Reviews by Cassam

This review is for Pei Ho Chinese Take Away, Croydon North VIC

verified email - 18 Dec 2014

Pei Ho has lovely westernised Chinese food. The shop is basic but clean. They have no dining facilities but do delivery for $4 if you live in the local area. Delivery is usually quite quick and the food is hot when it gets to your door.

They offer fantastic lunch and dinner meals which are always good value for money. You can choose from a three different price headings with a big selection under each and get a bonus can of drink. Prices of these meals usually range between $ 9 - $14.

I am especially fond of the chicken and sweet corn soup which is thick, delicious and a good sized portion for the price. I also recommend the lemon chicken, you get a good amount of chicken and plenty of sauce served on the side.

They have a huge menu and all the food tastes lovely. The customer service is fairly basic but the staff are friendly, efficient and helpful. Well worth a look if you're after a tasty, quick, easy meal.

This review is for Croydon Osteopathy, Croydon VIC

verified email - 17 Dec 2014

I have been having shoulder pain for years and seeing chiropractors on and off for it with no real relief. My father visits here often for his arthritis and suggested I give it a go.

From the very first booking I felt confident in their professionalism, friendly service and expertise. The clinic is clean, spacious but the off street parking can be a little limited on a busy day.

The reception staff are efficient and approachable and the practitioners themselves are all patient, helpful and professional. I see Robyn now whenever I have a twinge of pain and she's simply fantastic at making sure you understand how your incurred the injury and what the treatment process involves.

I refuse to go anywhere else for me needs now, my shoulder has never given me any problems anymore and I thoroughly recommend giving them a go if you have any lingering problems which cannot be resolved by normal chiro methods.

This review is for Viva Mexico, Croydon VIC

verified email - 17 Dec 2014

I have been here quite a few times, normally for someones birthday as they have a special for that event, free main and dessert with a booking and a flyer.

The service is always friendly, the staff of out of their way to make sure you understand the menu and they are efficient. The meals are all reasonably priced and they quite often have coupons or discounts which are exceptionally good value for money. The atmosphere is nice and cosy, can get a little loud on busy nights but that's to be expected in a smaller restaurant.

The food is the disappointment for otherwise a great establishment. It's pretty standard but at times you feel you could have done just as well or better in your own kitchen. They are great with allergies or if you don't particularly like spicy meals. Its all fresh and good quality but the flavour is just a little lack luster for what I typically think of restaurant quality.

Still worth a look if you want a enjoyable night out with reasonable prices and a nice albeit standard meal.

This review is for Outback Jacks, Ringwood VIC

verified email - 17 Dec 2014

I have been here twice, once for a friends birthday and once for my husbands.

For my friends birthday the service was great, the atmosphere trendy but comfortable and the food was tasty, huge portions and great quality. I do not eat a lot of steak personally but the menu is varied enough so it suits anyone's taste. My hubby and 3 others participated in Jacks Challenge $49.95 - 1 kg rump, 1 kg of wedges and vegetables. 30 mins to finish and win a t-shirt and the meal on the house. My husband was the only one who finished the challenge, he was popping his jeans and the staff were entertaining and congratulatory.

When his birthday came about I decided to take him back, not for the challenge but for the service and food. I called and made a booking, making sure they were able to split bill which they confirmed they did. On the night the food was just as good, the atmosphere louder but it was more crowded and the service just as efficient, friendly and professional.

The only problem we had was when we came to pay, friends of ours left first but came back to the table in a hurry to inform us that whilst they did split bill they would only accept a card payment from one of the parties and everyone else had to pay in cash. I went down to speak to the cashier myself and was told it was standard company policy, I asked why I wasn't told this over the phone when I booked and was given the same line. No one at the table had any cash as we'd all come with our partners expecting to pay $50+ in food and drink. With no ATMs anywhere near the restaurant I was gearing up to drive 4 people to Eastland with me to find cash. Luckily someone had enough in their bank account to cover the total cost which came somewhere between $300-$400 whilst the rest of us scrambled to transfer money from our smartphones into their account to pay them back. I was very unhappy with the whole situation.

If someone invites me there now for a event I accept, making sure I take cash but I will not return from of my own accord. Otherwise service is normally great and food is lovely.

This review is for Allan's Bakery & Cakes Cafe, Kilsyth VIC

verified email - 17 Dec 2014

I went here for my wedding cake and was blown away by the customer service, quality and value for money.

I went in to see if I could arrange an appointment to speak to someone about my wedding cake and was told I could see someone immediately which suited my groom and myself fine. It was a little busy but they had more then enough staff members on so one was able to speak to us about our needs. They walked us through the process of ordering a cake, showed us several examples of designs they did and modified one slightly (taking a round design and making it square) at no extra cost.

The staff member was friendly, attentive and made the process easy for me. As I was getting married at Bram Leigh just up the road they delivered the cake and set it up on the day to the location so it was fresh, beautiful and delicious for the cake cutting.

I thoroughly recommend for any bride wanting a good, delicious cake which is great value for money and low on the stress.

This review is for Dr Glenda Harris Family Dentistry, Croydon VIC

verified email - 17 Dec 2014

I have never been afraid of the dentist but if you are this is the place to go.

