Bellevue Cottage By Antoine — Restaurant in Sydney

Victim of Mother's Day Mousetrap.

I've been to Antoine's before and the food has been quite impressive. So I swallowed the $130pp prix fixe for Mother's Day in a small group. Frankly it's a bit outrageous for a 3 course meal with no alcohol included - it's roughly what Rockpool charged for it's 7-course degustation.

In this case I knew there was a holiday premium and that the meal would in some respects be overpriced. I did not expect this disaster.

First we were seated at a table lacking sufficient place settings (because of the difference). We had to ask 3x to secure cutlery and a place setting for one member of the party. 30 mins for a water glass.

We ordered and the wait staff were using an iPad PoS. 30 mins post order (and 3 requests later) and the drinks had not arrived. About 40 mins post order another waiter approached and asked if we had ordered. When we indicated we had he looked at his iPad, confirmed, and apologised for bothering.

Another 5 minutes later and the original waitress came back to say our order had been lost "by the system." So, 45 mins after ordering we ordered again. We were told this had happened to several tables - the iPads were not working correctly.

It would be another ~20 mins before our starters came. In that period we had at least four different junior waitstaff arrive at our table carrying random food, drinks, bits of place settings asking if they were for us. None were. The restaurant was clearly staffed up with a lot of VERY inexperienced temp staff. At one point a waitress arrived while we ate our starters and just delivered a random dessert without a word.

For a cafe serving smashed avocado on toast this is all forgiveable. It is NOT acceptable for an aspiring fine-diner charging $130pp for a lunch.

One hour and 45 minutes in mains arrived. The mains were mediocre at best (I had an unenjoyable fish pie with undercooked crust and unbalanced seasoning), presumably because the kitchen was so desperately far behind. They were also not exactly generous. The kids portions ($60 for a tiny fish&chips + dessert) at neighboring tables were laughable. Other tables had kids going nuts because they were hours into lunch and mains or desserts were not being served. The next seating was standing outside the restaurant for upwards of 45 mins because our seating was so far behind. It made for an exceptionally uncomfortable experience.

Dessert came rapidly after the kitchen bottleneck was finally unstuck. It was ok if a bit uninspired. Getting a tea again required about 20 mins and 3+ requests.

When the bill came it had to be corrected three times. Not because we demanded free items, but because it was larded up with things we had not ordered or which were unidentifiable ("special request"). I will give the benefit of the doubt it was not intentional, but after all this the appearance of an attempt to overcharge was extraordinarily frustrating. There was also ZERO attempt to make up for the experience - not even knocking a glass of wine off the bill.

I get that holidays represent a great guest mousetrap in which restaurants exploit heightened demand to charge a major premium - more understandable after a tough year. It's a bit annoying, but it comes with an expectation that a joyous experience will be delivered.

Antoine's got very greedy. It overcharged and under-delivered by epic amounts. It overbooked the restaurant and provided woefully inexperienced staff for this caliber of restaurant (at least aspirationally), and had a meltdown in the kitchen and PoS system. More than that, other than one poor waitress who couldn't stop apologizing, no one seemed to care. No managers in sight. No offers to look after patrons waiting hours for their lunches. No reduced bills.

Just slow consumption of the patrons stuck in the Mother's Day mousetrap. It was offensive.

2 stars because 1-star ratings are too...

Our experience with this venue was honestly so horrid, it’s hard to put into words. At least we can laugh about it now but if you're considering this place, please save yourself the heartache and go elsewhere.

We booked a wedding tasting and dinner two months in advance both over the phone and via email, we travelled 2.5 hours, excited to spend our long weekend checking out what we hoped would be our dream venue. We even sent a confirmation email the morning of because we were so excited. To their credit, they did reply, confirming our booking.

When we arrived, we were told… there was no booking. Not exactly the start we imagined for our wedding planning journey.

After flashing a few emails like backstage passes, we were hurried into the bar area. The staff were clearly overwhelmed, lots of frantic drink-pouring and tense back-and-forth between team members. The vibe was tense. Our 7pm reservation slowly ticked into 7:45pm, and we still hadn’t seen a table or even a breadstick. We were, however, offered guava juice. Eventually, one small plate of food showed up.

