Waterfront Station Pier Restaurant

Posted by: MelbFoodie | 24 August 2010, 2.50pm

On a freezing, windy Melbourne Friday me and 2 mates lunched at Waterfront. We sat in the enclosed deck looking over the water amongst only a handful of diners. We were promptly offered bread and water. The wait to order beers was longer than acceptable but the beer was cold and good. I had grilled scallops with prosciutto and cauliflower puree. Fresh succulent mouthfuls of seafood and was a great starter. Mates had oysters tasting selection (OK) and the other had Tempura batter prawns which were generous and delicious. For mains I had a grilled whole snapper with oregano, lemon, baked potatoes and brocollini. Very generous and very good. Lunch mates both had steaks w/mash and red wine/pepper jus. One steak was slightly overcooked but both were very happy with the flavour. Service throughout was co-operative and attentive. The location is brilliant and the restaurant's interior is first class. It just lacks that feeling of magic. Maybe not enough diners there.

Food:			Visit: Fri 20 August 2010 Mealtime: lunch
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Posted by: cnr1 | 27 April 2010, 5.16pm

The food:

a) Extremely bland food - nothing was salted or peppered. The Barramundi came in a cream sauce that was like eating thickened water - no taste.
b) The scallops in red curry - extremely bland yet again. It wasn't a curry - I'm not sure what it was, but yet again it tasted like nothing.

Served old, stale bread. We commented and the waitress said 'no it's not old'. But she came back with fresh bread...so obviously it was old.

The Service:

Waitress came over to clear out tables while we were still eating (not once but three times) - made us feel quite uncomfortable - it's not exactly cheap, the least they could do is permit us the time to eat our food in peace? The moment our forks were down, there she was, ready to clear the tables? There's a difference between being attentive and being annoying.

We were there for a birthday so had our own birthday cake - we still ordered desert but we wanted our cake also. They said not a problem (of course a charge was involved) - we received extremely tiny portions of our cake, meaning about 1/2 of the cake was still left over. We didn't get our cake back - was it assumed the kitchen staff got to keep it? I've never had anything like that 'assumed' before...had the food been better we would have given it to them, but it was all very disappointing.

Food:			Visit: Sun 25 April 2010 Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by: John4040 | 28 February 2010, 4.11am

6 of us recently ate here for a birthday celebration. The night was not busy and we were promptly attended to. Once our orders were taken and the entree's served the service vanished. The waiter was more interetsted in talking to the table opposite and if it wasn't for the efforts of the waitress from another section we would have gone unnoticed. Subsequently we had to ask 3 times as to the whereabouts of our main dishes and after an hour and ten minutes they finally arrived. I had the lobster rissotto. The lobster was overcooked and tough and at over $40.00 for the dish a real dissapointment. Comments from the others on their meals were mixed depending on what they had ordered but overall the meal was decidedly average. All in all the place looks great with great views but is overpriced and let down by inattentive staff and food not up to the prices they charge.

Food:			Visit: Sat 30 January 2010 Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by: dinersout | 18 January 2010, 11.10pm

Booked lunch for 12 people and was greeted by Andrew to a fantastic place on the waterfront overlooking port Melbourne and Port Phillip Bay. Andrew and the Waiter (unfortunately cannot remember his name, he was very friendly and his service was geat), they took us through the menu and specials. We ordered a variety of meals from seafood to meats and pastas. The food was great, we did not have to wait long and the staff went out of their way to ensure that all the meals could be made to each individual s specification. I have only given it 4.5 for food as one of the orders for the special (snapper) was well cooked, however was only slightly seasoned. All the other meals had been done perfectly. Special mention for the deserts and coffee for those who love that part of the meal. The atmosphere and service are fantastic and the food is wonderful. They even went out of their way to provide some fresh mint for the tea and smaller meals for kids.

Food:			Visit: Sat 16 January 2010 Mealtime: lunch
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Posted by: Veronica Lake | 20 August 2009, 2.33pm

Had a great meal - entree of stuffed scallops, main: salmon with crab meat and baby broad beans. Delicious. Service was excellent and unobtrusive. And what more can be said about the location, the view and the ambience? Mind blowing.

