Jishan Garden 极膳庭院 — Restaurant in Melbourne

A Disappointing Dining and Event Experience

My recent visit to Jishan Garden left me feeling less than satisfied, especially considering it was for a special event. I believe it's important to provide my feedback so that others can make informed choices when considering this venue for their gatherings.

Service: The service at Jishan Garden was slower than expected. During dinner, many tables had not yet received their drinks, creating an awkward moment when a toast was requested by the emcee. Efficient service is vital for special occasions, and this fell short of expectations.

Hygiene: Regrettably, during the meal service, I observed a staff member chewing and swallowing food while serving dishes to our table. This practice does not align with basic food service standards and was concerning.

Cleanliness: Despite its garden setting, the restaurant failed to maintain a tidy and clean event venue. Fallen leaves were scattered around, affecting the overall ambiance and experience.

Food Quality: The food, particularly the lobster, was not as fresh as anticipated, and some dishes arrived cold (with the exception of the soup). Portion sizes varied among guests, resulting in an inconsistent dining experience, which is disappointing for a restaurant with premium pricing.

Event Planning Concerns:

a. Table Setting: Despite reserving the restaurant for the entire day with promises of exclusivity, table settings were incomplete upon our arrival. We had to wait while staff hurriedly set up tables, chairs, and culinary items, which was unprofessional and displayed a lack of attention to detail. Additionally, the setting up of tables during the ROM ceremony next to the dining hall was distracting and disrupted the atmosphere, leaving us questioning the restaurant's competence.

b. Technical Failures: The technical aspects of the event were equally disappointing. The PA system and projector appeared to be malfunctioning, with inaudible audio during video presentations, causing unpleasantness among attendees.

c. Dessert Handling: Before dinner, desserts were served during a cocktail session, but I was concerned to see that they were left uncovered. This raised questions about hygiene and food safety practices.

Nestled within a luxurious heritage building with a captivating garden ambiance, Jishan Garden may initially seem like a hidden gem, but my recent experience revealed a different story. Slow service, inconsistent food quality, and a series of event planning and technical mishaps marred what should have been a delightful experience.

I extend my sympathies to the newlywed couple who selected Jishan Garden to celebrate their special day. What was meant to be a day filled with joy became marred by unforeseen challenges. Guests, including myself, traveled with anticipation only to leave somewhat disappointed. The couple found themselves extending apologies to their guests due to the unexpected hiccups provided by the restaurant.

This experience not only left guests frustrated but also cast a shadow over what should have been cherished memories for the couple and their families. In time, when they look back on their special day, they may remember the unfulfilled potential that Jishan Garden promised but did not deliver.

I sincerely hope my feedback serves as constructive criticism for the restaurant, enabling them to make improvements for future diners and helping potential event planners make...

We were a party of 6 adults and 3 boys aged 6-7, here for a birthday lunch. Perhaps we caught the restaurant on a bad day, the experience left a bitter taste in our mouth (pardon the google review cliché).

Overall the food was passable, the staff were green yet polite, the real surprise was served by the floor manager ( perhaps owner?) who directly voiced her dissatisfaction with the amount we ordered and spent on multiple occasions, while no expectations on this front had been communicated through the process of booking.

While taking the order, the manager noticed a pot of tea being served on our table. She commented ‘ oh you only ordered one pot of tea for the whole table?’ in a disapproving manner. It was our first time visiting this restaurant so we had no idea the tea pot would turn out to be diminutive, and no suggestion had been made by the waitress on the number of pots of tea when I ordered it.

The manager pressed us continuously to order two serves of each item to suit our group size, which we obliged mostly.

Upon entering the restaurant I handed a waitress some desserts for the birthday in a paper bag to be kept in the fridge. She gladly took them without any further comment. When the meal was nearing the end, we asked the manager to ready the desserts. She said ‘ we are very busy at the moment. You guys took up a big table for a long time, and you won’t even order desserts from us?’. By then we had been there for roughly 90 minutes, and no seating duration limit had been communicated to us previously. And the restaurant’s under-cover marquee section was completely empty. We decided to take the desserts home. At this point, the final dish wasn’t yet served- we had to doggy bag it.

Halfway through the meal, without being asked, a waitress produced 3 sets of plastic crockery(meant for toddlers) for the boys aged 6-7 who clearly seemed more than capable of using the premium-looking porcelain crockery. We said ‘no thank you’, and yet the elegant 4-pieces sets were quickly stripped off the bulk of the items and were left with just one bowl each for the boys. Were the staff worried about crockery breakage? Fair concern- however could this have been addressed more respectfully and professionally? The boys might’ve been occasionally loud but never at one point played with or showed lack of aptitude handling their crockery.

While settling the bill, one of us raised the point that no expectations on spending had been previously communicated to us. The manager’s response: ‘ I thought for a party of 9, the average spending would have been 90-100 per head’.

Again, we might’ve caught the manager or the restaurant on a bad day. The customers are not psychic, we could not telepathically read the restaurant’s specific expectations (beyond the Melbourne restaurant norms) unless they are clearly...

Well, where to start with Jishan Garden?

Human aspects:

The one person from the restaurant who interacted with me during dining was friendly, attentive, and eager to work through some language barriers as I do not speak Mandarin. This was a consistent theme when I asked questions surrounding the menu items requiring answers from the kitchen. I eat early and somewhat to my liking the restaurant was empty – and quiet. The restaurant is housed in a heritage building, and the thick walls mean absolutely no sound from St. Kilda Road is heard inside – pure bliss. As other diners filtered in, the noise quickly amplified off the hard surfaces – a warning for those who struggle in a social setting with tinnitus or background noise.

Décor:

There is a magic in the ambience created by the interior design of the restaurant. It’s clean, warm, interesting, orientally earthy and creates a feeling of tranquillity. The online presence boasts to be a suitable wedding venue, and the effort to create a special location is evident.

Food:

Apparently, I was the second person to try the “Chef’s Spring Banquet”. Surprisingly an item on the menu was unavailable, but the substitution was carefully selected and wasn’t disappointing.

Rather than go through every item, I will touch on the standouts for me personally. The black truffle and white fungus was perfectly balanced so the truffle did not overpower the subtle fungus flavours.

The preserved egg was amazing. The hot and sour sauce on the soba noodles is a hidden gem with a level of “zing” that leaves you wanting more. The pastry on the king crab spring roll was light, crispy and flavourful. The sauce accompanying the okra (not on the menu) mirrored the sauce on the soba noodles - delicious.

The chicken mince soup was replaced by a radish and beef brisket soup. Probably my least favourite item on the menu. It needed chilli or something to open the sinuses to enhance the subtle flavours of the broth.

In hindsight, I should have selected the toothfish over the wagyu to continue the journey between subtle and slightly stronger flavours. The pumpkin and broccoli accompaniment stepped outside of the “modern Chinese” experience I was seeking, especially at the price point of the banquet.

I would like to go back and sample the Sichuan items on the a la carte menu.

All in all, it was a delicious experience in a beautiful venue with a South Yarra...