We were told a table was ready, so we gathered our things and stood up; only to be told to sit back down, it wasn’t ready after all.

We were the. led outside, even after clearly stating we wanted to stay indoors due to the freezing weather and wind. We were then returned to the bar area, only to be collected again and yes, you guessed it—taken back outside! At this point, we were just relieved to be one step closer to food. But no, we were soon uplifted again, this time to the side of a cottage, where we were greeted by one of the owners. Unfortunately, instead of letting us settle in or offering anything to eat, we were immediately asked which wedding package we were going to pick—despite not having seen a menu or tasted a single proper dish.

The events menu couldn’t be found, so a large laptop was placed on the table instead. Again, the owner pressed us: Which package? When are you booking the wedding? I gently reminded him that we had already booked the venue and provided the date but that we couldn’t possibly commit to a package or menu without tasting anything first.

The owner then advised that they had an influx of bookings in the 48 hours leading to this evening, he then blamed us for the confusion, claiming we should have been clearer that we wanted both dinner and a tasting. Umm… what?! We had been booked two months ago specifically for dinner and a wedding tasting.

Eventually, a small bread roll with crushed olives was brought out. I said, “Wow, this looks fantastic, what is it?” The owner fumbled through a few guesses and then said, “Look at the menu.” At this point, we weren’t sure if he meant the glaring laptop on the table or the paper menu that had been hastily placed over our plates.

To top it all off, the heater next to us was being loudly banged in an attempt to get it working. So, there we were. . . cold, hungry, mildly interrogated, and now accompanied by a soundtrack of clanging metal, repeated questions like “What package?” and awkward small talk like “Do you come to the city often?” every time silence fell (which was often).

We decided to cut our losses and leave before being asked to play another round of musical chairs.

In the end, we felt genuinely disappointed. The experience was unbearable, so much so that by the end, the best part of the entire venue was the unlit exit path.

To any couples considering this venue: visit in advance. And maybe pack snacks… a jacket… and a full...

A Culinary Delight at Bellevue Cottage Restaurant by Antoine

My partner and I recently had the pleasure of a taste and tour dining experience at Bellevue Cottage by Antoine to check it out for a potential wedding location and it was an extraordinary experience that left us in awe of the culinary delights of French cuisine.

From the moment we stepped into the restaurant, we were greeted with a warm and inviting atmosphere. The elegant decor, soft lighting, and tasteful music playing in the background set the stage for an unforgettable evening especially considering the historical setting which Peter was more then happy to give us an insight too, there are many small personal touches that make the venue not only a great visual experience as well as an interesting historical place to have a nice meal.

The staff were well mannered and friendly, the event manager Peter guided us through the menu offering recommendations and ensuring that our dining preferences were met. Their passion for food and dedication to providing exceptional service was evident in every interaction.

As we savored each course, it became clear that the chef's expertise was unparalleled. The menu showcased a perfect balance of traditional French flavors and innovative culinary techniques. Each dish was a work of art, beautifully presented and bursting with exquisite flavors.

We started our culinary journey with the canapés that awakened our taste buds. The flavors were harmonious, and the attention to detail was evident in every bite. The entrees that followed were equally impressive, with the confit of Petuna salmon and tartare “train -bleu” being standout dishes. The richness and depth of flavors were simply divine.

For the main course, we indulged in slowly cooked pork belly and 220g Angus reserve eye fillet as well as trying the rest of the mains on offer which were all equally delicious.

To end our culinary adventure on a sweet note, we indulged in a selection of desserts. It is hard to pick a favourite!.

Throughout the evening, Peter gave great suggestions for which wines to match with each course, enhancing the flavors and elevating our dining experience.

Bellevue Cottage Restaurant by Antoine truly exceeded our expectations. The impeccable service, the exquisite flavors, and the attention to detail made it an evening to remember. If you're seeking an extraordinary French dining experience, look no further than Bellevue Cottage by Antoine. It is a culinary haven that will transport you to the heart of France and leave you craving for more.

A huge thank you to Peter and the team for such a great and relaxing...