Reviews by Champagne

This review is for 12 Rocks Cafe And Bar, Port Campbell VIC

verified email - 25 Jul 2012

This is a pretty good pick for dinner in Port Campbell, especially if you like steak. On our recent trip along the Great Ocean Road, we stopped here and checked out the handful of venues along Lord Street for dinner. The place was packed and we were lucky to get a table. My partner ordered the rib eye fillet while I got the daily special which was porterhouse. Goodness me, the helpings were huge, my porterhouse was the size of a small plate! Ample vegies on the side too. I really enjoyed it, amazingly good value. My partner was eyeing my steak quite enviously. Make sure you're hungry.
Breakfast is a little pricy here but we can recommend the eggs benedict. I also found rather than modifying the set breakfast dishes they have, it works out cheaper to create your own breakfast from what they serve. I got bacon, eggs, mushrooms and a hash brown which was tasty enough. Good view of the beach too. We will be back.

Approximate cost: $25 for dinner; $8-$12 breakfast

This review is for Waves Cafe & Restaurant, Port Campbell VIC

verified email - 25 Jul 2012

We visited once while in Port Campbell and it was very busy, so had to wait about 30 minutes for our meal. The waitress came over and apologised a couple of times for the delay. She was really nice however that did not quite make up for the food.
I ordered salmon (they had run out of my original choice of fish) while my partner got the steak. Nothing wrong with the cooking however we both felt that for what we paid, we didn't get that much value - imagine a big plate with a bit of artfully presented food in the centre of it. My fish was okay, but the vegetables were actually tastier (I felt a bit sorry for the fish). The vegies were the highlight of the dish but were a bit scant, approximating a couple of green beans, a snow pea, a couple of carrot slivers and 3 florets of broccoli/cauliflower. It seemed to me that it was all about the presentation and not the food itself, it was okay but just lacked the wow factor.
We had dessert, BF had the chocolate pudding which looked scrumptious but he rated it as just okay. I had the orange almond cake which looked quite humble but turned out to be delicious, the highlight of the meal.
Overall, we would not recommend this and won't come back, we've got a couple of other restaurants nearby which we preferred. You may have more luck if it's quiet and not so busy.

Approximate cost: $28

This review is for Frying Nemo, Port Campbell VIC

verified email - 25 Jul 2012

Being a tourist hotspot, Port Campbell has a handful of restaurants, none of them cheap. This place is one of the most affordable with tasty good-quality fish and chips. We got takeaway here and crossed the road and ate our fish and chips in the little grassy area overlooking the beach.

This is one of the more affordable eating options in the area and tasty too.

When we visited they had flake, whiting and butterfish. They do the typical fried snacks too ($1-$2 approx). On occasion they may even have crayfish available. The staff are very friendly and helpful.

Opening Hours:
Mon: 11:30 am - 8:30 am
Tue - Sun: 11:30 am - 8:30 pm

Approximate cost: $8.00

This review is for Piedimonte's IGA Supermarket & Liquor, Fitzroy North VIC

verified email - 25 Jul 2012

Prices can be quite expensive if you were getting all your food here. I would recommend it for specialty items that you can't get at other places.

What I do get here: meat, eggs, wheat-free bread and Bellita low carb potatoes. I usually get the lamb mince which is reasonable. I have noticed they do specialty meat items like offal, hearts, chicken necks and gizzards and so on which tend to be cheap.

I have found the eggs on special to be very reasonable.

I prefer wheat-free bread and they have an outstanding selection of rice, spelt and rye breads. They have a huge range of mueslis and dried pastas which I've never seen anywhere else.

Piedimontes is the only place I've been to that has Bellita low carb potatoes. I now cook these all the time for my partner who is diabetic. He has commented that the potatoes taste really good.

I've not attended the deli and encountered any rude staff, but those I've dealt with were nice enough.

This review is for The Seafood Shak, Fitzroy North VIC

verified email - 25 Jul 2012

I've eaten here a few times now, and on a good day this is my favourite fish and chip shop in the area. The grilled fish is flavourful and the batter on the fried fish is so wonderfully crunchy. The chips are light and crunchy too, and I think they have the edge on the other fish and chip place I've reviewed which is closer to where I live. I would recommend eating in to maximise the crunch factor.

I've noticed that the best fish I had here was when a gent cooked it. There is a lady too but I think I'll go back when I see him there lol.

Cash only. They do a good variety of burgers, as well as the usual fried snacks (corn jack, onion rings, dim sims, spring rolls) and souvlakis.

