By: rygar069 15/02/2009 5:05 pm Yahoo! Profile: rygar069 Did this message offend you? Sign in to report abuse |
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Just got back home from what can only be described "overall" as a lovely little weekend escape.
The prettier half & I did Tapis Rouge at the Cirque de Soleil show Dralion yesterday arvo, staying overnight in a spa suite at Esplanade River Suites (formerly the Pagoda) in Como, with Vallentine's Day dinner at the hotel restaurant called Long Shore Bar.
Dralion was fantastic, the Tapis Rouge experience was quite nice too...sushi, hot canape's, vietnamese paper rolls, open bar with beer, wines, softies, decadent desserts :)
I still think of the hotel as the Pagoda and the rooms are very well appointed...nothing extravagant but very good nevertheless :)
The restaurant however needs considerable work!
The dinner buffet needed more attention from both service & kitchen staff.
I heard complaints on 3 separate occasions about the bread basket needing to be refilled, the spinach in the quiche hadnt been washed and was gritty, beef fillet with red wine jus used low quality steak rather than roasting off portions and slicing, the chicken was dry, the fish was also dry and contained more crumb than fish, wait staff reset tables using butchers paper to cover the existing dirty linen tablecloth from previous diners, and the bar staff couldnt understand that there actually is a difference between different brands of the same spirit and that it's usually a good idea to provide the customer with the specific brand requested especially when you have stock of such on display behind your bar :(
Having said that, the dessert buffet was excellent and the soup offered was DIVINE :)
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By: rygar069 15/02/2009 5:08 pm Yahoo! Profile: rygar069 Did this message offend you? Sign in to report abuse |
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(cont)
The breakfast buffet was also quite good although I found it a bit off that tongs were provided for patrons to handle bread/pastries with yet the chef thought it perfectly OK to re-stock the same using bare hands while the wait staff were quite content to re-fill the OJ dispenser direct from a Harvey Fresh juice bottle rather than pouring into a suitable jug and using this to re-fill the dispenser. These points are pretty tame compared to the lame dinner buffet of the night before though...
Overall I'd rate the Long Shore Bar 4/10.
Not somewhere I'd suggest dining unless you're staying there...even then there are better options for dinner close by (even Frenchy's up the road is better and within walking distance).
Just my opinion.
Cheers :) |
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By: rygar069 15/02/2009 5:15 pm Yahoo! Profile: rygar069 Did this message offend you? Sign in to report abuse |
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Just in case you didnt see it...
What a wonderful review of C Restaurant in this weekend's West Weekend Magazine Page 24.
This place has been tarting up shyte, calling it sugar, and charging patrons a motza for eons...all cos the joint revolves about 33rd floor of St Martins Arcade providing what are admittedly great views of Perth :p
The review exposed this dump for exactly what it is...a tarted up p1ss poor rip off excuse for fine dining!
I imagine there will be several vacancies for chefs at this establishment available later this week.
Any chef who still has his/her job after such a pasting must be on very close intimate terms with the owners :p
Hopefully this is the boot up the backside the place needs to lift it's game and start providing a REAL dining experience!
Just my opinion.
Cheers :) |
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By: rygar069 3/03/2009 5:36 pm Yahoo! Profile: rygar069 Did this message offend you? Sign in to report abuse |
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The prettier half figured I needed an injection of culture last weekend and bundled me off to see a matinee performance of "Phantom of the Opera".
I personally found the show somewhat boring at times...but then each to their own eh?
Since the show finished at about 4.45pm and we were there anyway...we opted for an early dinner visiting a restaurant in the Burswood Complex called Sirocco.
This establishment has quite a modern and minimalist feel.
There's an outdoor area for alfresco dining & socialising, bar area with the obligatory "BIG SCREEN", and an interior dining room.
I'm not a fan of the cafe style stainless steel tables covered with butchers paper although I can see the benefit of using such in a busy complex as it enables a quick turn-over of the table in preparation for the next guests. Cutlery, crockery, and glassware is of a good quality although I personally prefer linen napkins to larger cafe style paper napkins.
Wait staff were were quick, polite, and congenial although bar staff serving drinks need instruction in NOT slopping dregs from their service trays onto the restaurant carpets as they head back to the bar after serving drinks to a table!
The menu is quite limited although serviceable for an establishment as busy as this...dishes cater to both diners and the 'bar crowd'.
