glamjan

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

3.8 Below Average

Food  3      Ambience  5      Service  2      Value  5     

Easter Sunday 2009 6pmish ...... took my young daughters to Sofias on the waterfront at Frankston after a wonderful day on the beach. It was early so we didn't have to wait long for a table. Couldn't get a waiter to serve us, however, for what seemed an eternity. They were too busy scurrying here and there but not taking any notice of their customers! I ordered my girls a fruit cup and when they were delivered my girls took one look at the fruit n icecream smoothy concoction and turned their noses up at them (it did look a bit like vomit!). Fruit cups don't have icecream in them!

The fish of the day was grilled John Dory. I asked for salad instead of vegetables. The plate when it arrived was nearly as big as a computer keyboard and it was piled high with soggy chips (that I didn't order) and was topped with a dryish fillet of panfried fish. No-one needs to eat that many chips! I'd rather have had a quarter of the amount of much better quality fries or wedges! The accompanying salad was a handful of mixed leaves, coupla bits of cucumber, too many long bits of spanish onion (tick for the raddichio leaves though!) and a teaspoon of thick balsamic I guess?! dressing.

Would have been nice if they actually tossed the leaves in the dressing, luckily I had a huge lemon wedge for my fish, so I finished off the dressing and tossed it myself! From the children's menu we ordered chicken and fries (read processed nuggets and more soggy chips!) and fish and fries (overcooked fish nuggets and more soggy chips). The fish nuggets didn't loook appealing and after one bite, my girls shared the chicken nuggets! (my girls are adventurous and not fussy eaters).

I accidentally spilled my drink (it's my kids who usually do that) and the man next to me dropped his spoon soon after, and not one of the dozens of waiters working there noticed, let alone offered a replacement fork, or came scurrying with a mop and bucket. So, drenched as I was, I got up grabbed a whole stack of serviettes and started cleaning up myself, thinking that'd get someone's attention. Having gone through the serviettes I finally caught a waiter's eye and the moppin began.

I was quite touched when he picked up a few icecubes off the floor and put them back in what was left of my drink! Of course I had to ask for a replacement drink and the soggy serviettes remained on the table apparently unnoticed by the waiters. My replacement drink turned up and it was clear aforementioned waiter wasn't going to take the old glass away, so I politely handed it to him.

I couldn't wait to get out of this tardy establishment that dares pretend to be Italian! I've never left a note for the kitchen staff of a restaurant in my life, well not until eating in this revolting establishment. But when you're 9 year old daughter figures out that "they don't care about the food they just want you out quickly so they can serve more disappointing food to other diners" you know it's bad and worthy of a scathing note to the kitchen staff!

Oh earlier in the afternoon we went to the Sofia's kiosk for icecream, there was a huge line and we waited patiently. The counter was covered in spilt icecream and it was sticky and running down the counter, looked like it hadn't been cleaned all day and not a serviette box in sight so I could clean my child's now icecream smeared hands. We were served by a young waitress who was clearly having trouble opening her mouth because of new braces perhaps?

She was completely inaudible. I had to ask her to repeat everything, I just wanted to scream oh for goodness sake, I can't hear you over the cacophany in this place and your lips are supposed to open when you talk. She clearly didn't want to be there (it was a beautiful autumn Easter Sunday after all!) and her attitude was appalling!

Don't eat here unless every restaurant in a 50 mile radius is closed! Needless to say I won't be going to another Sofia's restaurant ever!

Apr 14, 2009

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

3.8 Below Average

Food  3      Ambience  5      Service  2      Value  5     

Easter Sunday 2009 6pmish ...... took my young daughters to Sofias on the waterfront at Frankston after a wonderful day on the beach. It was early so we didn't have to wait long for a table. Couldn't get a waiter to serve us, however, for what seemed an eternity. They were too busy scurrying here and there but not taking any notice of their customers! I ordered my girls a fruit cup and when they were delivered my girls took one look at the fruit n icecream smoothy concoction and turned their noses up at them (it did look a bit like vomit!). Fruit cups don't have icecream in them!

The fish of the day was grilled John Dory. I asked for salad instead of vegetables. The plate when it arrived was nearly as big as a computer keyboard and it was piled high with soggy chips (that I didn't order) and was topped with a dryish fillet of panfried fish. No-one needs to eat that many chips! I'd rather have had a quarter of the amount of much better quality fries or wedges! The accompanying salad was a handful of mixed leaves, coupla bits of cucumber, too many long bits of spanish onion (tick for the raddichio leaves though!) and a teaspoon of thick balsamic I guess?! dressing.

Would have been nice if they actually tossed the leaves in the dressing, luckily I had a huge lemon wedge for my fish, so I finished off the dressing and tossed it myself! From the children's menu we ordered chicken and fries (read processed nuggets and more soggy chips!) and fish and fries (overcooked fish nuggets and more soggy chips). The fish nuggets didn't loook appealing and after one bite, my girls shared the chicken nuggets! (my girls are adventurous and not fussy eaters).

I accidentally spilled my drink (it's my kids who usually do that) and the man next to me dropped his spoon soon after, and not one of the dozens of waiters working there noticed, let alone offered a replacement fork, or came scurrying with a mop and bucket. So, drenched as I was, I got up grabbed a whole stack of serviettes and started cleaning up myself, thinking that'd get someone's attention. Having gone through the serviettes I finally caught a waiter's eye and the moppin began.

I was quite touched when he picked up a few icecubes off the floor and put them back in what was left of my drink! Of course I had to ask for a replacement drink and the soggy serviettes remained on the table apparently unnoticed by the waiters. My replacement drink turned up and it was clear aforementioned waiter wasn't going to take the old glass away, so I politely handed it to him.

I couldn't wait to get out of this tardy establishment that dares pretend to be Italian! I've never left a note for the kitchen staff of a restaurant in my life, well not until eating in this revolting establishment. But when you're 9 year old daughter figures out that "they don't care about the food they just want you out quickly so they can serve more disappointing food to other diners" you know it's bad and worthy of a scathing note to the kitchen staff!

Oh earlier in the afternoon we went to the Sofia's kiosk for icecream, there was a huge line and we waited patiently. The counter was covered in spilt icecream and it was sticky and running down the counter, looked like it hadn't been cleaned all day and not a serviette box in sight so I could clean my child's now icecream smeared hands. We were served by a young waitress who was clearly having trouble opening her mouth because of new braces perhaps?

She was completely inaudible. I had to ask her to repeat everything, I just wanted to scream oh for goodness sake, I can't hear you over the cacophany in this place and your lips are supposed to open when you talk. She clearly didn't want to be there (it was a beautiful autumn Easter Sunday after all!) and her attitude was appalling!

Don't eat here unless every restaurant in a 50 mile radius is closed! Needless to say I won't be going to another Sofia's restaurant ever!

Apr 14, 2009