H&D

8.8 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  8     

My wife and I took two very close Brisbane friends to Bretts' last night. We all loved it! Food was excellent, the service and ambience was just as good. A little expensive, but this is what you pay for.

We had the duck, scallops and seafood chowder for entrees. All were very good indeed. I realy enjoyed the chowder! Mains were the lamb and the seafood platter, which were excellent. Dessert was very good too, we had affogato and the creme brulee. Drinks are a little expensive, but acceptably priced overall. We all had a great night!

Jul 24, 2011

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5 Average

Food  6      Ambience  7      Service  3      Value  4     

April 2011: It makes me sad to have to update our review of Vita Bella, because we really like the people there. We have been 4 times now, and the past two times have been really disappointing. Each time, we had to wait 90 minutes or more for our mains to arrive. Having not ordered entrees, we had passed the starving stage, been through frustration, and entered exasperation and mild anger. This is no way to enjoy a meal, and we didn't. Frankly, we didn't think the food was worth the wait. On either occasion.

The kitchen is clearly under too much pressure since this restaurant became popular. If they don't get on top of this, then I don't know what will happen. Serving entrees to the whole restaurant, at a dribbling pace, followed by a scattering of easy pastas, and then all the mains (delivered under too much pressure) is no way to run a happy restaurant. There were other unhappy tables as well.

Oct 2010: My wife and I have eaten at Vita Bella twice now, last night with our mums and our son. We really like it! The barbecued seafood platter was great and all seemed very fresh. All the food (particularly the platter, john dory and antipasto) was lovely, and we thought it was very good value too. The wait staff are very friendly and we had a great time. I could be picky over a few things, but that is not what a good meal is all about!

Apr 23, 2011

7.3 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  8      Service  6      Value  8     

My wife and I and 4 other rellies ate at Red Olive for Sunday lunch on a cold wet, Southern Highlands day. We went based on the review below, which I found very fair. We were all very happy with the experience.

Yes, it is hard for the waiter to be in 3 rooms at once, and we were a little unattended to. The food was very slow in coming, considering that there were only about 15 customers. And the a/c could have gone on a little earlier (a cold change came through not long before we arrived).

But the food was very good! All portions were very generous (from the nuggets and chips to the tapas and mains). I had the corn and zuccini fritters with avocado salsa and the Moroccan meatballs (which were hand-minced and excellent). The others had the salmon main or the meatballs with spaghetti. And they had some excellent wines which are being deleted from the cellar at a reduced price. Value was very good indeed. Recommended!

Apr 11, 2011

7.8 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  7      Service  8      Value  8     

My wife and I certainly enjoyed Tommy's! The food was really good. I had the pork belly and seared scallops and my wife a half a dozen oysters, followed by the linguini marinara and the stuffed prawns, finishing with affogato.

Lots of really nice touches with the food - the mark of real care and attention in the kitchen. The decor is nice, if a bit dated. Very friendly waiter, who has been there for the 10 years of the restaurant. This was the best meal we had in Port Macquarie, without any doubt.

Feb 11, 2011

9.3 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  10      Service  9      Value  9     

My wife and I ate at Banjo's last night. We really did enjoy ourselves! The food was lovely. We had the risotto (excellent) and the snapper (perfect). But we found the layered brulee and biscotti a little flat and disappointing. The wait staff are very knowledgeable, friendly and helpful and the atmosphere is terrific, with a sunset over the river and a lovely ambience in the old stone cottage.

Jan 16, 2011

8.8 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  8     

My wife and I took two very close Brisbane friends to Bretts' last night. We all loved it! Food was excellent, the service and ambience was just as good. A little expensive, but this is what you pay for.

We had the duck, scallops and seafood chowder for entrees. All were very good indeed. I realy enjoyed the chowder! Mains were the lamb and the seafood platter, which were excellent. Dessert was very good too, we had affogato and the creme brulee. Drinks are a little expensive, but acceptably priced overall. We all had a great night!

Jul 24, 2011

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5 Average

Food  6      Ambience  7      Service  3      Value  4     

April 2011: It makes me sad to have to update our review of Vita Bella, because we really like the people there. We have been 4 times now, and the past two times have been really disappointing. Each time, we had to wait 90 minutes or more for our mains to arrive. Having not ordered entrees, we had passed the starving stage, been through frustration, and entered exasperation and mild anger. This is no way to enjoy a meal, and we didn't. Frankly, we didn't think the food was worth the wait. On either occasion.

The kitchen is clearly under too much pressure since this restaurant became popular. If they don't get on top of this, then I don't know what will happen. Serving entrees to the whole restaurant, at a dribbling pace, followed by a scattering of easy pastas, and then all the mains (delivered under too much pressure) is no way to run a happy restaurant. There were other unhappy tables as well.

Oct 2010: My wife and I have eaten at Vita Bella twice now, last night with our mums and our son. We really like it! The barbecued seafood platter was great and all seemed very fresh. All the food (particularly the platter, john dory and antipasto) was lovely, and we thought it was very good value too. The wait staff are very friendly and we had a great time. I could be picky over a few things, but that is not what a good meal is all about!

Apr 23, 2011

7.3 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  8      Service  6      Value  8     

My wife and I and 4 other rellies ate at Red Olive for Sunday lunch on a cold wet, Southern Highlands day. We went based on the review below, which I found very fair. We were all very happy with the experience.

