chrismtay

Reviews

Ashiana Indian Restaurant @ Manly, Manly

Overall 7 35

9.3 Highly Recommended

Food 9 Ambience 9 Service 10 Value 9

Yum I love this Indian. I think its the best Indian food I've ever eaten. The owner is totally cool and when I showed interest in the kitchen he took me for a tour and showed me the tandoor and breadmaking (which is what I was specifically interested in).

Service awesome, servings, good sized. I live in the east so its a bit of a trek but definitely well worth it!

Jan 07, 2009

Universal, Darlinghurst

Restaurants, Modern Australian, BYO, Citibank Dining Program, Has Bar

Overall 7.5 103

9 Highly Recommended

Food 10 Ambience 8 Service 10 Value 8

The wait staff here are worth their weight in gold! Witty, funny and attentive without being over the top. We started with cocktails and the lady who was serving us gave us an accurate rundown on flavours and asked us "what mood we were in" - she matched it perfectly.

I went here with two friends and after the menu was explained, we ordered and it was the perfect amount of food. Our entree - salad with pork belly and Asian greens was a taste sensation exploding on your palate. There must have been about 10 different ingredients but they were perfectly balanced!

I can't recommend this place highly enough. I am gutted I didn't try any of the desserts (by that time I was full) but I'd definitely go back. A good place to impress overseas friends.

Oct 02, 2008

Piano Room, Potts Point

Bars

Overall 4.4 24

3.3 Below Average

Drinks 6 Ambience 1 Service 1 Value 5

I'm not sure how anyone could say that the interior of this place is impressive or divine unless they were blind drunk. As an interior designer, I find the decor dark and depressing.

The bar staff's eyes were all red-rimmed and unhelpful, and the blonde lady was incredibly disengaged whilst strutting around lighting the lamps on the tables. Love, silver tights should not be worn with '80s black leather boots. Another staff member was running around in her gym gear and honestly, I really don't care what you all got up to on the w/end - you may think you are interesting but trust me you're not.

Do they do table service? Oh and it smelt like they have a sewerage problem.

Oct 02, 2008

Alio, Surry Hills

Restaurants, Italian, BYO, Degustation Menu, Private Room

Overall 7.5 271

3.8 Below Average

Food 4 Ambience 6 Service 1 Value 4

Went here with two friends and had the degustation meal. The waitress we had kept slamming down glasses, plates, etc and stalked off without acknowledging us or explaining what the food was being placed in front of us.

My BF kept being served last (a good 5 minutes after the other 3 plates were uncermoniously dumped) and his plate/food was cold. Food WAS NOT anything to write home about and after choosing to eat the sorbet the waitress said "why don't you want that?" but didn't bother to wait for an answer.

IF the service was better, I may have been more forgiving commenting on the food. Decor of the restaurant is nice and we had a great time talking to the table of 4 next too us, even though there was only about 16 people in the restaurant they chose to sit us next to other people in one corner!? Best thing is its BYO.

Sep 02, 2008

Office Hotel, The, Sydney

Pubs, Burger, International, Modern Australian, Pizza

Overall 7.4 13

5 Average

Food 6 Drinks 6 Ambience 6 Service 1 Value 6

I have been going here since it got refurbished and thought it was a great place to have a quick office lunch/send off. The food is above average for this type of establishment.

However they need to get new security. I got thrown out the last time after spending over $300 on alcohol for a group of 6 because I put my head down on the table for a minute. The security walks up to me and tells me I'm wasted. Pity I was on antibiotics and had nothing to drink.

When I stated my card was still behind the bar and I wanted to get it, he held onto my arm until I told him to let go or I'd charge him with assault. I also asked to speak to management but was told "they've gone home". I have a few other mates who work around that area and they used to dine there regularly as well until this one particular bouncer started. Due to this I know they've lost a lot of business.

Note to all - overzealous bouncers who wanted to be cops but didn't make the grade can totally ruin a place. Don't let this happen to you!

