Michelles on Victoria

Just a chance visit, almost didn't go here until we had a quick look over the menu. It contained some rather tempting items at extremely fair prices, and inside the aroma of fresh espresso coffee filled our nostrils. We decided to order a flat white, latte, roast beef delight (sandwich containing- sour cream, sprouts, cashews, lettuce and roast beef), and a vegetable and chicken pie. All items were made fresh on the premises, and from the looks of the crease in my pie, the pastry they may themselves. The food arrived within minutes of us ordering, and alongside our hot coffees made using Vittoria Coffee. The outside seating of the cafe was set underneath lovely green shady trees with extra shade provided by large umbrellas. Our food tasted beautiful, couldn't fault it in any way.

Name: Michelle's on Victoria

Where: Corner of Victoria and Maitland Road

What: A cafe serving a variety of freshly made products in an ideal location

Service: 5/5 (quickest by far at any place I have eaten at recently)

Food: 5/5

Beverage: 4/5 (coffees were made nicely, but i dislike Vittoria's coffee as I find it too bitter)

Variety of food items offered: 4/5

Overall hygiene: 3/5 (inside clean, outside area, tables weren't cleaned just brushed off)

Atmosphere: 4/5 (relaxing and peaceful until the flys invaded)

Value for money: 5/5

Overall presentation of restaurant including decor: 4/5

Total:    34 /40

Overall comment: Beautiful place beautiful food at extremely affordable prices (15.40 for two to have a meal and an espresso coffee)

Little Italy - Budgewoi

A beautifully set out restaurant at the top of the coast hotel. The restaurant is spacious and contains many features making it look a lot posher than a restaurant on top of a pub. I went there with a many others, about 14 in total and we were all comfortably seated along a wall with windows looking onto the lake. As soon as we were seated, water was brought out along with glasses. Once all the people were there, we ordered a variety of meals, from pasta to pizza to chicken with avocado. The service was prompt in regards to taking our order and bringing drinks, however food did take a very long time to arrive. Once the food did come, it was pretty amazing, the flavours were almost spot on, and I didn't hear one person say anything but praise about the food. I had homemade gnocchi with carbonara sauce. The gnocchi was delicious but very large, the sauce was perfect and delicious apart from being a slight bit too salty. We all sat full and satisfied but were tempted to order some of the beautiful desserts on offer. I with 3 others ordered a dessert pizza, asking for 4 plates so we could share. The waitress brought out two plates and we reminded her we wanted two more, she ducked off. A while later we had to find the waitress and get her attention and remind her a second time about the plates, this time she was more prompt. Overall the restaurant was busy and inviting and the food was delicious.

Name: Little Italy - Budgewoi

Where: 169 Budgewoi Road Budgewoi

What: An Italian restaurant offering a variety of meals

Service: 3/5

Food: 5/5

Beverage: 5/5

Variety of food items offered: 4/5

Overall hygiene: 5/5

Atmosphere: 4/5

Value for money: 4/5 (a bit expensive but the food deserved the price tag)

Overall presentation of restaurant including decor: 5/5

Total: 35/40

Overall comment: A beautiful place with food to match, well worth trying.

Cleopatra - charcoal chicken

Almost walked past this open style restaurant on the Entrance waterfront. We could have easily walked past the specials board as we were walking the other way, but after being directed to look at it by a friendly waiter we saw "Creamy Pumpkin Soup", for only $6 it seemed awfully tempting especially on a cold and blowy day. We decided to give it a try and ordered two soups with some Lebanese bread. The soup arrived steaming, with warmed Lebanese bread in a basket. Tasting the soup, we just looked at each other, agreeing in silence that the soup was good, actually it was so good we both agreed it would have to be the best pumpkin soup either of us had ever tasted. It was creamy, perfectly textured, with pumpkin taste and herb undertones, many of the flavours we couldn't decipher, but they worked harmoniously together, the soup needed nothing extra nor was their anything you could subtract, utterly perfect in so many ways. I would highly recommend the soup and hopefully next time I will try something else and be able to see that in just as high regards. The service was a bit stuttered, the waiter was possibly new, and we had to remind them of a few things like bringing us a spoon or drinks, but this is to be expected for such a new business, the people were lovely and welcoming. We had a tea and a latte.

Name: Cleopatra Charcoal Chicken Restaurant and takeaway
Where: 99 The Entrance Road. The Entrance NSW 2261
What: a restaurant offering espresso coffee, a view over the water, and an Egyptian/Mediterranean style menu.
Service: 4/5
Food: 5/5
Beverage: 4/5
Variety of food items offered: 3/5
Overall Hygiene: 5/5
Atmosphere: 4/5 (very calm and relaxed)
Value for money: 5/5 (for what we ordered)
Overall presentation of restaurant including decor: 3/5 ( a bit outdated)
Total: 33/40


Overall comment: Highly recommended

Shea's at Wollombi

Wollombi is a beautiful little place, very laid back and comfortable. Unfortunately the staff at this cafe were too laid back that I may prefer to call them lazy. Myself and 3 others sat at a nice little table outside, which had some plates left on it from previous customers. No one paid any attention to us, and after looking over the menu with a whole of 5 food items on it we had to get the attention of the waitress, she told us she would come back with an order book. After a few minutes she returned, took our order and then left without clearing our table of the very obvious mess. One of us had to take the dirty plates in, just so we weren't forced to sit there with them. After a while the drinks came out, a skim latte which did not resemble a latte I've ever seen, an ice-coffee which somehow was warm, a milkshake which had syrup and milk down the sides of the cup, and a pot of tea with hardly any milk and tea leaves all over the serving platter. The tastes of these however was pleasing, unfortunately our food took a considerate amount of time before we were served it, so our drinks were quite diminished before our food was consumed. When the food finally arrived, we were served extremely burnt raisin toast which we asked to be re-made, cinnamon toast which looked fine and tasted complimentary, and two serves of pikelets which contained lovely amounts of jam and cream in little bowls but barely any pikelets to put them on, the serving size was dismal for the $6 price tag. They closed up just before we left, grabbed the gate and closed it behind my chair hastily, it bumped me and the waitress didn't even acknowledge I was in her path. After eating our food and drinking what was left of our drinks we left with a dent in our pocket and our stomachs not quite full.

Name: Shea's at Wollombi
Where: Wollombi
What: an overpriced cafe with barely anything on the menu
Service: 0/5
Food: 2/5
Beverage: 3/5
Variety of food items offered: 1/5
Overall Hygiene: 2/5 (everything was poorly presented with messy cups and tea leaves on everything even if we weren't the one with tea)
Atmosphere: 2/5 (felt more like a burden then a customer)
Value for money: 0/5 (Rip- off with a capital R)
Overall presentation of restaurant including decor: 3/5 (quite nice location and cute style of tables and chairs)
Total: 13/40


Overall comment: Not worth the money or the time, service was absolutely pitiful.