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Review of: Fairbrossen Estate
5.7/10  
Date: 02-08-2009
Reviewed By: babs.666
Average Score: 5.7
European
Cafe
East
51 Carmel Road
Carmel
9293 5594
Food: 7
Service: 3
Atmosphere: 7

F airbrossen Estate (Devonshire Teahouse)
This cafe style eatery was ‘almost’ great, set in a beautiful vineyard under an airy pergola with leisurely Sunday lunchers it was close- but alas no cigar.
I had the Moroccan lamb pie, the meat was delicious and tender with the right amount of spice and yet it was served in an oval dish with a square of commercial puff pastry haphazardly sitting on top. The lamb shank was nicely done yet it was served with a dry mash and the scrumptious beef and mushroom pie was served with vegetables which may have come directly from a 'Steam Fresh' packet.

Desserts on the other hand were delectable, extending the ‘at home’ atmosphere of this family establishment. My (GENEROUS) portion of lemon meringue tart was delightfully tangy and the chocolate cake was still warm from the oven, just like mum used to make so to speak.

It’s the little things which spoiled it for me; we had to politely ask the waiter to clear our lunch plates, the whipped cream from a can dumped on the edge of every cake, tart or biscuit and the spoons handles were resting in the dessert made for sticky fingers. Finally -how can somewhere claiming to serve Devonshire tea get away with a teapot of hot water with a Lipton tea bag floating in it (what has happened to REAL tea leaves!!!???)

However, our Sunday outing was indeed lovely with plenty of space for the kids to run about outside whilst we tasted some very drinkable wines. This is a cafe with reasonable cafe lunch prices and yet it has the real potential to be something more.



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Reactions (20)

I have been here and I agree - 2
10%
I have been here and I disagree - 7
35%
I will definitely try this place now - 3
15%
I might consider this place now - 1
5%
This review hasn't altered my view - 2
10%
I probably won't try this place now - 1
5%
I will definitely steer clear of this place - 4
20%

Comments - ( Click Here to join up, so you can post a comment! )

Date: 8:59 pm 10th Apr 2010

Name: Sheiro

Host: 122.110.161.231.optusnet.com.au

Six of us booked and paid in advance for our meals. The views were great but the service and customer rapport was appalling.

Just abvout everything we ordered on the day from the menu was 'unavailable' so we really can't comment on the food.

In view of this, we decided to leave to better spend our money elsewhere, and politely requested a refund on monies paid.

To our horror we were met with a torrent of verbal abuse and expletives from the chef, who we later discovered was also the owner of the place.

It is appalling that attitudes like this still exist in a industry whose very survival depend on the the 'hospitality' they demonstrate towards their clientele.

We left terribly disappointed that a day we had put so much planning into, was spoilt by someone who probably was having a bad day.

Date: 10:36 pm 11th Apr 2010

Name: idolyz

Host: 203-59-10-201.dyn.iinet.net.au

RE: review from Sheiro

I was working there on the day this happened and I see it another way. Being a quiet day and only 11am, the customers were told there would be a 30 minute wait on the quiche they ordered, so it would be nice and fresh.

Displaying their frustration, they asked for their money back, which was given without hesitation. They then felt the need abuse the chef/owner, who was quite upset at the time. It is true that the she said something she immediately regretted and apologised for later, but it was in no way unprovoked. This is the first time something like this has happened, and if respect is shown, respect will be given.

It was an unfortunate situation, and I hope the ladies were able to enjoy the rest of their day...

Date: 8:48 pm 13th May 2010

Name: Sheiro

Host: 114.75.56.230.optusnet.com.au

WHAT A TOTAL LIE!! Were you in fairy land at the time. You were an absolute coward standing their like a mouse while your boss abused us. You acted as if we didn't exist when we asked you if we could speak to the boss or the owner.I had to go and investigate myself later to find out that the Chef was also the owner. WE DID NOT INTIATE THE ABUSE AT ALL. We were their to celebrate a friend's birthday which you so sweetly acknowledged. It was the chef who began the tirade of abuse when we asked her what we could have, since nothing else was available from the menu that YOU had given to us. To call customers F****** stupid and to single out one person and call her a F****** scottish B**** is NO EXCUSE WHAT SO EVER!! As for the "nice and fresh quiche" arriving in 30 mins, their was nothing available to us to begin with(Even the meal of the day wasn't available). If that was the case we would have been very happy to wait since we had already paid for our orders. We only decided to leave when your boss began to verbally abuse us.
What refund are you talking about? You didn't even give us a receipt. As for respect, your boss was the first one to call us F***** illiterates and told us that she didn't like the F****** likes of us and would be happy to see us leave. I'm am more than happy to give people more details. After all there was six of us their to witness the events that took place. Three of us even walked away to avoid confrontation while your boss still continued to throw her arms in the air and swear at us. Well I feel sorry for you. I guess you need to support your boss as you really need the job. You were lucky we didn't take this matter to the Australian Consumer protection of even post the mobile phone footage of the abuse on the internet. To all those reading this in NO way did we provoke the owner. We were all having a wonderful time until, I guess, we asked the most fateful queston... "What can we have since nothing on your menu is available?" Is that considered provocation? I guess now that this incident has happened maybe Fairbrossen Estate can now provide better customer service and for the chef to think before she acts in such an appalling manner. By the way the chef did not formally apologise. The last thing she said to us as she walked into her kitchen was, " You F****** stupid B****".
I hope those who do visit this winery have a much more enjoyable experience than we did.

Date: 1:16 pm 19th May 2010

Name: idolyz

Host: thelof.lnk.telstra.net

You have me confused for someone else... I don't work in the tearooms, but on the property. I'm going off what I heard and was told.

It is actually illegal to post footage from a restaurant publicly for security and privacy reasons.

To everyone else, don't let this lady's "alleged" experience put you off going to Fairbrossen, the other 99% of people have a much more enjoyable time.

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