Rick Stein at Bannisters — Restaurant in New South Wales

Wine list - 3 stars, very limited red selection and extremely limited by the glass options Food - overall 3 stars: Seafood quality 5 stars, dish seasoning 3 star (overpowering and poorly balanced with no options for guests), dishes overly oily, steak was 4.5 star but peppercorns were lethal if you bit into them, fish variety 3.5 stars (expected more), no squid options which is both economical and environmentally conservative, no mud crab or bugs (just observation); overly conservative menu selection paired with with anti conservative recipes that you may or may not love depending on mood and palate. I would have liked more side sauces instead of on the seafood with other options such as melted butter for conservative folks and to increase enjoyment rather than soaking seafood in spice, herbs, and oil. Execution of cooking was excellent as fish was cooked perfectly 5 stars for cooking and timing and plating, dishes has Asian influence (aka peanuts and chilli with mussels and clams) which were ok but not stellar. A matter of opinion. Best experience of my meal - steak by far (without whole peppercorns though) with above average Shiraz for pairing; swordfish was cooked perfectly but on a bed of oil again Least fav - seafood platter and Coonawarra Cab Sauv by the glass (was horrible). How you pick a bad vintage from this region is difficult. Service - 5 stars Flow of meal - 5 star Dish compatibility, structure, and variety - felt dishes didn't compliment each other but we're more of the same with sauce, too much oil, fresh ingredients but overly spiced, not enough choose your own adventure or ability to try seafood without the sauce or different sauces. They came out of kitchen on time and pace was excellent. The server was our hero. Atmosphere - 5.5 star Price - moderate (probably the cheapest fine dining meal we had for this Xmas by far and we drank a fair bit). We didn't order some of the top priced items such as lobster/crayfish but has the swordfish and steak. I did not feel confident doing this as I did not have any of the appetizers resonate with me. Would I come back - yes, but hesitant with ordering as dishes did not inspire confidence I would enjoy them due to construction and spices. All were tasty just lacking perfection or ability to pick and...

The room itself was pretty nice although some of the fixtures and fitting had not been finished i.e. could still see fasteners in the bathroom cabinetry. The back of the hotel was bleak and grim and the balcony walkways were dusty and dirty and looked like tradesmen had just left - a few popt plants would enhance this otherwise cold and prison like appearance enormously. The lunch "area" had the feel of an airport lounge and would ave benefited massively from being separated off from the reception. Lunch was OK but nothing to write home about. My partner's dinner was lovely but my fish pie was distinctly bland and had the appearance of a pre-made frozen meal - I have eaten in other restaurants and think he would have had a blue fit at my offering. Honestly, in normal circumstances, I would have sent it back but it was my partner's and my birthday weekend away and I didn't want to spoil are fun. After dinner we went to the pub which was empty and then on to reception. After our 2nd drink we were told that the bar was shutting, I inquired as to why and was told because the staff had wanted to go home - this was at 9pm when the info in our room said the bar was open to 10pm. I advise the lady that this was the case and was informed quite rudely that we could have one more. I don't know if the lady was acting on hotel instructions but, if I pay for a service then I expect to be able to receive it. The hotel either needs to review its policy or speak to its staff regarding this matter as it is unacceptable. This review related to a a stay about 8-9 months ago but I have been planning to go away again and that reminded me of how below par this was. I hope things have improved...

My husband managed to secure a booking for a family of 4, after most people wait for months to get a reservation. We are foodies and seek great flavors, local produce, as well as experience when fine dining, so driving a few hours from Sydney to have a weekend away, celebrating my 50th birthday-thought we couldn't go wrong at Rick Steins restaurant. Every boutique in Milton are talking about this restaurant. I was seated and wished a happy birthday upon arrival. Walking into the restaurant felt elegant. The atmosphere to the pool area was georgeous giving a Bali vibe, inside was more like a pub style setup, didn't feel too intimate at our round table. Viewing the menu, not much selection, so I assumed everything was perfected to masterchef quality. Menu: 4 starters $9 per oyster you would think it contained granita, 7 Entrees sashimi of kingfish, salmon and tuna was fresh and tasty, but really small portions $40, 7 Mains $50-$60 per plate- being so close to the ocean you would think you'd get more value for money...My Seafood Dieppoise contained more foam than seafood and value was in the display of 2 prawns a 3 mussels and a small sliver of fish, maybe 2 scallops, flavor ok, but lacked substance when your hopes were to delight in a great seafood experience, 6 sides to choose from. As the food came out, the small dishes were nicely presented, but the entire experience felt so underwhelming and left us disappointed. Cocktails very boring! Not a memorable food experience if that is what you are after. We left with a hefty bill, without having dessert and our stomachs growled all night. Sorry, I won't be recommending this restaurant to travelers, dining in Mollymook is a...