Welcome to Friends Restaurant

Part of an email of thanks sent to Lesley and Clyde at Friends we would like to share:

Thank you for a most enjoyable evening last Friday (27 July 2007).

Being first timers at one of your events we were a little anxious about what to expect especially when faced with the prospect of sharing a table with six strangers!

We need not have worried as we all gelled like old “friends” to the point that others thought we were.

May we complement you on all aspects of the evening, our welcome, the idyllic setting, the table presentation, the attentive & courteous staff, the outstanding wine, the flavoursome food, the charismatic performance by Bobby Flynn and his Band and especially for providing all this at such a reasonable cost.

We will definitely be back.

Please keep on providing a great night out.

I died and went to Heaven....

Actually, my partner and I decided to celebrate a milestone - in style. She didn't know about the restaurant - but I didn't know about the limousine that collected us, either.

Check out http://www.friendsrestaurant.com.au/ and run the 'ActiveX' to get the videos the site offers. The site also offers the menu, prices, and winelist, so you know what you are up for in advance.

And the food is some of the best (definitely best presented) that I have had for the last couple of years (and I've been to some good ones if you read my reviews).

Before we had anything 'official' we were provided with a tasting of a mushroom soup 'complimentary'; it's richness and flavour meant we probably would have ordered it if it was on the menu.

For entree we shared two entrees - tofu with some of the more predictable accompaniments - except it was crusted in pepper and sesame, and a chicken liver terrine with a touch of foie gras. Certainly got the taste buds stimulated!

For mains, I had kangaroo with a range of accompaniments that included a bitter chocolate sauce. Incongruous though it may sound - it worked. Sue's fish was also flawless.

After the Grosset Rieslings, the Picardy 2004 Chardonnay certainly satisfied on the wine front (apart from the glass of McLaren Vale Shiraz which accompanied the kangaroo and which was just OK).

We didn't make it to dessert - sorry! because the menu is something to drool over.

The service was slick and professional, with Clyde 'doing the tables' and he and Lesley certainly staying on top of the operations. I had asked for a window seat, and got it, not realising that the layout of the restaurant only really offers two 'couples' window seats.

It was a fabulous night, for all of the right romantic reasons, and Friends certainly provided the setting, the mood and the food and wine to make sure it was special. When can I go there again??

My husband and I dined at Friends Restaurant on our anniversary recently and couldn't have been more satisfied with our choice. It is a wonderfully romantic restaurant, with great background music and tables that are spaced far apart from others, increasing the feeling of intimacy. The service was plentiful but at the same time unpretentious, and the staff were helpful and smiling all evening. There were plenty of choices on the menu; my one complaint was that I had difficulty choosing which desert to have! The wine list is unbelievable, and the red was served in enormous glasses. The biggest I've ever seen. I am looking forward to my birthday so we can visit again...

I've been wanting to try Friends at Hyatt for some time and so the opportunity arose last Saturday. The ambience here was lovely; the wait staff were courteous and polite without the attitude or snobbery that staff at other five star establishments possess.

The mains were above average though not amazing but the additional extras such as the complimentary pumpkin soup and canapés were appreciated. The bread selection and spreads were delightful with the creamiest butters and my dessert, a chocolate pudding with white chocolate mousse and chocolate sorbet was absolutely sinful.

Prices were what you would expect at a place like this and surprisingly the food was quite filling.

Definitely a lovely place to take someone for a romantic evening.