"A WELL-DONE PEPPER STEAK AND COKE THANKS," - me

after a pretty dismal experience i had tonight with dining out, i thought i should maybe write about it a little. the following is a run down on the places i've been in the recent past and my thoughts on it. there are specific categories where ratings are given, but the overall are bracketed next to the name and location of the place.

i'm no expert at food and i can eat just about anything, but as a person who goes into a restaurant looking for a decent feed and some money left over, i think i have at least some standing in giving opinions about restaurants, take-aways and the like. damn, i even used to work in one. well, i kinda still do.

anyways,

HOWL AT THE MOON - WARRIGAL RD, CHADSTONE (2.5/5)
value: 1/5
quality: 2.5/5
atmosphere: 3/5
service: 3/5
i went there tonight with the hopes of getting a nice steak or parma, but i saw the menu and the steak was $28 so i thought screw that, i'll get the fish and chips for $20. $20 for fish and chips?! portion-wise, you get the same (if not less) the amount of chips as a small fries from maccas, and three strips of fish and a bit of salad. while tasting OK, for that price i expected better. a lot better.

CHARCOAL CHICKEN - ATHERTON RD, OAKLEIGH (3.5/5)
value: 3.5/5
quality: 3/5
atmosphere: 3/5
service: 4/5
this place is consistenly good and the prices, while having increased in the last few months, are very reasonable. for a 'fast food' kind of place, the quality of the food is very good and there is a bit of variety as well. they have specials from monday - wednesday on quater chicken + chips for $4.50, and the workers there are cool. i never have reservations about going there, apart from maybe that i had it the previous say as well. recommended. btw, their chips are awesome.

FASTA PASTA - JAM FACTORY, SOUTH YARRA (3/5)
value: 3/5
quality: 3/5
atmosphere: 3/5
service: 3/5
even with pete and vito leaving that place, the food is still consistenly good as is the service. back in the day i'd get pretty awesome steaks and parmas, but now they're just "good". serving sizes are reasonable and tings are cooked pretty quickly (could that be because it's called FASTA Pasta? ba-zing.) the place looks kinda cool too, and overlooks the ground floor of the jam factory. overall, i don't mind going there.

LAZY MOE'S - WARRIGAL RD, OAKLEIGH (2.5/5)
value: 3/5
quality: 2.5/5
atmosphere: 2.5/5
service: 2.5/5
i went there with pete and glenn and we were the only people there. we asked for a jug of water and the waiter said "it's self serve, see that water foutain over there?" and points. she adds "we can't handle it if we had to get a jug of water for everyone"... yeah, the whole three people at the table. yes, the amount of food is quite generous - but at lazy moe's it is definitely quantity over quality. plus, the guy who created the franchise sounds like an arrogant prick. won't be going back any time soon.

SOFIA'S - BURKE RD, CAMPBERWELL (3.25/5)
value: 3/5
quality: 3.5/5
atmosphere: 3/5
service: 3/5
despite having a lawsuit slapped on their asses a couple of years ago, the food here is very good. while the waitresses at the wheelers hill one are better looking, the service is still good and pretty efficient (in that you get your food before you realise "shit, where's my food?"). meal sizes are pretty generous, and it doesn't hurt they they generally taste pretty damn good. they have the usual pizza and pasta, plus seafood. steaks and parmas are always a good choice.

NOODLE CAFE - PORTMAN ST, OAKLEIGH (3.5/5)
value: 3/5
quality: 3/5
atmosphere: 2.5/5
service: 3/5
this little gem is next door to chow's shop. some noodle shops rely too much on soy sauce and "asian salt" to give their menu flavour, but the stuff that comes out of this kitchen is like the stuff that comes out of your home kitchen. sometimes its takes a bit longer than i'd like for the food to be cooked, but that's soon forgotten about since it's so damn good. always friendly service, i never really have to think twice when i feel like noodles.

ITAMI - CHADSTONE SHOPPING CENTRE, CHADSTONE (3/5)
value: 3/5
quality: 3/5
atmosphere: 2/5
service: 2/5
maybe cos its so busy most of the time that thier "service" scores lower than i'd like to give, but this place is prob the best japanese take-away in chadstone. their handrolls are always fresh, and chilled (as they should be), and the bain marie (hot food stuff) is always looking pretty fresh. i can never walk past this place without buying something, it's insane.

CHOMPS - CHADSTONE RD, CHADSTONE (3.5/5)
value: 3/5
quality: 3.5/5
atmosphere: 2/5
service: 3/5
pete tells me that this place was bought out once by new owners who pretty much drove the business into the ground. a few years later the old owner bought back the shop and put a sign up "old owners back" and business has been booming since. burgers and steak sandwiches are awesome. they do the regular fish and chip gig as well, but its the burgers that really get you. i don't go here too often cos i'm sure its very bad for my health, but when i do i'm always satisfied.

-LOki

for the above pic and recipes (in another language): http://www.kommunalbogen.dk/mad/artikler.php?artnr=3077