Reviews by TooStronk

This review is for The Old Fire Station Cafe Gallery, Preston VIC

verified email - 16 Jul 2012

Okay let me try to give you an idea.
If you like the old school atmosphere, this is the place to be. From the tables to seats it looks, and smells like the 70's and 80's.

Friendly staff, the lady with short hair asked me if I liked the food, they obviously care about customer satisfaction.

Food can be a bit pricey, but you'd be coming here for the atmosphere and 'elvis menu' that's right, insane stuff that elvis ate to his grave.

I've been here twice in the same week, have yet to taste anything gone off just yet. I'll definitely be coming here again.

This review is for Cafe Alour, Reservoir VIC

verified email - 16 Jul 2012

We visited here highly recommended from our friend.

The place looked quite nice inside. They do burgers from $15 and also do other dishes like lamb salad.

I wasn't too happy with the food served.
First of all the Greek lamb salad. I was with Greeks and they all said that, it's no where near how Greeks do it. I was okay with the taste but my friend refused to eat the lamb as it was bright red, was undercooked. It would be fine if they would have asked us how we liked our lamb, but they would have none of that.

Salad, I've been with Greeks enough to know good olives and bad olives and that 'real old school Greeks do not mess with other people's olives'. What I'm trying to say is that old school Greeks don't appreciate pitted olives in their 'Greek Lamb Salad'

So anyhow, I ended up with all the olives and the lamb, I don't think there were enough greens in that salad to be $18.

Chips were quite small in serving for $6.50.

We were all disappointed at the standard of the food, and their proportion.

Unlike what sally wrote I've been told that their breakfast menu is quite good.

Approximate cost: $15~18

This review is for Cafe Notturno, Carlton VIC

verified email - 16 Jul 2012

They do pizzas, coffees, steaks and sandwiches. That's what made us eat here, because we couldn't really agree on where to eat.

Staff seem pretty capable, and friendly. We were greeted, and seated promptly. We had two different waitresses and we all agreed that they were both fantastic, polite, and friendly. Oh and like any good waiting staff our waitress asked 'how steaks should be cooked, and if we wanted the food all at once'

This review is for Teru Teru Japanese BBQ, Box Hill VIC

verified email - 16 Jul 2012

My last trip to Melbourne in June, my acquaintance and I decided to visit teru teru, which used to be a suhi bar + don buri place.

Interior looked different, menu was completely new, so we asked and it turns out that this place has a new management, and is now called Teru Teru Yakiniku.

Everything on the menu was over $23 ( and we visited during lunch time/ no lunch special) We ordered an unagi set and a Katsu set. Served with a few slices of sashimi, croquet, salad, and miso. I didn't find the proportion to be generous, for our main nor the side dishes. Taste wasn't bad, but wasn't something that I was used to paying $20 for. Back home I could grab similar meal at my shopping mall for about 15 dollars or less.

The staff was extremely polite and nice. We first sat and ordered and naturally we were discussing the price concerns, Staff, Maiko must have overheard it, I'm not sure if she owns the joint or she's just a staff but she came and offered us free desert, and apologised for 'changes'. She continued to be wonderful, she even brought herself down to our eye level when we were communicating. We were both stunned at how friendly she was.

I noticed that every table had a yakiniku place, and surely Maiko handed us opening promotion leaflet. during lunch time they do set menus and for dinner they do 'all you can eat yakiniku'. We were told that they do wagyu beef and kurobuta pork.

All you can eat yakiniku is priced at $45 on Mon-Thursday and @$50 from Fri-Sunday.

While we were extremely happy with the service, the two of us couldn't exactly agree on the quality of food, my European friend who doesn't really dine out at Japanese restaurants thought the food was I quote 'amazing', I on the other hand thought that the food wasn't exactly quality.

Katsudon felt slightly above what you'd find at 'frozen food' section of your local Asian grocer. It was so thin, that I couldn't really taste the pork texture.

