Sabayon

Posted by: Maggie B | 17 October 2010, 7.23pm

We dined at Sabayon for dinner one weekend and all of us were really looking forward to it. The saving grace was that the food was excellent. We each had a different entree and they were all very good; the same for the main course, all of our mains were impeccable (and we had a selection). Desserts were also very good presentation was just lovely.

The main let down was the service. The maitre d' seemed bored and clearly did not want to be there. He dropped his utensils serving another table bread rolls and just groaned to himself, no apology and then proceeded to drop the remaining bread rolls on the plates after he d barked at one of the junior staff to take the fallen cutlery. The seemingly more senior waitress (red hair) seemed confused about her manner - was she 'proper' or was she casual , constantly oscillating between matter-of-fact (more leaning towards blunt, rude, at times clueless and highly disinterested) and casual (kneeling at the table to take orders isn't really what you'd expect - and she didn't just do it at our table). The young guy was good (polite, engaging), but seemed gun shy for fear of discipline (the chef hooked into him for something, but the layout meant all could hear and see and the ma?tre d was just rude to him. No wonder his young hands were shaking).

The other annoying part relates to the heat lamps. They had a habit of switching them on and off throughout the evening which impacted on the main floor -- it was very annoying.

So if you don't care about being treated like you're an inconvenience and would like to eat really very nice, well presented and prepared food, this is the place for you. Change the senior floor staff to those who care, or at least like engaging with people and you will have a winner.

Food:			Visit: Sat 16 October 2010 Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by: foodmmmmm... | 12 September 2010, 12.54am

I took my daughter there for her 20th birthday and we had a lovely time. We arrived early (6.30) so it hadn't become too busy, but even as it filled we were well attended to. The food was so well presented and we enjoyed every bite. well worth saving for a special occasion.

Food:			Visit: Sat 11 September 2010 Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by: Ebany72 | 27 April 2010, 12.39pm

We dined at sabayon over the weekend as we had been told good things about it at the office. The food was just divine and the service to match! We left most of the decision making to our waiter who seemed to know exactly what we wanted and was full of generous advice concerning our wine to food matching.

Relaxed and professional sabayon will be recommended to everyone we know, well done and THANK YOU!

Food:			Visit: Tue 27 April 2010 Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by: petastephen | 22 April 2010, 3.07pm

I have been to Sabayon a number of times and have always been impressed with the food, service and ambience. So much so that I recommended this restuarant for a 30th birthday familiy dinner. To my disappointment my recommendation was put to shame. To start with a positive, the food was good and everyone seemed satisfied with their food. However the service by our waiter was far from acceptable. He seemed to have an arrogance about him that he did not hide and everything we asked for seemed too much trouble. Those people not drinking the wine ordered for the table were not attended to, responses to questions about the menu were abrupt and on the verge of rude and our party of 11 were squeezed on to a table that was clearly too small (despite booking in advance). It was difficult to enjoy the evening when it was apparent that the waiter did not enjoy being there.
The layout and crowding of the restaurant made it difficult to access the bathroom, of which was NOT clean.
A very disappointing experience overall, Sabayon wont be recommended to anyone by me.

Food:			Visit: Sat 17 April 2010 Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by: T from Sydney | 6 April 2010, 11.52am

My partner and I recently visited Canberra and went to alot of effort in selecting a fine dining restaurant for our Saturday evening. The cuisine was of a fairly good standard - pity the whole evening was spoilt by the condescending manner of head waiting staff.

We also had a bad experience whilst making the phone booking a few days before the dinner - during the phone booking, the staff were unfriendly and unhelpful - did not want to assist with geographical location of restaurant. Being from out of town, would have thought that staff would be more than happy to assist. Nonetheless, we decided to continue with our plan to dine at Sabayon. Upon arrival at the restaurant on the Saturday evening, it was too much effort for head staff to even show us to our table, and when we politely asked which table was ours, we were treated as though we were idiots. It is a real shame, because the food was good - I will never visit this restaurant again - good food does not give the staff the right to treat customers in such a condescending manner.

Food:			Visit: Sat 3 April 2010 Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by: Delia68 | 30 June 2009, 9.11am

I was here a little while ago and had a really great time. It's been an age since I've seen Sweet Meats on a menu and it was everything that I remembered and more. It really shows the confidence of the kitchen to present a dish like this to customers who may not often be exposed to it. It was a great dish.
I hope to find an occassion to return here soon.

Food:			Visit: Tue 30 June 2009 Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by: frmrw8tr | 25 February 2009, 9.21am

I think Discerning Diner should revisit Sabayon, arguably one of the best restaurants in the city. Not only are the floor staff almost always on point but the recent change over in head chefs has been flawless, and kitchen is producing seriously top-quality food. Why pay as much or more at other Mod Oz and mid- to top-range restos when Sabayon delivers every time?

Food:			Visit: Mon 23 February 2009 Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by: DiscerningDiner | 2 August 2008, 9.16pm

I hope that this experience was an anomaly as this has been a favourite of mine over the years. The food was good by the standards of other restaurants but definitely below par by the usual standards of Sabayon and even the freshness of ingredients and serving sizes had declined (understandable to some extent with the way food prices are going but...). The service was also very sub-standard and not what you expect with this level of restaurant.

