ConsumeMe: September 2011

Cottage Point Inn

Atmosphere: The Cottage Point Inn sits right on Cowan Creek with astonishing views and seclusion. The water is lined with yachts and the odd seaplane giving an undeniable air of sophistication. The restaurant itself is light and airy whilst maintaining a sense of cosyness and hospitality. Overall I would rate the atmosphere 4 bottles out 5.

Drinks/Food and Affordability: The Cottage Point Inn is not in a way, shape or form affordable. Entrees range from $20-$30, Mains from $35-$50 and Desserts from around $30. However, you don't go to the Inn if you're looking for a cheap eat!! Overall I would rate the affordability 0 plates out of 5. But I would rate the meals 4 out of 5 (not 5 as I think if you are paying that much it should be the best food you have ever eaten - and it wasn't)

Location: The Inn is located right on Cowan Creek, sheltered from any semblance of society as such the location was spectacular. However, with very little parking and the only 'on-road' entrance being a small windy road getting to the Inn is not very easy. Unless of course you choose to take a seaplane or come via boat, then getting to the Inn is very easy - jest very costly! As such, I would rate the location 3 plate out of 5 based solely on the beauty of the area!
Interior Design: The interior design was light and airy, wooden furniture with simple white decor. The restaurant relies on the beauty of the surrounding area to take on the primary design role. Overall this worked pretty well - over designing the interior of the restaurant I feel would have been to its detriment. As such i rank it 3 plate out of ten.

Overall judgement: Overall, the location and ambiance was spectacular, the food was good and it was wll worth the trip. The only detraction was the $500+ bill. As such I rate the Inn 8 plates out of 10.

-Katie

Sizzler, Carramar

Atmosphere: Sizzler is a great place to enjoy lunch, or dinner with the family. There are plenty of tables and chairs so you don't have to wait long to get a table. Sizzler is located at Carramar, Campbelltown and St George in NSW. I visited Carramar Sizzler and it was great. Its salad bar is what makes it a great place to eat.
In terms of atmosphere, I rank it 4 plates out of 5.

Drinks/Food: Sizzler offers a range of beverages and you can make your own coffee or tea.
Lunch begins at 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and then its dinner till closing time. Enjoy some steak with your beverage or have a freshly cooked Swiss Grilled Chicken. There is also a kids meal, which includes a cheese burger with chips, small steak or nuggets with chips.
Dinner is just as good with your choice of seafood, chicken or a large steak. Kids meal is the same as lunch.
For drinks/food, I rank it 3.5 plates out of 5.

Affordability: The salad bar is more expensive during dinner hours. The salad bar during lunch is $16.50 and $23.00 for dinner. Drinks (soft drinks, coffee, regular and herbal teas) are just $3.50 extra with no charge on refills. However, its the cost of the steaks and ribs which are a little more expensive than you might have bargained for, costing around $30.00 for a 250mg steak with side dishes.
Overall, I rank affordability 3 plats out of 5.

Location: Not a lot of locations but very close to those living in the Western Suburbs. Travelling by public transport is available to reach the locations. At Carramar, there is plenty of parking available and free to access.
Overall, I rank location 3 plates out of 5.

Interior Design: A simple, yet warming design and easy access to the salad bar, which is located in the centre of the restaurant. I rank it 4 out of 5.

Overall judgement: A great place to take the family for lunch or dinner, a business meeting or birthday party. Its suitable for all occassions and the friendly staff are always there to assist you with any concerns you may have. Its best feature has to be the salad bar and at the end of the day, treat yourself with a delicious dessert that you make! A great place for everyone and great food will leave you feeling satisfied. I definitely rank it 8.5 plates out of 10.

- Aryan

Coogee Bay Hotel, Coogee

Atmosphere: As i went to the Coogee Bay Hotel on a Sunday afternoon, on one of the first beachworthy days of the season, the atmosphere was light hearted, relaxed and fun in the pub/restaurant. It was a mix of sports fans tuning in to the rugby world cup, and chilled beach-goers. Overall i would rate the atmosphere at 4 bottles out of 5.

Drinks/Food and Affordability: The food, traditional pub food, was around the $20 mark, give or take depending on the item chosen. The food itself tasted fairly good, but was nothing special. Even for pub food it was fairly mediocre. I would rate the food at 2 plates out of 5. The drinks, however, were of much greater value. One jug of super-dry was about $17, around $5 or $6 for a beer. I would rate the drinks at 3 bottles out of 5.

