Reviews by vlb
This portable stall can be found in the Victoria Ave mall in Chatswood on Thurs & Fri evenings during the food market season. They make killer gozlemes, are super-fast, friendly and the prices are reasonable. My personal favourite is the Combo (lamb, spinach & feta with a sprinkle of chilli). Squeeze lemon wedge (provided) over gozleme and tuck in! If you'd rather eat it at home, ask for a takeaway, and they'll pack it for you.
Approximate cost: $9
With this crowd, it's a matter of hit and miss. Unfortunately, the last 'miss' was a biggie and left me $100 out of pocket. I ordered two Strivectin skincare products - one for face contour, the other for the neck. I've been fortunate enough to receive Strivectin products as gifts prior to this and I know the packaging, quality, etc. It's an expensive and fairly high-end brand (originally developed as treatments for post-operative scarring & stretch marks). It is manufactured in the USA by Klein Becker in Utah. Well, was I unpleasantly surprised to receive the package I'd been eagerly awaiting! Firstly, it was stuffed into a brown paper envelope with very little (if any) bubble wrap as protection. One of the products was in a box, while the other was not. There were no tamper-proof seals or expiry dates on either product (or the box). Anyone could have opened these jars and nobody would have been any the wiser. This just didn't seem right to me. The USA has very strict laws around packaging, etc. So, I opened the first jar and then the second, and both creams were exactly the same yellow-ish colour and smelt the same too! I have a heck of a good sense of smell (not much gets past me), and this was becoming more and more suspicious to me. I went online to check out the official Strivectin website, and lo and behold, neither of the two products I'd received was among their current stock. The jar designs also looked slightly different. My guess is that these were either 'lookalikes' from another supplier, or very old stock. When I called to discuss this with OzSale, at first they were fairly helpful and said they would find out what they could do. However, since the jars were not damaged (I now wish I'd smashed them on the ground!), they didn't see any reason for a return and refund. The fact that these products could easily have been contaminated due to unhygienic/unsafe packaging didn't seem to bother them at all. I was furious, so I told them I would be contacting Fair Trade NSW, which I did. OzSale did not seem even the slightest bit concerned. Now I know why. You have to fill out multiple forms and lodge multiple requests before anything concrete gets done. Unfortunately, at that time, I was under immense work pressure to meet some hectic deadlines, so simply didn't have the time to follow through. I bet OzSale knew that. So, lesson learnt - I'll never buy anything from them again. Pity it was an expensive lesson! From now on, I'll stick to what makes sense: "If it's too good to be true, then it probably isn't"! Buyer beware, I guess.
PS: I previously bought what looked like a stunning Italian leather handbag from OzSale. The scariest thing was that the official website for this brand looked absolutely amazing... until you started to read the wording. It was not good English and not Italian English either - it was what I've heard mentioned as 'Chinglish'. There was something very suspect about that site. But I only looked closer once my handbag eventually arrived in the post. This was because the 'Italian leather' handbag, didn't look or smell like genuine leather to me, and the size didn't correspond with the dimensions given - it was much smaller. There was absolutely no branding anywhere, and the inner was cheap and nasty (waterproof plastic-type of material). In this instance, I reckon OzSale must have had a number of complaints, because they were happy for me to return it and refund me - even if this process did take a while. Other items, such as scarves, and a leather wallet (as long as you know the brand) have been OK, but this last episode with the Strivectin creams has put me off for good. Give me MyNetSale anyday!
Delante is part cafe, and part delicatessen, so it's great to pop in for coffee, or a meal and then take home some great foods from their deli. They serve good coffee, the outdoor seating area is my preferred spot, the meals are wholesome and well-sized and they offer good value - so what more could you ask for? Of course, you pay deli prices for the imported foods, but that's the case at most delis. Love their eggs benedict, full English brekkie and their sweet treats. A good, solid, consistently good spot to relax with friendly company or simply to enjoy reading a magazine, newspaper or book by yourself.
Authentic Greek dishes at their best! We're regulars there - simply because the food is consistently good and reasonably priced for what you get. My favourite starters are the whitebait and the lightly-pan-fried calamari. My favourite main is without doubt the lamb spaghetti with grilled haloumi, olives & rocket in a tomato salsa. The Greek pepper eye fillet is also right up there on my list. The baklava ice cream is nothing short of heavenly. This little spot is often quite full, so it's best to book ahead of time... although they've often been extremely accommodating and fitted us in at short notice (possibly because we're regulars). Great Greek food, great value.
