We had lunch here on Mothers' Day.
The food is always good here and the restaurant is always crowded.
As a special treat, every mother received a long-stemmed rose chocolate, and a ticket for one of about eight generous door prizes. These were at no extra cost.
Most restaurants I have visited on such an occasion don't offer added extras like that, but actually restrict their patrons to a set menu.
Here we could order what we liked, and the food was surprisingly quick to arrive at the table.
We were impressed with a job well done.

Approximate cost: $24

I have been using the Entertainment Books for several years and love them.
You really only need to use a Book three or four times in a year, and you've made your money back. From then on, every time you use it you are ahead.
Whenever I go on holiday I get a book for the appropriate location. They are better than hotel room restaurant guides if you need help finding somewhere to dine out.
They make great gifts for people you stay with or visit. Not so much for Christmas, because by then the book has had more than half its life, but even then they are an incentive to get out and try new things, and new places to eat at a reduced rate.

This week I had trouble with their website and was quite annoyed when my email to their Customer Service department seemed to be ignored. But patience won out and I received a call from a very brave young lady who was willing to take on a potentially irate customer, and help me with my difficulty.

So, my thanks and congratulations to Entertainment Book in Hawthorn for another job well done!

Incidentally, in the end, the problem seemed to be due to my computer more than to theirs.
So give them a try, the books really are excellent!

Tucked away behind a supermarket and other shops is this real find. The food is really good and reasonably priced - Atlantic salmon on couscous was $23, seafood risotto was $20, as was a very tasty and tender lamb shank on mash; desserts were $12.
The young wait staff were bubbly and friendly, and ready to help clients, in any way they could, to choose a meal they would enjoy.
The chef accommodated individual variations to the menu and the wine list is matched to the various dishes.
We were there on a Friday night and there was a live guitarist providing background music.
We in our group all agreed it was a place to come back to in future.

Approximate cost: $23

It was a cold morning, and the guys were friendly, offering a cup of tea and trying to make the huge reception area warm for me.
They did the job well within the estimated timeframe.
There is a lifetime warranty on the job, so if anything goes wrong I am sure they will fix it without delay.
It was a pleasure to deal with them.

Approximate cost: $400

I would like to encourage users to communicate with WOMO support staff if they need to.
I have been treated with respect, which I really appreciate, and my concerns were addressed appropriately.
Thank you to GP at WOMO

Four Maori guys came to our door. The boss of the group seemed knowledgable and they had an ABN and insurance so we gave them the go-ahead.
They chopped trees we didn't ask them to cut, and left others untouched which needed trimming.
They left a mess all over the yard, though their boss had said they would leave a neat stack.
They cut the felled trees into chunks too large to be handled.
They said they would come back to finish the job and remove a stump but they never showed.
We have since engaged another arborist, recommended on WOMO, to finish the job. He knows of the Maori crew, and without being given any other information recognised them purely by the job they had done. He said that the group works its way around, suburb by suburb, and that nobody ever hires them again because their workmanship is so atrocious.
Mind you, you couldn't get them back again even if you wanted to, because their phone number always goes to a machine and they never return the call.
If you meet these guys, give them a wide berth.
If I could give them negative stars, I would.

We decided to try sharing multiple 'small plates'. This worked well, although a lot of the dishes are deep fried. The food was nicely presented and the service was good.
They have a fireplace, nice for cold evenings.
It wasn't too noisy, even though most of the tables were full.

Approximate cost: $25

My place in the course was subsidised, which is why it was such good value.
The trainer made the subject interesting and fun, which was good, because it was a whole day of training.
There are plenty of cafes nearby for lunch, and free parking close by.
I had done a similar course several years previously and this one was much more enjoyable, so I am happy to recommend them.

We really like Deco for good food at reasonable prices.
My only complaint would be how noisy it gets, due to lots of hard surfaces, but what can you expect when it's always full of people talking?
The desserts and coffee are good too, which is great for that after-movie get-together.

Approximate cost: $19

The restaurant is small, but has a lovely position overlooking the vineyards, with a couple of well-shaded decks for enjoying the fresh air as well.
The meals are much as you would expect in the Yarra Valley - good quality food presented well but more expensive than a good meal in the suburbs.
The wait staff were attentive and friendly, providing extra butter for the yummy, housemade complimentary bread, and refilling glasses promptly.
It is a fair drive out of the city, but the Yarra Valley is a pleasant place to drive anyway!
A few more signs would make it easier to find the right way in.

Approximate cost: $35