Apollo Bay (and Great Ocean Road) is a must see destination for all Victorians, and tourists from elsewhere. The pristine coastline, vibrancy, friendly people, excellent seafood and beautiful beach houses are a great start.
We went for dinner at a local restaurant called Buff’s Bistro. Its located on the main street (only street really) of Apollo Bay.
The service
It’s a popular local restaurant (modern Australian cuisine) so booking is essential. We couldn’t get any seats on the Friday night, so had to book for Saturday evening. The restaurant was busy, but there was no shortage of attention. It was a balmy evening, and quite stuffy inside. The waiter quickly noticed our discomfort, and seated us outside. It’s a brilliant gesture, and capacity to read non-verbal cues (not that I was aiming to give any).
The food arrive in good time, and our drinks were refilled regularly. When your drinks are refilled regularly, you know service is excellent. The left overs were offered to be “doggy bagged”. Explanation of the menu was appropriate. Overall, I was happy with the service. You would expect this given the touristy nature of Apollo Bay, and its significance in upholding the local economy.
The ambience
You can dine indoors or outdoors. We went on quite a hot evening, so we dined outdoors on the side walk. The big downside is that the restaurant does not have cooling facilities inside, so it can get very stuffy and hot. The ceiling fans make a valiant attempt to cool things down, but hot air does rise - so it can make you uncomfortable. Investing in coolers would be a smart move for the upcoming summer.
The good thing about the restaurant is that the kitchen, bar, and dessert bar are all within easy view of the tables. Even sitting outside, we didn’t find it hard to get the waiter’s attention (not that we had to, he popped over quite regularly to make sure everything was going smoothly).
The food
I went for the conservative vegetarian ravioli. It was slightly undercooked I though, and the sauce wasn’t mixed completely. The cheese hadn’t melted enough, but perhaps I cook my ravioli a bit aggressively. The portion was appropriate, and the price seem fair.
Suggestions
* Cooling solutions for customers is a must for the upcoming summer. Competitors next door (down the door) have cooling inside, and it would be a major disadvantage if air conditioners are not installed.
* Perhaps cook the ravioli a bit more aggressively, but I know this is very subjective.
Summary - Rating (8/10 - excellent service, but very warm inside)
Neat place to have dinner, but very warm inside. Do something about the heat guys, otherwise you may lose valuable customers.