It's so refreshing to come across a Thai restaurant that is different from the norm. They have a wide variety of unusual starters, and so far, those I've tasted were delicious. Possibly a little on the pricy side, but worth it for the taste sensations. We had Spring Blossom, Moonwalker and D Tunnel to start (you'll have to check out their menu - too long to detail here); For mains, the ones that stand out are the Mussaman Lamb served with roti and the Crying Tiger (marinated wagyu beef served with a spicy sauce). The flavours were sensational, the presentation was delightful, the ambience was relaxing and mellow (because we were a fairly large group, we had a room to ourselves), and the service was great. Loved that we could order brown rice as a healthy alternative, and that the desserts weren't typical Thai (Mango berry mouse; Ricotta blueberry cheesecake; gluten-free Choc mousse). BYO is a bonus. And the decor is tasteful and elegant. All in all, we had a wonderful evening and will definitely be back again.
The coffee was good, despite quite a long wait (shows it's a popular morning coffee spot). The pastries look great, but are pretty pricy (so I didn't indulge). The cafe is very small, which makes it a little too cramped for my liking. I have bought their artisan breads, though, and these are excellent. Since the space and noise factor isn't relaxing enough for me, I haven't actually had a sit-down meal there, so can't comment on the dishes they serve. Still prefer The Peppermill Cafe in Cliff Street.
What a pleasant surprise to find a Lebanese restaurant on the Lower North Shore! Easy access from Milsons Point train station (strictly BYO), else there's usually a fair amount of street parking. The owners, chef and waiters are warm & friendly and make good recommendations. I thoroughly enjoyed a mixed platter (to share) with delicious humous, baba ganoush, etc served with an endless supply of Lebanese bread (pita pockets). Cornichons, olives & chillies add to the flavours, and the felafels are seriously good! Love the desserts too. Prices are fair. Nice and spacious (not crammed in like sardines). It's set back a little from the street, so be careful not to miss it. If you've reached the 711, you've gone too far. Definitely worth a visit - especially for those delectable felafels!
Maisys24 is the only place I know on the Lower North Shore that is open 24/7. Most restaurants and coffee shops close fairly early, so if you want to catch a meal and coffee after movies, you're stuck. But with Maisys24, you know you'll always find something on the menu. They have a fairly wide variety - ranging from snacks to meals and desserts... and, of course, their great coffee! It's usually pumping and packed, but if you're prepared to be patient, the seat turnover is fairly fast. It's a tiny little spot with a downstairs and upstairs section and some table/benches outside. The food is always good - perhaps a little more expensive than it could be (but then this is the only place open in the area after about 10pm when most others close, so I suppose you do pay a premium). Having said that, it's not horribly overpriced. I've had some tasty snacks there (and their hot chips are awesome). The service is good (quite a frenetic pace) and the staff members are friendly. Once you've been a few times, they recognise you and chat, which makes you feel comfortable. The desserts are good, too - although I'm quite fussy and prefer others I've tasted elsewhere. Great vibe and so good to have a late-night spot that isn't miles away. The prices vary from snacks to meals, so it's difficult to give one approximate cost... but check them out online at www.maisys24.com.au/food/ and you'll find a menu with prices.
Seriously the best Japanese meals, value and service I've ever experienced. Their $39 banquet menu is unbelievably good. Toshie (the owner and head chef) takes great pride in what he prepares, and it shows. The food just keeps coming and each dish is even tastier than the one before. Edamame; King fish carpaccio (I ask for a teaspoon so that I can scoop up all the dressing); wagyu beef salad with a house dressing you won't forget in a rush; soft shell crab with a drizzle of chilli mayo and thick soy (Toshie's own recipe); a combo plate of sushi, seared salmon atop a sushi roll & delectable tempura dumplings with salmon roe and heavenly sauces (just check out their website to set your taste buds tingling - you'll see what I mean); choice of two mains - usually crispy skin fish or chicken teriyaki (varies); ice cream options (black sesame; green tea; black bean and red bean - varies). My favourites are the black sesame and green tea ice creams. By this time, you'll have run out of compliments, and I guarantee that your appetite will be sated. My tip is to ask them to pace the dishes, so you can take your time to savour each dish and delicate flavour - and give your stomach time to rest and make room for the next treat. Just describing the food has made me want to go there again... soon! BTW: the photography on the website is outstanding. Toshiya is excellent in every respect and I highly recommend this spot.
Only had coffees and teas there, but both were superb! I'm a soy milk drinker, and the barista makes a great cuppa (they use Campos coffee and BonSoy milk - excellent combo). You can grab a takeaway coffee on the go - they're pretty quick and friendly too. Their menu looks good, so one of these days, I'm going to have a meal there (will be sure to report back).