Walkers Fruit & Lemon Biscuits

Taste

These Walker's biscuits are really scrummy. There's a fresh lemon tang and some juicy raisins, with crunchy and crumbly biscuits. It's not shortbread but I may say it's even better!

Rating - 8

Look

It comes in the trademark red and black checkered box. The biscuits are contained in their own compartment, then sealed in foil. The biscuits look all lemony and cute with little specks of raisins.

Rating - 2

C-factor

150 g for $5.95 from DJs. A bit exy but they are imported from Scotland.

Rating - 0.5

Swiss Points - 10.5

Ingredients

wheat flour, sugar, currants (13%), butter, vegetable oils, lemon peel (3%), skimmed milk powder, raising agents, lemon oil, salt

Available At

David Jones Food Hall
Website

King Island Surprise Bay Cheddar

Taste

This is not that strong, not that salty, not that sweet, quite middle of the road really. One thing I command them for is the great balance in flavour they have achieved.

Rating - 7.5

Look

This is covered in a pleasent looking red wax. The cheese itself is very light in colour.

Rating - 2

C-factor

$29.99/kg is quite expensive for the type of cheese it is.

Rating - 0

Swiss Points - 9.5

Ingredients

pasteurised milk, salt, enzyme (rennet), cultures

Available At

Harris Farm Markets
Website

Hastings Valley Dairy Country style Yoghurt

Taste

I tried a few different products from their range. The lemon myrtle & honey set the precedence. The subtle sweetness of the lemon myrtle combined well with the honey and vanilla yoghurt. It was a bit different, tasting a bit like ice-cream. The honey & walnut met my high expectations. The walnut a bit more subtle than lemon but adding a bit of spiciness. Lastly, the country biscuit reminds me of cookies & cream ice cream. The sweetness of the biscuits went quite well with the creamy yoghurt. The yoghurt itself was thick and creamy, but this is helped along by the addition of gelatine.

Not long after that, I had the pleasure of trying some non-Australian flavours, Apricot lite - which was not very spectacular at all, tasting like all the other apricots, except thankfully, less sweet, and Vanilla and Hazelnuts which had very little hazelnut or vanilla taste at all. I was disappointed after such success with the Aussie flavours.

Rating - Aussie flavours - 7.5, Others - 6

Look

The yoghurt is set in its own tub, and looks quite creamy. The lid is reseable, but I finished all of mine in one go ;p

Rating - 2

C-factor

200g $1.30, quite good value for a "boutique" yoghurt.

Rating - 1

Swiss Points - Aussie flavours - 10.5, Others - 9

Ingredients

lemon myrtle & honey

whole milk, cream, skim milk powder, sugar, honey (5%), thickener, gelatine, vegetable gums, dried lemon myrtle, live culture

country biscuit

whole milk, skim milk powder, sugar, cream biscuit preparation (sugar, rolled oats, coconut desiccated, oat bran, malt extract powder), thickener, natural identical flavours, vegetable gums, gelatine, food acid, natural colour, live culture

Apricot

skim milk, whole milk, fruit preparation, skim milk powder, thickener, nature
identical flavours, vegetable gums, gelatine, food acid, natural colour, live
culture, min 5% apricot

Available At

Coles
Website

Castellini Hungarian Salami

Taste

Very strong, almost overpowering. There is a sharp sour taste, with fat distributed throughout. The pepper kick is quite strong.

Rating - 6

Look

This comes like a fat sausage, it's hard to slice into pieces, and harder to keep once it's opened. The deep red of the meat looks very inviting though.

Rating - 1

C-factor

300g for $4.99. Not great.

Rating - 0

Swiss Points - 7

Ingredients

meat (96%), salt, soy protein, spices, dextrose, lactose, food acids, mineral salts, antioxidant, sodium nitrate, starter culture

Available At

Harris Farm Markets
Website

Quadrant Restaurant

We were off to see the lovely Jean-Yves Thibaudet at the Opera House. Being a Sydneysider, I'd never tried the row of restaurants along "the toaster". On this occasion though, I thought I would show off Sydney. There was a storm brewing, so I chose to sit indoors instead, so that's how we found ourselves at Quadrant Restaurant.