We opted for Turkish Bread as an entree and received a generous portion of bread accompanied by a somewhat sparce selection of dips comprising pesto, what I think was a creamy pureed beetroot, and a delightful mascarpone!
For mains, we both opted for FOD which was fillets of Crimson Snapper with warm new potato chunks above a spinach leaf & cherry tomato salad drizzled with seeded mustard & truffle oil mayonnaise...well prepared & presented, reasonable size portion, that was EXTREMELY tasty!
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By: rygar069 3/03/2009 5:47 pm Yahoo! Profile: rygar069 Did this message offend you? Sign in to report abuse |
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(cont)
We coupled this with 2 x single glasses of wine. I had a Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay whilst the other half had a few sips of yet another of the recent plethora of Malborough Sauv Blanc's on the market. Mine was superbly subtle on the tongue with just enough "wood" body to make you sigh in pleasure with each mouthful :) The prettier half's SB was all acid fruit up front on the tongue that showed a distinct boring lack of depth as it was swallowed. I've certainly tasted better wines from this famous NZ region...although again each to their own, some might enjoy it, others probably wouldnt.
All up an enjoyable meal in busy but ok surroundings.
Our bill came to $97 being ~$35 mains x 2, $10 glass of wine x 2, entree $10. This was then reduced to $65 on presentation of an entertainment card making dinner here pretty good value for money.
Overall I'd give Sirocco 8/10 although it should be noted that diner's might find it difficult securing a table after 6pm without waiting.
Just my opinion.
Happy dining :) |
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By: rygar069 28/03/2009 10:28 am Yahoo! Profile: rygar069 Did this message offend you? Sign in to report abuse |
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My latest sojourn was last night at a Subiaco institution named The Witch's Cauldron.
Now Witch's has been around forever and has a deservedly good reputation.
Bookings are essential and you can expect to need to book ahead some 2-3 weeks esp for a Fri/Sat dinner service.
I hadnt been there in ~10yrs and the prettier half had never been so we ventured out with serious hunger pangs and high expectations.
We were greeted upon arrival by a young brunnette waitress who then proceeded to seriously annoy me by not taking us to our table and seating us but instead chose to vaguely wave to point out our table in the front room downstairs and tell us "oh, it's that table over there." This kind of behaviour is lazy and completely unprofessional. To say I was gobsmacked would be a gross understatement!
Upon seating ourselves, a young blonde waitress then came over to ask for our drinks order...without having even shown us a winelist yet!
At this point, I very nearly took the prettier half in hand with thoughts of walking straight back out the door. Not a very promising start to the evening... :(
After finally obtaining a winelist, I was pleasantly surprised to peruse what is a VERY extensive selection that caters to every budget. We're talking everything from the obligatory Amberley Chenin Blanc quaffer for $30 up to heavenly premium Henscke "Grace Hill" reds for $900/btl!
Since we were opting for a mostly seafood based meal, I chose a lovely T'Gallant Pinot Gris from Victoria @ $39/btl.
I graciously allowed the prettier half to sample 1 glass being pregnant and all while slowly savoured the rest over the course of our meal :)
Our young blone waitress returned to obtain our dinner order and redemmed herself by proving knowledgable about the menu when I made several enquiries.
it would seem that there's only about 5 scallops in their entree ~$25 whilst there is a good serve of prawns (by weight) in entree garlic prawns ~$25.
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By: rygar069 28/03/2009 10:52 am Yahoo! Profile: rygar069 Did this message offend you? Sign in to report abuse |
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(cont)
FOD ~$35 was a gold band snapper but...DHUFISH ~$45 was available in what I was told was a 200g portion, either on its own with either fresh lemon or a lemon butter, OR for ~$50 with prawns in a garlic lemon cream sauce.
We opted for Dhufish soup and garlic prawns as entree's whilst deciding upon Tuscan chicken linguine and Dhufish with fresh lemon as mains and a serve of garlic bread ~$10 for the table.
Garlic bread arrived with our entree's and looks like something microwaved & made commercially...definitely wouldn't order this again here. Only an extremely busy or very slack kitchen would stoop to this level...not very hard to get an apprentice/kitchen hand to spend a hour or 3 prepping freshly sliced crusty italian bread with a herb/garlic butter so during service it can be cooked under a grill for ~90secs before serving!
