicious, the veggie was fine but the potatoes were a disappointment as they were not roasted, but refried deep fried, so lacked that the rosemary and garlic saltiness and lovely roasted crispiness. Frankly, they were dull and a bit soggy.

My friend order the beer battered barramundi, chips and salad which looked nice enough but he was not very impressed after tucking in as there was far too much batter on such a nice choice of fish, so the flavor was of the fish was lost. The chips were chunky cut and the salad was a colourful accompaniment, but nothing exciting or imaginative.

Overall, the Longeuville Hotel has sadly slipped in food quality and service from what it was a few years ago. With some retraining for the wait staff and less reliance in the kitchen on the deep fryer, this lovely eatery may regain its former glory.

Jul 06, 2011

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful

8.5 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  8      Service  8      Value  9     

We arrived at Bombe Alaska to be greeted by an empty restaurant but a very friendly waiter who then offered us our choice of tables. Thinking the empty room was not a good sign for a restaurant we had not eaten at before, we settled in for what may or may not be a great dining experience.

As our glasses were filled with water, my dining companion and I agreed the restaurant atmosphere was stylish and cosy and the menu, mouth-watering. We ummed and ahhed over the various choices before settling on our dishes and relaxing into the evening with a glass of the house white wine (Margaret River Sauvignon Blanc) for a reasonable $7.50 per glass.

Whilst eating our complimentary toasted sourdough served with olive oil and balsamic vinegar to dip, another couple entered the restaurant and were greeted with familiarity and shown to their “regular table”. From their boisterous conversation you could tell they were looking forward to their meal at what seemed to be their favourite local restaurant.

Our entrée arrived. I just wish I could remember the name of it but if you go there soon, it’s the first dish on the menu. A long white seafood sausage roll that cuts like soft butter, on the palette was the texture of the smoothest silk, rested on a bed of English spinach and in a pool of the most divinely flavorsome shrimp bisque all for a mere $18. To say this dish was excellent would be an understatement.. it was quite simply outstanding! At this point of the evening we felt as though we had stumbled upon a restaurant that was a hidden local secret and are feeling quite smug to have found it.

Our main course followed with the same generous portions, careful presentation and detail to complimentary ingredients. I had the roast duck in a blood orange sauce with baby vegetables and beetroot. The duck was cooked a little under medium and was very succulent, complimented perfectly by the bitter sweet sauce. My friend chose from the special’s menu the organic chicken breast stuffed full with ham and gruyere cheese, confit leg, baby vegetables and a drizzle of a special foie gras sauce.

When the waitress asked mid-meal if everything was to our taste we could only answer with mmmmm mmmm’s and then burst out laughing at how funny it was that we could not answer her question because we were enjoying our meals so much. At $28 per dish, this was indeed value for money.

Dessert could not be missed but needed to be shared so we settled on their namesake dish of Bombe Alaska at $12 for a very generous portion. The waiter shared that the chef varies this dish constantly and our evening’s delectable bombe was banana, hazelnut and white chocolate ice cream smothered in marshmallow meringue burnished peaks and surrounded by a smattering of plump fresh raspberries, blueberries and a raspberry coulis.

We were both surprised by the quality of the food, the friendliness and food knowledge of the waiter and the emptiness of the restaurant. Maybe it was an off night, as I could see no other reason why this restaurant should not be full? I took a handful of their business cards to share with my friends and am writing this review, because something so good certainly needs to be shared.

Jun 13, 2011

0 of 4 people found the following review helpful

6 Average

Food  4      Ambience  7      Service  8      Value  5     

We went there on a Saturday and were hurried out of the restaurant because the restaurant/cafe was closing at 10pm. Decore is quite nice but the tables are tiny. Wait staff were good but we were over charged with the addition of two items we didn't order. A wine list surprise was Vasse Felix and a wine estate I love. Food was off to a great start with entree of salt and pepper calamari and bruschetta that were both yummy, but quickly plumetted with the main. The grilled fish was Flake (which I really like) but was overcooked and served with a massive slab of marinated fennel and deep fried potato which had had the rot cut out of it. A bit too liberal with the sauce bottle too. My partner had the surf and turf which frankly, looked like a mess on the plate. Dessert was 50/50 and obviously bought in with a ricotta cheesecake that was quite nice but the blueberry cheesecake had a gelatinous top that you could bounce a ball off. Truely, even though this wasn't a total disaster it was a cafe with an ordinary cafe standard trying to serve restaurant food and failing. Stick to lunch and you will probably be pleased.

Jun 08, 2011

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful

6.5 Recommended

Food  6      Drinks  8      Ambience  6      Service  6     

The Longeuville is my local hotel and somewhere I occasionally have gone for drinks and meals over the past 10 years. Their refurbishment a few years back also included a great new restaurant and fabulous pub menu that has unfortunately gradually declined in quality.

Last night my friend and I were there for dinner and drinks, and ordered the Arancini for a starter. Disappointingly, this dish was more Greek than Italian in presentation and flavor with a dish of around 8 darkly deep fried arancini balls served with a tzatziki dipping sauce.

