turf_tycoon

Reviews

Restaurants, Italian, Restaurant Bookings, American Express

Overall 7.3 28

8.3 Highly Recommended

Food 8 Ambience 8 Service 9 Value 8

(Updated after two return visits!). Have tried a few more items on the menu and impressed by the food, fresh, honest home style cooking. The service is so relaxed and genuinely friendly. La Spezia has gone straight to the top of our list of favourites!

We finally decided to give this restaurant a try, having driven past it hundreds of times (mainly because we are going on a cruise shortly which docks at the port of La Spezia!).

The owner is from Mauritius and from our first visit it seems to be as much of a French influence as Italian. We found it very down to earth and relaxing (although the lighting was a bit bright). The service was friendly and attentive, no airs and graces or attitudes here.

We didn't explore much of the menu, as we shared eggplant bruschetta and chilli balls for entree and all 3 of us had the (tasty) rabbit pie, before sharing 2 big serves of gelato between 3.

All in all it's a good casual suburban restaurant, and we'll definitely be returning soon.

May 22, 2011

Little Sicily, Leichhardt

Restaurants, Italian, Good For Groups, Romantic and Intimate, BYO

Overall 6.6 28

6.8 Recommended

Food 6 Ambience 7 Service 8 Value 6

Dined here the other day. We thought this was just an average suburban Italian pizza/restaurant. Yes, I know the chef has a following but it all seemed very standard fare. Not wanting to sound overly negative but there's nothing here to draw us back for a return visit.

May 22, 2011

Wild Fig, Kogarah

Restaurants, International, Mediterranean, BYO, Has Bar

Overall 8.1 16

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

6.8 Recommended

Food 6 Ambience 7 Service 7 Value 7

Updated review:

Standards are slipping...

Food not as good as it started out, and the vibe is waning. It also didn't help that the air-conditioning was left off all evening (cost-cutting?).

Let's hope it's just a temporary blip!

(My original review from August 2010)

"This used to be a fairly drab Italian restaurant but has been tastefully renovated and redecorated and has a really good vibe. I had dinner here (party of 5), we shared a number of the tapas and also shared a main, salad and a garlic pizza.
The food was really tasty and fresh. With friendly staff and very competitive prices this place is now on my list of favourites!"

Apr 04, 2011

Blackwater Ristorante, Sans Souci

Restaurants, Italian, BYO, Child Friendly, Licensed

Overall 7.7 103

8.5 Highly Recommended

Food 9 Ambience 8 Service 9 Value 8

Had an excellent lunch at Blackwater on Sunday. It's a shame the remnants of the old Sans Souci pool across the road are such an eye-sore, otherwise the outlook from a window table would be great.

The food and service lived up to the earlier reviews, all 5 at our table were very impressed. I had a special for starters, crumbed anchovies with carrot mascarpone(!), followed by a simple but classy veal dish. My wife and one of my friends had the baked whole baby barramundi for mains.

The portions are "adequate" - certainly not large, but I'm happy enough with the balance of quality vs quantity. However, I can see how some diners might question the value based on portion sizes.

The presentation of the food on each plate was clearly something they take pride in, and the flavours and combinations were all to our liking. The service was friendly, professional and efficient. We'll be back for sure, maybe only a couple of times a year, for us it will be a special occasion place or somewhere I'd take guests to impress them!

Mar 21, 2011

Lugarno Seafood, Lugarno

Restaurants, International, Modern Australian, Seafood, Fine Dining

Overall 6.8 119

4 Below Average

Food 4 Ambience 5 Service 3 Value 4

We usually dine here once or twice a year but this visit will be our last.

Service has always been a bit lacking and prices a tad high, but the great location and fresh seafood have always kept it on our roster. We decided to splurge to celebrate a special occasion.

Looked like new staff all round (again) and in a freak incident a large bottle of tap water sprung a leak "amidships" as waiter #1 approached our table. It was like it was peeing... all over my wife and her plate. The waiter was stunned, walked off and returned shaking his head but never asked if my wife needed a napkin etc.

Entree's were fine although I was not impressed when waiter #2 clumsily clanked my long tasting plate on my cutlery and I got an unwelcome whiff of his ashtray breath as he rudely leaned across me.

There were only about a dozen diners in the joint but what should have been a refined relaxing atmosphere was ruined by an odd choice of music. Rod Stewart crooning some Cole Porter numbers was fine but Bryan Adams belting out "18 til I die" was cringeworthy - sadly Bryan was on high rotation all night.

Waiter #1 and waiter #2 didn't seem to be working well as a team. After our entree plates were returned to the kitchen there was a loud collision as waiter #2 came barging out and knocked all the plates and cutlery from waiter #1's grasp. They never even acknowledged each other after the incident.

Things started to go downhill soon after the mains arrived. My fish (and that of our friend) was simply prepared and nicely cooked but my wife's veal topped with seafood looked much the worse for wear. Quite obviously spent too much time under a grill keeping warm, the seafood was shrivelled, the veal turning up at the sides and what appeared to be a splodge of melted cheese was actually congealed hollandaise, with the whole dish drowning in a sea of brown sauce.

