Reviews by Sephiroth

This review is for Lotus Chinese Restaurant, North Adelaide SA

verified email - 29 Feb 2008

I've only been there once but had been wanting to go there for a while. I didn't really enjoy the meal I ordered but that doesn't mean it's bad. It just wasn't to my liking and if I were to go again, which I will definitely will be, I'm sure I'll enjoy my next meal.

There's a lot to choose off of the menu, the surroundings are lovely with very pleasant music (no singing for once!), beautiful lanterns and ornaments hanging around and at the time, there was hardly anyone else in there so it was nice and quiet.

The service was also great. The woman was efficient and friendly. A very pleasant dining experience.

This review is for Penang Hawkers Corner, Adelaide SA

verified email - 29 Feb 2008

Penang is a Chinese restaurant in Rundle Mall. It's not central but not exactly out of the way. The atmosphere isn't bad. There's a lot of tables but some are quite close together. It does get pretty hot inside though and there's only fans, no air-conditioning.

There's a wide range of food on the menu to choose from. The prices are pretty typical for that type of place.

The only problem I really have is that the staff rush you to make up your mind. The moment you walk in the door, they surround you and throw questions at you like "where are you sitting" "how many people" "what are you ordering". Then you barely get a chance to look at the menu before you're urged to make up your mind.

This review is for The Original Pancake Kitchen, Adelaide SA

verified email - 29 Feb 2008

I used to go to the other branch, which was just across the street, until it was closed down. I used to go sometimes twice a week and it was great. Now that it has closed down, I don't tend to visit this branch as much.

They do have a similar menu but the food isn't cooked as well. The Farmer's Breakfast meal includes two pancakes, two hash browns and two eggs. This meal was cooked BEAUTIFULL at the other place but at this one, it just doesn't taste the same. If only the cooks at the other place were to go over to this one and then I would eat there more.

The service is very good though. And the staff are quite friendly and efficient. The other restaurant had the best fish in Adelaide but this place doesn't even have it on the menu. It's a shame because it was beautiful.

This review is for Jenny's Gourmet Bakery

verified email - 29 Feb 2008

Jenny's Gourmet Bakery is hands down, the best bakery in Adelaide. Since I haven't been anywhere interstate before, I can't speak for the bakeries there but if they're anything like most of the bakeries here, then Jenny's is the best bakery in Australia!

Aussies don't know what good cakes taste like. They'll buy ones from the supermarket, such as the ones made by Balfours and think that's what a cake is supposed to taste like and they'll think it tastes good. I can't stand store-bought, pre-packaged cakes. Sure there are some that taste ok but they're not ubelievabely tasty and you'd get bored of them fast.

With Jenny's, they have a fantastic range of cakes. Yes, cakes. Most of the much in the supermarket shouldn't even be called "cake". Jenny's menu has everything you could ever want in a cake. One of the standout cakes for me is the Berry Baked Cheesecake. You can't buy cheesecakes in the store. Even with the frozen Nanna's ones, you get one tiny, tiny little taste of baked cheesecake. It may taste nice but it won't take long for you to finish it. There's so little there, it's like eating nothing!

The Cheesecake Shop shouldn't be called such. The amount of actual baked cheesecake in their small range of cheesecakes is tiny. The amount in Jenny's cheesecakes is GIGANTIC! There's so much there to eat that it's like a meal!

The staff aren't the friendliest around but I can deal with that if they keep making such beautiful cakes. The cakes are GIGANTIC! They're the closest to the beautiful cakes they make in American, unlike the tiny and artificial products we have here in Australia.

Some cakes can set you back $30 each or even a bit more but it doesn't matter! If it's a huge size then you don't mind paying more. I hate places that charge steep, steep prices for tiny portions. Gloria Jean's, for example, stock cakes from Jenny's but most of the ones they stock don't show Jenny's true abilities. Then there's Nanna's who charge over five or six dollars for artificial and tiny cakes.

Not only do they have big cakes but they also have smaller cakes if you just want a little snack. Well, they're supposed to be small but they seem pretty big to me! And they taste lovely! And these "smaller" cakes are still really great value. A huge cream puff is only $2.50 and it's gigantic! They also have coffee and you can sit in the courtyard and have a coffee and cakes. As well as cakes, they have savoury wraps and rolls. My only gripe with them is that the staff always handle them with their bare hands after touching money and such. I hope in the future they'll use gloves.

There are a couple of other problems but they don't refer to the products at all. The first is where the shop is situated. It's quite far away from where I live and is not central to most suburbs. You'd have to catch two buses to get there and if you know how slow and crowded the buses are then you'd know it's not place to be carrying a huge cake or two. Since I don't drive, I need to get a lift up there so I can't buy cakes as often as I'd love to. It's a shame really and they said they don't plan on opening up anymore branches, which'll hopefully change in the future since they're so fantastic.

It would be great to get a cake or two delivered but the delivery charge is $40! That's more than the cake! The van that delivers the cake is refrigerated, which is why the price is so steep but surely they could find a way around it for good customers?

This review is for Gloria Jeans, Kilkenny SA

verified email - 29 Feb 2008

I used to love going here. I used to have a nice relaxing coffee every now and then or a beautiful Iced Chocolate topped off with whipped cream on hot days but I just can't anymore.

