Reviews by

Overall 6.8 - Food 6, Ambience 5, Value 8, Service 8

I've always wanted to go to a Fasta Pasta chain and see what the hype is all about, several friends of mine recommended this place so this is how it went..

the place was not exactly that easy to find, there were gigantic posters hanging over the entrance which kinda blocked the view.. but nevertheless i found the shop and as soon as i stepped in (around 6 when it wasn't really that busy) i was greeted with the manager (i presume) and he asked me to choose a table where i wanted to sit, i chose a corner table near the entrance and he promptly handed me the menus and advised that its counter service and i had to order at the register (which is fine by me because it saved me having to worry about how much i had to pay after the meal)

surprisingly, there wasn't really that many pastas to choose from, and most of them only go with napoli sauce.. i was expecting a lot more that, but i figured since its a chain shop they don't really get any freedom of creating their own dishes.. so i ended up ordering a gnocchi teresina (with morsel amount of chicken, broccoli, cashew sundried tomato which came in chunks and cream garlic sauce) and a glass of local chardonnay. as i walked back from the restroom my glass of chardonnay and a glass of water were already placed on my table. i only waited for a little bit until another server brought me some bread and softened butter. My pasta came just under 10 minutes and I was really surprised with the speed and efficiency if the service. I got to admit that the gnocchi was not the best i had, but its reasonable. everything tasted like it came straight from a microwave even tho the chefs in the kitchen were busying themselves making pasta on order.. the place was just by a busy street so it was kinda noisy from where i was sitting, but it's a really nice restaurant if u dont plan on spending heaps on something that u'd be too lazy to do at home   (August, 2009)

Overall 8 - Food 10, Ambience 7, Value 8, Service 7

Brunetti is a must-go if you are planning on visiting Melbourne. the range of sweets is unbelievable, I had the hardest time deciding what to have as everything looks scrumptious and I am a slave to desserts. I ended up going there twice. tiramisa was the best of the best and the berry compote tart was divine. capital!   (July, 2009)

Overall 8.5 - Food 9, Ambience 9, Value 6, Service 10

I have been up on mount buller three times and have had the pleasure of dining in the Drakes Restaurant twice. Both times we've taken up the 'cool deal' which includes two nights accommodation, ski hire, clothing hire, breakfast and a 2-course dinner. We would not have dined in this restaurant had not the dinner been included in the package as the pricings are a little out of proportion, which kind of make sense for a ski resort. Talking about the food, I was most impressed with the hot bread served at the beginning, it was baked soft and tender unlike the hard lukewarm ones you see anywhere else. entree was another highlight in both times, Drakes provided us some exciting menus with fresh ideas that again, are not seen anywhere else. the mains is a little average, although they always set the food nicely on big plates, the 'duck for two' however we had in both times were excellent, the duck was succulent and juicy and came in a large portion. dessert was pretty good, it's nice to know that there are actually some restaurants that are willing to take risks and invent some menus out of the ordinary - we ordered a cheese cake with fairy floss, it's kind of weird at the beginning but it became really addictive and I can't wait to try it at home next time. Overall the service was excellent, I suspected that they used some of their skiing staff as the waiters in the restaurant, but that did not undermine the impeccable hospitality they offered us, most of them were extremely friendly and easygoing. They made jokes but nothing really offensive. we had a great time there with live music performance in the lounge. Thank you Drakes for the amazing dining experience and I look forward to 'ducking inn' again in the future!   (July, 2009)

Overall 6.5 - Food 7, Ambience 8, Value 5, Service 6

NOT the best paella I've had, and with 24 dollars, I expected a big massive pan of it. That was the greatest upset of the night I must say. the tapas were nice and delicate but the flavouring was not impressive. only one server was on the floor that day so you'd expect some slow service. wine is average. place was roomy and the overall setting was rather intriguing.   (July, 2009)

Overall 9 - Food 10, Ambience 10, Value 8, Service 8

food was fabulous, i don't think i've eaten a better truffle omelet as the flavours just linger on in your mouth for some time before you drain it down with some excellent complimentary wine. every aspect of the restaurant was top notched and impeccable. service was good except for the emotionless expressions on the server's faces. the liquified ice was a bit of a surprise as was the white chocolate dessert with the insides oozing out of the cookie pastry. great experience overall, would definitely go back to try out new menus.   (July, 2009)

Overall 6 - Food 6, Ambience 6, Value 8, Service 4

food was ok, i had a chicken liver/mushroom risotto which everyone at our table loved except me, bit strong for my liking, special pizza came in a really large portion so everyone had a generous serve. it was just a little too noisy and u kinda have to shout to hear yourself think. apart from that, the service of one particular waiter was dodgy.. asked if we should pay at the counter or if he could bring the bill over to our table, to which he replied, u mite as well go to the counter and pay it yourself   (July, 2009)