My wife ate a few mouthfuls but then pushed the plate away complaining that it was so salty that she couldn't continue. I had already taken a hit from the savagely over salted mushroom side, and after tasting her veal I had to agree.

It was politely sent back as unpalatable. A short while later waiter #1 returned, asking what was wrong with the dish as "he had tasted it himself and it was fine" - he even had the gall to ask my wife if she had put the salt on it herself !!!

When the dessert menu came out the olive branch was extended and a complimentary dessert offered. We ate our sweets and then sat back to enjoy the show as liqueur coffees were prepared at the table (much too sickly for me, I’m only ever a spectator). The production was a major flop - the two waiters couldn't co-ordinate their parts and when all was said and done there were two glass cups, one full to the brim and the other no more than 2/3rds full. They just looked at each other, shrugged their shoulders and walked off.

Meanwhile Bryan was croaking out "Summer of '69" ... "those were the best days of my life ..."

When the bill came I was appalled to find we had been charged for the veal, so I summoned waiter #1 and politely informed him that I was not prepared to pay for it. He left without saying a word and returned several minutes later with a new bill with the veal removed and the complimentary dessert now added to the bill!

I saved myself any further aggravation, paid the bill and walked out knowing that we would never return.

Mar 04, 2011

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Displaying: 1 - 10 of 20 reviews

La Spezia, Oatley

Restaurants, Italian, Restaurant Bookings, American Express

Overall 7.3 28

8.3 Highly Recommended

Food 8 Ambience 8 Service 9 Value 8

May 22, 2011

Little Sicily, Leichhardt

Restaurants, Italian, Good For Groups, Romantic and Intimate, BYO

Overall 6.6 28

6.8 Recommended

Food 6 Ambience 7 Service 8 Value 6

May 22, 2011

Wild Fig, Kogarah

Restaurants, International, Mediterranean, BYO, Has Bar

Overall 8.1 16

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

6.8 Recommended

Food 6 Ambience 7 Service 7 Value 7

Apr 04, 2011

Blackwater Ristorante, Sans Souci

Restaurants, Italian, BYO, Child Friendly, Licensed

Overall 7.7 103

8.5 Highly Recommended

Food 9 Ambience 8 Service 9 Value 8

Mar 21, 2011

Lugarno Seafood, Lugarno

Restaurants, International, Modern Australian, Seafood, Fine Dining

Overall 6.8 119

4 Below Average

Food 4 Ambience 5 Service 3 Value 4

Mar 04, 2011

Monal Wine Bar & Bistro, Enmore

Restaurants, Cafes, Bars, International, Family Dining

Overall 7.2 52

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful

6 Average

Food 5 Ambience 6 Service 6 Value 7

Dined here before a gig at the Enmore Theatre last week. For ambience, think traffic noise. Ok, they played some funky music so it wasn't too bad. The food was passable but please, don't serve hot food on cold plates!

Portions were generous, but a bit clumsy, I had a gi-normous chicken breast but only a tiny serving of the caramelised apples. One of my party had the kangaroo, which looked (and was confirmed to be) a tad overcooked, and, it came with mashed potato And half a dozen roast potatoes.?

It's good value though, we were two couples and had the two mains a bottle of wine for $40. The downer at the end of the evening was when I visited the loo out the back. Absolutely filthy and stinky, had to tell the ladies not to go near it. And that's not a good sign, as I relate toilet cleanliness to kitchen cleanliness. Did I mention that our table top was sticky?

So, I've been to worse, but I shall not be returning.

Response from Management:
Sorry mate, but you're being harsh. Watching too much of Masterchef I guess. Well, things are different in the real world. As you're obviously comparing us to Tony Bilson's, I understand your disappointment.

Trust me, I do try to go out there and stop the traffic so people like you can eat in quiet. Doesn't work. You see, the motorists don't care. We tried putting a soundproof wall at the front but the council wouldn't allow that.

I see that you would've been interested in some extra caramelised apples. Well, you could have gone for that traditional gesture that always comes in handy in life-death situations like these - ask. We're generous y'see. To a point where we were giving away wine by Moppity Vineyards (I didn't see a word about the quality of wine we serve, by the way) for almost nothing. You'd know about that wine, I'm sure. You seem to know everything.

We are a small businesses mate, we do the best we can. Four of you were squeezed in by us on a flat-out night. You guys had four meals and two bottles of premium wines for $80. Don't compare us to Est. Or simply don't dine anywhere that's not a million dollar establishment.

Again, we're a small business. Your expectations should match the price. You don't have to try to kill us mate, the state government's doing a great job. I read your other reviews. You need to be put in a commercial kitchen on a busy day. Cold plates??? I regret the moment we let you have the table reserved for the party that was running late.

Thanks for the feedback, I bet it made you feel great. I did get a laugh out of it - why do you cook in your toilet?

