eatyourheartout

7.8 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  8      Service  8      Value  7     

Sydney needs more places like this! Buzzing on a Wednesday night, we had to sit at the bar for 30 minutes or so before we were seated, but immediately started ordering off the mouthwatering menu. The highlights for me were Fried Bean Curd Roll and the Milk Fed Lamb, it's impossible to describe the flavours, they were fantastic!

Such eclectic combinations (which work surprisingly well on a plate, a little hard to take in when reading the menu but trust the chefs here) and a lively ambience, no wonder this place is so popular. My only gripe is that the tables are too close together. And go early in the week so that no-bookings policy doesn't catch you out.

Sep 23, 2010

8 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  7      Service  9      Value  8     

I ate at the Oyster Bar (not the restaurant) which was fantastic value and the service was impeccable. Yes you're seated right in the front with tourists gazing inside all the time, but the prices are reasonable and the service is polite and efficient. I had the crispy fish with ginger and shallot on rice: it came out as two very large pieces of leatherjacket and the ginger and shallot dressing came out on the side for self-pouring (nice touch). This was $21. What a great option for pre-theatre dining. I'll be back.

Feb 21, 2009

6.8 Recommended

Food  6      Ambience  6      Service  7      Value  8     

Nothing special, it's not worth making a special trip to try the ramen here. I eat better at my local ramen shop in Chatswood (which has a far lower rating than this place!) and I don't have to queue for ages or feel rushed to eat and get out. It seems to have a cult following in the Asian community but I just can't see the attraction. And may I just add that I have lived in Japan and eaten the real deal, and I just don't see what there is to get excited about at Ryo's.

Feb 21, 2009

8 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  8      Service  9      Value  7     

I highly recommend Ventuno for a pre-theatre meal. The pizzas here are fantastic and the service is impeccable. My dining partner in crime and I started with the rice balls, which lacked a certain oomph, but were satisfactory. The pizza, however, was mouth-watering. We shared a Saporita, a head spinning combination of gorgonzola, eggplant and speck. The coffee is excellent. But best of all the wait staff are passionate about their food and so attentive. I can't wait to visit again.

Feb 21, 2009

7.5 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  7      Service  7      Value  9     

We had the cheap 3-course set menu. The food was very tasty and the portions generous, although I would say at times it does use general Mediterranean flavours and styles, for example with the Chicken Schnitzel. For really authentic Spanish I would try Kika Tapas, but no complaints, it was a very pleasant meal. The highlights were the complimentary chorizo dip and the rice pudding. For dessert. The food came out fairly quickly and we all left feeling satisfied.

Feb 21, 2009

7.8 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  8      Service  8      Value  7     

Sydney needs more places like this! Buzzing on a Wednesday night, we had to sit at the bar for 30 minutes or so before we were seated, but immediately started ordering off the mouthwatering menu. The highlights for me were Fried Bean Curd Roll and the Milk Fed Lamb, it's impossible to describe the flavours, they were fantastic!

Such eclectic combinations (which work surprisingly well on a plate, a little hard to take in when reading the menu but trust the chefs here) and a lively ambience, no wonder this place is so popular. My only gripe is that the tables are too close together. And go early in the week so that no-bookings policy doesn't catch you out.

Sep 23, 2010

8 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  7      Service  9      Value  8     

I ate at the Oyster Bar (not the restaurant) which was fantastic value and the service was impeccable. Yes you're seated right in the front with tourists gazing inside all the time, but the prices are reasonable and the service is polite and efficient. I had the crispy fish with ginger and shallot on rice: it came out as two very large pieces of leatherjacket and the ginger and shallot dressing came out on the side for self-pouring (nice touch). This was $21. What a great option for pre-theatre dining. I'll be back.

Feb 21, 2009

6.8 Recommended

Food  6      Ambience  6      Service  7      Value  8     

Nothing special, it's not worth making a special trip to try the ramen here. I eat better at my local ramen shop in Chatswood (which has a far lower rating than this place!) and I don't have to queue for ages or feel rushed to eat and get out. It seems to have a cult following in the Asian community but I just can't see the attraction. And may I just add that I have lived in Japan and eaten the real deal, and I just don't see what there is to get excited about at Ryo's.

Feb 21, 2009

8 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  8      Service  9      Value  7     

I highly recommend Ventuno for a pre-theatre meal. The pizzas here are fantastic and the service is impeccable. My dining partner in crime and I started with the rice balls, which lacked a certain oomph, but were satisfactory. The pizza, however, was mouth-watering. We shared a Saporita, a head spinning combination of gorgonzola, eggplant and speck. The coffee is excellent. But best of all the wait staff are passionate about their food and so attentive. I can't wait to visit again.