You see, there's a gigantic group of lazy African men who sit there all day. They make a huge racket, they take all of the chairs from other tables, leaving no chairs for the tables, and sit around one table together. They are extremely noisy and once they finish their one little coffee each, they think they're entitled to the table all day. They also whistle at the women who go past and are completely disrespectful. The owners are pathetic as they never tell them to be on their way or that they're disturbing customers.

I just can't go there anymore. During my last experience, these men were making such a racket (as usual) and my mum went to order for me. They ended up making the wrong drink for me and as my mum waited for them to make the correct one, they asked her "what are you waiting for?" It's pretty obvious! She told them they made the wrong drink and that we'd like the correct one. It was their fault and they're being rude to us??

After this, we stopped going there. They obviously don't want our business and they obviously won't do to do anything about these men. They don't care about what their other customers wants, just as long as they don't offend these men.

Besides that, their drinks are very tasty but can be a bit on the expensive side. Some of their cakes are really nice but I know the bakery they get them from and most of the ones they order are nowhere near the best cakes the bakery makes. But they're very expensive at Gloria Jean's, especially for the portion size.

This review is for Subway, Sefton Park SA

verified email - 29 Feb 2008

I usually get the same type of sub each time but each time I do, I don't know how much "sub" I'm going to leave with. Let me put it this way, I only have three different vegetables on my sub but the staff who put the vegetables on are very stingy about it. If I ask for more of something, they screw up their face like it's coming out of their own pockets and only end up putting on a tiny bit more.

There's no rule that says there's a limited amount of stuff you can have on your sub. I only have three different kinds of vegetables and when I ask for me, they look at me like I've commited a crime or something. For the amount of money I'm paying, I deserve a decent amount of stuff on my sub. Speaking of which, the price for a sub is pretty bad. It's just a roll with some vegetables and they actually charge this much? Sometimes I think I'm better of making a sandwhich at home!

Approximate cost: $Close to $8.00 for one sub

This review is for Donut King, Prospect SA

verified email - 29 Feb 2008

Donut King have some nice things but they're way off the mark of getting the best "Business of the year" award.

Their drinks are nice, not out-of-this-world, but nice but they are ridiculously expensive and the size is pretty adequete. Some of the drinks, such as the Frozen Coke, you can get about $3 cheaper at McDonald's.

The things they have there are also not very nutrional. The donuts are full of sugar and often taste artificial. The cinnamon donuts are very nice though.

They don't have a great selection and only offer one hot products besides cakes, which is a hotdog. It is also pretty expensive and could taste a lot better.

They need a better range, much bigger and not so articial tasting donuts and cake and a LOT cheaper prices

This review is for Ezy DVD, Adelaide SA

verified email - 29 Feb 2008

Ezy DVD used to be a pretty average and quite expensive DVD store but within the last year, they have really grown a lot. They have extremely cheap DVD's, and these are fantastic movies and series by very qualified companies, not just cheap DVD's you can get anywhere.

Since the beginning of 2007, the price of their products have dropped dramatically. I only used to buy a handful of things from their since I couldn't afford most or they weren't worth it. But now, you can get quality products with pocket change!

They have also opened a much larger store and it's so much more spacious. It still does get quite hot in the store but this is due to a lack of air-conditioning, which is something they should really look into.

The biggest problem though is the volume at which they have the music! Seriously, they are steadily getting worse than JB HiFi when it comes to the music. I mean it's a DVD store and they have stacks of TVs around with movies and/or series playing but the volume is right down and they often have subtitles on.

The music is obviously for the benefit for the staff and it's just unbearable. It actually feels like the floor is shaking! I could spend a good two hours looking in there but only spend around twenty minutes or less, solely due to the fact that the music is at a ridiculous volume! It puts me off what I want to look at (or buy). There shouldn't even be music. There should be a movie or series, if anything AND it should be at a very reasonable level, not a level that makes customers want to leave.

This review is for JB Hi-Fi (Adelaide City), Adelaide SA

verified email - 29 Feb 2008

I love JB. They have fantastic products at fantastic prices but they certainly need to pull up their socks in some areas. While they have great products, they don't always have them in stock when they're supposed to or have very little stock. Sometimes they take a long time to stock more of the same product.

The staff are also very off-handish. There used to be more helpful and friendly staff there but over the past year, they've gotten extremely rude and very unhelpful. There's a handful of reasonable people there but most are very unprofessional.

I also can't stand the ridiculous volume they have the music up. Sure they sell CD's but they sell DVD's too. Why not have a movie on? (at a reasonable volume, mind you). Sometimes they have both on and it's a noise overload.

Another gripe I have is how ridiculously hot it is in there! There is absolutely no air-conditioning EVER and I have come close to fainting on a number of times. The store is also extremely cramped. They desperately need a larger store. I'm constantly shoulder-to-shoulder with strangers. It's ridiculous!

It's the only store near me but I've been to the Modbury branch which is excellent. I can't get up there by bus though. JB used to be a lot better with stocking products and having cheaper prices but they're slipping lately. Still, they're the best DVD store around and with a few changes, they can be fantastic.

This review is for Shin Tokyo, Adelaide SA

verified email - 29 Feb 2008

They have fantastic products for anyone who's interested in Anime, Video Games and everything Japanese. The staff is helpful and the prices are great. It's the best store in Adelaide.