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Little Monk, Pyrmont

Restaurants, Asian Fusion, Thai, Family Dining, Good for Brunch

Overall 7.2 12

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful

2.8 Not Recommended

Food 4 Ambience 2 Service 2 Value 3

I was looking forward to trying this restaurant as another addition to the Pyrmont food scene. Unfortunately it did not live up to my expectation. The food was basic suburban Thai/Asian food. A dish of pork belly was very fatty and had a strange aftertaste. It was also served luke warm. The service was very very slow. I am surprised this place is surviving given the much better competition.

Response from Management:
Dear Cityeater,

We're sorry to hear that we couldn't satisfy you whilst dining in here. But thank you anyway for your review and your point of view that motivates us to improve our cooking and service. And hopefully we'll be able to get a chance to serve you again just in case we'll still survive by the time you might want to try us again. :-)

By the way, I want to thank everyone who posted the review here and all patrons who visited us either at the shop or our eatability page. We always realise that we can't make everyone happy but we'll try our best to do what we love (cooking and serving) for you.

Best Regards,
Little Monk Team.

Sep 02, 2011

Aria, Circular Quay

Restaurants, Modern Australian, Fine Dining, Has Bar, Licensed

Overall 7.8 445

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

6 Average

Food 9 Ambience 5 Service 4 Value 6

The stand out for this restaurant is its food. High quality ingredients and good flavours which complement the food, you can clearly see the skill of the kitchen. Its iconic location also adds to the experience.

Sadly this restaurant is brought down by its service. Issues included: delay in being seated, our coats were not taken, napkins were left on the table, we waited 30 minutes to be offered a drink other than water, the special of the night was not explained until we were about to order our dinner, service is generally cold and without any personality (the main waiter clearly didn't want to be working that night) and the restaurant generally appears to be understaffed.

*the "sommelier" didn't seem to know much about wine and offered no assistance in suggesting a suitable wine for our meal (quite apart from being bad service, I wouldn't like to be an investor in this restaurant given that wine sales are quite often the most profitable component of a restaurant). The bathrooms were dirty and too small for the size of the restaurant.

Despite the service the overall experience was good. But when you are charging $40-$50 for entrees and $50 to $60 for mains this sets a certain benchmark for service which this restaurant does not deliver. It terms of value I think this restaurant charges too much for Sydney. It is about 20-30% more expensive than it should be. I can get a high quality meal from my local restaurant for a third of the price.

Was it worthwhile going? Yes, I'm glad I experienced it and can certainly see why Matt Moran has the reputation for food that he does. Would I go again? Probably not (unless someone else was paying). If this restaurant invested more in its service it might regain its place as one of Sydney's top restaurants.

Aug 22, 2009

Auge, Adelaide

Restaurants, Italian, Vegetarian, BYO, Has Bar

Overall 7.8 5

9.5 Highly Recommended

Food 9 Ambience 10 Service 10 Value 9

My partner and I tried this restaurant on a recent weekend trip to Adelaide. This restaurant certainly was a good find. The restaurant interior is quite funky and (for those from Sydney) would not look out of place in Kings Cross or Darlinghurst. However, unlike Sydney's eastern suburbs, it is chic without the pretence.

The service is seemless - helpful and attentive, without being overbearing. But the best thing about this place is the food. Modern Italian food using fresh ingredients. The sommelier also suggested some great wines by the glass which matched the food well. Overall, this was the perfect place for a special night out in Adelaide.

Jan 28, 2009

Silo Bakery, Kingston

Cafes, Bakeries, European, Vegetarian, Licensed

Overall 7.3 22

0 of 3 people found the following review helpful

7.3 Recommended

Food 9 Ambience 7 Service 6 Value 7

Have only tried their coffee and black cherry snails (pastries), but if this is any indication that this is possibly one of the best cafes in Canberra. The huge line and waiting list for tables indicates that Canberrans obviously think so.

Sep 24, 2008

Ginger Room, The, Parkes

Restaurants, Modern Australian, Vegetarian, Has Bar, Licensed

Overall 8 14

8 Recommended

Food 8 Ambience 9 Service 8 Value 7

Ginger Room is a quintessential Canberra dining experience. Located in the former members dining room in Old Parliament House with the New Parliament House looming in the background, you certainty can't mistake where you are.

The service was professional with a good balance between formality and friendliness. The decor is dominated by the wallpaper and a feature wall which depict (I assume) a ginger plant. Smart and modern, but not too over the top.

The food is very good, modern Australian with a display of French technique and an splash of Asian influence. You can choose from 3 to 5 courses (although the 5 courses is good value you would need to have a good appetite because they don't adjust the size of the courses). My only criticism was that the pork belly was a little dry. What is gave up in moisture was made by flavour.

Excellent wine list, although they could have a bigger selection by the glass.
Overall a very pleasant experience and strongly recommended for a special night out in Canberra.

