Ocean Room

Posted by: Gal080 | 22 May 2008, 12.21pm

Took my Mum out with my 2 sisters to this place to celebrate Mother's Day. After hearing quite a few positive feedback and been told that their food is superb, I was expecting a reasonable high standard of fine dining experience there (this is especially the expectation after review the menu and the $$ attached to it).
Dinner was booked for a Tuesday night (2 weeks ago) and all of us arrived at our separate time. My younger sister was the last one to arrive and not only that there was no one to greet her at the doors, when she finally found a waiter, he has no idea how to show her to her table (which at a fine-dine restaurant, this is totally ridiculous). But the nightmare is still yet to come.
It was a full house that night, but we waited a minimum of 20mins between each dish of entree (we ordered a total of 3 big entrees to share). The first entree was way over 30mins. One would wonder what the chefs were doing in the kitchen when the restaurant was only about 50% or less occupied on the night. Well, we did get a complimentary dish on the chef in around 20mins after placing our order. However, the waitress who put down the dish only told us that it is from the chef but made no further effort to explain what the dish is. What happened if one of us is allergic to the ingredients? Mind you, no one came to explain the menu (as they do these days at all fine-dine restaurant) at the beginning as well.
Given the restaurant was not that heavily booked out that night, the waiters/waitresses were often standing around not doing much. Instead, what they should really be doing is to proactively walking around the tables to see whether they can be of services and top up your glasses when they are almost empty. When asked to bring some lime for our mineral water, we have to asked 2 different people on 3 occasions until the limes are finally been picked from a tree (that s the only reason to explain why you have to keep asking and where their minds had gone). But more unbelievable experience is still yet to come.
When my main meal finally reached my table after 2 hours since we ordered, it didn t look like what's on the menu! I have ordered what says king prawns (5) in five peppercorns but they're just normal prawns. So I waved one of the waitresses to come across and asked how come it was not reflecting what's been said on the menu. This enquiry was made just after the meal were placed on the table but by the time I finished the meal, nobody came back to me to explain why it was so. I finally had to repeat my same question again. Guess what was his instant reply? Yes they couldn't get king prawns and they have put it more (as in quantity) prawns to make it up. Now, there is no apologies what-so-ever for either not coming back to my enquiry or not explaining the difference when I placed my order. I may opted for something else if I knew!

Next, comes to the quality of the food, the sushi/sashimi plate and golden crab we ordered as entree were not too bad. At least they were fresh. But not the main dishes, except me, everyone else ordered different types of fish dishes.

With a bill of $85 per head (and no alcohol was ordered) for the poor service and overly priced food provided, our disappointment and disatisfaction were beyond description. Located in a prime area of a tourism area, I reckon it is a disgrace to Sydney.

Food:			Visit: Thu 22 May 2008
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