There is something overtly off-putting being greeted by a bouncer to enter a restaurant. You almost feel your dress sense is being judged to enter a restaurant despite already having made a booking. The place is dark and loud once you get in. Don't expect an intimate dinner. More like a school hall examination. The waiters are the haute type and so try and make you feel like an inferior foodie at every chance. The place is pretentious, boring and loud. The food is good, but not great. My table all agreed its a real hit and miss affair. The worst mistake a restaurant can make is to fail to meet the expectations of the descriptions listed in the menu. They really describe dishes that the chef either can't handle or is simply misrepresented. Avoid the beef carpacio on the entree menu. A real let down. Avoid the banana desert. Avoid the mussels.

Approximate cost: $40

Based on the website, Age food guide reviews, and impressive interior I was expecting a first class fine dining experience in Chinese cuisine. I particularly sought this restaurant to impress relatives from interstate. Unfortunately, I was left with Chinese egg on my face (pun intended). The food was bland, and basic. The price was definitely excessive for the quantity, and the quality didn't warrant fine dining portions. The duck and pancakes - meant to be one of their delicacies and signature dishes - was dry and tastless. The service was woeful. We waited about an hour between entre and main on a relatively sedate friday night. Everything was ho hum. I;ve had better in dingy joint in China town on little bourke. This David character obviously doesn't have anything to do with the taste testing or quality control. Considering the amount of excessive alcohol we drunk the food shouldve tasted a lot lot better.

Approximate cost: $30

I only entered this salon on account of their awards. I was offered no beverage, and felt rushed. The girl spoke far too much, in fact recounted her entire life story, of which I had to politely nod and grunt to. She over-thinned my hair! As a male, I don't appreciate to be made looking like I am prematurely balding. She then refused to use straighteners at the end, telling me this was an extra service. What a joke. The cut was overpriced too, and in boring old Camber Hell I'd rather go anywhere else.

Approximate cost: $60