tavare

9.3 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  10      Service  10      Value  8     

It was like going back to a very familiar friend, the old Riberries site where Jean-Paul Bruneteau made Australian cuisine fine-dining thanks to his French take on kangaroo etc. There wasn't any reference to these old days with Le Pelican, but the French touch was definitely there. This is a wonderfully warm, attractive and honese dining experience.

The maitre d' welcomes you as if you were her favourite cousin and that charm doesn't disappear till you leave. That will always make a restaurant special. Then the food is classic French and I will probably order the roasted half-duck every time I go back because it really doesn't come much better. We didn't get the opportunity to use the attractive courtyard because of the weather, but I look forward to returning for a long evening turning into night.

The wine menu is a little pricey and I think they could find some interesting lower-priced options, but the French semmillon sauv blanc was outstanding and the Aussie pinot went sublimely with the duck. I came away on a drizzly Thursday afternoon a very happy man.

Nov 05, 2009

7.5 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  6      Service  8      Value  8     

My favourite dining choice in the area is Ripples, but on this occasion it was full so we chose Garfish for lunch. I am a great fan of Garfish at Crows Nest and will now add Garfish Kirribilli to that list as much because of the service and the consistently good food. Plus great value. You basically know what to expect with dining at Garfish, good quality fresh fish at a decent price but what I am constantly impressed with is the genuine friendliness and helpfulness of the staff.

Our waitress had only been working there for 2 weeks but she sold us on the fish of the day with a genuine opinion based on the chef getting her to taste the dish at the start of the day (why don't all restaurants train their wait staff in such an obvious manner?). And her recommendation was good. We BYOed and they brought good old tap water regularly so this very pleasant and satisfying lunch experience was also very inexpensive.

Garfish might not have the views of Ripples, but if you want good fish and a really enjoyable dining experience it is really hard to go past Garfish.

Sep 25, 2009

4.8 Average

Food  5      Ambience  7      Service  3      Value  4     

Whatever you do, don't order the "special" (aka cheap) menu, unless you want to be treated like a second class citizen. I have eaten here on two previous occasions, when someone else was paying and we ordered off the full menu. On those two occasions it was very good. Expensive, but good.

Glass is a beautiful space and attracts the suits and "ladies who lunch" and I suppose most of them don't stoop to requesting the special menu, which is what attracted me to the restaurant on this occasion. It all went swimmingly well when we arrived and I ordered a bottle of good wine and some mineral water (lord knows what reaction I would have got if I dared request "tap" water).

But then things went down hill when I inquired about their $45 menu offering two courses and a glass of wine. The mood changed dramatically. A snooty waiter almost flung the cheapie menus on the table and ran, we had to almost tackle waiters from then on to get their attention.

The food itself was ok without being spectacular, slightly chewy tempura prawns as an entree and snapper for main. They were quick to ask if we wanted (paid) bread, but otherwise service was a struggle. The complimentary glasses of wine arrived and after the beautifully fine arneis we paid for, the "selected" glass of Luke Mangan chardonnay was truly awful. This was a typical old-fashioned over-oaked Hunter chardonnay that has given the varietal such a bad name. Rather than complementing the food, it fought with it and we abandoned it.

A different waiter noticed our displeasure and offered to take off the cost of one of the glasses of white that we ordered as replacements. Unfortunately, by then it was all too late. So some "free" advice to restaurants, if you are going to offer a fixed price menu to entice customers into your establishment, then don't be contemptuous when someone actually requests one! This doesn't happen at Bistro CBD (and their lunch deal is far superior) and it doesn't happen at the Sofitel's Bistro Garden Court (and they have a two course menu for $27 with bread and tea/coffee offered without any hint of a sneer). It shouldn't happen at Glass.

Aug 15, 2009

8.3 Highly Recommended

Drinks  9      Ambience  7      Service  9      Value  8     

For a "Spanish" tapas bar One does great French food. Mind you, that's what Tony Bilson does best and after eating regularly at Bilson's in Pitt Street so I expected as much when I gave the restaurant/piano bar a try. It was lunchtime, so not much piano, but given that we are supposedly in the middle of a global economic downturn there were a surprisingly large number of suits merrily eating hearty food and drinking copious amounts of wine.

Maitre d' Chris suggested a petit chablis while I waited and it was a great choice and it highlights how good it is to find a restaurant that understands wine. With our meal I had asked whether he had a sauvignon blanc that wasn't Marlborough and he recommended a bottle of Adelaide Hills O'Leary Walker SB which was very different from the staple Shaw & Smith Adelaide Hills style.