We had to ask for entrée plates to be provided and then our mains were upon us before we had eaten one “straight from the deep fryer to mouth” ball each.. but at least this gave the steaming balls time to cool down a bit while we surveyed our mains.

I had ordered the Wagyu steak (cooked medium rare to perfection) which was served with sauteed broccolini, carrot and bean strips with roasted rosemary and garlic potatoes. My steak was chargrilled and 100% delicious, the veggie was fine but the potatoes were a disappointment as they were not roasted, but refried deep fried, so lacked that the rosemary and garlic saltiness and lovely roasted crispiness. Frankly, they were dull and a bit soggy.

My friend order the beer battered barramundi, chips and salad which looked nice enough but he was not very impressed after tucking in as there was far too much batter on such a nice choice of fish, so the flavor was of the fish was lost. The chips were chunky cut and the salad was a colourful accompaniment, but nothing exciting or imaginative.

Overall, the Longeuville Hotel has sadly slipped in food quality and service from what it was a few years ago. With some retraining for the wait staff and less reliance in the kitchen on the deep fryer, this lovely eatery may regain its former glory.

Jul 06, 2011

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful

8.5 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  8      Service  8      Value  9     

We arrived at Bombe Alaska to be greeted by an empty restaurant but a very friendly waiter who then offered us our choice of tables. Thinking the empty room was not a good sign for a restaurant we had not eaten at before, we settled in for what may or may not be a great dining experience.

As our glasses were filled with water, my dining companion and I agreed the restaurant atmosphere was stylish and cosy and the menu, mouth-watering. We ummed and ahhed over the various choices before settling on our dishes and relaxing into the evening with a glass of the house white wine (Margaret River Sauvignon Blanc) for a reasonable $7.50 per glass.

Whilst eating our complimentary toasted sourdough served with olive oil and balsamic vinegar to dip, another couple entered the restaurant and were greeted with familiarity and shown to their “regular table”. From their boisterous conversation you could tell they were looking forward to their meal at what seemed to be their favourite local restaurant.

Our entrée arrived. I just wish I could remember the name of it but if you go there soon, it’s the first dish on the menu. A long white seafood sausage roll that cuts like soft butter, on the palette was the texture of the smoothest silk, rested on a bed of English spinach and in a pool of the most divinely flavorsome shrimp bisque all for a mere $18. To say this dish was excellent would be an understatement.. it was quite simply outstanding! At this point of the evening we felt as though we had stumbled upon a restaurant that was a hidden local secret and are feeling quite smug to have found it.

Our main course followed with the same generous portions, careful presentation and detail to complimentary ingredients. I had the roast duck in a blood orange sauce with baby vegetables and beetroot. The duck was cooked a little under medium and was very succulent, complimented perfectly by the bitter sweet sauce. My friend chose from the special’s menu the organic chicken breast stuffed full with ham and gruyere cheese, confit leg, baby vegetables and a drizzle of a special foie gras sauce.

When the waitress asked mid-meal if everything was to our taste we could only answer with mmmmm mmmm’s and then burst out laughing at how funny it was that we could not answer her question because we were enjoying our meals so much. At $28 per dish, this was indeed value for money.

Dessert could not be missed but needed to be shared so we settled on their namesake dish of Bombe Alaska at $12 for a very generous portion. The waiter shared that the chef varies this dish constantly and our evening’s delectable bombe was banana, hazelnut and white chocolate ice cream smothered in marshmallow meringue burnished peaks and surrounded by a smattering of plump fresh raspberries, blueberries and a raspberry coulis.

We were both surprised by the quality of the food, the friendliness and food knowledge of the waiter and the emptiness of the restaurant. Maybe it was an off night, as I could see no other reason why this restaurant should not be full? I took a handful of their business cards to share with my friends and am writing this review, because something so good certainly needs to be shared.

Jun 13, 2011

0 of 4 people found the following review helpful

6 Average

Food  4      Ambience  7      Service  8      Value  5     

We went there on a Saturday and were hurried out of the restaurant because the restaurant/cafe was closing at 10pm. Decore is quite nice but the tables are tiny. Wait staff were good but we were over charged with the addition of two items we didn't order. A wine list surprise was Vasse Felix and a wine estate I love. Food was off to a great start with entree of salt and pepper calamari and bruschetta that were both yummy, but quickly plumetted with the main. The grilled fish was Flake (which I really like) but was overcooked and served with a massive slab of marinated fennel and deep fried potato which had had the rot cut out of it. A bit too liberal with the sauce bottle too. My partner had the surf and turf which frankly, looked like a mess on the plate. Dessert was 50/50 and obviously bought in with a ricotta cheesecake that was quite nice but the blueberry cheesecake had a gelatinous top that you could bounce a ball off. Truely, even though this wasn't a total disaster it was a cafe with an ordinary cafe standard trying to serve restaurant food and failing. Stick to lunch and you will probably be pleased.

Jun 08, 2011