Location: Directly opposite Coogee Beach the Hotel is accessible, easy to find and fairly easy to get to. Bus services operate from the city train stations, and stop almost directly outside the hotel. Parking in Coogee can either be paid for in the car-park at the beach or in one of the many free 2hour locations in the surrounding streets. Overall i would rate the location at 4 bottles out of 5.

Interior Design: It was almost overflowing with happy beach-goers, but the large outdoor seating area and numerous indoor bar sections managed to scatter the crowd for a more easygoing spread. The furniture was all wooden, and it was a very simplistic bar design. Very beachy and simple, and accessible design scheme. I would rate the interior design at 3 out of 5.

Overall judgement: It was an enjoyable afternoon, simple but with a great atmosphere. For a sunday afternoon it was incredibly lively, showing that the hotel is open and entertaining through the entire weekend. If you're looking for somewhere to relax, drink and hang out with your mates, then the Coogee Bay Hotel will do just fine! Overall I would rate it at 3 bottles out of 5.

-Tina

The Oaks Hotel - Neutral Bay

Atmosphere: The atmosphere at The Oaks is fantastic for a lazy summer afternoon. The Oaks is full of young families and friends catching up for a lunch of a drink in the courtyard. I would suggesting heading hear on a Sunday afternoon with a group of friends for a drink or a bite to eat! I give the Oaks 3 bottles out of 5 for atmosphere.

Drinks/Food: There is a large selection of foods available at The Oaks - IF you're willing to cook your own. If not then the selection is rather slim. If you're feeling a bit lazy (as I was) I would suggest ordering a mixture of entrees and sharing! Overall I give The Oaks 2 bottles out of 5 primarily because I would go to the supermarket if I wanted to cook my own food!

Affordability: As a university student I would rate the affordability of The Oaks quite poorly, with meals costing upwards of $20 (even the cook your own!). However, given the area it is in, the price is somewhat understandable. As such I give The Oaks 2 bottles out of 5.

Location: The Oaks hotel sits right in the heart of the Neutral bay shops with plenty of parking to be found, making it pretty convenient for drivers! However, there isn't much in the way of public transport so I would give it 3 bottles out of a possible 5!

Interior Design: The interior of The Oaks is your standard pub, however outside in the courtyard sits a lovely Oak tree surrounded by Christmas lights - creating a warm and cosy feeling. Overall I'd rate the design 3 bottles out of 5.

Overall judgement: Overall I would rate The Oaks 7 bottles out of 10. Whilst the food is expensive and not overly diverse it is a great spot to catch for a drink with friends on a warm afternoon!

-Katie

Criniti's, Parramatta

Atmosphere: Criniti's is a great place to enjoy authentic Italian cuisine, from pizza's to grigliate. It's located in the heart of Parramatta, Church St, with an excellent atmosphere. There is indoor dining and outdoor dining.
It sits 90 people at a time and is always packed with Italian cuisine lovers. Its got that Italian feel to it and a very social and relaxing atmosphere to it.
In terms of atmosphere, I rank it at 4 plates out of 5.

Drinks/Food: Criniti's offers a great range of drinks and food. Whether you enjoy your weekend a coffee with a friend, or dinner with the family, Criniti's has it all. Its drinks menu has it all: Cocktails, Mocktails and even vini bianchi (Italian wine). You won't be disappointed.
Some of the many cuisine's include carne & bistecca, pasta, pizzete and bruschette.
Overall, I rank the drinks/food 4 plates out of 5.

Affordability: Criniti's is a very presigous Italian restaurant in the heart of Parramatta and is also one of the most expensive. Just for 2 pieces of bruschette, your looking to pay no less than $13.90. The menu is expensive, but worth every dollar.
Overall, I rank affordability 3 plates out of 5.

Location: Criniti's is located in Church St, Parramatta, only five minutes by walk from Parramatta ferry warf and very close to bus stations. Parking is sometimes an issue but is located all around the area. Overall, I rank the location 5 plates out of 5.

Interior Design: Walking into Criniti's is like walking into an Italian restaurant in Italy. Its got that great Italian culture and feel. I rank interior design 4.5 plates out of 5.

Overall judgement: Criniti's Parramatta is a great place to celebrate a birthday or just spend time in a wonderful atmosphere with familyand friends. Its food and drinks are quite pricey but worth it because you won't be disappointed. A great place to talk business or just socialise (indoor or outside), I give an overall judgement ranking of 8 plates out of 10. Its most busiest Friday and Saturday evenings, and not too busy during breakfast or the afternoon.
I definitely recommend a visit!

