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Sydney Restaurants - by Maribeth

Family Restaurants - Sydney Restaurants

Pancakes on the Rocks - Campbelltown

July 2nd 2008 06:28

Address: Centric Park, 4 Hyde Parade
(Parking available undeneath, entrance just pass Gloria Jeans)

City: Campbelltown

State: NSW

Postcode: 2560

Telephone: 4627 5656

Email: campbelltown@pancakesontherocks.com.au

Website: http://pancakesontherocks.com.au/home

Okay, here's another ever popular family restaurant opening up in the changing and expanding Macarthur area, Pancakes on the Rocks. Many of you may think this famous restaurant only exists at "The Rocks", Sydney. Well, that's what I initially thought. I must be the last person that lives in Macarthur who found out about Pancakes opening here. Apparently, Pancakes on the Rocks have also sprouted in Northmead and Darling Harbour. Here are the list of locations.

THE ROCKS
4 Hickson Rd, The Rocks, Sydney
Trading Hours: 24 HOURS, 7 DAYS A WEEK
Phone: 02 9247 6371 | Fax: 02 9252 2900
Email: therocks@pancakesontherocks.c om.au

NORTHMEAD
100 Briens Road (Corner of Redbank Road) Northmead
Trading Hours: Sunday to Thursday 7am-11pm | Friday and Saturday 7am-Midnight
Phone: 02 9683 4322 | Fax: 02 9683 7587
Email: northmead@pancakesontherocks. com.au

DARLING HARBOUR
229/230 Harbourside Shopping Centre, Darling Harbour
Trading Hours: Sunday to Thursday 7am-11pm | Friday and Saturday 7am-Midnight
Phone: 02 9280 3791 | Fax: 02 9280 0467
Email: darlingharbour@pancakesonther ocks.com.au

CAMPBELLTOWN
Centric Park, 4 Hyde Parade, Campbelltown
Trading Hours: Sunday to Thursday 7am-11pm | Friday and Saturday 7am-Midnight
Phone: 4627 5656 | Fax:4627 8086
Email: campbelltown@pancakesontheroc ks.com.au
PARKING AVAILABLE underneath, entrance just past Gloria Jeans

Since it opened in Campbelltown earlier this year, I'd been keen to give it a go and see whether it was able to maintain the standards of its mother restaurant at the Rocks, Sydney. I wasn't in a hurry to enter it's doors. I knew the place will be totally packed for the first few months after opening. Campbelltown residents have been deprived too long from restaurants other than McDonald's, Red Rooster, KFC etc... etc..

I was able to finally drag the hubby out of bed for 10 o'clock Sunday brunch. I decided it was pancake Sunday. So off we went. Not knowing exactly where is was. All I knew is that it was in the new development area between the Catholic Club and Macarthur Square, called Central Park.

When we got there, the place was about half full with lots of staff walking around. We sat and decided our menus. The waitress came and took our orders. Then the long waiting game began. It was unbelieveable. We waited for about 40 minutes for a simple pizza and chicken mushroom crepe. It was only after we did receive our meal, our drinks decided to turn up. It took for my husband to go up to the bar himself to alert them we were still waiting for our drinks. I thought that was bad enough.

While we ate, the people next to us were receiving their drinks. Suddenly, there was a huge splash of sticky drink everywhere. The waitress accidentally spilled the drink all over the customers table, clothes and on the floor. What we thought to be very wrong was that the waitress just stood saying sorry while the customer started cleaning it up with their serviettes, including the floor!! I don't know if those people got compensated for that. They should have at least been given a free meal.

Food was ok. Nothing surprisingly exciting about it. I thought is was just right for brunch. I did not like the long wait very much at all. By the time we finished, it was lunch time.

It's what happened next after we got up to pay for our meals that made me realise what was one thing this restaurant was lacking. A waitress (I'm not sure if it's the same one) carrying a glass of strawberry milkshake dropped it and splilled it all over the timber floor. I couldn't look. I felt so bad for the waitress. The waiters were inexperienced. Well, either that or just very clumsy.

The total cost of the meals was very cheap. Having the Entertainment Book voucher makes a huge difference. We only paid about $24 for two people. Overall, I wasn't too impressed with the place. I think I won't be going back there in a hurry. I think I'll wait until they settle in a bit more. Hopefully the service improves significantly and speeds up. It's a bit of a worry that we had to wait so long for simple brunch in a not so full place. I can imagine what it may be like during a full house during dinner, eeeccckkk.... Yep, definately can wait awhile before I go back there.

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Posted By: Maribeth - Category: Family Restaurants

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Rocksalt Rocks!!

