Reviews by robsullivan

This review is for TOUKLEY MOTOR INN, Toukley NSW

verified email - 12 Aug 2015

I stayed here recently, and found the motel better than I expected. Free wifi is available and the signal is strong. My room was quiet, clean and well furnished. It is also centrally located close to all of Toukley's great attractions.

Approximate cost: $110

This review is for Kam's Court Chinese Restaurant, Charmhaven NSW

verified email - 10 Jun 2015

I have often walked past this business, on my journeys around the neighbourhood, and wondered what it is like inside. Finally, in May 2015, I had the chance to dine here. We were celebratingmy father's birthday, and I ordered the Imperial Lamb with Pancake Pastry for $21. I was rather disappointed. The dish was almost tasteless. The interior of the restaurant looked nice, though. Chinese food on the Central Coast is fairly rubbish anyway.

This review is for Jolly Pelican Seafood, Wyong NSW

verified email - 18 Feb 2015

This restaurant boasts a commanding location on the old highway opposite Wyong railway station, so you would expect it to do a brisk trade. That said, I was a little underwhelmed during my recent visit to the Jolly Pelican. My friend, a vegetarian, was up from Sydney and he was in urgent need of sustenance. He couldn't walk any further than the Jolly Pelican, so we went inside and he ordered an all-day breakfast, just minus the meat. Imagine his surprise when the staff brought over a piece of toast with a fried egg and a miserable piece of tomato lying besides it. His facial expression was saying: "Is that it?" I guess it is hard being a vegetarian in Wyong. Anyway, I ordered a cheeseburger with beetroot and barbeque sauce ($7) which was all right, but nothing sensational. Also on the menu are seafood platters ($18.80), prawn scoops ($12) and various fish and chip combinations.

This review is for East Toukley Bakehouse, Toukley NSW

verified email - 27 Jan 2015

I often stop here when I am walking around to pick up a drink and a snack. The items are cheaper than a lot of fancier places, for example it is about $2.50 for a bottle of water, but the quality is high nonetheless. They have plenty of bread rolls and loaves on sale, as well as pies, quiches and sausage rolls.

This review is for Hibiscus Coffee Lounge, Toukley NSW

verified email - 14 Jan 2015

Some 20 years ago, when I worked at the nearby Wyong Shire Advocate, I often used to order my lunch at this humble café in the Toukley Mall. Possibly the name or ownership of the Hibiscus Lounge Café has changed since then, but the laid back atmosphere of the place has not. While back in the 1990s I used to order avocado and cheese sandwiches, these days I go for the toasted melts costing $4.80, or the prawn sandwiches. Other items on the menu include the all-day breakfast, a range of burgers such as the Mexican beef burger ($8.90), and the chicken schnitzel and chips with garden salad for $9.50. You can read a newspaper or magazine, order a coffee and just chill out.

This review is for My Digital TV Solutions, Charmhaven NSW

verified email - 07 Jan 2015

Ben from My Digital TV Solutions came around to our house to help us install our new flat screen TV. Not only was he very capable and enthusiastic about the job at hand, he was also a fount of knowledge concerning all things scientific, and cheerfully explained the difference between AM and FM radio, fibre optics and wifi Internet, and why digital TV provides a better quality picture than the old analogue system. On top of that, his fee was not too unreasonable. He seemed passionate about what he does. According to his business card, he handles the installation of equipment, aerials, and cabling.

Approximate cost: $100

This review is for Eclectic Endeavours, Toukley NSW

verified email - 21 Dec 2014

"Shabby chic" is the name of the game at this new business in Toukley, which specialises in new and "upcycled" furniture, soft furnishings, fashions and gifts. Here at Eclectic Endeavours you will find all kinds of carefully curated curios such as clocks, carpets, and clothes. Candles made from soy oil. At the back of the shop, an inner-spring mattress has been converted into a stylish installation, and dangles from the ceiling. Just before Christmas my mother and I picked up a fashionably shabby coffee table for $185 (with a 20 per cent discount). We chatted to store owner Elizabeth, who we both found to be very engaging and endearing.

This review is for Golden Lake Chinese Family Restaurant, Gorokan NSW

verified email - 22 Nov 2014

I dined here recently with my Mum and Dad. Entering the restaurant, I thought it looked nice and clean, with colourful scrolls hanging from the walls, and a sparkling floor. Perusing the menu, I decided to order the Szechuan Squid for $14 because I have heard so much about Szechuan food lately, and I wanted to find out what all the fuss is about. As soon as my meal was brought out to me, however, I felt a sinking sensation. The squid was floating in a brown broth which looked neither exotic nor that tasty. And, indeed, it was a bland dish. Spicy to be sure, but not that authentic or original. Perhaps I should have just stuck to something simpler, like the chow mein, or the satay prawns.

Approximate cost: $15

This review is for Stubborn Cleaning Services, Wyong NSW

verified email - 15 Nov 2014

We hired Stubborn Cleaning Services last week to shampoo the carpets, rugs and couches in our home at Lake Haven. My Mum was certainly impressed by the effort put in by owner/operator Sean Quinn, and his junior assistant. "I will definitely recommend you to other people," my Mum told them as they left. "You were very thorough, very professional."

Approximate cost: $200

This review is for CATHO PUB, Catherine Hill Bay NSW

verified email - 12 Nov 2014

Formally known as the Wallarah Hotel, the Catho Pub has a long history and enjoys a legendary status in the local area. The pub was nearly burnt down during the savage bushfires of 2013. After the fires subsided, the pub offered free beer to bushfighters as a mark of respect. It might be a long way from the rest of the world, but if you make it to Catherine Hill Bay, the pub is a good place to hang out and soak up the atmosphere. There is a range of good pub food to eat, such as nachos and the like.