In any event, our dhufish soup and garlic prawn entree's were both wonderfully delicious and I might add, quite generous portions too :)
At this point, the brunette waitress from Lazytown re-emerged to enquire "Are you finished with this lot?" which I presumed was to ask whether she could clear the table...quite astounding really that this person is employed front of house serving customers!
Needless to say I had to actually request our water glasses be re-filled and my wine glass topped up!
Mains arrived not long afterwards and presented very well on the plate.
The dhufish looked superb and came with fresh lemon wedges, a baked potato and grilled tomato...simple yet elegant.
The linguine by comparison mixed the wonderful tomato/herb aromas and melt in the mouth chicken pieces to produce an appealing earthy combination.
Both mains were delicious and I would certainly have no hestitation in recomending them to others.
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By: rygar069 28/03/2009 11:03 am Yahoo! Profile: rygar069 Did this message offend you? Sign in to report abuse |
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(cont)
One thing I havent mentioned yet is the restaurant decor.
I recall many years ago that the front room was intimate...dimly lit, vine covered wall with a water feature/fountain in a back corner. Upstairs was mostly function rooms.
I didnt traverse the entire restaurant last night to see what had changed, but the area at the front downstairs where we were seated is now brightly lit, linen tables covered with butcher's paper (hate this stuff), and lovely almost "antique" like cutlery.
Not a massive fan of the recurring witch motif everywhere...paintings, stained glass windows etc but I guess Witch's is pretty much an institution these days and imagine owners are trying to capitalise on this.
Restaurant bookings sheets are on a sideboard near the front door which looks tacky and would be better served being behind the bar where accounts are settled at the end of the meal.
Overall our bill came to ~$160 which I think was reasonable value for what we received.
Witch's is not part of the entertainment card system so no discount is available. Given how long the place has been around and the reputation it has, it probably wouldnt succumb to needing to drum up sales using this marketing tool anyway.
Overall, we had a pleasant evening despite a miserable garlic bread and what can only be described as UNFORGIVEABLY LOUSY table service.
I'd give Witch's 6.5/10
The food was great, the winelist is WONDERFUL, but the service sucks :( |
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By: rygar069 5/05/2009 10:11 am Yahoo! Profile: rygar069 Did this message offend you? Sign in to report abuse |
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A while ago now...
But recently visited another restaurant which has been around for ages and is somewhat of an institution on Perth dining scene - Sienna's in Leederville
Now Sienna's isnt known for fine dining or an extensive wine list, great service etc however, what it is known for is as a value for money family restaurant...and thankfully this hasnt changed one bit :)
I ventured out with the prettier half, little-un, and my old girl in tow for an early feed (~6.30pm) a few weekends ago.
At this time the venue was about ~1/3 filled with families all doing the same as us which for such a large venue, was good to see.
Towards the rear is a kids playroom which to be blunt is a joke...tiny but cr@ppy outdoor park sort of play equipment in small room with old badly degraded recycled rubber type flooring. There's also an air hockey table and a couple of old arcade games (which you need to pay to use) jammed in there as well. The area looks tired and worn and I wasnt keen on leaving little-un to play alone given the number of kids about & the state of the flooring :(
Service at Sienna's is ordinary at best...a million wait staff all seem to rush frantically about the room doing very little and it took ages just to order a bottle of wine (Devils Lair 5th Leg white) and water for the table.
As with many restaurants these days - be careful when you ask for water - if you dont specifically ask for tap water, you're likely to find your waiter asking whether you want still or sparkling and get expensive bottled water delivered to your table. If that's what you want that's OK...but I find paying ~$10 for a bottle I can easily buy for $1.50 at the shops a complete rip off...esp when our tap water is fine to drink!
For meals, we ordered kids pasta, garlic bread, garden side salad, tortellini, veal scallopini, and I had the capretta (goat).
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By: rygar069 5/05/2009 10:37 am Yahoo! Profile: rygar069 Did this message offend you? Sign in to report abuse |
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(cont)
The kitchen also had a few issues -
Little-un's pasta arrived promptly follwed by a sad & limp portion of garlic bread.
The salad was crunchy & tasty though.
Less than ordinary however was the fact that Mum's veal & my goat arrived but the kitchen forgot the prettier half's tortellini - something which takes 2 mins to blanche, pour over a hot ladle full of sauce & garnish before serving to the customer???