Food

We decided to take up the Pre-Theatre Menu, of 1 course + glass of wine for $35. There were only 3 choices on the menu, so we picked the beef medallion with sauteed spinach on a potato puree, which had the most tender beef I have tasted for a long time, although it was cooked a bit passed the medium I specified, with a lovely rich wine reduction sauce on the potato puree. Viv's pork fillet, caramelized apple, prune and armangac was equally lovely. The pork was tender, the meat sweet and mild, so that the stronger accompaniment of apple and prunes was not overwhelming the pork.

Our accompanying wines were fine but not anything flashy. The bread roll was a safe choice of a soft white roll, but some good butter.

We were having such a good time discussing everything that we decided we had time for dessert. We shared the coconut and mango bombe alaska, raspberry coulis ($16). Those who know me will know that I am not a fan of meringue, so I automatically have a dislike of the outer shell of this dessert. In saying that though, it looked so spectacular with that white dome with browned side sitting in the middle of a pool of red sauce. The inside filling tastes, I have to say, like a weiss bar. It was a bit too sweet for my taste so I'm glad we shared.

Rating - 7

Atmosphere

Well, we did dine on a Monday night, aka "stay at home night", so the restaurant was very quiet. The only other people out and about were tourists. Towards the end of the night we did see a couple of family groups around, but that was it. The restaurant is quite small but very nice, all white tablecloth and formal service, somehow it didn't fit with the type of people going there though.

We were seated in a corner besides the window, where we got a view across Circular Quay and was a great spot for people watching.

Rating - 2

Service

Very polite and "correct". Well, considering they had two waiters serving a room of about 10 people, I expect them to be on the balls. We had no problems with anything at all.

Rating - 3.5

C-factor

$35 for a main and wine, is ok considering the location and that they are using good produce. A normal main course there costs >$30 normally. Enjoying the time with an old friend I haven't seen for a long time? As they say, priceless.

Rating - 1.5

Brownie Points - 14

Info

Level 2, Quay Grand Suites Sydney
61 Macquarie Street
East Circular Quay
NSW 2000
Phone (02) 9256 4000
Website

Janani 2

I am actually quite surprised that I haven't been back here again until now, but so many restaurants, so little time, and so little money...but better late than never, so here I am!

Food

It's great to see that every time I come they seem to add more on the menu, but I decided that it was time to revisit an old favourite. The Masala dosai ($6) was as good as I remembered it to be. A crunchy lentil pancake encases some seriously morish spicy potato mixture. The silver tray also contained - green yoghurt stuff, orange sauce, 2 soupy thing. All accompanied of course by my favourite plain lassi ($3.50). Dad picked his usual Vegetable Thali - Palin rice & Puri with 5 Vege. curries curd,pickle,pappadam and other specials - ($8.50) offering. The curries were great as usual, the standout this time was actually the one with cheese! The food was a standout as usual.

Rating - 8

Atmosphere

Well, it looks like thsoe renovations have finished. There is now a plasma in the room showing those Bollywood movies instead of that small TV! Otherwise, things are the same. We chose to sit outside this time, and got to see the guy sitting behind us consume 2 entrees, a main and a Naan all by himself. Considering how huge the meals usually are, it's an amazing acheivement!

Rating - 1.5

Service

Well, it was busier this time, so we found the service pretty slow. The food was a bit slower than usual (but was still only about 10 minutes). Service is not one of their strongest points but I am so familiar with this palce that I can almost serve myself, almost.

Rating - 2.5

C-factor

Still cheap as chips for good hearty food. Dining al frescho was great, and the best thing is watching everyone else eat.

Rating - 1.5

Brownie Points - 13.5

Info

32 Burlington Rd
Homebush
NSW 2140
Phone (02) 9763 2306
Website

Bond Cafe

Bond is an old favourite for the work set, I come here regularly for coffee. It's the first time I've tried lunch though.