Approximate cost: $7.70 for fish and chips

This review is for River Tea House, Lorne VIC

verified email - 25 Jul 2012

We stopped here during our weekend away along the Great Ocean Road, needing a cup of tea along the way. It is a quaint cozy little cafe, an authentically original stopover along the tourist trail. The exterior of the cafe looks very homey and comfy, with its wicker furniture and overhanging greenery.
If they're busy the order may take a little time but it is well worth the wait. They have over 60 varieties of tea (I lost count). We sat inside at this really rustic looking table and were served our tea in pretty china. The Rooibos Chai I ordered was simply divine, and one of the best cuppas I've ever had. BF had a regular black tea but he agreed the Rooibos Chai was really good, and he is not normally a big fan of Rooibos.
They serve home baked treats like scones and gourmet cakes too, and several types of hot chocolate. Adjoining the main area is a section filled with curios and knick-knacks, which looked a bit on the expensive side but feel free to have a wander. You can see some of these items on their website.
The culinary highlight of our trip, and I'm hanging out for my next visit. Can't recommend highly enough!

Approximate cost: $4 tea

This review is for Fish Butlers, Loganholme QLD

verified email - 25 Jul 2012

This was my local fish and chips before I moved a couple of months ago. Fish Butlers does good quality fish and chips as well as a range of fried snacks. Their prices are outstanding and meals work out cheaper than other takeaways in the immediate area. Our normal order was the Family Pack for Two: 4 large fillets of fish and plenty of chips, more than enough for two ravenously hungry people, at approx $14. The staff are very nice and friendly however English is not their native language so remember to speak clearly on the phone if you're phoning your order through! Once I confused the person on the phone and ended up with too many chips by mistake (nearly all got eaten though).

Approximate cost: $7

This review is for Gurkhas Nepalese Restaurant, Fitzroy North VIC

verified email - 25 Jul 2012

We have eaten here a few times and will be going back - it tends to be fairly quiet on a weeknight and you can hear yourselves without having to shout, always a plus with my partner.
The first time we ate here we ordered a chilli beef and a goruko masu (beef with coriander) with rice. The curries were tasty but I found it a bit short on vegetables and for the price, a little expensive. ($16 approx for each meat dish). The second time we ordered their Simple Feast for $22 approx a head. Wow! Huge variety with plenty of yummy food.
The standout was the entree, Gurkha's special. It appeared to be similar to vegetable samosa filling in an open shell with yoghurt on top. It was delicious and afterwards my partner proclaimed it 'the hero of the meal.' I think he may have watched Masterchef a bit too much. The mains were Chilli Chicken, Goat curry, Potato & Chick Peas, Coconut Rice and Nepalese Salad, served in small bowls on a metal tray. This was really enjoyable, was more than enough for the two of us, and provided enough vegetables. I found the potato and chick peas very moreish and could not help picking at it, despite the fact that I'm not a huge fan of chick peas.
Dessert was a choice of Rato Mohan (dumplings in syrup) or Kheer (rice pudding). We got one of each, both were delicious. Out of the four desserts on the menu we've tried three and would recommend these two, crepes not so much. The rice pudding is cold, but oh so creamy and delicious. Yum.
I would definitely recommend one of the banquets. They are reasonably priced and allow you to sample a variety of dishes. There is a good selection of vegetarian dishes and your vegetarian friends will have plenty to choose from, including their vegetarian banquet.

Approximate cost: $10-$12 veg; $15-$17 meat; $21-$38 per head for banquets

This review is for La Sera, Fitzroy North VIC

verified email - 25 Jul 2012

We got their large pizza deal on a busy Saturday night, which is 2 large pizzas and a garlic bread for $30. Delivery was quoted as 45 minutes so we opted for pick up option which was only 25 minutes or so, very reasonable.

I ordered the 'La Sera' without anchovies which was the hero of the meal. My partner ordered the 'Quatro Stagione' which was pretty good. We liked the pizzas very much and would order them again. The garlic bread however was rather disappointing and was a bit burnt on one end. To be quite honest, I've had better garlic bread from Pizza Hut, Dominos and even Woolies. I would recommend the pizzas however.

They also do a gluten free pizza which is wheat free, gluten free, dairy free, egg free, nut free and yeast free, okay for fructose malabsorption allergies apparently.

They do pastas, salads, risotto and desserts too. Check out their website for more menu information, prices and ordering online.

Approximate cost: $14-$18

This review is for Singh's Indian Take Away, Brunswick East VIC

verified email - 25 Jul 2012

We got takeaway here and got served quickly by a friendly staff member. The food was better than I expected. We ordered Bombay Beef (delicious) and Vegetable Korma (very good). I really enjoyed their saffron rice. I would have no hesitation in trying out their food again.

I did not find their food especially pricy, most dishes are between $11 and $13, which for most restaurants nowadays I find quite reasonable. There are 11 vegetarian dishes on the menu, all currently $10-$11. Very few entrees and a couple of soups. Would also recommend the naan, which was delicious and the best naan I've eaten for a while, authentic taste.

Should mention this is a takeaway establishment and not really an eat in.

Approximate cost: $11-$13