eating at ****** Mclaren Vale

[Guest seekingsunshine]

Hi all!

 

Ate at ****** tonight with my husband and mother in law, before she goes back to the UK tomorrow.

 

 

 

had read mixed reviews beforehand but lots of people said how good it was ......hmmmmm!

 

husband ordered steak and asked for roast potatoes (as they dont do chips or wedges lol)

 

his turned up and my mother in laws - waited another 5 mins for mine!

 

potatoes looked like 'new potatoes' - unlike roasties i've ever seen lol!

 

hubby cut into them, yep definately not roast potatoes lol!

 

so he left them.....enjoyed his steak tho!

 

bread roll and butter he ordered never turned up....

 

we got there at half seven and left at 9pm, food arrived at 8.25 pm

 

i left most of mine as i was so annoyed lol!

 

complained to staff but were assured that that the potatoes were roasties

 

so just a warning to every brit 'roast potatoes in ****** are really 'new potatoes' lol!

 

it wouldnt be so bad if the staff were actually even bothered or pretended to be interested! thats what was so annoying!

 

definately wont go there again....but you have to try it to find out i guess!

 

there are lots of other places to eat in mclaren vale.....

 

(Please PM for the name of the restaurant (naming names gets the site sued!! - Tyke)

[Guest the4hopes]

I think the Aussie version of roast potatoes are new potatoes deep fried! We had some from a chippie in Glenelg, won't be getting them again!

[Guest Mitchell]

We get those on roast day at work and the smallest Yorkshires I've ever seen lol

[Moosh]

so the whole meal was ruined because you didn't have "roast" potatoes .... mmmmmm

[scooterdan]

so the whole meal was ruined because you didn't have "roast" potatoes .... mmmmmm

 

My thoughts exactly!! If u can move half way round the world and the only bad is u didnt get a proper english roast things must have went well!!

[Riponian]

I can understand where the OP is coming from you bring your family over and want to treat them to a good meal out that had been recommended and OK roasts not all that they said they were but it sounds more like the staff did not give them the best attention!

Most places I have ate out it's the staff that have made an average meal better and it's a real shame that it ruined the end of you families stay.

[Guest seekingsunshine]

so the whole meal was ruined because you didn't have "roast" potatoes .... mmmmmm

 

 

lol, yes if you are eating with a fussy person who only eats potatoes when they are roasted than yes it is ruined! i dont get much enjoyment in going out for a meal with my hubby and watching him eat a piece of meat for his dinner and nothing else and paying for the privalage!!!! like i said 'roast potatoes' here obviously arent the same as 'roast potatoes in the uk'. i'd like to see what 'bolied potatoes' look like in that restaurant thats all!and the staff were just rude about it!

 

i dont like paying for something that isnt what it says it is especially if it means i end up eating nothing! but not everything is the same all over the world so there you go

[Guest kangomik]

Would the staff be overly concerned, IF they thought they were giving you what they classed as roasties, rather than what you regard roasties to be?

 

Put it down to experience.

 

Or know where your going for a special meal.

[Guest seekingsunshine]

Would the staff be overly concerned, IF they thought they were giving you what they classed as roasties, rather than what you regard roasties to be?

 

Put it down to experience.

 

Or know where your going for a special meal.

 

 

exactly!so thats fine i was just saying that the 'roast potatos' to a born n bred australian are obviously really 'new potatoes' to someone from the uk! so yes we would never now order potatoes in any form lol!

 

plus my food was late, we waited an hour for food (but they were v.busy!) and they forgot some of our order but there you go, i read mixed reviews before we went so should have aid more attention!

 

we wont go there again lol! just a shame it ruined our evening out with a family member before they went home!

[Guest Nick11]

When you ask for roast potatoes at the chicken shop..that's exactly what you get.

Never heard of roasties being boiled tbh.

Now waiting an hour for my meal would seriously annoy me!

[Guest kangomik]

I wouldn't get hung up on people being served at different times. Itt happens a lot. Like clearing the table, they don't wait for everyone to finish, they take the plates as they are finished.

 

Things missed off orders, well we just usually remind them and everything is fine.

[Guest katsmajic]

My twopennys worth...

 

The restaurant roasts unpeeled baby chat potatoes everyday/twice a day in butter, s&p and rosemary, freshly just before the start of service.

 

Its always been said the service is hit and miss in there - as with every other restaurant, its the luck of the draw as to who gets your section to wait on all night...and how busy they are.

Food is fab - steak always comes with veggies aswell so your hub wouldnt have only had meat on his plate unless he stated no veg.

 

Food to the tables, in any restaurant is hit n miss, if the kids/waiters cant carry 3 plates then it takes 2 trips, then they get yelled at from the other bar/kitchen sections to take their orders/food out too...

i feel sorry for waiters, good ones are worth their weight in gold!

 

Waiting an hour is bad, but if you saw the size of their kitchen and knew EVERYTHING was cooked freshly to order then you'd know its worth the wait....if starters are ordered then an hour for mains to be served is perfectly normal anywhere...unless you like pub food/macca's etc.