My parents see Glenda and naturally I do as well now I have grown up and moved out of home. She is experienced, gentle and puts you completely at ease. She makes sure you are informed and comfortable during the whole process. I usually go in for a general check, scale and clean and I always come out with a smile on my face.

My husband has not visited a dentist in many years due to a bad experience as a child but for our wedding he wanted to get a broken tooth fixed for out photos. The surgery made time for us when he needed a follow up appointment after an initial consultation and Glenda was patient, professional and put him a ease for the whole journey. He now has regular check ups because he feels confident in the service he receives here.

This review is for Fairytales Bridal Boutique, Croydon VIC

verified email - 17 Dec 2014

I went here when shopping for my wedding gown.

The dresses were amazing, each gown was exquisite. I tried on three, none of the them turned out to be 'the one' but the quality blew me away. They offer days were the gown designers come into the store so you can talk to them and have a look at their latest collections.

The staff are attentive, professional and efficient. They were a little pushy for my tastes (overly flattering of gowns which really did not suit me) but otherwise genuinely friendly and helpful.

As a plus size bride the variety of gowns was greatly limited and cost quite a deal but they explained this as due to the extra time and material needed to make sure they were flattering for a more curvy body. I brought a horseshoe from them and it was beautifully made and good value for money.

This review is for Gloria Jean's Coffees, Chirnside Park VIC

verified email - 17 Dec 2014

This is my go to place for a relaxing coffee and cake. I have found the service and quality are better then any of its other local rivals or same franchise (such as Eastland).

I order the Very Vanilla Latte religiously and I am never disappointed. The coffee is creamy, hot and without excessive amounts of foam.

The food can be a little expensive but the quality is always good and you never feel ripped off with the cake portions. I usually have to let my husband finish it for me as its too much for me to eat alone.

The staff are excellent, it's really picked up in the last few years or so. The girls take the effort to get to know my name and regular order, they often strike up a conversation with me whilst I am waiting for them to make the coffee as well. They can be a touch slow on days but sometimes they are simply packed.

Well worth a visit if you're shopping and want a quick bite or coffee break.

This review is for The Pancake Parlour, Ringwood VIC

verified email - 17 Dec 2014

I go to the Pancake Parlour when I want to treat myself or for a quick meal with friends before catching movie.

The atmosphere is quirky and fun (giant chess set and moving flying machine). The tables can feel a little sticky and it can be loud but that is because it is a popular spot and generally always busy, especially on a Friday or Saturday night.

The food is lovely, no pun intended, but can be overpriced if not brought on a special or coupon. I often get the Traditional Bacon and Eggs - bacon, two pancakes, two eggs and whipped butter and it is always fresh, well sized and tasty. For $16.90 its not too bad in value.

I also recommend the Cheese and Potato Pancake but at $19.70 it can be expensive for a pancake and salad. The Bavarian Apple dessert is also delicious but at $18.30 its overpriced unless you can get it in a special combo. The drinks can take a long time to be delivered to your table as well so I recommend ordering as soon as you get there.

The staff are all super friendly but can muddle orders from time to time if it is busy. My husband ordered his breakfast without any mushroom as he's allergic and the plate came out with little pieces of mushroom on it as if they added it and quickly removed it when they realised. Unfortunately my husbands allergy cannot handle that kind of mistake and we had to wait to get a whole new meal which did take some time to recook and replace. However the staff were very apologetic and offered a 10% discount for the mistake.

Allergy suffers do need to be careful as they do cook their food on mass and will not use separate equipment to cater for a particular allergy, IE: all breakfast meals are cooked in one pan. Also, they will not offer a substitute or discount if you remove an item such as mushrooms from the breakfast so be prepared for that.

Overall good quality food, bit on the expensive side but great staff and pretty much a guaranteed good day out.

This review is for Daisy's Restaurant, Ringwood VIC

verified email - 17 Dec 2014

This is another example of standard pub fare as I call it, which on this occasion is disappointing considering the establishment is not strictly a pub and has a long history backing it.

I have been here on several occasions, usually for a family outing and once or twice for something different. The main attraction would be the playground and the specials nights which appeals to families.

The playground is run down and doesn't appear to be cleaned too often. Whilst it is all self contained you feel a need to keep an eye on any children as equipment is easily climbable and gives a bit of a sticky, uncleaned vibe.

The service can be incredibly slow especially when ordering from the bar as staff seem to quite often be on double duties as serving staff both behind counters and on the floor.

Depending on what you order and the day you attend the food can range from fairly standard to poor in quality. From my experiences the chicken parma is a safe bet on every night but not on the 'parma night' as its a bit slap dash then because every man and his dog is ordering one. The seafood basket is large and generally good quality but I would never order a pasta based mean as the sauce is always watery and flavorless.

The atmosphere can also be a bit hit-and-miss as well. During school holidays and 'kids night' don't expect to have a relaxing meal or be able to hear the other people at your table because it can get loud. Most nights the music is played a little loud as well, especially if you are sitting on the top tier and underneath can echo quite loudly as well.

I recommend it for people who are looking for a cheap meal with a bit of children's entertainment on the side.