Food

Bond actually pitches itself at the high end of the cafe market, with main course prices in the mid 20s. I ordered the tuna ($27.90), which was actually quite beautifully cooked, to medium as requested. The tuna rested on top of a bed of crunchy potato mash, with a creamy orange and green sauce. We accompanied this by some ordinary white Woodfire bread served with extra virgin olive and balsamic ($4.50) - which I can't believe we had to pay so much money for so little quality. The Potato fries ($6) were shoestring, so not my favourite, but were passable. At least they were crunchy and not dried.

The others seem to like their mains, so it has led me to conclude that the mains are good, but they skim on bread...but since I love bread so much, not performing even adequately in this department means that I have to dock points from them.

Rating - 6.5

Atmosphere

This place is always filled with corporate types. The setting is very casual, white laminated tables, quite closely placed together, with the only section offering a bit of privacy being those seated on the banquettes near the semi-open kitchen. There is a footpath dining section, but that gets filled pretty quickly too.

The furnishing is very safe, and looks like other typical cafes, I wish they'll go for more though.

Rating - 1.5

Service

Well, the staff do a lot of things wrong, like making our table too small to accommodate 7, forgetting my order, to not knowing the etiquette. They redeem themselves though, by fixing any problems quickly and apologising sincerely whenever something happens.

The regulars here also get special treatment, and everyone always seem happy about the place. It certainly helps a lot if you are having a bad day.

Rating - 3.5

C-factor

The mains are about on par. The coffee and the extras are too expensive, especially for a casual place in the city, and with so much competition around.

Having lunch with great company though was all worth it, especially when I can delay my return to evil boss and hell work.

Rating - 1

Brownie Points - 12.5

Info

111 Phillip St
Sydney
NSW 2000
Phone (02) 9223 9332
Website

Pyrmont Bridge Hotel

Question? What kind of bar doesn't have lime? I asked for a simple drink. Frangelico with lime and the girl informed me... we don't have any limes...ok, so I made do with Frangelico with lemonade, which actually tasted ok...I only had one of those, then switched to soft drinks. They served up a few packets of chips, still in their bag too. And the service... don't get me started. They made a big fuss about how the manager had to walk up 3 flights of stairs just so she can serve us, and there was a huge fuss about starting a tab. So who actually drinks in this pub? The only good thing I can say about this is their roof-top garden is relaxing and cosy for drinks, with some superb views back to the city.

Info

96 Union St
Pyrmont
NSW 2009
Phone (02) 9660 6996
Website

Girls Night Out

9 girls in short shorts and towering stilettos gathered at the Shangri La on a Saturday night. We rode the escalator up to the famed Blu Horizons Bar for a Hens Night drinks. We got there at around 10pm, which was the best time as we just managed to beat the crowd and scored a table that sat 4. For those not in the know, Blu Horizons is famous for their eye-popping view of Sydney Harbour as well as their extravagant and delicious cocktails. Well, all the tables with the views were taken, so we had to make do catching glimpses of it. Fortunately we were kept amused by the huge choice of cocktails:

• Aperitif Cocktails ($16.50)
• Champagne Cocktails ($18.00)
• Blu Martini ($17.50)
• Blu Signatures ($18.50)
• Horizon Classic Cocktails ($17.50)
• Classic Cocktails ($17.50)
• Shooters ($12.50)
• Classic Cocktails ($17.50)
• Flames ($14.50)
• Test Tubes ($14.00)
• Healthies ($13.00)
• beer
• wine
• spirits

After deliberating for 10 minutes or so, I finally setteld on a Blu Signature, A Little G-Thang - cucumber infused Absolut Vodka, Jade Honey Dew Melon liqueur, Midori, muddled kiwi fruit, shaken with pineapple juice & a sugar rim. This arrived in a martini glass, with green tinted sugar lining the rim and a cut kiwifruit as decoration. Little pieces of kiwi-fruit floated in an apple green liquid. I'm happy to report that it tasted as good, if not better, than it looks. It was subtly sweet but not overpowering. You can feel the heat of the alcohol but it's nicely balanced. The other girls were also very happy with their pretty and delicious cocktails.

