Seamstress

Posted by: Unagi | 15 June 2010, 4.39pm

The food was fantastic, especially the lemon tart! All courses were delightful there was not a dish I did not like. The highlight was the service. The waitresses we had were excellent they recommended what food to order after asking us what type of food we prefer. They remembered that one of us was vegetarian and made sure the right meals were put down in front of the correct people. They were highly attentive and made the experience all the more pleasant. Will definitely head there again.

Food:			Visit: Tue 9 February 2010 Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by: sanjay35 | 15 March 2010, 12.22am

Found this restaurant over priced, small portions and food to be tasteless or it had a wacky mix of spices that made you believe that the chef just through it into the dish and had no idea what on earth he was doing. We left still hungry and also out of pocket cost $160 per head for one main dish and one dessert and one glass of red wine. This was definatly one of the worst restaurant food we had tasted for a long time, very disappointed and would not recommend this overpriced place to anyone!

Food:			Visit: Sat 13 March 2010
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Posted by: tryem | 16 June 2009, 3.32pm

I ventured here with a mate who wanted to share some dishes which were original with me.
We challenged the waiter to bring us a selection 6 entree which best showed off the kitchen's skill and direction for the restaurant. Our waiter took the time to explain the menu, highlight the chef's career and match wines for us. This started a truly fantastic evening. The first two dishes came out they were original, subtle, splendid and packed a visual punch. My mate also helped me appreciate the benefits of a well matched wine and I was in food heaven with these surroundings. The following sets of entrees and wines came out with similar finesse, glamour and moreishness, which marked a brilliant night out. I'd have to say that the bill was very reasonable - with the skill that went into making the food, you'd have to expect to pay more than a simple noodle place.
I'll be taking friends here whenever I can.

Food:			Visit: Fri 21 November 2008 Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by: hounddog | 9 June 2008, 1.57pm

Our recent visit to Seamstress was delightful, and this had as much to do with the attitude of the staff as it did with the food. We arrived on time for our booking, on a busy night, and on a whim, we asked the maitre d' if we could first go upstairs for a cocktail (even though our table was already available). Without hesitation she said that was fine. About half an hour later, having each sampled one of the delicious cocktails on offer, we came back to the restaurant and we were again warmly welcomed. Over the course of the meal we had three different waiting staff each of whom gave us a suitable level of attention. The service was not without its hitches though. Shortly after being seated an appetizer arrived, only to be whisked away when the waitress realised it was for the wrong table. A bottle of our wine was served to another table shortly after it was opened. In both instances however the staff were hugely apologetic and more than made amends for their error. We found we just could not get annoyed with the waiting staff because they were so jovial and so entertaining. The food was delicious, however the portions were a little on the small side, especially a 'signature dish' curry. The dessert sampling plate was a standout and the exotic flavours were well-balanced. The atmosphere overall was charming (we loved the sewing machines dotted around the room) and it was a great venue for people watching, attracting as it does, quite an eclectic crowd. We would certainly go back, given we had such a good night out, thanks to large degree to the energetic and charming staff.

Food:			Visit: Thu 29 May 2008 Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by: fasta | 20 May 2008, 8.27am

After all the glowing reviews and being lovers of Asian food we were dying to try this place. Finally got in after 2 earlier attempts when they were booked out.

Menu is set up in small, medium and large dishes designed for sharing which is a concept we love. Following our waiters suggestions we choose 3 small to share as entree and 1 large with steamed rice for the main. Food was very very bland, nothing stand out at all - we were so disappointed! It had so much potential, ambience was nice, staff were smooth and switched on, decent wine list. Dumplings were extremely boring, had much better from local Chinese takeaway, pork & shitake mushroom spring rolls were again quite tasteless, and scallop & pork belly (tiny pork belly) were very boring. Menu read very well, but food just didnt cut it!

We have decided we will (maybe) return once more in case this was a one off night, but this time choose our own dishes.

