Mr Feedback

Store
Namaste Indian (City)
225 King Street (Corner of Lonsdale St)
Melbourne, VIC 3000
Ph: (03) 9642 2264
Fax: (03) 9642 2265
Email: namaste2@aapt.net.au

I was driving in downtown a couple of weeks ago, and saw a pretty flashy restaurant almost on the corner of King and Lonsdale Street called Namaste Indian. So I gave it a try a couple of days ago.

The ambience
Cramped restaurants are not my style, as you can tell from my previous reviews here, and here. Namaste Indian is in stark contrast to most restaurant these days, where owners cramp customers into tiny corners and fit as many tables and chairs as possible. The restaurant is ultra-spacious which is excellent, and is moderately decorated. You really can go there, and have a great time. If you want a bit of privacy, ask for a table in the lower level (there have a split level set up).

What really brings them down was the location of the restaurant. There are two men’s clubs right next door, specifically Men’s Gallery and Goldfinger. If you bring your family, I wouldn’t suggest parking near these venues. There is plenty of parking on King Street itself. I imagine the awkwardness setting in walking past these clubs to get to the restaurant, and I thought it really did them a disservice. By the way, I do not intend to speak lowly of people who visit these clubs, but it’s just the setting of a family restaurant in close vicinity of men’s clubs does not go hand in hand.

The food
I thought the food was delicious. So did the people whom I went. The menu is laid out nicely, but I thought it was a bit bulky. This was largely contributed by the lunch and dinner menus they had. They had the usual variety, but what was lacking is the variety in the desert menu. The presentation was appropriate, and what I really liked was the staff actually specified which dish was which.

The price
I don’t mind paying extra for a bit of space. Compared to other Indian restaurants, Namaste Indian was a bit dearer, but I thought it was worth it. We ordered a decent entree, mains, naan breads, coffee, and 1 desert - all for $140.60.

The service
There were two staff for the whole restaurant and on a busy Saturday night, I think this is a bit stingy of the owner. The service was amateurish, but in a pleasant. For example: the waitress brought out the masala tea, and when asked what it was - she replied: “I don’t know really, sorry - let me check!”. We had a chuckle. Then, we were charged $3 extra which I explained to the waiter, and he apologised. Yet when the bill went through to my card, he had charged the extra $3. He said: “Sorry, I got confused with another table” (he did return us the extra $3). The first thing anyone ever has asked me when I sat at a restaurant was: “Any drinks to start with”, however at Namaste we were greeted with: “What sort of dishes would you like?”.

The staff at all times were courteous, but the service was amateurish. I suspect both of them were international students, working to try and make ends meet.

Inside tips
* Always check the bill at the end of a meal. You will be surprised how many times mistakes are made. Furthermore, when you pay by EFTPOS or credit card, ensure you check the final amount because these amounts are typed manually onto the system, and is error prone.

Suggestions
* Thanks for a lovely meal, and experience. Perhaps a bit more training for your staff is required, and also I would suggest getting more people on board on busy weekend nights.

Rating - 6.5 (great food, lovely place, service was a let down - but entertaining!)
I was expecting: great good - got it, nice atmosphere - got it, and great service - sometimes got it. More training is required for the staff, but I would certainly recommend it to friends and family. The location is too late to change, but stick to King Street for parking if men’s clubs easily offend you.

Patisserie New York
Shop 12/ 360 Kingsway
Caringbah
NSW 2229
Ph No: (02) 9531-8688

I’ve been to this Patisserie a number of occasions and this is one of the shire’s hidden secrets.

Alot of thought and devotion has been put into each cake and I do feel guilty eating one of these masterpieces.

The Food
Patisserie New York has a wide array of exquisite cakes. My personal favourite is the Black Forest Gateau.

“Layers of chocolate Genoise sponge soaked with kirsch liqueur, with
sour cherries and fresh vanilla cream then totally enrobed in more fresh
vanilla cream with chocolate ganash spilled over with chocolate dipped
maraschino cherries.”