While we waited, we watched the passing parade of people coming to the bar, there were old couples, young couples, groups of friends, even some kids and people dressed in kimonos. The majority were good looking people dressed up to have a good time. I actually felt a bit old and daggy here...

While still waiting (it was busy) we saw a few groups vacate their spots. We were tempted to jump ships, but was warned by one of the girls that anyone who switches seats without permission gets kicked out. And it's true, we saw 2 other groups of people kicked out because they switched seats. So we did it the smart way, we asked the waiters, and they graciously allowed us to do the swap. I can understand why they are so anal though, they have a HUGE crowd waiting to get in.

By midnight, we'd all finished our drinks, they turned the music up, the cool people were piling in, time for us to go.

But wait, it's not all good. They took FOREVER to bring us the bill, but at least it was calculated correctly.

Info

Level 36, Shangri-La Hotel Sydney
176 Cumberland St
The Rocks
NSW 2000
Phone (02) 9250 6123
Website

Jindi Supreme

Taste

This cheese won the Australian Grand Diary Award - 2004 champion, and I have to say, is very very good. It's similar to a triple cream cheese and is very gooey and certainly creamy, with the right balance of saltiness.

Rating - 8

Look

Like other Jindi products, the packaging is not exactly that appealing but the cheese itself screams "eat me".

Rating - 1.5

C-factor

170g for$6.99. Comparable to other top rate Australian cheese. Worth it.

Rating - 1

Swiss Points - 10.5

Ingredients

pasturized milk, starter cultures, salt & non animal rennet

Available At

Supermarkets everywhere

Black Swan pepperdews with cream cheese

Taste

These are much spicier than the ones I get from the deli. They have a mix of cream cheese AND pesto in the filling. The peppers are still crunchy, the filling wonderful. The oil is not of the best quality though.

Rating - 6.5

Look

This comes in a little pack with a reseable black lid. The red and white look very vibrant swimming in the oil.

Rating - 2

C-factor

140 g $3.99. If you buy these in the deli at Harris Farm they cost $35/kg, so I guess they are much cheaper!

Rating - 1.5

Swiss Points - 10

Ingredients

cream cheese (44%), red piquant peppers (36%), canola and olive oil blend, basil pesto, herbs 7 spices, sorbic acid

Available At

Supermarkets everywhere

Katjes Summer Fruit Frenzy Fruit Jellies

Taste

Before I went to Germany, I had no idea that they are famous for their fruit jellies. But after tasting what they had on offer, I couldn't go back to just any old jellies. Katjes is from Germany, and they live up to that German goodness. Each fruit piece was juicy and soft, with no "artificial" taste. The flavours on offer: lemon, red currant, blueberries, strawberry and orange, are also more desirable than your stock standard flavours.

Rating - 8

Look

Each lolly is in the shape of its fruit flavour, super cute. The packaging looks fun, but nothing like Japan's.

Rating - 1.5

C-factor

We got these 180g pack in the Vogue showbag.

Rating - 1.5

Swiss Points - 11

Ingredients

glucose fructose syrup, sugar,fruit pulp.5 & fruit juice (8%) from fruit juice concentrates (cherry, strawberry, blueberry, leemon, orange, currant), gelatine, acid, pectin, flavourings, glazing agent

Available At

Supermarkets?

Godiva Chocolatier

Taste

My first encounter with Godiva was a few years back, and the memory has stayed with me ever since. There's a shop at the QVB which sells them and I like to go and admire. This time around, I tried 2 precious pieces from their collection.

The first was a dark chocolate liquor filled chocolate. The aroma of the dark chocolate was heavenly, the liquor strong. The second was a milk chocolate filled with a creme centre, no nuts. Of course milk doesn't compare with dark but the creme centre was smooth and not too sweet.