And then spending the next 10 mins trying to attract the attention of a waiter to notify the kitchen to rectify the mistake made a shambles of the whole meal :(
In Sienna's defence though - they were very apologetic, the food was well presented, generously portioned, and very tasty!
From memory, mains were ~$30 as was the bottle of wine. Kids meals were ~$10 & included the standard drink & icecream (although trying to get a waiter so you can order your kid's icecream again is a painful experience), garlic bread & salads were both ~$5-10.
The entire bill came to something like $150 which upon presentation of an entertainment card voucher reduced to ~$120 which is quite reasonable for 3 adults & a child in a restaurant located in a major entertainment precinct.
Be warned though - by the end of our meal hordes of clubbers had descended to jam their snouts in the trough before retiring to their bar of choice. The atmosphere changed abruptly & the language bandied about certainly wasnt appropriate for kiddies any longer. As a family group, I'd be trying to get outta there well before 7.30pm!
Wait staff seriously need to be assigned specific areas/tables within the restaurant which would alleviate a lot of the service issues.
The decor, cutlery, crockery etc is nothing special but does the job well enough.
The food is good & the kitchen seems to run well given the numbers it caters for.
I'd give Sienna's 6/10 on the food quality & value for money. The service sucks & the kids play area is just plain ugly IMO.
Cheers : ... |
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By: terriossie 5/05/2009 3:25 pm Yahoo! Profile: terriossie Did this message offend you? Sign in to report abuse |
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| Best authentic Italian, Ruocco's South Terrace Fremantle, ten of us arrived after a funeral at about 2.30 in the afternoon on a Friday, I thought no way will we be served because the kitchen is probaly closed now, place was quite full, we were welcomed and told not a problem. Great place great staff and fantastic food. 10/10 |
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By: rygar069 7/06/2009 9:57 am Yahoo! Profile: rygar069 Did this message offend you? Sign in to report abuse |
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The prettier half had friends caught up in the whole WA citizen of year functions held at Burswood last week.
To that end, we joined them for a meal in Yu.
Yu is effectively a revamped Genting Palace and offers authentic Chinese dishes...but it also caters to the unwashed masses wanting to swill the equivalent of their suburban take-away trough fodder.
Unfortunately, the couple we joined were of this type...they would eat chicken or beef dishes only, and we just HAD to have spring rolls for an entree :(
I sat there perusing the menu wishing I could sample Peking Duck, Patagonian Toothfish, Abalone, Quail, a zillion delightfully different shellfish/seafood dishes to name but a few.
Alas it was not to be...
I marshalled my courage and agreed to choices of Deep Fried Crispy Chicken in Honey, Schezuan Fillet Steak, Beef & Black Bean, Fried Rice, Seasonal Mixed Vegetables, and the dreaded Spring Rolls.
The evening was partially redeemed as I was given the choice of wines from what is an impressive and extensive selection.
With predominantly cholesterol laden offerings chosen for our meal, I opted for the safety of a 2007 Stella Bella Sauvignon Blanc.
If nothing else, I could quietly quaff away and ignore the food as best I could :)
Surprisingly, the Spring Rolls were quite good.
Very large and stuffed with veggies, chunks of prawn & chicken although these were let down by getting served with a bowl of sweet/sour sauce. Sweet Chilli or Soy would have been a much better option IMO :)
The remaining dishes dont warrant describing...the same fare can be obtained at the local take-away. Best I can manage is to say is that it was hot and there was plenty of it.
What could have been a masterful journey through the myriad delights of traditional chinese cuisine was abruptly ruined by a pair of blinkered closed-minds that rest above boring unimaginative bellies :(
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By: rygar069 7/06/2009 10:04 am Yahoo! Profile: rygar069 Did this message offend you? Sign in to report abuse |
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(cont)
The restaurant decor is quite nice although nothing to rave about. Linen and crockery/cutlery looks to be of a quality befitting an upmarket venue.
Service is attentive and not overbearing. We were disappointed in so much as we had booked a booth only to find that we ended up with a table in the middle of the room.
The meal with 2 bottles of wine came to a HEFTY total approaching $300 which on presentation of 2 x entertainment cards was reduced to ~$220.
Overall I find it difficult to offer many positives about the experience given the boring choices of food selected.
