Howard C.

7.3 Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  7      Service  6      Value  7     

My friends and I tried the wagyu steak after some good reviews here. Would have to say it was the best cooked wagyu I've had in Sydney. Complimentary soup was good as were the desserts. Would go back!

Mar 31, 2012

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

3.5 Below Average

Food  2      Ambience  4      Service  6      Value  2     

My wife called to make a booking 2 days in advance for a Monday night and they said they don't take bookings for tables under 6 people.

We arrived at 7:30pm and was told that the wait was 1.5hrs. Undeterred, we waited at the bar and had a drink. True to their word, we got our table at the end of the 1.5hrs and saw several smaller groups arrive and was given a table first. Although, I cannot be certain that they had not come back from waiting outside the restaurant, I was not too concerned (although this system does leave plenty of room for favoritism as the head waiter was quite friendly with some people who were seated extremely quick).

We got to our table at 9.10pm and was greeted by a friendly waiter. The service was quite good from this point onwards from him (only). We ordered and here is the verdict:

Bruschetta - with spanner crab, excellent, well flavoured and crab was fresh.

Smoky Scamorza Arancini - nice presentation but quite bland.

Planks - Meat - quality produce of a select range of cured meats with buffalo cheese and other condiments. Was a nice starter.

Mushroom Panzerotti - Nice and well balanced flavour.

Truffle Risotto - Very creamy and rich. Obviously only a few specks of truffle but probably a bit too much butter. Risotto was nevertheless cooked perfectly.

Prawn Linguine - Pasta was homemade and cooked well. The prawns were overcooked and it seems like they didn't strain the water properly from the pasta as the dish was a watered down mess effecting the overall flavour of the dish. The rockets on top were just thrown on and they would get a '0' for presentation if it was on any reality cook show. Very very disappointing. Seems as though the kitchen staff had enough and just wanted to go home.

The waitress who brought the mains, showed little care. The dishes were called out and put down like she was working for cheap diner. Her lack of care also resulted in the sauce being tipped to the edge of the plate of the pasta dish (see picture). A total joke of a service.

We ordered 3 Tiramasu and they came in a dish that resembled a cat milk dish. The so called cake was cut unevenly and thrown on the plate like you would achieve when you cook pre-made dessert at a outdoor camp. The cream on top was scooped and placed on top without any real method. This is probably the worst presented dessert I have ever seen in my 38 years.

I have not been to Italy so I will reserve my judgement as to the authenticity of the dessert. Suffice to say that it was unlike any other Tiramisu I have had in Australia and was literally water logged. The Savoiardi was soaked in far too much espresso and there was a deep puddle at the bottom of this so called dessert. Disgusting.

Will I go back? What do you think?

Mar 12, 2012

9.3 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  8      Service  10      Value  10     

I'm usually too lazy to give reviews but I just had to give this place some well deserved recognition.

Being Chinese, I'm usually very fussy with my food and living in Chatswood, I have found the food and service to be very mediocre for the price you are paying.

I came into Lees tonight with some work colleagues who recommended this place. It was fully booked and there was a lion dance ceremony to celebrate Chinese New Year. There was a lot of sporting memorabilia and it looks like this place is an institution with some of our famous rugby, soccer and cricket teams.

We ordered the Chinese New Year banquet and an additional dish. Although, not everyone had arrived, the waiter noticed that we had been waiting for a while and suggested that we start with the entrees and the people who were late would be served when they arrived. This sounded good so we went ahead.

Now, onto the food.

Spring rolls - very good, very generous with the fillings and well flavoured.

Lamb pancakes - (they gave us 2 each - unheard of for a banquet) excellent dish, well flavoured and very tender lamb.

Szechuan Prawns - good size, lightly battered and perfectly spiced.

Fried rice with every dish!!

Beef with black pepper sauce - excellent - was so tender I would not be surprised if it was eye fillet.

The service was excellent given that the place was full. The staff were friendly and attentive.

The lion dance was a bonus and was entertaining.

At the end, we were offered a round of free drinks because it was Chinese new year after our bill was paid!! I asked for a glass of water and he came with a bottle of Italian mineral water! Speechless at this stage.

Would highly recommend to anyone in Sydney. Stay away from Chatswood and come to this place!