Rating - 7.5

Look

The distinctive gold packaging with the black Godiva ribbon has become a trademark and is as well known as the chocolates themselves. Each chocolate sits in their own little compartment with the cushioning top cover. Of course each chocolate looks special and inviting. Just like a Tiffany's box, you know the box represents luxury.

Rating - 2.5

C-factor

$190/kg. Exy! Good things these were a gift!

Rating - 1

Swiss Points - 11

Ingredients

bittersweet chocolate (sugar, chocolate, cocoa butter, cocoa, butter oil, soya lecithin-an emulsifier, milk, vanillin-an, artifical flavouring, antural flavouring), milk chocolate (sugar, coca butter, chocolate, skim milk, milk, butter oil, soya lecthin-an emulsifier, matural flavouring), jazelnuts, sugar, corn syrup, heavy cream, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, natural flavouring

Available At

David Jones Food Hall
Website

Doyles Watsons Bay

I've heard such bad things about Doyles' food that I wasn't looking forward to going. Apparently the view is all this place is good for, and it's full of foolish tourists who don't know any better for rip-off food. (Actually it's not the tourists' fault when this place keep being lauded for being the best seafood restaurant in Australia.) Unfortunately, this lived up to its reputation...

Food

We were there as part of a Hen's Night package so we had a set menu of:

• fish & chips
• chicken burger
• "wagyu" beef burger
• chicken caesar salad
• lasagne

They were all supposed to be served with chips and salad but no one got any sort of salad in site. I didn't try the other meals, but I can say that the "wagyu" beef burger tasted like crap. The bread was dry and stale, the bun toasted to a dry cardboard like material. The beef pattie contained mince, no sort of wagyu whatsoever - not quite the same kind of fat here! There was 2 pieces of tasteless tomatoes and a thumnail's worth of shredded iceberg lettuce. They'd already put some ordinary tomato sauce on the patty, but it was needed because the whole thing was so dry.

The chips were terrible, they were so dried out, and had probably been recooked because it just felt like eating oily skin, there was no potato filling inside. Let me say it, it's like the Maccas French flies except these chips are meant to be thick. I think it's one of the worst chips I've ever eaten.

To make matters worst, the house chardonnay I ordered as part of the meal was s**t. I only had a few sips...enough said.

Rating - 4

Atmosphere

If you forget about the people smoking all around you, the view and the atmosphere really is to die for. We arrived in style, by water taxi. According to some girls though, if you drive in, it's certainly not relaxing. We watched all sorts of people gathering there, and they all seemed to be having a good time, but it was an absolutely beautiful day. If it wasn't...

Rating - 2

Service

What service? You are supposed to line up for your food and get a buzzer, but because we were on the special package, they actual took our order and delivered it to us. They were crap, didn't explain things properly, and delivered slowly. Appalling.

Rating - 1

C-factor

Yeah, all the meals are expensive and a rip off. However, the company was great and that's where the marks come from on this occasion.

Rating - 0.5

Brownie Points - 7.5

Info

11 Marine Pde
Watsons Bay
NSW 2030
Phone (02) 9337 2007
Website

Grana Padano

Taste

It has a milder taste than Parmesan, but is still best suited to cooking, or eating with a beautiful caramelised balsamic vinegar!

Rating - 7

Look

Quite creamy and crumbly, almost rustic really!

Rating - 1.5

C-factor

$16.99/kg, good value!

Rating - 1.5

Swiss Points - 10

Ingredients

Italian milk, salt, rennet, egg white, lysozume

Available At

Harris Farm Markets
Website

Gloria Jeans

Taste

We tried:

• Mocha Chillers Cookies 'n Cream ($5.20): Coffee, milk and tasty Oreo biscuits blended with ice, topped with whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles. - a mild coffee hit with sweet biscuit and chocolate base, a bit too icy and not as creamy as I thought, but not bad
• Café Latte ($3.30): Espresso and steamed milk below a thin layer of smooth, silky milk - they serve their coffees hot! I quite like the flavour of their beans but the results really depends on who serves you. The baristas at Borders Skygarden the best and the one at North Strathfield the worst. (See my ratings for a complete list.)
• Mixed Berry Smoothie Chillers ($5.50): A non-fat blend of natural fruit puree, skim milk and ice - it's my fault for ordering a non-coffee drink at a coffee place, but I thought I would stop coffee overload by having a non-coffee drink. BIG mistake. This was artificial, sickly sweet and very icy. Very foul.
• Irish Nut Crème ($5.30): A magical mix of Irish Crème and Hazelnut Italian style syrups, white chocolate, espresso and milk. All beneath a mound of whipped cream and green sprinkles. - was very very sweet. The taste of caramel and baileys flavour was pleasant, but was too overpowering for a coffee. No wonder it's sweet - that white chocolate!
• Chocolate Macadamia Nut ($5.30): Soft nut flavour with a hint of chocolate. - again, sweet as anything. It tasted very similar to the Irish Cream, but with mre caramel. I don't know where the nut comes from.

Like other cafes, Gloria Jeans is a franchise so you really need to find the right one.

Rating - 6

Look

All the drinks are standard, and come with either the white lid for the hot drinks or the clear dome for the cold. I like their brown colour scheme (better than Starbucks!). There are a heap of condiments (honey, chocolate sprinkle) you can have with your drinks. There are comfy seatings and mags for you in the cafe, so it's a welcoming place.

Rating - 1.5

C-factor

About on par with other cafes. I still think it's too expensive for hot milk though!

Rating - 0.5

Swiss Points - 8

Available At

Gloria Jeans
Website

Gloria Jeans Rating

Best Coffee

1. Borders Skygarden
2. Rhodes Shopping Centre
3. Mid City Centre
4. Haymarket
5. Sydney Central Plaza
6. North Strathfield

Best Service

1. Mid City Centre
2. Borders Skygarden
3. North Strathfield
4. Haymarket
5. Rhodes

Worst Service

1. Sydney Central Plaza

Zenja 2

Time for another girly catch-up. I was a bit apprehensive about going to Zenja after my experiences last time, but on occasions before that one, I've had such a great time here that I decided I needed another evaluation, and I am so glad I did.

Food

The girls were happy to have brunch. They ordered the Bacon omelette ($8.90), which looked lovely and fluffy, and the corn fritters, which I am happy to report, has two healthy stems of asparagus instead of the tips we got last time.

I decided to deviate from the normal and ordered lunch instead of breakfast items. The Grilled Chicken Burger ($12.90) came with a lettuce salad, dressed just right, a side of thick chips, crunchy and fluffy, which I couldn't finish, and a dusty flour bun with melted cheese and tomato, grilled chicken fillets, tomatoes and mayo. I love the combo of chicken, tomato and mayo. Everything just goes together so nicely. The bun was soft and fresh, much more like what I expect from Zenja.

I also got the Zenja Daily ($5) - a bit more watery than I expected, but refreshing nevertheless.

Rating - 7.5

Atmosphere

I haven't stayed very late for lunch before. The place seems to be quieter at lunchtime. This was such a glorious day that eating at a cafe that lets all the elements in is the best way to wind away a morning...or an afternoon.

Rating - 2.5

Service

It was very reassuring to have the owner hind the counter again. It seemed to make a difference to the food and the service. My gfs were late so I sat at a table by myself, reading the paper. They were very accommodating about that. They gave us plenty of time to pursue the menu, and delivered the meals quickly. The staff were very polite and I didn't notice any mishaps like last time. In fact, I witness quite the opposite. While I was waiting, I saw the owner call over to a few regulars for some coffees and a few people stopped by just to chat, a good sign.

Rating - 4

C-factor

The gfs forgot to use the e-voucher, so we ended up paying full price. We did spend over 2 hours there so the price was right. This just gives us the excuse to go back again I guess!