Freshly made and mouth-watering - I am so glad b’days come once a year. Black Forest Gateau - $35, Satisfaction - Priceless!!!

Inside Tip
Book 2 days in advance as the cakes are made to order. Check out the online order form.

Rating 9/10 - (well deserved!)
From their Art Deco stylized retail store to their mouthwatering cakes, Patisserie New York wins hands down..

Yummy Noodle Take Away
238 Macquarie St
Dubbo
NSW 2830
Ph: (02) 6881 8298

None of us can do a stir-fry in under 5 minutes, but the guys at Yummy Noodle can.On this particular day, nothing suffices but a quick stir-fry. So, we head down to Yummy Noodle on Macquarie Street.

The Setting
Main street of Dubbo. I know it’s a privately-held chain of Take-aways this side of the Blue Mountains and business is brisk.

The Ambience
I would say a lack of, but that doesn’t discourage me as I’m a regular. As the saying goes, don’t judge a book by its cover. Looking from the outside, the sign off the commercial Awning has faded away. The interior is pretty much like the exterior - basic.

The Service
Counter Service is handled by a Kitchen hand. Food is prepared right in front of your eyes. Searing Food, Fiery Flavours - you might forget you’re in Dubbo for a sec. Within 5 minutes, voila..

The Food
My favourites
- Yummy Hot Box, $ 9.20
- Special Fried Rice, $ 9.20

Tasty Food in New York style Noodle Boxes. Generous portions with ample amounts of meat

Suggestions
PS Don’t Skimp on Advertising & Marketing. Companies like Noodle Box have franchised the same idea. With 7 Asian-style restaurants in town & many local tourists, Yummy Noodle could be missing out. Yummy Noodle does depend on its regular clientele though.

Rating - 6.5/10 ( great value, good food, shop needs an overhaul)
I would finish that hard stroll in Dubbo Zoo with a noodle box.

Kalevu Restaurant
10 Princes Highway
Sylvania,
NSW 2224
Ph: (02) 9522 2532

Friday night without a booking. Nonetheless, We’re met with a smile at the door and escorted to a table

The Service
The waitress was friendly and obliging if you wanted ’something off the menu’.She knew the menu to the last T and we went by her suggestions. Good staff are hard to come by and these ones are an asset to Kalevu.

The Setting
Kalevu is in the Sylvania - at the base of Tom Uglys Bridge and beside Paul’s Hamburgers.

The Ambience
Contemporary setting. Mirrors rippling across the wall. Chef & owner Christopher is in the distance working on our meal.

The Food
1) Crispy Skin Snapper on artichoke puree, blistered trussel tomatoes, wilted spinach & crispy proscuitto
2) Braised then Char Grilled Duck on beetroot mash, asparagus Orange glaze

Do you need to say more? This meal did hit the spot. Modern Australian. Good portioned servings & well-presented.

Inside Tips
Head for the Early Bird Two-course Special for $36.50 ( as long as you vacate by 7pm)

Rating - 8/10 ( Excellent food)
It was our first time to Kalevu and going there, I would definitely recommend it. Perfect for a romantic evening out in the Shire.

Okay, so I am not a great fan of Spanish food but I won’t hold that against Capitan Torres Restaurant. As part of my “education and learning” conference in Sydney, I had a night out at this restaurant. Here is my take.

The setting
What is with restaurant these days, they are all cramped. This one was no exception. It was very crampy, and reminded me of La Spaghettata. The entrance features a bar / dining strip where singletons eat and the opens up at the rear. The kitchen is visible for the interested patron. The chairs and dining tables were alright. The mood was good, and it had reasonable decorations on the walls.

The cost
Four of us dined there (+ 2 children) at a cost of $166, which is not bad considering we had entrees, four mains, and some non-alcoholic drinks. The prices for dishes were average, and quantity served was excellent. So, good value for money.

