Reviews by amyh5

This review is for Ryde Natural Health Clinic, North Ryde NSW

verified email - 27 Mar 2014

I had a remedial massage with Helen and she was fantastic. There are areas of my body where she could tell needed work on and did just that.
She was also very friendly and advised extra stretching exercises to improve my condition.
Recommended for those in the area. East parking options but unfortunately not much public transport to the clinic.

Approximate cost: $60 / hr

This review is for Papa Gede's Bar, Sydney NSW

verified email - 18 Dec 2013

I loved this place! It is the sort of boutique bars that Sydney had been lacking, and the super friendly bar staff are always there for recommendations and drinks suggestions.
The cocktails are fantastic, specifically the Barbados Slim - love it! Small wine list but a good selection, and just loved the atmosphere.

Approximate cost: $16 cocktails

This review is for Laguna Beauty Day Spa, Eastwood NSW

verified email - 03 Sep 2013

They are a brand new day spa that just opened this week, so I thought I'd go and try them out. They claim to use a French product called Biologique Recherche and their front room fittings looked welcoming, so I had high expectations.

Unfortunately I was disappointed with my experience. Having had a look at their menu, I chose a 60 mins aromatherapy massage and 30 min facial. (My usual when I go anywhere)

Usually with this combination, you would have the massage first, and facial last, as you'll be lying down already.

However in this case, I had the facial first, which means I had to flip over for the massage then flip over again at the end. It also meant whatever product I had on my face rubbed off the massage table by the end of my treatment.

The facial was good. Nothing to complain about.

Then the massage commenced and that's when the disappointment started. I had wanted an aromatherapy massage, which is a light massage with aromatherapy oils.

The massage felt more like a remedial massage, with a lot of hard pressure movements, digging into the muscles and finger presses.

I probably needed it, but that's not the point. I really just wanted to relax.

The other thing is - there was no aromatherapy oil. The oil used on me smells like cooking oil and as soon as I got home I took a shower to scrub it all off. It smelled awful.

Another distastful thing I found was, towards the end of my treatment (while I am still being massaged) the therapist kept wanting to sell me more services. "Would you like to book for another appointment? We can give you discounts" - "Do you want an extended foot massage for just $20 extra today?"... etc

Let's just say, I am not impressed. I was there to relax and I couldn't because 1. the massage I wanted is not the one I got and 2. I kept being given sales pitches.

Lastly - the therapy rooms are not enclosed. They are just rooms with a thin curtain at the entrance and I could hear everything. People opening and closing drawers, opening and closing the microwave, going up and down the stairs and the phone ringing. I think I even hear the toilet flush.

There are cheap massage places where these things happen, but for the price they charge, for the claim that they are a luxurious beauty service.... it's just not meeting expectations.

I am sure they'll improve over time. I hope they do. There's potential in this place but it's just not quite there yet.

Approximate cost: $100

This review is for Kura, Pyrmont NSW

verified email - 25 Jul 2013

This is a great lunch spot. Good sized servings fantastic value. I love the Udons here!
Staff are all right too, but the place can get really crowded as it's only a small shop. Still, I would come here again and again.

Approximate cost: $12

This review is for Botanical Cafe, West Perth WA

verified email - 11 Jun 2013

It's a really pleasant location, right at the peak height of Kings Park where you get a fantastic view of the city and the waters. I love this place for where it is unfortunately the quality of the food isn't all that great.
We visited during breakfast, and I ordered smoked salmon and scrambled eggs on toast, and my husband eggs benedict. The serving were small, and there really isn't anything special about how they've served the food. Let's begin with only one piece of toast (instead of the general two) on my order and one English muffin on my husband's eggs benedict. It feels quite stingy really. We had mocha to accompany our meal and it was really chocolate syrup we were drinking. Too much chocolate on not so great coffee unfortunately makes a bad combination. Not to mention, most breakfast items were over $20!
Staff were alright, and nothing too special to talk about!

Approximate cost: $20

This review is for Arigataya, Northbridge WA

verified email - 11 Jun 2013

It was a cold night and a bowl of ramen noodles from Arigataya was a warming experience. The shop itself is very humble, with not much decor and comfortable seating. Obviously not fine dining, but the noodle soups are fantastic.
I had the pork stock based noodles and it was flavoursome and extremely yummy. My husband had the Karage Chicken Curry Rice, which was surprising a little spicyer than the average Japanese curry but also extremely nice.
The staff are friendly and as a small business, I think they are doing really well.

Approximate cost: $13

This review is for Mother Chu's Taiwanese Gourmet, Sydney NSW

verified email - 02 Jun 2013

I love the food at Mother Chu's. They have some classic Taiwanese dishes that are not found anywhere else. The servings are great and prices good. Unfortunately the service is a little abrupt and inconsistent. Most of the time they are friendly though.
I especially love coming here for their smaller dishes - the snacks - rather than the main meals. Their Taiwanese breakfast items such as the rice balls and egg pancakes are spot on like they make it in Taiwan, as well as the meat based pancakes are great too.

Approximate cost: $10

This review is for Hole In The Wall, Sydney NSW

verified email - 02 Jun 2013

Literally 'hole in the wall' - the place is designed for the work lunch where sandwiches can be ordered online and picked up at your designated time. It's a fantastic service and saved me time from having to wait around!
There is a wide selection of sandwiches - a whole 21 of them for all tastes. Coffee is good too, and yes, can also be ordered online.

Approximate cost: $7.50-$9.20

This review is for Hourani's Restaurant, Rhodes NSW

verified email - 02 Jun 2013

Wanting an early lunch, we booked for the time of 12pm which is the time the restaurant opens for the day. We had arrived slightly early and the kind waitress let us in to sit down while they were still doing some cleaning for the opening.
The menu is extensive and has some really authentic Lebanese dishes such as Labne and Kibbi for entree, and Shawarma meats and rice dishes.
I am recommending the lamb rice - it is fantastic.
Service does lack a little, it seems that most of the staff are new to the industry, but they were friendly and constantly coming over to check if we were ok.
I was also happy to see that they are Hallal certified, which means next time I can invite my Muslim friends for a night out without them having to miss out on a lot of the food!

Approximate cost: $19-$26

This review is for Spice Gourmet Thai, Parramatta NSW

verified email - 13 May 2013

We had the mixed entree and loved it. The curry puffs and chicken wings were amazing but wasn't too big a fan on the spring rolls though, could just be personal taste.
For mains, we had Penang Curry and Corriander with Garlic stir fry, which I thought were fantastic. Staff were friendly, but as they were really busy the service became a little average.
Tom Yum lovers - get the tom yum. It's fantastic, and the prawns were massive!