I'd rate Yu as 6/10 since I believe our experience was boring as bat shyte. I dare say the rating would be much higher if we were able to select better choices of dishes better testing the abilities & specialities of the kitchen.
Happy Dining... |
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By: rygar069 30/06/2009 6:14 pm Yahoo! Profile: rygar069 Did this message offend you? Sign in to report abuse |
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Did a family lunch at an old haunt last weekend.
Havent been there in a while but I remembered Dissent mentioning the place and it was a convenient place for most of the family.
I'm talking Mille Cafe on Beaufort St just opposite Civic Hotel in Bedford.
The first thing to note is the lack of restaurant parking although this has been somewhat rectified with space for a few cars to park at the rear of the premises.
The decor is quite contemporary with large wooden sliding doors fronting the establishment which during summer allow for a semi-alfresco experience whilst still remaining seated indoors. During the winter months, the doors remain closed and the heaters are switched on to provide comforting warmth and shelter from the elements.
The menu has the traditional cafe type favorites with surf n turf, steaks, fish n chips etc but also features a number of pizzas, pastas, and hidden gems like a gourmet sausage bangers n mash.
Our table featured several surf n turf's (~$39), a fish n chips (~$25), and a mixture of kids meals ($8 ea).
I convinced the prettier half to sample a chicken linguine featuring a tarragon sauce and a nut crumble (~$25). This was superb...generous serve, well presented, great mix of textures - delicate sauce combined with the chicken, pasta, and the crunchy nut crumble!
I opted for a twice cooked pork belly coated in a honey mustard glaze served on polenta sticks accompanied by seasonal veg (sugar snap peas & baby carrots) for ~$28.
This was definitely a standout meal...the crackling made a nice contrast to the soft texture of the pork. The sauce was bold enough with the mustard to have a nice kick but also sweet enough to compliment the pork. Situated on top of the polenta sticks and coupled with the veg, it looked the good, smelt divine, and had everyone wishing they'd ordered it instead. A signature dish that speaks volumes of the capabilities of the kitchen :)
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By: rygar069 30/06/2009 6:21 pm Yahoo! Profile: rygar069 Did this message offend you? Sign in to report abuse |
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Service was just OK.
It took several attempts to get a waiter to replace empty water bottles on the table and then again later to clear entree plates in preparation for delivery of our mains.
Entrees for us consisted of 2 serves of garlic bread (~$7ea) and 2 serves of chorizo sausage (~$10 ea).
Complete meals for 5 adults, 3 kids consisting of entrees and mains as described plus a few beers, a bottle of Madfish SSB, and assorted juices/cokes etc came to a total of ~$240 which on presentation of 2 x entertainment book vouchers was reduced to ~$180 representing a total cost of ~$25 per head...EXCELLENT VALUE FOR MONEY!!!
Mille has won numerous awards over many years which IMO stands as ample evidence of the good reputation this establishment has built up.
I give Mille 8/10 with many thanks for a wonderful meal!
Happy dining everyone :) |
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By: monday29th 30/06/2009 8:35 pm Yahoo! Profile: monday29th Did this message offend you? Sign in to report abuse |
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later to clear entree plates in preparation for delivery of our mains.
Should do what my first wife did. Was being ignored by a waiter who took his time cleaning off the plates. She started dropping them on the floor. Got cleaned away very quickly. |
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By: rygar069 19/07/2009 2:05 pm Yahoo! Profile: rygar069 Did this message offend you? Sign in to report abuse |
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Went out for a surprise dinner on Friday night to Zafferano at The Old Swan Brewery.
In a few words...rooly noice!
Very little parking unless you go into the Wilson Car park and pay an exorbitant sum for a measly couple of hours.
The entrance from the carpark sees you walk over the pedestrian footbridge and from there into the Old Brewery building itself.
The floorboards are a visual treat, the photo murals of the building through the years are a testiment to the buildings iconic status in the history of Perth.
The entrance to Zafferano through the building is quite non-descript and I think this could be upgraded to better showcase the entry...it looks rather like a back door servants entrance!
Decor within is quite modern, the extensive floor to ceiling wine rack is loaded and looks a treat, the magnums of french champagne scattered about alcoves look a bit tacky though, and there are gold plates galore on the walls should you require to use the restrooms.