- Aryan

Baywok, Concord

Baywok, Concord

Atmosphere: Baywok is an Al Freso dining experience in the centre of Concord Village. It is both a restaurant, catering up to 40 people at a time, a take-away and home delivery service. The atmosphere of the restaurant itself is vibrant, welcoming and relaxed. Overall, I would rank the atmosphere at 3 plates out of 5.
Drinks/Food: Baywok offers an extensive menu with a large collection of Thai cuisines ranging from sizzling hot plates, soups, and curries, to ‘make it yourself’ stir fry’s and noodle combinations. The restaurant offers fish, chicken, beef and vegetarian cuisines. I would rank the food 4 plates out of 5.
Affordability: It is reasonably priced, and with the very generous portions its definitely worth its cash. Meals range from around $6 to $19 with the majority of mains priced at around $15 or $16. I would rate the pricing at 4 plates out of 5.
Location: Baywok is located on Majors Bay Rd in Concord in the Inner Western Suburbs of Sydney. It is not located close to any station but has regular bus services running through which connect to Homebush, Five-dock, Parramatta, Strathfield and more. I would rank the location at 3 bottles out of 5.
Interior Design: It is simply designed with wooden furnishings, in both the inside and outside sectors. It has an easy feel to it, and the spacing is not inconvenient or awkward. I would rank the interior design at 2 bottles out of 5.

Overall judgement: Baywok offers a delicious range of dishes, all mouthwartering and swiftly delivered. Its cheap enough for students, teenagers and adults to afford and enjoy. I would definitely recoomend it as a simple thai resteraunt, with a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere.

-Tina

The Greengate hotel!

The Greengate Hotel, Killara

Atmosphere: The Greengate Hotel is great place to come in the summer with a big group of friends. However, over the winter the Greengate quitens down and is probably better for a quite drink and a game of pool. Overall, I would rank the atmosphere at the Greengate hotel 2 bottles out of 5.

Drinks/Food: The food available at the Greengate is your standard pub grub including chicken parmigana and a selection of burgers. However, they do branch out a little bit and offers some additional options including Chicken Fahitas, Pizzas and Lamb shanks. Drinks at the Greengate are also cheap and there is plant of options. So overall I would rank the drinks and food 3 bottles out of 5.

Affordability:Whilst the drinks are relatively cheap, the food is expensive for what you would pay elsewhere. Mains range from $15-$25 which seems a bit pricey compared to usual pub prices. Overall I rate the affordability at 2 bottles out of 5

Location:The Greengate is located just a few minutes walk from either Killara or Gordon station and is very easy to get to. Overall I'd rank the location at 4 bottles out of 5

Interior Design: In terms of interior design the Greengate knows what it is and wholey embraces the 'Pub' feel. Nothing to spectacular but that's okay. I would rank the interior design at 2 bottles out of 5

Overall judgement: The Greengate is at its best on a Wednesday night, brimming with young adults and uni students especially over the summer. Overall I would suggests it's a good option for catching up with friends over a drink or a game of pool. I rank the Greengate at 6 bottles out of 10 for my overall judgement!

-Katie

Storyboard - An intro to our blog!

STORYBOARD

Our Group:

Tine Burke

Katie Robinson

A Qayumi

Topic:

The topic we will be discussing in our blog is Bars and Restaurants. We will be writing reviews of different establishments each week to give our readers an understanding of the local nightlife.

Layout of reviews:

Each review will be within its own post and we will each submit a new post each week:

*Insert Bar/Restraunt name and location here*

*if available insert logo of institution here*

Atmosphere: *Comment and rank out of 5*

Drinks/Food: *Comment and rank out of 5*

Affordability: *Comment and rank out of 5*

Location: *Comment and rank out of 5*

Interior Design: *Comment and rank out of 5*

Overall judgement: *Comment and rank out of 10 (Here include details of what night to go, what kind of people are there ie. Uni students and your overall impression of the location)*

*Insert photos of notable items here if you like*

Colour scheme and backgrounds:

The colour scheme is black and white with no background. Simple as possible, we want it to look sleek and sophisticated.

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ConsumeMe – this is the logo we have decided upon, we chose this as it is a little bit quirky which will draw readers to our blog. Also, because it encapsulates what we our blog is about – wining and dining! Initially we wanted to name the blog EatMe but given that we wish to consider both bars and restaurants we decided ConsumeMe was broader and more appropriate.

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The tags that will be used are: Restaurants, Bars and Admin. Thereby, classifying our posts as reviews of restaurant, reviews of bars or general administration of the website and making the website more user-friendly.

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