Yes, it is hard for the waiter to be in 3 rooms at once, and we were a little unattended to. The food was very slow in coming, considering that there were only about 15 customers. And the a/c could have gone on a little earlier (a cold change came through not long before we arrived).

But the food was very good! All portions were very generous (from the nuggets and chips to the tapas and mains). I had the corn and zuccini fritters with avocado salsa and the Moroccan meatballs (which were hand-minced and excellent). The others had the salmon main or the meatballs with spaghetti. And they had some excellent wines which are being deleted from the cellar at a reduced price. Value was very good indeed. Recommended!

Apr 11, 2011

7.8 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  7      Service  8      Value  8     

My wife and I certainly enjoyed Tommy's! The food was really good. I had the pork belly and seared scallops and my wife a half a dozen oysters, followed by the linguini marinara and the stuffed prawns, finishing with affogato.

Lots of really nice touches with the food - the mark of real care and attention in the kitchen. The decor is nice, if a bit dated. Very friendly waiter, who has been there for the 10 years of the restaurant. This was the best meal we had in Port Macquarie, without any doubt.

Feb 11, 2011

9.3 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  10      Service  9      Value  9     

My wife and I ate at Banjo's last night. We really did enjoy ourselves! The food was lovely. We had the risotto (excellent) and the snapper (perfect). But we found the layered brulee and biscotti a little flat and disappointing. The wait staff are very knowledgeable, friendly and helpful and the atmosphere is terrific, with a sunset over the river and a lovely ambience in the old stone cottage.

Jan 16, 2011

8.3 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  8      Service  8      Value  8     

We have eaten 3 times at Chalio's over the past year, and had takeaway a couple of times. Never disappointed! It is an elegant style of modern Thai cooking, with some experimentation with western ingredients. Service is pleasant and generally efficient, the atmosphere is fine, and the food is really nice. Generally small portions, and not cheap, but well worth it for the quality and slightly unusual style of the food. Try the deep fried snapper with seasonal fruits - yum! As others say, one of Beecroft's best restaurants. We will be back!

Sep 21, 2010

8 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  8      Service  9      Value  7     

My wife and I have eaten at Sevardi twice over the past 4 months, and enjoyed the experience both times. Last night the service was, as someone below said "friendly and attentive" - a lovely young waitress. The atmosphere was very relaxed and rather genteel (most customers 40 - 60 and mainly groups of 2 or 4). The food was very nice and the bill appropriate for the quality of food and service. We didn't find it too dark or dim, and will return.

Jul 04, 2010

4.8 Average

Food  6      Ambience  4      Service  5      Value  4     

Love em or hate em! That seems to be the Eatability way. But it's a "damned with faint praise" review from me for Red Spoon. Like everyone else, we had problems with the booking. This place just won't leave an empty table at peak hour, much like the big yum cha palaces in Dixon St. Eventually, our party of 7 was seated at a square table for 12, so we had 2 or 3 conversations going around the side of the table all night, instead of one across it.

The place is a food barn. Nicely decorated, but everyone is squeezed in to the max and the hubbub is really high. Service is okay, the young staff are getting it together, but they are run off their feet, and confusion regularly arises, we were offered a repeat of 2 dishes already on our table.

Food is okay (like David Dale said - "there is no such thing as a bad Thai restaurant, but some are better than others"). They have some interesting dishes, like the massaman lamb shanks, but others just didn't deliver the goods. There is a strong emphasis on presentation, plating is artful and has real eye appeal. Must be their secret ingredient!

Anyway, we won't be back, there is much better value and a nicer ambience at some of the many Thai restaurants around Epping, Carlingford and Beecroft.

May 16, 2010

8 Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  7      Service  8      Value  8     

Kingfisher is really good! We were there on a Saturday night. Not so busy, and the very friendly waiter told us that it was unusually quiet. We were referred there by a local, and she wasn't wrong! The food is in the Mod Oz, almost fine dining category. Beautifully prepared and presented. Caramelised scallops were great, as was the ocean trout and lamb backstrap.

Mains are generous in size. The pannacotta was, perhaps, not up to the high standard of the rest of the meal, but still very good. Waiter was really good, relaxed and chatty. Atmosphere is fine, in that relaxed coastal resort kind of a way. Value is quite reasonable, given the quality and generosity of the meals! About $100 for 2, plus drinks. Well worth the hike out from Forster to Blueys Beach!

Apr 13, 2010

7.3 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  7      Service  6      Value  8     

So hard to find consistent reviews on Eatability! I had my doubts before we went last night, based on the low overall score and patchy reviews here, but our family of 5 were pleasantly surprised. The 5 mains and the entree were all fine. Servings were a bit bigger than average, and all the flavours were distinctive and precise. A big tick for the food! Atmosphere was nice and the bill was another pleasant surprise (just over $20 per head, and we were all full).

But the service was patchy. For the most part just too cool and uninvolved, although effective. But I hate that thing in some Indian restaurants where they hold a plate out in front of you and expect you to take it and place it yourself, the whole "you're just a customer here and I won't stoop to serve you, and I definitely won't walk around the other side of the table for you" kind of thing. This guy even asked my wife to take her plate from him, rather than walk around a small table and put it in place, like a waiter should. Grrr! Oh, for a classless society!

Oct 26, 2009