Very impressed with crockery and cutlery and the linen tablecloth (no butchers paper to be seen here). Glassware is high quality and the service is friendly and attentive without being overbearing. The owner acts as floor manager seating most guests and explaining the menu & daily specials.
The menu...what can I say???
It is comprehensive but limited. There is not 20 mains to choose from but the few choices there are will cater to any palatte. There is the obligatory chicken, beef, and veggo offerings in what is predominantly a seafood based theme. Dishes feature a beautiful array of textures and flavours finely balanced in just such a way to leave the reader sighing with pleasure...and that's without even having tasted the dish!!!
Zafferano is not a low-end dining experience and patrons can expect to pay premium prices.
Having said that, the winelist is EXTENSIVE and will cater to most budgets.
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By: mag.tide 19/07/2009 2:22 pm Yahoo! Profile: mag.tide Did this message offend you? Sign in to report abuse |
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You should send these into the Sunday Times :)
cheers rygar. |
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By: rygar069 19/07/2009 2:22 pm Yahoo! Profile: rygar069 Did this message offend you? Sign in to report abuse |
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(cont)
Most entree's are ~$30 plus with mains being ~$35 plus depending on what you order.
eg. The prettier half and I both opted for serves of seafood chowder as an entree ($36) which is a Zafferano signature dish having been on the menu for >7yrs. We're talking a delicate bisque chockers full of fish, scallop, prawn, mussels, some veg, and garnished with chilli oil to give it a lovely zing on the tongue :)
Entrees came with a complimentary serve of bread with a tomato & herb puree.
My main consisted of beef cheek braised in a red wine jus above a bed of mash served with long beans and all surrounded by a ring of grilled scallops (~$48).
The prettier half opted for FOD being a large fillet of pink snapper on a colourful bed of seasonal veg (~$45).
Both mains were superb!
Beautifully prepared, vibrant and colourful on the plate, perfectly cooked, and truly wonderful to consume :)
Complienting the meal was a bottle of Moss Wood Ribbon Vale SSB (~$60) and a never ending supply of water for the table. Bottled water is available should you so desire it in both still or sparkling varieties.
Having experienced the professionalism of the kitchen, we couldnt leave without at least viewing the dessert menu.
The few we saw heading out onto tables were masterpieces of culinary and decorative art...just stunning to behold!
All are $19 and given the effort required to produce these dishes...they're worth every cent!
We ended up having a white chocolate semifreddo cone above a fudge base with butterscotch rings and a pistachio cream...heaven on a plate!!!
Our total bill came to ~$260 which on presentation of an entertainment card was reduced to just over $200.
In this climate that's a lot of money.
But you dont go to Zafferano for a pint and parma...
The only negative I can relate is the tacky mosaic tiled floor. Why they didnt keep with rest of the building and use the polished wooden floorboards is beyond me???
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By: rygar069 19/07/2009 2:26 pm Yahoo! Profile: rygar069 Did this message offend you? Sign in to report abuse |
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(cont)
The location beneath Kings Park means the views over Perth water are excellent, the food is divine, the service is impeccable, the kitchen is totally professional and dedicated to their art...what more can one really ask for???
Overall we reckon Zafferano deserves 8.5/10
It loses slightly on the lack of convenient parking, and the horrid tiled restaurant floor.
Happy dining!
Cheers :) |
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By: rygar069 16/08/2009 10:58 am Yahoo! Profile: rygar069 Did this message offend you? Sign in to report abuse |
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Went out for something of a last hurrah before little-un V2.0 arrives on the scene last night.
Had I known who owns the place, I wouldnt have gone there but hey, hindsight is a wonderful thing...
Villa Picasso on Main St Osborne Park has been around for quite a few years now and was started by the wife of one of Northbridge's ex-restauranteurs (Peppi from Vino Vino).
Now anyone who's ever been involved in Northbridge hospitality knows what this bloke is about...and it aint fine dining :p
It has been widely rumoured that Vino's may have gone bust over billing irregularities that got picked up by credit card providers, new premises that never really took off, and problems between family members and persons allegedly involved in underworld criminal type activities.
Dont know the truth of it myself, but the rumours have been persistent and ongoing. Make of it what you will...
Back to Villa Picasso though...
Big bright blue building facade, plenty of parking out the front, busy cafe strip, nice entrance are all welcoming features...easy to find location.
What sucks is having to climb a fairly steep staircase on polished porcelain tiles to reach the reasturant foyer...