Rating - 1

Brownie Points - 15

Info

5 George Street
North Strathfield
NSW 2037
Phone (02) 9746 9334

Wagamama TGV

We haven't been to Wagamama for awhile. I always feel that this place is way overpriced for the food it serves, and only ever go there for free meals or 2 for 1 meals. Well, I won another TGV prize, so yes, another FREE MEAL was offered up, so that's how we found ourselves dining there again.

Food

We've tried just about every dish on the menu. Being a very hot day, we decided to forgo the soup noodles and order some summer friendly dishes instead. Our "entree" (as we all know by now, the dishes at Wagamama appears in random order, so this arrived after one of our mains) was from the special Spring Menu, the Crab Korroke - lightly crumbed spicy crab cakes served with Japanese mayonnaise ($8). It arrived at our table golden brown and piping out. The filling was kinda like eating raw dough. I couldn't taste any crabs and they were not spicy. Some vegetables as well as the golden outer gave it crunch. The "Japanese" mayo was just mayo with herbs added, but was nice enough.

The Ginger Chicken Udon - teppan-fried udon noodles and chicken marinated in ginger, garlic and lemongrass. served with snowpeas, red onion, beansprouts, chilli, egg and spring onion. Garnished with pickled ginger and fresh coriander ($16.50) - was a poor choice. There was hardly any chicken and the ginger seem to dominate the whole dish. What's more, the onions weren't chopped properly and came in strips that were still attached together at the end, that is just so poor attention to details.

The hit of the day was the Gyokai Mango Salad - shredded crabstick, prawns, rocket, bean shoots, kamaboko, snow peas, yaki chikuwa,daikon and carrots tossed with a sweet soy Asian dressed and served with a mango salsa ($15.50). The ingredients were fresh. The rocket added bite while the daikon and carrots added sweetness and texture. They were a bit skimpy on the seafood, with only little bits of prawns and very little crab. The kamaboko and yaki chikuwa are actually fish balls/sticks things, and was quite pleasant. I liked the dressing best, the nutty sweetness really conveying the feel of spring. I don't know what the mango salsa added though... it was put to the side and I kinda just mixed it a little with the salad. It was pretty tasteless, only the added chilli in it lifted it through.

Rating - 5

Atmosphere

Well, with a chain, at least you know what you get. Long timber communal tables, with my favourite feature, the handy handbag rest under each table. It's very casual, with a no booking policy, the wait staff dressed in their Wagamama t-shirt uniform, and the order written on placemats, this place is aimed at the trendy crowd. If you want "real" Japanese food, don't eat here, but if you want a casual and relaxed setting, with reasonable food with some friends, this is a great place.

I really like the location of this Wagamama. On this occasion, we were seated near the window. You can sit and observe the hustle and bustle of shoppers below.

Rating - 2

Service

Even for a franchise, the quality of service is always hit and miss. On this occasion, the restaurant was busy but not overly busy, and the waiters served us in good time. They also clear all our dishes AND bought us water, plus the meals came out at a reasonable time. The bill was also worked out quickly. I know I know, this is what you would expect from a typical restaurant but believe me, you don't always get it.

Rating - 3.5

C-factor

Like I said before, Wagamama is normally a rip-off, but if you use their 2 for 1 vouchers or look out for free meals, it's a good experience.

Rating - 1

Brownie Points - 11.5

Info

level 1,
TGV
500 George St
Sydney
NSW 2000
Phone (02) 9264 9155
Website

Tasmanian Pate Cracked Pepper

Taste

One of the best pates on the market I have to say. The pate was complex and "livery" enough for my liking, the pepper adding a nice sting but not overpowering, the pate was creamy and smooth.

Rating - 7.5

Look

I really like the look of pate. This one is in the standard rectangular packaging where you peel back some plastics and eat, nothing out of the ordinary. It's hard to store, but it would look nice on a platter.

Rating - 1

C-factor

125g for $3.99. It's cheap and better than some of the other stuff that's more expensive in the supermarket.

Rating - 1.5

Swiss Points - 10

Ingredients

chicken liver, lard, onions, butter, gelatine, pepper, salt, herbs, preservatives

Available At

Supermarkets everywhere