April 1st 2008 03:58

Address: Shop 1, 72-80 Allison Cres

City: Menai

State: NSW

Postcode: 2234

Telephone: (02) 9532 0699

Email: yourhost@RockSaltRestaurant.com.au

Website: http://www.rocksaltrestaurant.com.au/

I love it, I love it, I love it. This place totally reconsidered my perception about outer Sydney restaurants. If there is one restaurant that dispels any notion of outer Sydney restaurants being below par with the inner city restaurants, then this is the one.

I really didn't expect much out of this local Menai restaurant & bar. But the moment I walked in, I could sense that this was no ordinary local eatery. The entire place is somewhat of a mix bag. The front of the restaurant has the bar with very comfy lounges and bar stools. A large LCD TV that is constantly on the sports channel. There is an upstairs, I believe caters for private functions. The atmosphere of the dining is very classic. The tables are covered in classic white linen, the furnishings are elegant and matches perfectly with the timber floors. There are artworks displayed on walls for customers to look at and possibly purchase.

The food is really the ultimate reason why I come back here as often as I can. They have soft shelled crab!!! YUMMO!! There is absolutely no dish that has disappointed me. The steaks are amazing as well as the fish and chips. Servings are very generous.

The ambience is great and the waiters and bar men are cute and friendly. Great place to bring the kids. We've had a few large family get togethers here and left very excited about what we just ate there. Can't wait to use up my Entertainment Book again soon.

I highly recommend this place if you are ever in the vicinity of Menai at the Shire.

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Posted By: Maribeth - Category: Bars, Pubs and Beer, Family Restaurants

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Il Tratto Ra Ro

December 28th 2007 01:06

Address: 100 Majors Bay Road

City: Concord

State: NSW

Postcode: 2137

Telephone: (02) 8765 8866

Email:

Website: http://www.trattoraro.com.au/index.html

If you are ever in the mood to have rustic and authentic Italian food and you are situated near the Concord area, then Il Tratto Ra Ro is the place to dine. I've been to many Italian restaurants in my time, but this is the one that creates food just like in Italy, or even better. The restaurant is located in the main strip in Concord. They have street parking. However this gets very busy especially Friday and Saturday nights so I suggest booking and getting there a little earlier.

You have the option to dine alfresco style under the sheltered canopy equipped with heaters for those rather chilly nights. If outdoor dining is not your style, then you can dine inside. There are also a couple of rooms available for booking small group functions.

The decor is simple and rustic. The earthy coloured walls and ornaments gives yet another Tuscan feel. The people that run the place are true Italian and hearing them speak to each other in Italian just makes me want to travel there again. The service is friendly and welcoming. The owners, at times would personally come and meet and greet you at your table.

The most recent experience I had of this place was at my friend's birthday. She had booked one of the small rooms separated from the rest of the tables by a partial wall and a few steps up on the split-level restaurant. Our party of 15 people pre-ordered the meals, which made things a little easier. However, catering for a large group will sometimes be full of chaos, mix-ups, and late guest arrivals (ahem .... *hesitantly raises up hand*) so the whole dinner went on a little longer than expected. Still, we all managed to get through the meal, sing "Happy Birthday", have cake and time to sip some tea or coffee ..... just! Then we had to be kicked out for the next group to enter. Despite being hurried, the waiters were considerate and tried their best. We weren't too concerned about being hurried out. We had to make it to a 10 Pin Bowling reservation afterwards, anyway.

The food was just amazing. You really get a taste of that home Italian cooked meal. Every dish I've tried is simply divine. They use the freshest seafood and the meat is cooked to perfection. I ordered the Cozze al Sugo o Vino Bianco, which contained black mussels in tomato, garlic and chilli or white wine, garlic and olive oil. Simple but tastes sensational. My main was the Farfalle Salsicce which consisted of Italian sausage, mushrooms, onion, and tomato with a touch of cream. (Here I go with the creamy pasta again!)

Farfalle Salsicce

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Unlike other Italian restaurants I've been to, this dish did not over do it with the cream. The servings are very generous. So choose an entree sized main if you have a small stomach. Another friend of ours ordered the Fettucine Salmone, consisting of smoked salmon, cream, shallots and tomato. Well, he is guy, so has a larger appetite than I do. He thought the serving was well proportioned and very good. It must have been, since he made two strikes in a row at the bowling alley later that night.

Fettucini Salmone

I definitely recommend this place if you're in the neighbourhood. There are also many gelato places to try after dinner. A nice stroll up and down the street with a gelato in your hand is the perfect way to finish off a nice evening from Il Tratto Ra Ro.

Il Tratto Ra Ro is opened for lunch on Wednesdays to Sunday from noon till 3pm and Dinner, Monday to Sunday from 6pm till 10:30pm. The average meal price is around $40, based on entree and main. BYO is permitted. Wheelchair access is available.

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Posted By: Maribeth - Category: Family Restaurants, Italian

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