Press — Restaurant in Dubbo

As a visitor to Dubbo from time to time, I have tried to visit Press on a Monday without success. Then, last Monday eureka - they were open. I checked, they are open on Mondays now.

There is a phrase I use on my reviews only for very special experiences at hospitality venues. Press is a class act.

The front of house staff are simply superb - even saying they are professional is an understatement.

The two main front of house (manager + another) were impeccably groomed, and had that skill that creates a relationship with a customer very quickly. They do this while not crossing the boundary into the customer’s world. I felt looked after and heard. They seemed to know what I wanted or was about to ask.

I was on my way home facing a long drive. I wanted something light just before the lunch time menu kicked in. I opted to sit in the outside area at the rear. My photographs give you good feel of how it looks. It is just lovely that the birds visit. I was in short sleeves on a warming up Dubbo morning so they found me a spot next to the firebox in the middle.

So I opted for a simple choice: avocado toastie, being Avocado, Tasmanian Fetta, Tomato Salsa & Pistachio Dukkah on Sourdough. What happened next propelled me to seek out the manager to tell him about my happiness. It is not often a restaurant can turn a simple menu item into a dish. Press did just that.

My toastie was outstanding. I enjoyed every morsel.

The second source of joy was my macchiato. This is my test of a barista. Perfectly constructed with good beans and augmented by the European feature of a small glass of mineral water, made the macchiato also a joy.

There is style and intelligence throughout this operation. I am delighted to finally get there. Press will be high up on my priorities on my next...

While we were ok with our first experience at Press and came back (originally would have liked a 4 star rating after the first), we found the service on Saturday morning well below acceptable.

Our 2 year old had the dippy eggs on the first day and it was less than manageable as they come in an egg carton and the eggs going all over the carton were lost and not salvageable. On our second visit we asked if we could get them poached or scrambled instead. Our waitress said there were to be no swaps and they HAD to be boiled and they HAD to be served in the carton.

While I appreciate some places do not allow menu swaps or alterations, the but that gives a 1 star is the comments from the waitress to my wife. While trying to find and alternate solution, the waitress said to her "do you know HOW to dip into the eggs?" then proceeded to talk down to her about the process.

We don't go out for a meal to be embarrassed and ashamed. For a server to do this is abysmal. An off the cuff comment without regard could be excused. A full condescending lecture to a 30 something's woman about the intricacies and complexity of dipping bread into an egg is unforgiveable.

I certainly hope that this is a once off, but considering the nature of this incident and the fact that this woman saw no issue in her comments is not giving me hope.

Edit for owners response: There is no benefit or reason for me to make up a story to make your business or practices look bad unnecessarily. Instead of apologising or taking ownership of poor behaviour, you deny it in email...

Dubbo is famous for its cafe culture and Press is a famous cafe in Dubbo. A local icon and solid contender, 5-stars for food, service and atmosphere. Centrally located in Dubbo’s fine-dining district on Bultje Street, it’s the perfect place to relax solo or with friends and experience Dubbo’s distinctive seasonal changes. In Winter sit inside near the open wood fires as the pleasant scents of freshly ground coffee and wood smoke intermingle. In Spring, sit outside on the porch and admire the play of morning sunlight amidst the steamy vapors arising from your poached eggs. In Summer ask for a seat out the back and admire the carefully curated hanging gardens where the cool breeze and refreshing gentle spray tame even the hottest days. And in Autumn, as the trees of Dubbo get ready for their end-of-season finale and a slight chill is in the air, take a spot on the back deck where the sun shines longest and contemplate your good fortune for having had the opportunity to experience the four...