Their full menu is available online, which is an excellent way to promote themselves. They also have an online booking form (although requires 48 hours notice), which is available Monday - Thursday.

The service
I can’t complain about the service, but once again I felt the waiters were under the pump. The entree (garlic bread) arrived within minutes, and so did the drinks. Unlike our friends at Tandoori Oven - Ballarat. The mains took a while to come, but considering the size of the servings - I guess it was allowed. They didn’t have a children’s menu, but the waiter accommodated for their meals in a giffy and it was a non-issue. It was a bit hard to get hold of the waiting staff for extra serves, or drinks but eventually I managed to.

The food
* Well presented
* Generous portions
* Relatively tasty (I say this because the Paella that I ordered was so so, but my colleagues had fish / chicken which they said tasted excellent)
* Garlic bread - excellent.

Suggestions
* I continually come across cramped restaurants, and Capitan Torres was no exception.

Rating - 7/10 (perhaps a bit harsh, but it didn’t wow me)
I had to find a place to eat, so I came across Capitan Torres. The restaurant can be difficult to find from the main street (with its solid black front door). The prices are reasonable, but the restaurant is way too cramped for my liking.

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Sofia’s Family Restaurant
802 Ferntree Gully Rd
Wheelers Hill, VIC 3150
(03) 9574 7000

Wow, these guys know how to feed someone. Their portions are huge, and prices are reasonable. Food is not the best, but the value is definitely there.

The Stats
5 people, entree, main course, and 1 desert: $71.60

The value
By far the best value for money I have ever come across for the restaurant size that it is. They have a number of restaurants across Melbourne, but the Wheeler’s Hill one is absolutely massive with ample car space. Their portions are huge, and “normal” people need only order their small size. I ordered a small Gnocchi Calabrese and still couldn’t finish it.

The service
I went for lunch on a Saturday to my surprise the restaurant was quite empty. Usually the restaurant is packed out to the max. It is wise to book in advance for weekends anyway. I have been there a few times, and their service is prompt. We were a bit of a hurry, and finished our meals and got out of there in less than 75 minutes. Not the fastest, but way up there. Due to the size of the restaurant, sometimes it can be hard to get attention of the serving staff but I had no extensive problems. The owner is a nice fella and is friendly with all his customers. (I think it was the owner whom I saw today. Their community contribution is quite significant. Once I saw a contribution cheque worth thousands of dollars to the Royal Children’s Hospital. Good on ya guys!!

The electronic ordering system is unique, and it is nice to know they are a tech savvy business.

The ambience
Can’t really comment on this much because the restaurant was quite empty. But there is plenty of space for everyone. The tables are appropriately spaced out. However, I have been there at night when it is absolutely packed, the ambience is bustling! The view while driving past is extraordinary, with the restaurant lit up with people having a great time.

The food
I never really looked at the menu much during my previous encounters. They have quite a small range of options for the size that they are. None the less, there are plenty of options. However I have seen smaller restaurants offer a much wider variety of options than what Sofia offers. The taste wasn’t the best, I must admit. They did lose some points for this. It was served hot, and well displayed. I ordered one of their pasta Gnocchi. I have had pizza there before, and it is much better but unfortunately, I rate according to my experience now - not from before. On the other hand, the chocolate mousse is the best!

Inside tips
* Book in advance for weekends
* The pizzas are great tasting. The chocolate mousse is the best I have ever tasted.

Suggestions
I attempted to make an online booking, and couldn’t (email bookings possible). However, unlike recent businesses I have reviewed, it is nice to know that you are working on a website, albeit a very basic one at that. I am not sure why you have different websites for the same restaurant at different locations, granted it may be a franchise. Why not just have 1 website, and then have different sub-sites within for each location? The Burwood store has a better site, but the music is annoying.