Oct 31, 2010

Mulga Tree Mediterranean Restaurant, Oatley

Restaurants, Mediterranean, Good For Groups, Romantic and Intimate, BYO

Overall 7.3 35

4 Below Average

Food 4 Ambience 4 Service 4 Value 4

Executive Summary: Disappointing - could not recommend.

Dined here on a Saturday night. From the moment I sat down I was underwhelmed. Streaks on the table clearly visible from when it was wiped down. Cutlery did not match and was not polished. Cheapest possible table napkins. Menus just a single A4 sheet inside a flimsy plastic sleeve. No mention of any specials.

Service was void of an personality - kitchen was slow and my medium "Black Angas" scotch fillet steak was sent out well done almost to the point of cremation - but did anyone ask if we were enjoying our meals? Or would that be "a little bit fancy?"

I love the name "Mulga Tree" - it invokes images of the bush and Australian flavours - so why serve a soul-less rendition of Mediterranean fare in a space that has no theme and simply no life. No hint of any mulga here, so I'm going to "scrub" this one.

Sep 27, 2010

Golden Century, Sydney

Restaurants, Chinese, Seafood, BYO, Child Friendly

Overall 6.2 206

6.3 Average

Food 8 Ambience 5 Service 6 Value 6

I've dined here twice with a large group from work (16-18 people). First visit I was a bit underwhelmed by the food but last time (earlier this month) it was more like what I expected.

The service (as per many reviews) is only average, the waiters generally lack personality and don't know (or are not interested) in adding to your dining experience.

The ambience is also lacking (I'd never take my wife here). It all starts with the melee on the front steps where many groups are told to wait to be called (think Seinfeld episode ...). Price wise I was also glad the office was paying.

So, would I come here myself and pay, I don't think so. Yes, the seafood is fresh and generally very well cooked and seasoned, but I am after more from a trip to restaurant, and somewhere that falls short on service and ambience is never going to get me back.

Aug 28, 2010

Fifi Lamours, Dolls Point

Cafes, French, BYO, Ample or Convenient Parking

Overall 5.9 4

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful

6 Average

Food 6 Ambience 7 Service 5 Value 6

My wife had been looking forward to our maiden visit to Fifi, as it is owned in similar interests to Cherish (literally just around the corner), where they serve good cafe nosh, especially all-day breakfast fare. Sadly, we left Fifi L'amour thinking, Fifi, no more! The low-light was a rubber band in the bouillabaise but there were many issues.

We liked the look and the vibe of the place but, the service was friendly but hap-hazard, 3 of our table of 5 were served their entree before a long wait (seemed like 10 minutes) for the other 2. My wife and I shared an interesting sounding potato-cake dish which was soggy and completely overpowered by the prosciutto. The french onion soup was rated as ordinary by the two companions who waited patiently for it.

Mains didn't fare a whole lot better. There were a few happy faces but just when I was expecting my steak to arrive I was told they had run out and had to choose another meal. My lamb steaks might have been better had they been served on something other than a stone cold plate!

4 of us were served and then the waiter came and told my wife there had been a mistake with the bouillabaisse and it was being re-done (??). About 10 minutes later it finally arrived and only a few mouthfuls in my wife recoiled in horror as she discovered a rubber band in the spoonful that was about to be consumed.

The meal was sent back promptly. There was an apology but it left many questions unanswered. Following on from the cold plates used for mains, the coffees were lukewarm in their should-have-been preheated cups. When it came to the bill I managed to work out that we hadn't been charged for the returned meal. That wasn't a straightforward task, as the bill consisted of a simple list of amounts and then a total, no item descriptions at all.

And (annoyingly and not for the first time), the waiter left the cafe via the front door to duck around the corner to use the credit card machine at Cherish. Maybe they will get the hang of it eventually, but not sure we'll be back to find out.

Jun 11, 2010

Larousse Restaurant, Brighton-Le-Sands

Restaurants, French, American Express

Overall 7.2 64

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

8.8 Highly Recommended

Food 9 Ambience 9 Service 9 Value 8

I've updated this review as 18 months later I'm still coming back to this ever reliable restaurant. Simple but tasty traditional French classics, generous portions of top quality meat and seafood, served piping hot by a well drilled team, that's what you can expect at Larousse.

The atmosphere is generally buzzing at this unpretentious suburban institution. You won't find any foie gras, truffles or anything too tricky here. Think of French Onion Soup, Pate, Garlic Prawns or Lambs Brains, followed by Duck a l'Orange, Veal Oscar, Pepper Steak or Pork Calvados (to name but a new).

And it's a pleasant surprise compared to most restaurants these days to find that you don't have to fork out extra for a side of spuds and veg which is another of the little things I like about Larousse.

If you've got room for one of their desserts you're doing well. I often weaken and have the Creme Brulee or Profiteroles even if I'm full, life's too short to deny yourself the pleasure!

In the end I guess what keeps us coming back (and many of the friends we've introduced to the place over the years) is the consistency of both the food and service. Long may it continue.

Jul 06, 2009