An inspired choice because it went beautifully with my colleague's fish and wasn't overwhelmed by my rich and indulgent cassoulet that was a special of the day but should be permanently on the menu. I think it was just $30 and it emphasised that the menu is well priced. We had a superb terrine to start with along with a brandade that showed deft hands in the kitchen. The space is more like a 70s and 80s Sydney restaurant, rather than the minimalist chrome and marble palaces that abound today.

It looks ideal for intimate chats about the next business deal or assignations with your "assistant" (or maybe a few of the businessmen were with their nieces, if you know what I mean). I look forward to going back in the evening when it becomes more of a bar, but in the meantime I can't wait to get back for another bowl of cassoulet (Warning: don't organise to eat dinner after you eat this dish unless you have a spare stomach).

May 26, 2009

8.8 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  8      Value  9     

I was staying at St Kilda at the Novotel for the weekend after a business visit to the city. The day before I had taken clients to Flower Drum in the city and came away immensely underwhelmed. It had surprised me because of all the rave reviews it has had over the years. In contrast, the new Grill 3182 restaurant at the Novotel had no reviews, but it did have a sunny terrace overlooking St Kilda beach and it did have a good-looking grill menu and I have a passion for wagyu.

My friend is a fish lover and after consulting the menu we decided to take a table under one of the umbrellas (and this is Melbourne in May - amazing), order a bottle of local pinot gris and stay put at the Novotel. By 1 pm it was quite busy but fortunately we had got our entree orders in. Actually, we were both attracted to the prawns, from somewhere called Crystal bay, which came with a creamy avocado dip, segmented oranges and a small water cress salad.

The combination was terrific, the creaminess of the avocado nicely balanced by the tangy orange and slightly bitter water cress. The mains were substantial and my wagyu was cooked as it should be, grilled firmly on the outside, rare throughout. It came with a fascinating mash potato dish with pancetta. Odd, but it worked. And the beans were crunchy and fresh. Yvette's salmon looked good, but I'm not mad about salmon, though I did take one of her roasted tomatoes.

We shared a plate of chocolate goodies for dessert, the soft centred chocolate fondant being the standout. I think St Kilda really does restaurants like Grill 3182 very well. The seasisde atmosphere works well especially when it is sunny, but even when I ate breakfast the next morning inside it had a lazy brunch feel to it.

In fact, it would be a great place for Sunday brunch as the markets are just outside the front door. This was a very pleasant dining experience and good value (especially if you have an Advantage Plus card).

May 25, 2009

9.3 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  10      Service  10      Value  8     

It was like going back to a very familiar friend, the old Riberries site where Jean-Paul Bruneteau made Australian cuisine fine-dining thanks to his French take on kangaroo etc. There wasn't any reference to these old days with Le Pelican, but the French touch was definitely there. This is a wonderfully warm, attractive and honese dining experience.

The maitre d' welcomes you as if you were her favourite cousin and that charm doesn't disappear till you leave. That will always make a restaurant special. Then the food is classic French and I will probably order the roasted half-duck every time I go back because it really doesn't come much better. We didn't get the opportunity to use the attractive courtyard because of the weather, but I look forward to returning for a long evening turning into night.

The wine menu is a little pricey and I think they could find some interesting lower-priced options, but the French semmillon sauv blanc was outstanding and the Aussie pinot went sublimely with the duck. I came away on a drizzly Thursday afternoon a very happy man.

Nov 05, 2009

7.5 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  6      Service  8      Value  8     

My favourite dining choice in the area is Ripples, but on this occasion it was full so we chose Garfish for lunch. I am a great fan of Garfish at Crows Nest and will now add Garfish Kirribilli to that list as much because of the service and the consistently good food. Plus great value. You basically know what to expect with dining at Garfish, good quality fresh fish at a decent price but what I am constantly impressed with is the genuine friendliness and helpfulness of the staff.

Our waitress had only been working there for 2 weeks but she sold us on the fish of the day with a genuine opinion based on the chef getting her to taste the dish at the start of the day (why don't all restaurants train their wait staff in such an obvious manner?). And her recommendation was good. We BYOed and they brought good old tap water regularly so this very pleasant and satisfying lunch experience was also very inexpensive.

Garfish might not have the views of Ripples, but if you want good fish and a really enjoyable dining experience it is really hard to go past Garfish.

Sep 25, 2009

4.8 Average

Food  5      Ambience  7      Service  3      Value  4     

Whatever you do, don't order the "special" (aka cheap) menu, unless you want to be treated like a second class citizen. I have eaten here on two previous occasions, when someone else was paying and we ordered off the full menu. On those two occasions it was very good. Expensive, but good.

Glass is a beautiful space and attracts the suits and "ladies who lunch" and I suppose most of them don't stoop to requesting the special menu, which is what attracted me to the restaurant on this occasion. It all went swimmingly well when we arrived and I ordered a bottle of good wine and some mineral water (lord knows what reaction I would have got if I dared request "tap" water).

