Double Bay Restaurant

Double Bay's manager screwed up our seating. We called in on the Friday morning itself, and were told that we could only get a table for 3 at 8.30pm.

We arrived early for our dinner - at 750pm, cos we were tired of shopping and wanted to try our luck. We were told that our table wasn't ready, but we could sit outisde on one of their high tables in the meantime. After about 15min, the manager came to our table and asked if we had specified any preference for seating (they have both indoors and al fresco seats). My friend who made the reservation said that she was not asked, but our preference was for indoor seating. The manager then continued on to say that "since you didn't specify what kind of seating you want, we only have outdoor tables for you".

Firstly, this is the problem with her staff who took the call.
More importanly, she was implying that it was our fault that we couldn't get indoor seating because we didnt' specify where we wanted to seat, when it was really the restaurant's fault.
She didn't even bother to apologise, and instead tried to shift the blame.

When 830 came, we asked another waitress if our table was ready - a resonable request since we had made a booking for 830pm. She pointed to an empty 2 seater table inside, which was beside another 2seater table occupied by a Caucasian couple and said that the empty table was ours, and we had to wait for the Caucasian couple to finish eating.

I then asked why was the couple not informed that they would have to give up the their table by 830, since the table was reserved for us. All other restaurants would inform you what time you had to vacate the table, if they are expecting customers with reservation. She then said that they had informed the couple, but since they were still eating, there was nothing that the restaurant could do about it. She then suggested that I speak with her manager.

Of course, the manager herself never turned up - but we were finally ushered to the empty 6 seater table (which was empty since we arrived) without any apology or explaination.
Kurobuta Pork Belly ($12) wth apple sauce.
The pork belly was pretty good - tastes like Chinese Roast pork, just that it had apple sauce.

For the fish and chips, a miserable portion as pictured above ranges from $21 to $26, depending on the type of fish you pick. Between the three of us, we tried the Snapper ($21.90++), Grouper aka Barred Cod ($24.90++) and the Chilean Seabass ($26.90++). You get to choose the type of batter - we all choose beer battered.

Obviously, you're supposed to fill yourself with lots of carbo cos there's a tonne of thick cut fries on the plate. They should just rename the dish Chips and Fish, since there's so much more chips and a meager portion of fish.

We actually wanted to share 2 desserts amongst the three of us, but then being the greedy people we were, we were unable to decide which two desserts to pick (cos all of them are 'Australian' desserts, or had the word 'Australian' in them, so we felt compelled to try all).

We came to the unanimous conclusion that the pavalova (I think it was about $12, all the desserts were around the same price) was the best tasting of the lot. Refreshingly tangy berry sorbet, fresh cut berries embedded over a smooth and creamy lemon curd, on top of a palm sized pavalova. The pavalova was crispy on the outside, and it crumbled into a chewy sticky mess when eaten with the lemon curd and sorbet.
The 'Australian' apple pie was so-so - the tart was made from shortcrust pastry which was really quite thick, and the apples and sauce reminded me of the applepie from Macdonalds. Not very inspiring - it was served with normal vanilla flavoured ice cream.

The 'Australian' Sticky Date Pudding was a dissappointment. Marmalade Pantry's sticky date pudding ia a million times better. This just tasted like kueh, and had the texture of kueh, and had hardly any dates inside. If this was my first sticky date pudding, I'd have refused to try anymore cos it was so tasteless and unspiring and completely not sticky at all.

My unbiased recommendation for the food (food only, not service): Come here for the Pavalova - the rest aren't worth eating. If you're craving for Fish and Chips, go to either Fisherios at the Takashimaya Basement Food Court (less than 10 bucks can get you a great Beer Battered Fish and Chips - though I haven't been there recently so I'm not sure of the standard now, but I shall go and try soon) or Fish and Co!

Double Bay Restaurant

252 North Bridge Road

#01-22A Raffles City Shopping Centre

Tel: 6334 6530
(Facing Raffles Hotel, right next to the main road, so unless you want all the pollution and dirt to get into your food, call early and specify that you want a table INSIDE, cos their incompetent staff will not ask you).