Jul 25, 2008

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Last updated on 1st Jun 2012

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Displaying: 1 - 10 of 20 reviews

Ashiana Indian Restaurant @ Manly, Manly

Restaurants, Indian

Overall 7 35

9.3 Highly Recommended

Food 9 Ambience 9 Service 10 Value 9

Jan 07, 2009

Universal, Darlinghurst

Restaurants, Modern Australian, BYO, Citibank Dining Program, Has Bar

Overall 7.5 103

9 Highly Recommended

Food 10 Ambience 8 Service 10 Value 8

Oct 02, 2008

Piano Room, Potts Point

Bars

Overall 4.4 24

3.3 Below Average

Drinks 6 Ambience 1 Service 1 Value 5

Oct 02, 2008

Alio, Surry Hills

Restaurants, Italian, BYO, Degustation Menu, Private Room

Overall 7.5 271

3.8 Below Average

Food 4 Ambience 6 Service 1 Value 4

Sep 02, 2008

Office Hotel, The, Sydney

Pubs, Burger, International, Modern Australian, Pizza

Overall 7.4 13

5 Average

Food 6 Drinks 6 Ambience 6 Service 1 Value 6

Jul 25, 2008

Raquel's Spanish Kitchen, Darlinghurst

Restaurants, Mediterranean, Spanish, Tapas, Vegetarian

Overall 7.2 269

8 Recommended

Food 8 Ambience 8 Service 8 Value 8

I LOVE tapas and really enjoyed finding this restaurant by accident. We went with about 16 people and the staff were extremely helpful and up front about the food, esp as we didn't go the banquet option. I tasted about 4 tapas before I was full, servings are generous and packed with flavour. Loved it.

Jul 02, 2008

Nazimi, Sydney

Restaurants, Japanese

Overall 7.9 59

9 Highly Recommended

Food 10 Ambience 8 Service 8 Value 10

As a current convert to Japanese this is a great place to "try new things" food is soooo cheap but quality is absolutely first class (eaten at high end Japanese restaurants as well). Service is quick, easy and the fact it is BYO is always a good sign.

Jul 02, 2008

Billy Kwong, Surry Hills

Restaurants, Chinese, BYO, Licensed, Serves Dinner

Overall 7 255

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

9.5 Highly Recommended

Food 10 Ambience 8 Service 10 Value 10

If you are looking for great tasting Chinese food - this is the place to good. If the bbq duck with the mandarin sauce is on offer go for it. All dishes looked simple and uncomplicated - which sometimes translates into average tasting food. The kitchen squeezes every last ounce of flavour out of each ingredient. Try the pumpkin as well - who would have thought that traditional Chinese flavours would work with baked pumpkin. Love how it is BYO and corkage was not over the top.

Our waiter was fantastic in offering portion sizes and the fact that they can 'upsize' if they need to (e.g. wontons usually come as 4 but we needed 6) is helpful instead of some restaurants who simply refuse and make you order 2 lots of the same dish.

My only concern with this restaurant was the fact there was only one bathroom?! But I'm not there to hang out in the toilet. Would definitely go again however, the fact you can't book a smaller table might put me off.

Jun 16, 2008

Spigolo (Closed), Darlinghurst

Restaurants, Italian, American Express

Overall 6 60

4.3 Below Average

Food 6 Ambience 5 Service 1 Value 5

My boyfriend and I went there on the spur of the moment last night and were not overly impressed with the service. We shared an entree of bruschetta and garlic prawns which were lovely, great flavours and presentation. We then had a pizza and rocket and parmesan salad to share. The pizza was quite soggy in the middle and came out about 15 mins after the salad.

I think that if you know the waiters or are a regular, you get served with a smile if not don't expect any level of service at all. I requested water 3 x times and didn't get it....all cutlery, food, wine was slammed down on the table by a waitress who wasn't interested. When I requested another glass of wine, it didn't appear for 30 minutes. By that time we were finished the meal. Saving grace was it didn't appear on our bill.

Considering all the great restaurants in this area, I wouldn't go there or recommend to friends.

May 15, 2008

Vulcan's, Blackheath

Restaurants, Modern Australian, Vegetarian, BYO, Licensed

Overall 7.1 83

10 Highly Recommended

Food 10 Ambience 10 Service 10 Value 10

Went here with 6 people on the weekend and will definitely go back. I loved the menu - even though it only has 4 choices of entree/main/dessert, there is something for everyone on it and often when I look at a menu and there are too many choices I worry about the quality of what will come out.

I had the duckling sausage with beetroot which was a nice starter and not too rich or heavy. Tasted the spicy seafood soup and loved the flavours. For main the ocean trout and it was flavourful & perfectly cooked. My boyfriend had the beef stew and I thought the addition of kaffir lime leaves were a little overpowering.

For dessert we shared the cocoa, fig and rhubarb pudding - yum yum yum. The meals here are about getting maximum flavour with minimal ingredients. They definitely win on that front.

The decor / atmosphere is great and the service was polite, not overbearing and our waitress made sure our wine bottles kept coming. I don't usually like going to an early sitting at a restaurant but felt that 2 hours was enough to enjoy our food without feeling rushed. I think one of the main positives of this restaurant is the fact it is BYO. I would go back to just eat that bread again!

Apr 28, 2008