[Guest moonraker1959]

If its any consolation my sister and her OH went out to dinner(they live in the north east suburbs)last week,and she told me they had asked for steaks,well done?They cut into them and it was just about raw inside!!! OH and I were in Bath last week,had some lunch,pretty disappointing!It happens everywhere.When I lived in SA roasties were still roasties!Hope you have a nicer experience next time you go out.xx

[Diane]

If its any consolation my sister and her OH went out to dinner(they live in the north east suburbs)last week,and she told me they had asked for steaks,well done?They cut into them and it was just about raw inside!!!

 

Tell me where tell me where! That's just how I like my steak and finding somewhere that knows that "medium rare" means not cooked grey all the way through is pretty .... well ...rare!

[Guest BrianS]

think it really does depend on where you go though, ive had some shocking meals that wouldnt even pass for harvester standards and were almost double the price, waiting staff is another matter altogether though, as another op said before its very hit and miss. seems a shame as each time i have been down to the vale ive had a good meal each time, (although i dont know where you went and each time ive been its been for a "special meal" do always somewhere pretty good).

i know i can always count on the food at my brothers though even if the service can be a bit suspect at times

[AussieRob]

It's funny what we all expect from a restaurant, no wonder they can't win.

I recommended a restaurant once for a meal for a friends birthday, it's a great restaurant over looking the city with the winery in front of you. You do pay top dollar for the privilege and it is a’la carte menu. They hated it, that hated the fact they still felt hungry after spending $200 on a meal, I wished I’d have recommended the Watermark all you can eat, at least they'd have been happy.

I don't like going somewhere nice, only to be served and finished in 30 mins.

As for the roasties i can imagine looking forward to something only to be disappointed, but like anywhere you have to find the places that suit your tastes. For example I think my Indian food palette has changed, my favourite now is Mr India in Old Reynella, but for years I disliked the Australian version of Indian Food, but now I've got used to it.

The poorest part of your night sounds like the meals coming out at different times, I know this happens at a lot of places, but I just wouldn't go back to those places if they can't bring out 4 dinners at the same time.

But we all live and learn

[HEAPS GOOD !!!]

, I wished I’d have recommended the Watermark all you can eat, at least they'd have been happy.]

 

The Watermark Glenelg now your talking.....always need a sleep after i come out of there....:biglaugh:

 

HG

[soo_the_panda]

I'm a real foodie and love talking about recommendations for new places to eat and drink. My picks below are places I've enjoyed over the last year in/near Adelaide... a real mix of fine dining down to food court style Chinese - enjoy!

 

Places to drink:

- Wheatsheaf Hotel (Wheaty) in Thebarton - lovely pokie free pub. Lots of interesting beers, wines and whiskeys... they don't stock the big brand names - just stuff from smaller wineries, independent breweries etc. Great atmosphere, great live music - love it!

- Ed in Mitcham - love the beer garden there

- Surf Club in Glenelg - not technically a pub but great place for sunset drinks on the balcony - so cheap considering the view and you're supporting surf lifesaving

- Cork Wine Bar on Gouger St - LOVE this place. Bit more expensive but so worth it for those who are into good wine - run by lovely South African couple who love to chat about the wines - always got new things to taste. Can't recommend highly enough.

 

Places to eat:

- Wasai on Field St, just off Gouger - best sushi in Adelaide! Big sushi boat, heaps for 2 to share, $30 - so fresh and tasty.

- Victory Hotel at Sellicks Beach - totally agree on this one - wine cellar is fab, food delish. Recommend outside on a summer's day.

- Star of Greece at Port Willunga for a special occasion, at sunset!

- Bay Bar Dos in Glenelg (Town Hall) is my new favourite - AMAZING tapas (try the salt & pepper quail, duck shanks, pork belly and delish prawn pizza!)

- Esca on the Marina in Glenelg - only place worth Marina prices (and in the Entertainment Book)

- Dumpling King in Chinatown, city - dirty cheap Chinese - place is a bit of a dump but sooo cheap and dumplings are amazing!! Where else can you stuff yourself for $10/head?!

- Mesa Lunga tapas on Gouger St (corner of Morphett), City - WOW - go here with a group of foodies and share - we had 6 tapas to share plus a huge yummy paella for $40/head

- The only Indian food I've eaten in Aus that comes close to 'English Indian' is Charminar - there are a few branches. Heard really good things about Arya in North Adelaide however (in Entertainment Book)

- Third Cork wine bar in Semaphore - great place for a bottle of wine and a platter

- Tongue Thai'd, Henley Beach Road (city end - Mile End?) - YUM - great food, great service, quirky place - the eggplant chicken dish is out of this world

- Tanapa Thai, Jetty Road, Glenelg - very authentic Thai food - the snapper special is beautiful.

- Hotel Tivoli, Pirie St, City - really good pub food - would be called a gastro pub in the UK! China town duck burger (not really a burger) is YUM! Great value using entertainment book

- Bacchus Bar, Henley Beach - love the chilled atmosphere of this place, very cool, feels more Melbourne than Adelaide. Yummy food. Half price oysters on a Wednesday night! A summer fave.

- Zest Cafe Gallery - Glenelg - best breakfast by the beach run by lovely lovely family. Zesty Eggs is my fave dish - yum!

- Cos, Leigh St (between Currie and Hindley), City. Best steak in Adelaide. Not cheap but so worth it.

- If you're ever in Robe, South East - Vic Street pizza - best pizza I've ever eaten!

 

Phew - think that's my favourites covered - happy eating!