Food:			Visit: Wed 19 August 2009 Mealtime: lunch
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Posted by: Diner99 | 2 February 2009, 12.41pm

Overall, I give the place a 7/10. I had my birthday dinner here, the place is amazing as its situated right on the water - which you do pay for in the price of the food. I must say that I was awed by the appearance, they must have one heck of an interior designer. On the food front, I felt the food was average, albeit overpriced. The service was okay as the food came out fast and the waiters were attentive and did not bother us during our meal, but the place was not busy. If I did return to this place it would be for the views and the fancy decor.

Food:			Visit: Sun 1 February 2009 Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by: David Who | 27 June 2008, 4.51pm

For starters it was a cold Melbourne winter night and the management must have been disappointed with the small number of punters. All of the customers (except one disgraced ex-footballer) were all put out the front which does offer great water views. Port Phillip Bay looks great with the lights in winter.
The nearest table was so noisy that it was difficult to hear my three dinner companions. I could have asked to move but I stuck it out for the views.
The food in what they call the downstairs bistro is overpriced. I know seafood is fetching killer price at wholesale but $21 for an entre of "king prawns" was barely a couple of mouthfuls and not much flavour. Two companions had soft shell crab and one the salt & peper calamari. Our excellent waiter Sam (they are trained well in Hong Kong) - recommended the special fillet of salmon with a medalion of lobster and scallops on the side was excellent. The side dishes at $14 were good but expensive. All up for $440 for four I expected more. You only pay so much for a view.
My biggest bug was the manager who insisted every time he passed our table he tried to top up our wine. It was a real turn off - we had three bottles of wine between 4 people and any more and we would not enjoy the food because we would be totally pizzed.
I took a Sydney couple who visit Melbourne regularly because of business as my guests. They love Melbourne restaurants and while we enjoyed each others company and the views it just missed the spot.

Food:			Visit: Thu 26 June 2008 Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by: ytw | 22 April 2008, 11.27am

The location is brilliant, the interior and ambience is superb and we cannot fault the waiting staff at all.
But what could have been a superb lunch to linger over turned into a very expensive and disappointing exercise. Looking at the brilliant kitchen set-up and piles of fresh seafood we thought we were in for a treat. I chose tempura prawns and my partner ordered chilli garlic prawns. With anticipation we watched our meals come out beautifuly served. Unfortunately the tempura batter on the prawns was just heavy dull fish and chip shop-style batter that fell off the prawns as you drove your fork into it. Also the batter on the broccoli was just stodgy and uncooked.
For a restaurant that charges the prices they do for food you would think at least they could get something like tempura batter right. The garlic chilli prawns were also nothing to write home about. I complained about my main course and the waitress at least asked if I would like a free desert to make up for it. We probably would not try it again unless we knew the food had picked up.

Food:			Visit: Sat 19 April 2008 Mealtime: lunch
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Posted by: Daniel Smithson | 16 September 2006, 9.39pm

This is the first time I've come here in a year, I am ashamed to admit. Pretty and decadent as it is, the service is still appalling with squillions of wait staff aimlessly wandering around with nothing to do. The last time I was here, the food was bland, service a shocker. 'What a shame', for such a lovely place, I said then.

The menu has since changed (to my delight, I must say). It seems simpler, less pretentious, yet from what we had, flavour full and exceptionally presented.
I had the scallops, which were divine, and the blue eye fillet was perfectly cooked. My partner won't stop raving about the drunken chocolate dessert. It was lovely, even for the non-chocoholic. If they could only come up to scratch on the service this place could be truly something special.

Now that I know the food is fabulous, I am tempted to return.

Food:			Visit: Thu 14 September 2006 Mealtime: dinner
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Posted by: Unregistered user | 9 March 2006, 9.42am

Being a local I have visited this restaurant on several occasions (a particularly good place to take Sydneysiders in light of the waterfront) However, at best the service can be described as average, going to terrible on a poor night (it need not be busy to reach this). Food is fine; as John Lethlean pointed out, no bread is a rip off!!

Food:			Visit: Thu 9 March 2006 Mealtime: dinner
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