Food:			Visit: Sat 26 July 2008 Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by: Tess35 | 22 May 2008, 1.26am

This is now one of my favourite restaurants in Canberra. The service was attentive but not intrusive and the food was delicious - top quality stuff. I will definitely be back!

Food:			Visit: Tue 20 May 2008 Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by: Katze | 8 May 2008, 7.29pm

We went after reading the terrific reviews and were... disappointed. The atmosphere was a little cool, the light poor and, most important, the food quite unoriginal, given the prices. The menu was short and not as varied as I would have liked: why put on two different dishes of fish, and complement both with seafood?

Food:			Visit: Mon 28 April 2008 Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by: RnJ | 26 March 2008, 11.28am

My husband and I dashed in to the beautiful Sabayon last night for dinner. The food was fresh, original and truly delicious. Service was wonderful, wait staff were professional, courteous and attentive. Speed of food service was impressive and the timing between courses was excellent. It is testament to the fantastic job all at Sabayon are doing as the restaurant was near capacity on a rainy and chilly Tuesday Canberra night. The atmosphere was classy but relaxed and everyone seemed to be enjoying their experience. We will definitely be back! I have added it to my list of favourite restaurants. A must try, truly a memorable dining experience.

Food:			Visit: Tue 25 March 2008 Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by: Richard Key | 1 December 2007, 10.38pm

This is my new favourite restaurant in Canberra. The food is perfectly executed, not fussy, and delicious. The service is unobtrusive and the atmosphere is relaxed for such fine dining. I'm looking forward to my next visit.

Food:			Visit: Sat 1 December 2007 Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by: rpearce | 4 November 2007, 2.20pm

My parents and I went to Sabayon for a birthday dinner and were amazed by the food and service - this is saying a lot as they regularly review restaurants in Melbourne and Sydney. The staff's knowledge of the menu was fantastic and very helpful when we were having trouble deciding between dishes. Their service was amazing - they were efficient and discreet. The atmosphere was inviting, although a little loud (making it hard to hear at times but that's the problem when it is such a popular place!).

All the food was wonderful, but I have to make particular mention of the cheese plate - all the cheeses were at room temperature and the variety was amazing.

I would definitely recommend Sabayon for anyone wanting to celebrate an important occasion.

Food:			Visit: Sat 3 November 2007 Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by: AEM | 2 November 2007, 10.42am

I randomly chose Sabayon from this website as a venue for catch up meal with family and friends. I chose very well. The menu was short but interesting (not TOO much choice which I like)and absolutely delicious. Service was superb. The only negative would be the acoustics could be improved but otherwise a lovely evening. I will return!

Food:			Visit: Thu 1 November 2007 Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by: RandomStephen | 25 August 2007, 2.48pm

I recently took someone out to dinner here and the food, service and atmosphere were exactly what I was hoping for. Beyond the praise other reviews here have mentioned, I really can't say too much more. Great food at very agreeable prices.

Food:			Visit: Sat 18 August 2007 Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by: 365 | 1 March 2007, 12.57pm

My wife and I were only able to have an evening together the week after Valentine's and Sabayon set a really nice scene for the event. The staff were very efficient and made us feel right at home and were able to guide us through the menu and wine list. Having convinced my wife to broaden her palate, we tried a couple of different dishes to our normal restaurant fare and were treated to wonderful creations from their team of chefs. And the desserts are spectacular too! If only for a bigger stomach...
They could do with a bit of a designer's flair though; but that would be the only thing to say against it. We'll be going back for sure.

Food:			Visit: Mon 19 February 2007 Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by: natmcb@hotmail.com | 22 November 2006, 2.07pm

We selected Sabayon to celebrate our anniversary and were not disappointed. While the menu was a little limited, we had no trouble selecting something that appealed to our tastebuds. The service was attentive, with one server even stopping by to re-fold my husband's napkin after he'd left it on the table to attend the amenities. The kitchen was entertaining to watch and our meals were superb. We would definitely return, perhaps next time to sample the breakfast, which I hear is also something special.

Food:			Visit: Wed 8 November 2006 Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by: Unregistered user | 11 April 2006, 11am

We dined at Sabayon as I had read a review of the restaurant. Service was friendly, professional and attentive (something decidedly lacking in some Canberra establishments). Food was well-cooked and presented, although the menu was a little short for my liking. I would return, and would recommend (and have done) to anyone seeking a well-priced night out.

Food:			Visit: Tue 11 April 2006 Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by: Unregistered user | 30 March 2006, 11.25am

Two of us went to Sabayon for a 21st birthday dinner and were very pleased with the meal. Although we only had two courses, the entrees and mains were beautifully presented and the tastes very unique and original. The servings were slightly small, but they were filling and satisfying. And the prices are great considering the location and the quality of food and service.

Food:			Visit: Thu 30 March 2006 Mealtime: dinner
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