But then things went down hill when I inquired about their $45 menu offering two courses and a glass of wine. The mood changed dramatically. A snooty waiter almost flung the cheapie menus on the table and ran, we had to almost tackle waiters from then on to get their attention.

The food itself was ok without being spectacular, slightly chewy tempura prawns as an entree and snapper for main. They were quick to ask if we wanted (paid) bread, but otherwise service was a struggle. The complimentary glasses of wine arrived and after the beautifully fine arneis we paid for, the "selected" glass of Luke Mangan chardonnay was truly awful. This was a typical old-fashioned over-oaked Hunter chardonnay that has given the varietal such a bad name. Rather than complementing the food, it fought with it and we abandoned it.

A different waiter noticed our displeasure and offered to take off the cost of one of the glasses of white that we ordered as replacements. Unfortunately, by then it was all too late. So some "free" advice to restaurants, if you are going to offer a fixed price menu to entice customers into your establishment, then don't be contemptuous when someone actually requests one! This doesn't happen at Bistro CBD (and their lunch deal is far superior) and it doesn't happen at the Sofitel's Bistro Garden Court (and they have a two course menu for $27 with bread and tea/coffee offered without any hint of a sneer). It shouldn't happen at Glass.

Aug 15, 2009

8.3 Highly Recommended

Drinks  9      Ambience  7      Service  9      Value  8     

For a "Spanish" tapas bar One does great French food. Mind you, that's what Tony Bilson does best and after eating regularly at Bilson's in Pitt Street so I expected as much when I gave the restaurant/piano bar a try. It was lunchtime, so not much piano, but given that we are supposedly in the middle of a global economic downturn there were a surprisingly large number of suits merrily eating hearty food and drinking copious amounts of wine.

Maitre d' Chris suggested a petit chablis while I waited and it was a great choice and it highlights how good it is to find a restaurant that understands wine. With our meal I had asked whether he had a sauvignon blanc that wasn't Marlborough and he recommended a bottle of Adelaide Hills O'Leary Walker SB which was very different from the staple Shaw & Smith Adelaide Hills style.

An inspired choice because it went beautifully with my colleague's fish and wasn't overwhelmed by my rich and indulgent cassoulet that was a special of the day but should be permanently on the menu. I think it was just $30 and it emphasised that the menu is well priced. We had a superb terrine to start with along with a brandade that showed deft hands in the kitchen. The space is more like a 70s and 80s Sydney restaurant, rather than the minimalist chrome and marble palaces that abound today.

It looks ideal for intimate chats about the next business deal or assignations with your "assistant" (or maybe a few of the businessmen were with their nieces, if you know what I mean). I look forward to going back in the evening when it becomes more of a bar, but in the meantime I can't wait to get back for another bowl of cassoulet (Warning: don't organise to eat dinner after you eat this dish unless you have a spare stomach).

May 26, 2009

8.8 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  8      Value  9     

I was staying at St Kilda at the Novotel for the weekend after a business visit to the city. The day before I had taken clients to Flower Drum in the city and came away immensely underwhelmed. It had surprised me because of all the rave reviews it has had over the years. In contrast, the new Grill 3182 restaurant at the Novotel had no reviews, but it did have a sunny terrace overlooking St Kilda beach and it did have a good-looking grill menu and I have a passion for wagyu.

My friend is a fish lover and after consulting the menu we decided to take a table under one of the umbrellas (and this is Melbourne in May - amazing), order a bottle of local pinot gris and stay put at the Novotel. By 1 pm it was quite busy but fortunately we had got our entree orders in. Actually, we were both attracted to the prawns, from somewhere called Crystal bay, which came with a creamy avocado dip, segmented oranges and a small water cress salad.

The combination was terrific, the creaminess of the avocado nicely balanced by the tangy orange and slightly bitter water cress. The mains were substantial and my wagyu was cooked as it should be, grilled firmly on the outside, rare throughout. It came with a fascinating mash potato dish with pancetta. Odd, but it worked. And the beans were crunchy and fresh. Yvette's salmon looked good, but I'm not mad about salmon, though I did take one of her roasted tomatoes.

We shared a plate of chocolate goodies for dessert, the soft centred chocolate fondant being the standout. I think St Kilda really does restaurants like Grill 3182 very well. The seasisde atmosphere works well especially when it is sunny, but even when I ate breakfast the next morning inside it had a lazy brunch feel to it.

In fact, it would be a great place for Sunday brunch as the markets are just outside the front door. This was a very pleasant dining experience and good value (especially if you have an Advantage Plus card).

