Eva J.

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful

1.8 Not Recommended

Food  2      Ambience  3      Service  1      Value  1     

There are better restaurants and this one is highly overrated. We were invited to be part of a birthday party group of 13 and as the hosts had eaten there previously it was suggested that the best value was the tasting menu at $60 a head. As I have a limited diet this did not suit and the chef very kindly contacted me so that a suitable repast could be organised.

After much debate, I chose a fish dish off the menu and he offered a side dish of lentils. The evening turned out to be a disaster for everyone. I would have had to sit for an hour waiting for the fish so I ordered a salad minus the walnuts. For a cost of $10 I received a bowl of lettuce with dressing and what seemed like two tablespoons of pomegranate seeds. The lavosh that was supposed to be included in this exciting dish had been left off.

The service was interesting to observe. What was obvious was the shortage of staff. As each course came out, one waitress went round the table serving each person their alloted course, not of equal portion size. So that the first was warm and the last person served had a cold portion. When my fish appeared, the vegetables placed under the fish were hot and the 2 skewers of fish were luke warm, obviously left sitting on the stove for a while, and the lentils did not appear.

Do not expect generous servings. Do not expect reasonably good service from the kitchen, nor will it be hot. You needed a magnifying glass for the tasting dessert plate and the coffee was disgusting by all accounts. I had to wait 20 minutes for the Turkish coffee and when it finally turned up it was luke warm and grainy, served in a traditional tiny cup that meant one-third was coffee dredges, it must have been the last of the coffee pot.

The hosts were very upset with the service, portion sizes and charges and emailed the senior staff who of course blamed the customer and his floor staff. There is a lack of organisation for the front of house and very poor timings in the kitchen. Athough the flavours were good and the meat was excellent although cold by the time the waitress served it, none of us will be returning to this venue in the future.

Jun 10, 2011

1 Not Recommended

Food  1      Ambience  1      Service  1      Value  1     

This is a large space and as it was full we thought the evening would be one of good food and good conversation. However, we could not hear ourselves think, after 5 minutes it felt like we were in a chicken coop.

The service should have been the next warning. Understaffed, the waiter clutched his head after we requested water. The slow arrival of the pizza bread, which was tasteless, with sides, forgettable, was the precurser for the other disasters to follow. The fish cooked in the cast iron pot was so hot that it was inedible for several minutes so that when eaten with the side of potatoes, which arrived luke warm, it was an interesting mix of hot and cold.

The fish, like the pizza was tasteless. When we asked for water the waiter wanted to know why we should want this. After all, we had ordered sparkling water. When another table companion asked for mustard to accompany the lamb, comment: 'never to be ordered again', the waitress didn't know what he was talking about.

The coffee was luke warm and returned. The petit fours that were supposed to come with the coffee, never arrived. The waiter was willing to give us a chocolate doggy bag! Standing near the counter observed gloveless fingers in dessert area. Wonder if these fingers were used to help plate up the sorbets on our dessert tasting plate.

May 09, 2011

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful

1.8 Not Recommended

Food  2      Ambience  3      Service  1      Value  1     

There are better restaurants and this one is highly overrated. We were invited to be part of a birthday party group of 13 and as the hosts had eaten there previously it was suggested that the best value was the tasting menu at $60 a head. As I have a limited diet this did not suit and the chef very kindly contacted me so that a suitable repast could be organised.

After much debate, I chose a fish dish off the menu and he offered a side dish of lentils. The evening turned out to be a disaster for everyone. I would have had to sit for an hour waiting for the fish so I ordered a salad minus the walnuts. For a cost of $10 I received a bowl of lettuce with dressing and what seemed like two tablespoons of pomegranate seeds. The lavosh that was supposed to be included in this exciting dish had been left off.

The service was interesting to observe. What was obvious was the shortage of staff. As each course came out, one waitress went round the table serving each person their alloted course, not of equal portion size. So that the first was warm and the last person served had a cold portion. When my fish appeared, the vegetables placed under the fish were hot and the 2 skewers of fish were luke warm, obviously left sitting on the stove for a while, and the lentils did not appear.

Do not expect generous servings. Do not expect reasonably good service from the kitchen, nor will it be hot. You needed a magnifying glass for the tasting dessert plate and the coffee was disgusting by all accounts. I had to wait 20 minutes for the Turkish coffee and when it finally turned up it was luke warm and grainy, served in a traditional tiny cup that meant one-third was coffee dredges, it must have been the last of the coffee pot.

The hosts were very upset with the service, portion sizes and charges and emailed the senior staff who of course blamed the customer and his floor staff. There is a lack of organisation for the front of house and very poor timings in the kitchen. Athough the flavours were good and the meat was excellent although cold by the time the waitress served it, none of us will be returning to this venue in the future.

Jun 10, 2011

1 Not Recommended

Food  1      Ambience  1      Service  1      Value  1     

This is a large space and as it was full we thought the evening would be one of good food and good conversation. However, we could not hear ourselves think, after 5 minutes it felt like we were in a chicken coop.

The service should have been the next warning. Understaffed, the waiter clutched his head after we requested water. The slow arrival of the pizza bread, which was tasteless, with sides, forgettable, was the precurser for the other disasters to follow. The fish cooked in the cast iron pot was so hot that it was inedible for several minutes so that when eaten with the side of potatoes, which arrived luke warm, it was an interesting mix of hot and cold.

The fish, like the pizza was tasteless. When we asked for water the waiter wanted to know why we should want this. After all, we had ordered sparkling water. When another table companion asked for mustard to accompany the lamb, comment: 'never to be ordered again', the waitress didn't know what he was talking about.

The coffee was luke warm and returned. The petit fours that were supposed to come with the coffee, never arrived. The waiter was willing to give us a chocolate doggy bag! Standing near the counter observed gloveless fingers in dessert area. Wonder if these fingers were used to help plate up the sorbets on our dessert tasting plate.

May 09, 2011