Rating - 7/10 (great value, great service, food needs work)
I would definitely go there, and take my friends there. It’s a great restaurant, and going on a busy night is a must for anyone who has not tried it yet.

Technorati Profile

Pepperoni’s Pizza
7a-9a Elizabeth St
Melbourne, VIC 3000
(03) 9614 2274

First of all, sorry for updating the blog for a few days. It kind of gets hard when you are working nights for 7 straight days without a break.

I was working late one night about 10 days ago, and needed something quick and easy. As always, Pizza is my favourite and so far have tried out a few different places. I saw a scooter delivery guy at a 7 - eleven, and that’s how I found Pepperoni’s Pizza. It is located quite centrally in Melbourne, and have some great tasting pizza.

I went there quite late - past 10pm, and grabbed a quick bite to eat. They have one of the best tasting pizzas yet. I know Pizza Minded was excellent, but these guy’s are one step above. I know that may be impossible, after Pizza Minded received a perfect 10/10 - but it will have to do.

I ordered a Vegetarian pizza, and it was just mind boggling. At about $14.00 it was totally worth it. The girls that worked there were friendly, it was served gourmet style. For a small pizza place located in downtown, attended by “all sorts of people”, they have it good. Certainly a recommendation from Mr Feedback. Again, my interaction with them was based on 2 minutes of ordering, so I guess this review is largely based on their EXCELLENT TASTING PIZZA.

They are open 24 hours, which is handy for us late shifters, or anyone who gets hungry at odd times. They also have a delivery service. However, I don’t know about an adult club open just next to them, hmmm…! I guess more people means good for business.

Once again, there is no website. Online ordering is something almost all take away businesses should consider, especially for businesses with the type of volume like Pepperoni’s. Would make the whole process a lot more efficient, and easier. Also a menu will be available online for easy access to prices, toppings etc. Should invest in a basic website guys!

Store
Tort’s Famous Catering
Australia on Collins
260 Collins St
Melbourne, VIC
Tel: (03) 9670 7824

I had a wander around Australia on Collins, and it’s like another world there. I have never been to this place before, and actually ran into it because it was the quickest way to the nearest Police Station. Yep, I got arrested! (kidding by the way). They have a nice little food court on Floor 1, and that’s where I found Tort’s Famous. In my pledge to start eating something other than Indian or Italian, I ordered here.

It’s a neat kitchen, and you can freely see the good preparation. In fact, seeing the food prepared is one of their unique specialties. They have a combo meal for $10.95, which is decent. The service was great, although I was one of the few who ordered from there. The food itself was aaright! I wasn’t a great fan of the chips (or tort chips they call it). The tort itself was quite tasty, and healthy at that. It’s a bit like a Subway sandwich, except its wrapped in a TORT (read more here). They have a few stores in Melbourne (although I had never seen one before), you can find them here. Their menu is here.

If you want organize office catering, then you can do so on their website. The more I think about it, maybe some of my catered food comes from here.

There are plenty of options there, but I am just not a Tort person. I guess I shut down when things become healthy, :-).

Rating: 6/10 (great place, good service, but I am not a tort person)

Bhoj Docklands
54 New Quay Promenade
Docklands VIC 3008
Phone (03) 9600 0884
Fax (03) 9600 0865

As you can see, food is my primary source of well being. I love food, especially Indian and Italian which make up all of my restaurant reviews thus far. I promise I will venture outside these realms more often in the future.

I organized a wedding lunch at Bhoj Docklands and found the whole experience quite shocking for a restaurant situated in a prestigious location. It looks pretty good from the outside though, which is deceptive to the level of the customer service you receive.

The pre-service
I visited the place a couple of weeks before the day to suss it out. I noticed them a few times during my visit to the Melbourne Docklands, so decided to give them a try. I went with the $38.50 p/p banquet deal. The guy who explained the whole deal to me, didn’t make sense from the outset. I avoided this warning sign, and decided to go ahead with the booking. Silly me! Read the rest of this entry »