Salad tasted quite quality, dressing was just right. Loved that light taste. Sashimi was no doubt fresh, even though only a few slices were offered. Miso was 'average', not bad but nothing too special.

If this place was on a water front or somewhere with great scenery I wouldn't mind the $45~$50 dinner per person business, and $23~27 dollar lunch menu, but it's not. It's just next to box hill centro, for the quality of food it wasn't something that I'd look forward to. However if they could bring down the price to below 20 during lunch time, may be I would consider this place. I do recall previous management, even though they had different menu and slightly 'cheaper' and 'affordable' choices in their food, they were between $13.50~17

I feel a little bit bad that I couldn't write more positive things about this place because Maiko was just awesome. We both loved her. This place isn't that bad as I make it out to be, I just think they could be more competitive in pricing considering all other shops nearby.

Approximate cost: $23+

This review is for Ryo's Noodles, Crows Nest NSW

verified email - 16 Jul 2012

After reading some of the reviews we decided to dine here. Thanks for previous head ups, we rocked up real early avoided queues.

Ramens looked good presentation wise, nothing too fancy but still looked authentic. Ramen noodle was cooked just right, but then again we rocked up early, I'd go again at a busier time to see how their ramen fares during busy hours.

I usually go for the miso based ramen but did try the soy base like somebody recommended. Soup could have been served a bit hotter, it's something I look for esp during winter.

Didn't notice anything special with their service.

Now I sat there thinking whether I should be giving 3 or 4 stars for their value, because their ramen are slightly cheaper than certain other shop/shops located near where I live, but I couldn't find anything to write home about. (not saying their ramen aren't great, it's just there are so many ramen places nowadays)

Perhaps I should try miso based ramen next time, I thought I would try something new, and may be that had an impact. I would try this place again for sure.

This review is for my247deals.com.au, Crows Nest NSW

verified email - 13 Jun 2012

Some of these 'coupon/deal' places do not offer easily locatable 'privacy policies'. You know it's a good thing when it's on their front page.

So far I've yet to have spam emails. I do use dummy email for scoopon and all other 'e mail update' discount sites, so I won't have to find an important email in the midst of 300 new emails a day.

Have yet to find a deal I'd like to take on just yet, but it hasn't been all that long since I've signed up.

This review is for Crown Metropol, Southbank VIC

verified email - 13 Jun 2012

I feel like with what the business has, they could do much better to make people feel better about staying here.

Nice establishment, staff were quite polite, but doesn't have that X-factor for me to choose this place over another. Perhaps I feel that there was a lack of 'passion'.

I wouldn't mind staying here again though

This review is for Paddy Pallin, Chatswood NSW

verified email - 04 Jun 2012

Great range of winter clothing. Love their ice breakers. Trendy yet warm.

Right now they've got a special promotion, $20 off (for your next purchase), when purchasing 100 dollars or more.

Not all products are exactly priced 'great'. If the business was offering $20 off when you spend 100 or more where discount is applied on the spot, I would have give them 5 stars in value and overall, but sometimes the 'DC on next purchase' can be misleading.

Overall, a great place to shop for your winter needs.

This review is for Bins Variety Discount Store, Chatswood NSW

verified email - 04 Jun 2012

One of those discount stores, selling anything from your 'Australia' t shirt to Halloween costumes. Certainly some of the products are not of what I would call 'a great quality', example, CD or DVD cases/carriers seem to fall a part rather easily.

Yet many items are valued quite reasonably, and if you pick the right goods, you're sure to walk out of here quite happy.

Entering and exiting the premise is a little difficult, esp when people line up to pay.

This review is for Shands Pharmacy, Chatswood NSW

verified email - 04 Jun 2012

I don't usually shop here, but my usual pharmacy seem to no longer stock larger packagings for anti histamines that we normally purchase, I'm not sure if it is a cheap tactic from them or not, but I decided to give Shands a go.

their 30 pack telfast was priced about a dollar above the other store down the street, but these guys had 50 packs, which in my opinion offers better value, saves way more than a dollar or two.

Was quite happy with the staff, fast service.