May 25, 2009

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.5 Below Average

Food  6      Ambience  7      Service  3      Value  2     

This is a restaurant that I don't really get. I was taken there on a few occasions in the late 1990s and because I wasn't paying I probably thought it was OK without raving about it the way the critics who do. And maybe that's the point, they get the lavish treatment, where as mere mortals like I, with a couple of my important clients, didn't get even 3-star treatment. Efficient?

Yes, I suppose so in a brusque Chinese no-nonsense way. They were very good at filling up wine glasses because the wine was very over priced and they were even better at insisting we needed two extra dishes, despite the fact that half the food went uneaten. I suppose I wouldn't have minded if we were blown away by the food, but at the end, despite the rich surroundings and even richer diners, I kept on thinking "Am I missing something?"

Fortunately, my discerning fellow diners similarly felt similarly underwhelmed. The one area that exceeded expectations was the bill, over $100 a head. I have no such qualms paying more for that at others in Sydney, but for some reason Flower Drum just doesn't have the same effect on me.

May 25, 2009

8 Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  7      Service  7      Value  9     

This was a great little find. Despite 40C temperatures, no air-con, no beach views and a hang-over from the previous night, we had a great lunch. The barramundi and chips was great for the stomach, the bottle of Sancerre from the Vintage Cellars across road diminished the hang-over and the pleasant, friendly service made it a first-rate experience.

We left with some pre-prepared meals and I'm tempted to go back for the cooking classes but my suggestion is to pick a cool, sunny day, get there early and grab a table under the shady tree. There should be most bistros like this, and yes, as I think someone commented earlier, isn't it wonderful to have a bistro menu without foccacia! Bring on the real food.

Feb 03, 2009

7.5 Recommended

Food  8      Ambience  8      Service  7      Value  7     

I think Hugo's and the new Sable (at the Manly Pacific) have really elevated Manly's cuisine stakes. Some of the previous comments talk about ordinary service, but that wasn't the case when we visited for lunch on the Friday before the Australia Day weekend. Service was prompt, efficient and friendly. That meant when I asked about a wine and the waiter conceded immediately he didn't know about the wine but would ask, he got top marks.

The pizzas also got top marks. Fantastic thin crusts and imaginative toppings. It's not cheap but with a moving feast of interesting people parading by, the entertainment came free. For those who think that civilisation doesn't exist north of the bridge, give Hugo's a try, it's worth the ferry ride.

Feb 03, 2009

8 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  9      Service  8      Value  8     

I must say that after I took a look around Sable, I commented to my friends that this was almost too good for Manly. It really is a sophisticated tapas bar that attracted what looked like a swish eastern suburbs crew, though as they don't cross the bridge they must have come from Mosman! This lounge bar (not really a restaurant) looks seriously good so I was concerned if all the money had gone into looks rather than food and service.

I was pleasantly surprised. Service was very good (they even turned the DJ's music down because it was getting difficult to talk easily) and the food, while not earth shattering, was excellent for accompanying four bottles of sauvignon blanc from three different countries (the wine list is very good and reasonably priced). The tapas are nicely presented and are your typical med-oz affair, though I would like to see a few larger dishes, because our friends kept ordering more dishes (and I was paying!).

With Manly Beach the outlook and a massive deck from which you can enjoy the view, it was clearly popular with young couples. After 10 pm the party crowd came along and while I probably doubled the average age of the crowd, it was a good atmosphere. My only gripe is that Sable is only open on Friday, Sat and Sunday. A tapas bar with a view like that should be open every evening.

Feb 03, 2009

9 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  9     

I don't usually opt for hotel restaurants but I was tempted this week by a special Sydney Festival offer at the Sofitel's Garden Court restaurant - $25 for a main and a glass of wine. The (simple) meal turned out to be a revelation as my fear that the restaurant would be stuffy and old world was completely mis-placed.

Firstly, the restaurant looks fantastic very stylish and light and bright (they must have re-done it because I vaguely remember something rather dark and old fashioned). Secondly, there was no looking down the nose when we ordered the "special" meal. In fact, the waiter, a nice Indonesian girl said that the restaurant would continue with the $25 main and glass of wine lunch deal after the Sydney Festival. I had a look at the main menu and mains were $30, which is pretty reasonable for a 5-star hotel.

The Festival main was Dory fillet which came with a glass of Stoneleigh wine, a nice match. We enjoyed the meal so much that we ordered a dessert to share - a rather decadent chocolate assiette as well as coffee, so while we didn't exactly escape for just $50 for the two of us, a total of $80 (incl tip) wasn't bad. It's a pity they can't eat outside in the garden, but at least we could look out on greenery - not bad when you're in the middle of tower blocks. I'll be back for more.

Jan 13, 2009