Ottolola

Reviews

Restaurants, Modern Australian, Seafood, Steak House, Good For Groups

Overall 8 97

6.3 Average

Food 5 Ambience 9 Service 8 Value 3

My wife and I went to Chophouse on a Saturday night with another couple. Greeting and service was great and the ambience of the room terrific. Glad to say that even with a live singer it was still easy to have conversation. However, if you don't want red meat then don't go to this restaurant since they don't cater for this option well.

Entrees were nice without being special. My wife and I both ordered the BBQ Octopus salad. Barely large enough to be a side dish let alone a main. Had to search to find some octopus and what was there was quite tough. One of our party ordered the Barramundi for main. Piece of fish about the size of a $5 note on a small pile of vegies.

The one person in our group who had a steak said it was really nice. Desserts were fantastic. Basically suggest only to go to this restaurant if you want a meat meal. They should take seafood out of the cuisines mentioned in their profile above.

Mar 04, 2012

Bai Yok (Castlecrag), Castlecrag

Restaurants, Thai, BYO, Outdoor Dining, Serves Takeaway

Overall 7.6 16

8 Recommended

Food 8 Ambience 7 Service 8 Value 9

Some friends took us to Bai Yok Castlecrag last night. They have been coming here for a while now. I admit I used to wonder why they drove past all the Thai restaurants in Crows Nest to go to this one but now I understand.

The restaurant is not too big and nicely furnished so that you can actually hear your friends and have a conversation. The service was efficient and there when you needed it but we were not rushed in the slightest.

By far the best thing though was the food! Fresh flavours, better menu than your stock standard Thai. Recommend the scallop entree and the duck main that we had was fabulous.

All in all a lovely little find in the suburbs.

Sep 25, 2011

Freeway Hotel, Artarmon

Pubs, Modern Australian, Bistro/Brasserie, Child Friendly Menus, Entertainment / Music

Overall 7.1 38

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful

7.6 Recommended

Food 8 Drinks 6 Ambience 7 Service 9 Value 8

Another couple and ourselves were looking for a good pub meal at reasonable prices on the north shore. We eliminated most pubs because they are either pub grub trying to be upmarket restaurants (with prices to match) or are full of sports fans watching their game. (not that there's anything wrong with that, we're just not in to footy).

In the end we decided on the Freeway as it seemed large enough to accommodate diners and sports fans. What a find!

For a Saturday night the pub was really quiet, I don't know why because it's a great venue and the food and service was really good. Each of the four of us had different meals and we all commented that they tasted really good.

The sports bar had some fans enjoying the Rugby and the screens around the general bar area also had footy playing but we were still able to have a conversation without having to shout over the TVs.

After our meal we relaxed on the lounges at the end of the restaurant area and had another couple of drinks. All in all a good combination of food, service and atmosphere.

We will definitely be back.

Sep 18, 2011

Marlborough Hotel, Newtown

Pubs, Modern Australian, Serves Dinner, Serves Lunch, American Express

Overall 6.4 15

3.4 Below Average

Food 3 Drinks 3 Ambience 1 Service 6 Value 4

Had a quick dinner with a couple of friends. Was only expecting average quality pub food given the price and this is exactly what we got.

However, portion size was small with the Fish and Chips being 2 small pieces of fish and a small portion of chips with a token salad. I had Calamari pasta. Tasted Ok but again portion was small.

Didn't count of the pretty tired and grotty surroundings or the overwhelming smell of cigarette smoke in the dining room that wafts in from the garden courtyard.

Given all the eating possibilities in Newtown won't be going to the Marly pub again. Food obviously isn't their priority.

Jul 17, 2011

Lees Fortuna Court, Crows Nest

Restaurants, Chinese, Licensed

Overall 7.9 84

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful

2.5 Not Recommended

Food 3 Ambience 1 Service 2 Value 4

Ate at Lees again after a couple of years. Wasn't expecting much and that's what we got. The decor of the restaurant is very tired and has a generally unkept and grotty appearance like it should be in a backwater village rather than a Sydney Suburb.

Whilst it's great for families to have a somehwhere to take the kids the result is that the restaurant had all the ambience of McDonalds. Chinese wait staff generally have poor service down to a tee but Lee's have taken this to a new level. We had to ask to have our order taken, ask for water for the table and ask again to have it topped up (twice).

When our mains arrived the rice was served to us and then left on a side table out of our of reach, we expected it would be served again during our meal but this never happened. One of our party was waiting for a particular dish which hadn't arrived. When I asked for it to be delivered next, a female staff member snapped at me that it was on its way. However, a completely different dish arrived next so the response was obviously made to just get me off their back.

So given the poor service, screaming kids and grotty decor I at least thought that the food must be what brings people back to this full restaurant. Again disappointed. It was, at best, average. So if you want bland food that the kids will like with little or no need to control them, Lees Fortuna Court is ideal for you. I won't be back.

Feb 06, 2011

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Member since 2007

Last updated on 1st Jun 2012

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Displaying: 1 - 8 of 8 reviews

Chophouse, Sydney

Restaurants, Modern Australian, Seafood, Steak House, Good For Groups

Overall 8 97

6.3 Average

Food 5 Ambience 9 Service 8 Value 3

Mar 04, 2012

Bai Yok (Castlecrag), Castlecrag

Restaurants, Thai, BYO, Outdoor Dining, Serves Takeaway

Overall 7.6 16

8 Recommended

Food 8 Ambience 7 Service 8 Value 9

Sep 25, 2011

Freeway Hotel, Artarmon

Pubs, Modern Australian, Bistro/Brasserie, Child Friendly Menus, Entertainment / Music

Overall 7.1 38

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful

7.6 Recommended

Food 8 Drinks 6 Ambience 7 Service 9 Value 8

Sep 18, 2011

Marlborough Hotel, Newtown

Pubs, Modern Australian, Serves Dinner, Serves Lunch, American Express

Overall 6.4 15

3.4 Below Average

Food 3 Drinks 3 Ambience 1 Service 6 Value 4

Jul 17, 2011

Lees Fortuna Court, Crows Nest

Restaurants, Chinese, Licensed

Overall 7.9 84

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful

2.5 Not Recommended

Food 3 Ambience 1 Service 2 Value 4

Feb 06, 2011

Mustang Nepalese Restaurant, Crows Nest

Restaurants, Nepalese, BYO, Food Delivery, Licensed

Overall 8.1 105

7.8 Recommended

Food 8 Ambience 6 Service 9 Value 8

Have had take away from Mustang before but took some friends to try in house. As expected, great food and the service was fantastic as well.

Feb 05, 2011

Portico Restaurant and Bar at Greengate Hotel, Killara

Restaurants, Comfort Food, Fish and Chips, Modern Australian, Steak House

Overall 7 45

6.3 Average

Food 9 Ambience 7 Service 4 Value 5

Dined at Portico last night with another couple of friends. Food was great, I had the pork loin and my wife had the Lamb Duo. Biggest issue still this time and previous visits is the inexperience of the wait staff. Although very friendly, 2 orders never made it to the kitchen (one of these despite asking a 2nd time for it) and, as usual for Portico, another table's item made its way onto our bill. Portico needs to bring the quality of its front of house staff up to the level of its kitchen. In the mean time, we won't be back.

Sep 12, 2010