Koomo Restaurant & Bar — Restaurant in Adelaide

Do NOT GO to the restaurant, Koomo, on the 10th floor for dinner. The worst service we have had in any Crowne Plaza, or in any restaurant in Adelaide, and the most incompetent management to fix a very trivial issue. Last night my wife and I had booked a table for 6 people - two clients and two colleagues from Sydney and Perth. The restaurant was about half full when we arrived. There were only 2 waitresses working in the restaurant, and it took us more than half an hour to be given menus, and a wine order to be taken.  It took another 20 minutes, after asking many times, for our food order to be taken. Two of our guests ordered a la carte from the menu,  and the other four wanted to try the "tasting menu" - more expensive than the al la carte menu, with various preset courses. This is where things really started to go wrong. The tasting menu consisted of a choice between beef and chicken. Three people wanted beef and the other person wanted chicken.We were told by the waitress that the kitchen would not cook only one chicken for one person, and that two people would have to have this - in other words the four people could be served either all beef, or 2 chicken + 2 beef, but not 1 chicken and 3 beef. We really thought the waitress was joking, but realised she was serious. We asked her, very politely, if she could have a word with the kitchen and try to arrange this "difficult" request. Some 15 minutes later the waitress returned and told us that it was not possible and the kitchen was not prepared to cook only one portion of chicken - it must be two portions and somebody else in our group wanting beef should cancel his beef and eat chicken instead. We asked to see the manager to see if he could sort this out, and very clearly told the waitress that if we could not get the food we wanted from the menu, then we would leave and go to another restaurant. No manager came to see us, but the waitress returned and told us that she had discussed with the manager and that the kitchen still refused to cook only one portion of chicken. We were not impressed. We paid the bill for the wine,  put on our coats and left the restaurant. As we were leaving someone from management (hotel or restaurant?) came to us and asked if we could reconsider and stay, and he would "try" and convince the kitchen. Too late - our first experience of trying the Koomo restaurant had already been spoiled - poor service from the beginning and no feeling whatsoever for handling customers, and not any attempt to fix the very minor point of what we wanted to order by the management, until we were actually leaving. I do not blame the waitress - she was caught in the middle with no support from the kitchen staff or the management. This is absolutely a management issue - one of making sure that all staff are trying their best to give good service to their customers, especially if the restaurant is selling itself as a high end one. Needless to say none of the six of us will go back,  and all of us have agreed that we will not use The Crowne Plaza Hotel in the future - either personally or by placing any more of our visiting...

Dinner at @koomo_adl - been meaning to try them out for a while because of its location, and I've heard good things 😊. The food was overall very good quality and very tasty, but I have to say some of the mains were a bit on the small side. Some of the entrees were as filling as the mains 😅. Service was good. Drinks selection was abundant. I would definitely go back again, simply because the food was good 😋. . Chicken katsu sando, bulldog sauce: this was super delicious! The bread wasn't too heavy, and the katsu was nice and crunchy, with tender chicken in the middle. Excellent dish! . Wagyu beef and shitake mushroom dumplings, chives, spicy truffle beef lardo: these dumplings were really tasty 😋. . Zucchini flower, black sesame ricotta, nori wrapped tofu, tempura with spicy miso: fried vegetable - can't go wrong 😅. . Koomo lobster roll, avocado, pickled shallots, tobiko, soft roll: wow this was absolutely delicious! The bun was super soft, and the lobster filling was nice chunks of lobster meat. Yummy 😋😋😋. . Torched salmon sashimi, wasabi, radish, soy, mirin dressing, pickled jerusalem artichoke: lovely sashimi with a really tasty dressing! . Seared Japanese scallops, miso pear dressing, furikake crispy noodles, charred snow peas: this was one of the "chef's specialties" under the "big plates" section of the menu. The scallops were very tender, and the dressing worked really well with them. But at 31$ it's a bit on the pricey side for 4 scallops 😅. . Beef short ribs, rice cakes, daikon, galbi sauce: this was such a yummy dish! The flavours were amazing, and the beef was super tender! . Charred Japanese eggplant, Dirty Inc lentil curry, cherry tomato, togarashi yoghurt, curry leaves, crispy paratha: interesting combination of Japanese style eggplant with a lentil curry and roti?! - never had this combo before! Good fusion. Good flavours. . Teriyaki Saskia Beer chicken, miso leek puree, fried potato, nori powder: the flavours were excellent, and the chicken was very tender, However, at 42$, a few pieces of chicken, although very tasty, is a bit pricey. . Crushed potato, spring onions, truffle mayo, parmesan: potatoes never fail as a side dish 😅. . Matcha opera gateaux, wild currant berry creamy: picture perfect, not very sweet, and the matcha flavour was pretty good. The opera cake's texture was on point! . Crystal pear tart, spiced gianduja chocolate: this dessert dish was so pretty! almost didn't want to break the dome 😅. I...

As someone who has tried high tea at many establishments throughout Adelaide, after having the pleasure of dining at Koomo, I can confidently say that their high tea experience is head and shoulders above the rest.

Starting as you walk in with a stunning sweeping panoramic view of the city and adelaide hills through the floor to ceiling windows of this 10th floor restaurant, you are greeted with a well lit (yet not too bright) Japanese aesthetic that has been executed beautifully through their impeccable furniture and decoration design choices.

Moving to the high tea, starting off strong with their stunning presentation, serving the high tea within a golden metal circle, the food upon mirrored shelves. My wife was poured a glass of Mumm Champagne, and as I was the designated driver, I was presented with a plethora of non-alcoholic options, of which, I selected their virgin passionfruit mojito which was absolutely divine. Each food component has been constructed with careful consideration and artistic flair. To say they were textbook representations would be an insult. The offerings from this high tea were masterfully and artistically constructed from the plate up, visually stunning pieces that looked almost too good to eat, subtly complex flavours that play off of, and compliment one another, and the portions were perfectly sufficient, not to much, not too little, and as I had mentioned to them that we were celebrating our anniversary, they topped one of the desserts with a chocolate "happy anniversary" plaque. For these reasons, they are a cut above the rest.

And finally, service. It was lovely being warmly greeted, yet not set upon as we first stepped into the restaurant. We were guided to our seats, and offered drinks while we wait. I was impressed that when I informed her that I wouldn't be imbibing, I was offered some truly fabulous alternatives. The waitress was attending not only our table, but also a large party and one other table as well, and despite managing all of us, she was attentive without hovering, prompt without being rushed and all the while, warm and courteous. Her attention to detail and her kind yet professional demeanour did not only mark her as an asset to Koomo, but made our first experience memorable.

We will definatly be returning to this absolute gem of...