Feb 21, 2009

7.5 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  7      Service  7      Value  9     

We had the cheap 3-course set menu. The food was very tasty and the portions generous, although I would say at times it does use general Mediterranean flavours and styles, for example with the Chicken Schnitzel. For really authentic Spanish I would try Kika Tapas, but no complaints, it was a very pleasant meal. The highlights were the complimentary chorizo dip and the rice pudding. For dessert. The food came out fairly quickly and we all left feeling satisfied.

Feb 21, 2009

5.5 Average

Food  6      Ambience  6      Service  5      Value  5     

Went here the other night. The meal started badly, we were seated in very close proximity to a 12 year old girl's birthday party. The noise levels were more than excessive (although the wait staff did apologise). I ordered lasagne which lacked flavour, basically a soggy mushy mess. I believe I could have done a better job and I'm no culinary expert, nor am I Italian.

I ordered gelato, being Bravo's specialty, which never arrived until we asked someone (our waitress had by then disappeared). Turns out someone had left it sitting out in the bowl so once I received it had half melted, this was on one of those recent sweltering Sydney nights. I won't be back here, I'll be running back to my favourite Italian place around the corner.

Feb 21, 2009

6.8 Recommended

Food  5      Ambience  9      Service  8      Value  5     

This is one sexy restaurant, once you step in here it's all mood lighting, luxe furniture and contrasting textures. The designers have done a fantastic job, this is an amazing space. The food on the otherhand, is utterly forgettable and at times just plain disappointing. My dining companion and I shared some 'small plates' - the cuttlefish was bland and despite the waiter's assurance that 'these are the only spring rolls we do' (we believed we'd been given the wrong ones), we didn't quite believe there was even a single bit of duck in the spring rolls, let alone apple.

All was not lost however. With a spirit of optimism and a need to fill our stomachs, we went ahead and ordered dessert. These were good, but we didn't come here satisfy a sweet tooth. What a shame that the food doesn't match the smartness of the space.

Feb 21, 2009

6.3 Average

Food  6      Ambience  7      Service  6      Value  6     

One also has to ask oneself why there seems to be not a single Japanese face working here (on the wait staff, at least). Well, now I understand from reading below it is a Singaporean chain. My first (and last) visit consisted of mediocre service, and 'whatever' tasting food. If you're in the area and craving real Japanese food, try elsewhere.

Feb 21, 2009

3.8 Below Average

Food  5      Ambience  1      Service  6      Value  3     

After receiving a strong 14 in the 2009 GFG, my partner in crime and I agreed to brave the east once again, in search of a potentially magical combination of water views, and potentially even some tasty Italian cuisine.

Well aware of the no bookings policy, we ordered the drink du jour, Campari and freshly squeezed orange juice, and sat ourselves on some plastic bar stools in the corner. The Ksubi overall clothed guy-in-charge-of-waiting-list-with-very-curly-blond-hair kindly advised us it would be a one to one-and-a-half hour wait (on a Sunday evening, no less).

We were so thrilled to finally be seated, that sharing a table next to three rowdy 30-something 'hipsters' didn't even phase us. However, after being served lukewarm parpadelle with veal and pork ragu, and a non-descript lasagne, something snapped, and we were out of there before you could say 'I love Ksubi'.
Unfortunately, I can't quite pin down what the tipping point was. Rather a combination of the factors mentioned above contributed to a head-ache inducing dining experience. Need I say never again?

Sep 23, 2008

8.3 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  8      Service  8      Value  8     

I dined in the cafe and what a lovely experience. The pastas are such good value at $15 and the coffee is superb. This will be my new regular lunch hour spot. Very Melbournesque!

Update: I dined at the restaurant this time and it was superb! The Italian staff are charming and I love the rush of the kitchen on show for the diners to see and hear. You can feel the authenticity. My dish was pan-fried spatchcock stuffed with mascarpone and lemon. My dining partner in crime chose the pumpkin and ricotta lasagne which can be summed up in one word: heavenly. Dessert was a gorgeous cointreau-poached pear tart.

The restaurant has real atmosphere, perfect for a romantic dinner or group meal. It's hard to believe you're two levels up from Pitt St Mall. I will certainly be back.

Aug 24, 2008