On a cold Sunday my husband had a look around the lovely little town of Woodend and decided to warm up with a coffee before heading home. We stopped at the Maloahouse at 5:13pm and the sign on the door said they were open until 5:30 - perfect timing we thought. It was a quaint little coffee place with lovely deserts and knick knacks...only problem is the service is lackluster. I asked if I could please order some coffees to go and was told they were closed "unless I just wanted to look around". Hmmm no - its a cafe...kind of wanted a coffee. She wasn't unpleasant, just obviously couldn't be bothered. The food may be great, the coffee may be awesome - everything looked lovely, they just really lack any customer service. If you don't close until 5:30 you should be prepared to provide your main service items until 5:30. Disappointing...

I have been to this Essential Beauty several times and have always experienced great customer service. The ladies work work there have a warm, can-do attitude and are very knowledgeable. I have had my eyebrows waxed several times and they did an excellent job, even working around my sleeping baby in the pram. I also went in to have my ears re-pierced as the holes had grown over. The nice girl working that day mentioned they might not need to be re-done completely and was able to re-open the holes without the piercing gun, which saved me a bit of pain and some money. Great, quick walk in service, clean facilities and professional staff - I would definitely recommend these guys.

Approximate cost: $Varies by service

Popped in to the White Rabbit Brewery for a beer after a day strolling around Healesville. We had one of each of their signature drafts. I had the white ale and it was cool and wheaty - perfect for a warm afternoon. My husband had the dark ale - I had a taste and very much enjoyed the dark, malty flavor. The place must have a good reputation as there wasn't a table to spare inside or out (my only small complaint as there is definitely room for more chairs or comfy lounges) The price was fair - about $13 for the two drinks. The staff have a friendly, casual-cool sort of vibe and obviously know their products and their market. Fun place to pop in - only small suggestion is to have a few more food choices - maybe make arrangements with the great bakery next door to provide some pies, slices or have some bowls of peanuts or pretzels available.

My husband and I went to Healesville for the day and stopped in at the Grand Hotel for lunch as we had heard good things about it. We thoroughly enjoyed it. From the smiling staff member who opened the door for me so I could easily push my pram through to the friendly waitress who took the time to talk to our little guy - the service is warm, friendly and efficient. My husband had the chicken parma - a nice big piece, well cooked, could have done with a bit more seasoning, but perfectly good pub food. I had the chicken Carfu - and it was yummy, with lots of prawns and scallops and a delicious sauce. We both had the salads - the beetroot gave them a great taste and the fries - perfect cooked. The ambiance was lovely for an old hotel. Everything was well priced - good value. I would recommend for groups, couples or families - a warm and friendly place.

Approximate cost: $24

I have been here on several occasions, hoping these guys improve, but I give up and won't be back. The sushi is very average - it never seems super fresh or hot (when appropriate). I had the California roll and found it quite dry and the dumplings which were boring. The lady serving me abruptly demanded I pay in cash - in this day and age shouldn't EFPOS be available nearly everywhere ? You have to ask for wasabi and ginger and are made to feel like a bit of a criminal for asking. For my money there are better options.

Approximate cost: $5

I had a great experience at Eyecare plus in Millpark. I went in to have my eyes checked after having Lasik surgery and was so impressed by the service of the optometrist and his staff. The gentleman who took my booking was courteous and knowledgeable. The appointment started on time, was not rushed, very thorough and the optometrist took the time to answer all of my questions. He was awesome. In addition, while I was there, he got a form completed for me to have my Vic drivers licence amended to show I no longer need glasses to drive. This saved me heaps of time in not having to figure out how to get and fill out the forms myself. The appointment was bulk billed so I walked out feeling awesome. Would highly recommend for service, staff and value.

Approximate cost: $0

This is the worst printing company I have found. I spent days creating a beautiful 50 page baby book capturing the first 6 months of my sons life. It was printed by them and over 12 of the photos, including the cover were completely distorted. Trying to get feedback from their customer service person, or the owner is nearly impossible. I have tried numerous times by email to all of the email addresses on their website and myself and my husband have called and gotten no response. When they do get back to you it is to ask you to send more money, so they can reprint it. They have a 100% quality satisfaction guarantee they do not honour. For photo books I have used other awesome companies that are out there - I wish I had done some research before trying these guys. I am now out of pocket without anything to show for it, have wasted a considerable amount of time and will spend many more days recreating an album with another company. I won't be sending them more money.

Great experience today at Doncaster Hearing. I took my 8 month in for a follow up hearing test and the service we received was outstanding. It requires a great deal of knowledge, patience and a sense of humour to give a baby a hearing test and it was such a great experience for him and myself. The lady who tested his hearing was knowledgeable and professional and the receptionist very pleasant. Only two small negatives - the office needed a vacuum (only noticed as my son was squirming around and I put him down for a crawl then picked him up again) and a lack of parking as the office is in a large building and obviously shares parking with a number of other businesses. I would highly recommend this clinic for any hearing testing - they are wonderful.

Approximate cost: $0

Stopped in for some take-a-way on a quiet Sunday in Whittlesea when our favourite place was closed. The service was quite pleasant and my food arrived in a timely manner. The girl who took my order was happy to switch my fries for a salad which was appreciated. My husband got the 1/4 chicken with fries and salad. The portion of fries was quite large, the chicken what you would expect for portion size, and quite tasty. The only let down was the Greek salads, which did not taste like they had been made recently, but maybe carried over from the day before - a bit lifeless and a bit tasteless. I had the chicken burger - which came on a large, fresh bun and was very enjoyable. A very average experience, but quite reasonably priced.

Approximate cost: $8.50

We were recommended to Veli motors by a mechanic in Doreen to fix a problem we are having with the gas system in my husbands car. Dominic has been very patient and provided good service to us as we have tried to work through various issues with the system. I find the staff friendly, the services well priced and the location convenient.