Couldnt say much about our greeting by staff either...
Peppi's wife had her back to us as we arrived, she knew we were there because staff behind the bar acknowledged us as they spoke to her, before she proceeded to walk off without turning around or otherwise acknowledging us and get a waitress to come over to greet and seat us :(
Seating is Ok although somewhat crammed, and we didnt appreciate tables being shiffled about during service to cater for what appeared to be a large table celebrating a birthday or somesuch.
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By: rygar069 16/08/2009 11:25 am Yahoo! Profile: rygar069 Did this message offend you? Sign in to report abuse |
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(cont)
There are drinks and cake fridges within the restaurant proper which really should be behind the bar or in the kitchen.
...and it looks very tacky when the cakes fridge contains cakes obviously purchased elsewhere...in this case from Michel's Patisserie (someone had left labels attached).
The food is the usual smattering of Med/Italian fusion...bruschetta, chorizo, dips n bread, pizza, pasta, meat, seafood, coffee n cakes etc.
The winelist is limited and VERY uninspiring.
There was also a bottle of Italian red wine already on the table which we were asked if we wanted opened. This is a tacky ploy purely to generate revenue IMO :(
We opted for dips n bread to share as starters (~$15) follwed by mains of lamb cutlets and a stuffed chicken breast (both ~$25-30).
The meals were cooked nicely which is a testament to the chef's inate ability to wield a pan.
The chicken breast however posed a conundrum...being stuffed with camembert and prawns but covered in a mushroom sauce. The sauce contained beef stock which completely dominated the subtle flavours of the cheese & prawns. A cream based sauce would have been much more appropriate.
I draw this to the readers attention as it wasnt the only dish to be similarly confused as for example, the surf n turf (~$35) was accompanied by a peppercorn sauce???
My lamb cutlets were good...cooked rare, well rested, nicely garnished to give a glossy presentation that was juicy & tasty!
The downside to both mains were the generic side portions of roasted spud chunks and seasonal winter veg.
Overall a bland boring meal that could have been so much more...
We opted for a half bottle of Miles from Nowhere SSB (~$20)...boring but serviceable.
Billing was a joke.
Our bill was presented charging for 2 portions of dips, and a full bottle of wine.
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By: rygar069 16/08/2009 11:33 am Yahoo! Profile: rygar069 Did this message offend you? Sign in to report abuse |
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(cont)
This was promptly pointed out to the waitress who then spent several mins explaining things to Peppi before he seemed to reluctantly acquiesce to the reduced charges upon viewing my determined and stern facial expression.
This was compounded when I produced an entertainment card entitling us to a further discount.
Our bill went from $108 down to $95 and then further reduced to ~$85.
There is a further catch though...the menu does clearly state there is a service charge of 2% for patrons wishing to pay via credit card...so consider yourself warned.
I spotted it and was lucky enough to have cash on me, but many others may not!
Overall, Villa Picasso is a suburban cafe that promises much but delivers very little.
The food is adequate although uninspiring, the service is patchy, and the management...well enough said on that score I think.
There's better value to be obtained at your local trough fodder suburban chinese restaurant IMO.
I rate it 3/10 and that's only because my lamb cutlets came up trumps!
Happy dining :) |
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By: jaykaye_09 16/08/2009 11:37 am Yahoo! Profile: jaykaye_09 Did this message offend you? Sign in to report abuse |
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These reviews are much appreciated rygar. Looking forward to getting back home to give some of the better recommendations a shot.
As for Villa Picasso. I could never expect much from a dining 'establishment' in that area. I just couldn't.
And is little 'un V2.0 what I think it is? i.e. is a congratulations in order? |
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By: rygar069 16/08/2009 11:47 am Yahoo! Profile: rygar069 Did this message offend you? Sign in to report abuse |
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G'day Jay :)
You still cutting a swathe through the female population in Pomgolia I take it?
Little-un V2.0 is still in the oven although only just I think. We've had one false alarm already so even though we've "officially" got a few weeks to go yet, we're expecting the oven timer to go off any day now :)
Just waiting around for things to happen of their own accord...
In the meantime, it was a good opportunity for a night out...dinner and gold class at Innaloo is a relatively cheap but civilised night out :)
Hope all is well mate!
Look forward to hearing of your travels when you return.
Cheers :) |
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