OSTRO Eatery — Restaurant in Rockingham

I struggle to understand the rave reviews, as our experience fell far short of expectations.

Starting with the beer: I ordered the Super Crisp Ale by Northern Brewing Co. As someone with years of homebrewing experience and a discerning palate for ales, I was disappointed. The ale had noticeable off-flavors, a doughy aftertaste, and very little carbonation which are classic signs of yeast contamination, likely due to improperly cleaned lines or poor sanitization. I brought this up with the manager, who kindly waived the charge for the beer.

Next, the steak sandwich was underwhelming. It lacked flavor overall, and the small slice of ham was oddly placed on only one half of the sandwich. The "steak" itself was thin, barely 6mm (1/4"), overcooked, and completely unseasoned, resulting in dry, uninspired meat. The side of chips, while tasty, consisted of just over a dozen pieces far too few to complement the meal.

The lake of cleanliness inside and out were apparent and considering the portion sizes, these are generally signs of a struggling restaurant or at the very least one that is trying to maximize profits.

The staff was friendly, but they lacked attentiveness. No one checked in to ask how the food was, and empty glasses went unnoticed. We requested an extra plate twice from two different waitresses but never received it. The outdoor seating was disappointing, situated street-side on a grimy sidewalk. The ambiance was overshadowed by the constant noise of roaring Harleys and heavy traffic. The fixed umbrellas provided minimal shade, making it challenging to find a comfortable spot.

With so many other dining options in the area, unfortunately we cannot recommend this establishment...

I’m puzzled by the glowing reviews, as our experience fell significantly short of expectations.

The Beer: I started with the Super Crisp Ale by Northern Brewing Co., and as an experienced homebrewer with a discerning palate, I found it disappointing. The ale had clear off-flavors, a doughy aftertaste, and minimal carbonation—common signs of yeast contamination, likely from poorly sanitized lines or improper cleaning. When I raised these concerns with the manager, they graciously waived the beer charge.

The Food: The steak sandwich was lackluster. It lacked seasoning and flavor, with an oddly placed small slice of ham only covering half the sandwich. The steak was thin (about 6mm/¼"), overcooked, and completely unseasoned, resulting in dry and uninspired meat. The accompanying chips, while tasty, were disappointingly sparse, with barely enough to complement the meal.

Cleanliness and Ambiance: Both the interior and exterior showed signs of neglect, contributing to a sense of decline. The outdoor seating, situated on a dirty sidewalk, was uninviting. Noise from traffic and roaring motorcycles made it hard to enjoy the space, and the fixed umbrellas offered minimal shade, making it difficult to find a comfortable spot.

Service: While the staff was friendly, they were inattentive. No one checked in on our meal, and empty glasses went unnoticed. We requested an extra plate from two different waitresses, but it never arrived.

Given the underwhelming food, lack of cleanliness, and inattentive service, it’s hard to justify a visit here when there are so many other dining options nearby. Unfortunately, we can’t recommend this...

Review is purely based on the food the service is quite good here but unfortunately no amount of service can save this place as the food is extremely sub par.

I got oppas fried rice and unfortunately got steamed rice with some spices which was in no way fried at all with a dried picked of fried chicken that had quite a nice sauce on it. The brocollini on it was cold as well.

Also got an iced mocha that had off sour cream on top and whilst they did not charge for it to get it in the first place is not great.

Unfortunately the food is sub par but the price is quite high.

Really disappointing as it looked like quite a nice joint and had good reviews and I'm not sure how or of standards of the kitchen have dropped dramatically of late.

I recommend going to Lu Lu's down the road it's cheaper and the food is of a much higher calibre

Edit below in response to ostro

I did mention the drink which I am very aware was not sour cream but sour because it tasted off and out of date and after mentioning that and getting the fried rice could not be bothered complaining again as the trend was set for me also my hot chocolate was extremely watered down and tasted like milk with I little bit of chocolate in it I appreciate the response but I did give you guys a chance and unfortunately you did not meet my standard instead take the criticism and look to improve rather than...