Food:			Visit: Mon 19 May 2008 Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by: foodfanatic | 17 April 2008, 2.43pm

I like to eat out and have been to a few of the new restaurants opening these past few months in Melbourne. Call me colloquial but I love the Melbourne food scene! The creativity and the 'balls' new operators have to open up places where no one would once dare. After several visits already Seamstress Restaurant has this feeling and so much more.

We arrived at 19.00 without a booking on Tuesday night to find the restaurant buzzing and to only be told that 'we are full, but could squeeze you in at 21.00'. So that's what we did and ended up in Sweatshop.

Plied with a 'one inch punch' in Sweatshop (the basement bar) and a few sake-poached calamari tentacles we began our experience. Sweatshop is a rawer, crazier version of the upstairs cocktail bar, but the drinks and cocktails are nonetheless on par or even better. Before we could finish our thermos of punch the head waiter came to get us and ushered us to the restaurant explaining that they had had a cancellation. We were in luck, after only being there for 1/2 hr we had a table.
So among the hanging flower installations and dragon-tail-like material flowing from the ceiling we sat and had a bottle of Fefianes Albarino and a superb dinner.
Our Canadian waitress showed us to the table and we decided to trust the rest of our evening in her capable hands.
We started the night off with a little black chicken and gogi berry broth followed by what could have been only described as fantastic and rich san choi bau with an additional twist. They were served in witlof leaves.
We followed this up with prawn and smoked mud crab dumplings with scallop roe sauce, pork belly and snowpeas shoots and the oxtail dumpling. The subtlety of flavour in each dish. Exactly what I would want from a Cantonese restaurant. It's all about texture!
We had the braised beef cheek and eggplant yu xiang and our main courses. Two braised items requiring little else than just a hmmmm... This is what we needed on a frisky night like tonight.
All I can say is we didn't try desserts, I drank far too quickly and 'had' to order another wine through our wine waiter 'Even Keel Shiraz', and couldn't get enough of the place.
Over all we didn't make it upstairs, but no need as I will definitely book next time, save room for dessert and order by the glass so that I will be able to try a few of the funkier wines on the list.

Food:			Visit: Tue 1 April 2008 Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by: AlwaysFoodLover | 16 April 2008, 11.19am

My dining partner and I were very excited about having dinner at Seamstress. We booked our table in advance and looked forward to dinner all day. As a food lover I had heard a lot of good things about the restaurant and could not wait to dine there.

However the night did not turn out to be quite as planned. I have to say that the night started off quite well in the upstairs bar with drinks and a bottle of wine. The wine was recommended to us by the sommelier (we requested something similar to a sauvignon), however it had a very strong alcoholic smell and taste. It's definitely not one I would order again. The atmosphere was good, although the bar is very dark and it's hard to read the menu.

We then moved downstairs to the restaurant for dinner. The menu is not extensive and we didn't have too many dishes to choose from. We ordered a number of dishes, starting with the calamari and the mushroom pockets. Although wonderfully presented, the mushroom pockets were tasteless I have to say that I have eaten much better dumplings (which is what they actually were) at the cheap Asian places in Chinatown. As an Asian food lover, I was very disappointed. They were surrounded by way too much ginger, which is all you could taste. The calamari, which was served with salt on the side, had way too much salt (prior to dipping it into the extra salt provided) and was very dry.

The waitress then recommended an eggplant dish for our main, however she was very vague in regards to what the dish contained. It was a mixture of eggplant and a number of other things, which was by far the best dish for the night (as pointed out by my dining partner who ate the whole dish). Unfortunately I was allergic to an ingredient that was not pointed out to me during ordering, hence I could not even taste it. The dish came with very dry and cold rice on the side. The last dish we tried were the prawn and crab dumplings, which once again had no taste and were drowned in a salmon tasting sauce, which is all you could taste. Once again this was a terrible disappointment.

At the end of the night after being presented by a bill of over $100 (three times as much as we would have paid in Chinatown), my dining partner and I were definitely less then satisfied. This is my personal opinion and it looks like the reviews for the restaurant have been good, hence go ahead and try it for yourself if you like. But don t be surprised if you are disappointed like I was.

Food:			Visit: Wed 2 April 2008 Mealtime: dinner
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