Sep 24, 2008

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Displaying: 1 - 10 of 13 reviews

Little Monk, Pyrmont

Restaurants, Asian Fusion, Thai, Family Dining, Good for Brunch

Overall 7.2 12

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful

2.8 Not Recommended

Food 4 Ambience 2 Service 2 Value 3

Sep 02, 2011

Aria, Circular Quay

Restaurants, Modern Australian, Fine Dining, Has Bar, Licensed

Overall 7.8 445

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

6 Average

Food 9 Ambience 5 Service 4 Value 6

Aug 22, 2009

Auge, Adelaide

Restaurants, Italian, Vegetarian, BYO, Has Bar

Overall 7.8 5

9.5 Highly Recommended

Food 9 Ambience 10 Service 10 Value 9

Jan 28, 2009

Silo Bakery, Kingston

Cafes, Bakeries, European, Vegetarian, Licensed

Overall 7.3 22

0 of 3 people found the following review helpful

7.3 Recommended

Food 9 Ambience 7 Service 6 Value 7

Sep 24, 2008

Ginger Room, The, Parkes

Restaurants, Modern Australian, Vegetarian, Has Bar, Licensed

Overall 8 14

8 Recommended

Food 8 Ambience 9 Service 8 Value 7

Sep 24, 2008

Francois Pastries, Pyrmont

Cafes, Cake Shops and Patisseries, French, Outdoor Dining, Wheelchair Access

Overall 7.8 10

6.5 Recommended

Food 6 Ambience 7 Service 7 Value 6

It's nearly 2 years since I last reviewed this place, just after it first opened. I'm sorry to say that it hasn't fully lived up to my expectations. Although many of the cakes and pastries are still very good, there are signs of problems with quality control! A few times now I have had a croissant that is over-cooked or even burnt and not light and flaky as they should be. The quality of the coffee is also quite variable. Turkish toast is also no longer on the menu (sometimes you want an alternative to cakes and pastries).

For the prices that are being charged and when compared with the other French patisserie in Pyrmont (Jean-Marc's Patisserie and Boulangerie), this place really needs to lift its game.

Dec 19, 2007

Oscars Lounge Bar & Restaurant, Pyrmont

Restaurants, European, Modern Australian, Vegetarian, Has Bar

Overall 6.3 49

8 Recommended

Food 8 Ambience 7 Service 8 Value 9

A great local bar/restaurant which takes the counter meal to the next level. The food in genuinely good and great value and there is a happy mix of basic bar/snack food and more serious meals (the steaks are particularly good and show up other "steak houses" for the rip off they are). On a busy Friday or Saturday probably not the place for an initimate dinner but other nights tend to more laid back. The staff are very professional and friendly.

Also great to see another bar/hotel that has finally realised that non-smokers are the (vast) majority and are more likely to be attracted to a smoke-free environment. This place has nothing to fear about the smoking ban coming into force next year.

Mar 13, 2006

Oaks, The, Neutral Bay

Pubs, International, Modern Australian, Steak House, Bistro/Brasserie

Overall 6.4 68

3.8 Below Average

Food 5 Drinks 5 Ambience 4 Service 3 Value 2

When compared with other pubs (i.e. not restaurants) this place isn't bad. You expect a pub to be full of loud and obnoxious people, so can't really complain about that. Food is OK but too expensive for pub food (even if it is Neutral Bay). Also, the tables in the main inside dining area are too close together - people had to get out of their seat to let people get past - which is not a good look when they are carrying 4 or 5 beers in their hand. Better off having a drink here and going to one of the many restaurants which are in Neutral Bay. However, considering this place doesn't really need to try that hard given it is the only pub serving a large area, not a bad place to meet friends for a drink.

May 20, 2005

Little Snail, The, Pyrmont

Restaurants, French, Modern Australian, Good For Groups, Child Friendly

Overall 7 253

8.3 Highly Recommended

Food 6 Ambience 8 Service 9 Value 10

I am surprised by the number of bad reviews for this place - seems Sydneysiders are as picky and unreasonable as their reputation would suggest. Have been to this restaurant on and off for the last 5 years (going back to when it was at Broadway) I think it is not a bad place to go for its location and price.

No its not a fine French dining restaurant but nor do they put it out as being one. What they charge for 3-courses is what most "fine dining" restaurants charge for one main. The food is not especially exciting or inspirational, but it is of a reasonable quality and always consistent.

I have always found the service to be good and the fact that quite a few staff have been with them for years must say something. It is also one of the very few restaurants with a bar that also allows BYO.

So, no its not a gourmet's delight where you will leave raving about the food. What you will get what you pay for and it will be served to you with the right mix of humour and politeness. If you want a good night out with a few friends I couldn't think of a better place to go.

Jan 18, 2005

No 1 Harris Cafe (Closed), Pyrmont

Cafes, Modern Australian, Outdoor Dining, Water View

Overall 5.1 14

5.8 Average

Food 6 Ambience 9 Service 4 Value 4

The food is good, but not as good as you would expect from the price. Great location - but you pay for it. Plenty of other places in Pyrmont serve better food for a cheaper price. Maybe somewhere to take visitors to Sydney, but wouldn't become a regular. Service can be very bad sometimes.

Jan 18, 2005