Jan 24, 2012

7.3 Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  7      Service  6      Value  7     

My friends and I tried the wagyu steak after some good reviews here. Would have to say it was the best cooked wagyu I've had in Sydney. Complimentary soup was good as were the desserts. Would go back!

Mar 31, 2012

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

3.5 Below Average

Food  2      Ambience  4      Service  6      Value  2     

My wife called to make a booking 2 days in advance for a Monday night and they said they don't take bookings for tables under 6 people.

We arrived at 7:30pm and was told that the wait was 1.5hrs. Undeterred, we waited at the bar and had a drink. True to their word, we got our table at the end of the 1.5hrs and saw several smaller groups arrive and was given a table first. Although, I cannot be certain that they had not come back from waiting outside the restaurant, I was not too concerned (although this system does leave plenty of room for favoritism as the head waiter was quite friendly with some people who were seated extremely quick).

We got to our table at 9.10pm and was greeted by a friendly waiter. The service was quite good from this point onwards from him (only). We ordered and here is the verdict:

Bruschetta - with spanner crab, excellent, well flavoured and crab was fresh.

Smoky Scamorza Arancini - nice presentation but quite bland.

Planks - Meat - quality produce of a select range of cured meats with buffalo cheese and other condiments. Was a nice starter.

Mushroom Panzerotti - Nice and well balanced flavour.

Truffle Risotto - Very creamy and rich. Obviously only a few specks of truffle but probably a bit too much butter. Risotto was nevertheless cooked perfectly.

Prawn Linguine - Pasta was homemade and cooked well. The prawns were overcooked and it seems like they didn't strain the water properly from the pasta as the dish was a watered down mess effecting the overall flavour of the dish. The rockets on top were just thrown on and they would get a '0' for presentation if it was on any reality cook show. Very very disappointing. Seems as though the kitchen staff had enough and just wanted to go home.

The waitress who brought the mains, showed little care. The dishes were called out and put down like she was working for cheap diner. Her lack of care also resulted in the sauce being tipped to the edge of the plate of the pasta dish (see picture). A total joke of a service.

We ordered 3 Tiramasu and they came in a dish that resembled a cat milk dish. The so called cake was cut unevenly and thrown on the plate like you would achieve when you cook pre-made dessert at a outdoor camp. The cream on top was scooped and placed on top without any real method. This is probably the worst presented dessert I have ever seen in my 38 years.

I have not been to Italy so I will reserve my judgement as to the authenticity of the dessert. Suffice to say that it was unlike any other Tiramisu I have had in Australia and was literally water logged. The Savoiardi was soaked in far too much espresso and there was a deep puddle at the bottom of this so called dessert. Disgusting.

Will I go back? What do you think?

Mar 12, 2012

9.3 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  8      Service  10      Value  10     

I'm usually too lazy to give reviews but I just had to give this place some well deserved recognition.

Being Chinese, I'm usually very fussy with my food and living in Chatswood, I have found the food and service to be very mediocre for the price you are paying.

I came into Lees tonight with some work colleagues who recommended this place. It was fully booked and there was a lion dance ceremony to celebrate Chinese New Year. There was a lot of sporting memorabilia and it looks like this place is an institution with some of our famous rugby, soccer and cricket teams.

We ordered the Chinese New Year banquet and an additional dish. Although, not everyone had arrived, the waiter noticed that we had been waiting for a while and suggested that we start with the entrees and the people who were late would be served when they arrived. This sounded good so we went ahead.

Now, onto the food.

Spring rolls - very good, very generous with the fillings and well flavoured.

Lamb pancakes - (they gave us 2 each - unheard of for a banquet) excellent dish, well flavoured and very tender lamb.

Szechuan Prawns - good size, lightly battered and perfectly spiced.

Fried rice with every dish!!

Beef with black pepper sauce - excellent - was so tender I would not be surprised if it was eye fillet.

The service was excellent given that the place was full. The staff were friendly and attentive.

The lion dance was a bonus and was entertaining.

At the end, we were offered a round of free drinks because it was Chinese new year after our bill was paid!! I asked for a glass of water and he came with a bottle of Italian mineral water! Speechless at this stage.

Would highly recommend to anyone in Sydney. Stay away from Chatswood and come to this place!

Jan 24, 2012