Canterbury League Club — Restaurant in Sydney

I was invited by a family friend and Club member to sample Flame Grille restaurant's new Spring menu recently. We were not disappointed. After enjoying a drink at the adjacent cosy lounge area we proceeded to the dining room. We met the lovely head chef Kamahl and then proceeded to sample and enjoy the magnificent range of courses that followed.

Firstly tasty Mezze plates (the hummus was the best I've ever tasted) and a fresh Goats feta salad with picked beetroot and roast butternut pumpkin.

The 2nd course followed. My favourite was Spanish style chicken with chorizo with tomato and white beans. However the Fresh figs wrapped in prosciutto with gorgonzola sauce and the Fried calamari with green onion and ginger salsa were equally delicious.

Next course Mains. Wild mushroom risotto with truffle oil was perfect cooked, creamy and flavoursome. Berkshire (free range) pork belly with apple and rhubarb chutney was crispy on the outside and tender and tasty inside. Victorian lamb cutlets were tender with a lovely flavour. Only disappointment here was the accompanying mashed potato which was a little too salty for my palate. There was also a choice of 2 pizzas and these were surprisingly good for a Club. Traditional Italian crust and nice combination of toppings ie Grilled lamb with feta and tzatziki, the other choice was Baked prawn and feta with chilli and aged balsamic glaze. By this stage we could only sample a thin sliver of pizza!

The desserts samples were a definite highlight. My fave was the Dark chocolate hazelnut pudding, light and chocolaty without being too sweet and served with a tangy blood orange gelato. Heaven. The other choices we tasted a little of was a Frozen coconut yogurt with a sweet potato sauce-fresh and not too heavy. Lastly a deconstructed baked peach cheesecake. Yum.

All meals were served promptly by polite and pleasant wait staff.

Just to add, it is important that vegetarian and gluten free options are catered for these days. May we suggest a vegetarian 2nd course gluten free option.

Overall we could not fault the meals and table staff at the Flame restaurant within Canterbury...

The food has honestly gone down hill.

Basically each time I went to the bistro, I got the same thing. I even told friends and family about how tender, moist and crispy the schnitzel was.

But with every good thing, unfortunately comes an end. The disappointment, frustration and dare I say anger that the chicken schnitzel I came to crave and love was no more.

I ordered the schnitzel, that golden delicious morsel of goodness and it was undercooked.

For some context, I did call over the waiter who called over the supervisor who was so very friendly. She got me another schnitzel and told me to see if this was better. But, it was not. So she apologised profusely and said the next one would be good and promised me it would be great that she would talk to the chef. And it came out, looking and smelling fantastic. But I was met with a pink/red center. The supervisor looked just as appalled as I was and again apologised and told me if I wanted another. 3 ruined schnitzels in one night was my limit.

10 months go by and I wonder if the schnitzel has miraculously come back to its former excellence. It came out with all its glory bewitching me from the plate. But alas, it was indeed raw.

For all my schnitzel lovers, the schnitzel is a hit or a miss.

Further; customer service is lovely, always smiling and willing to help! Servers, waitstaff and supervisors so charismatic and some are even funny! One of the waitstaff remembered me - when I asked for the raw schnitzel to be taken away, he said he saw this happen several months ago that I had 3 schnitzels come out undercooked

Come on Canterbury League… Three schnitzels in one sitting coming out to the customer undercooked each worse than the one before. Had I eaten this without paying attention, I surely would...

As an older gentleman in my 60s, I would have thought a little respect might be shown when walking into a club I’ve supported for many years. Sadly, most of the older men front desk staff/security at Canterbury Leagues have been unpleasant for as long as I can remember. This isn’t new, it’s been the same negative attitude for years, and it’s practically all of them – not just one or two having a bad day. When it’s that consistent, you start to wonder if it’s the work culture or management setting the tone. The females are lovely to deal with in comparison.

They are the first face and the last face you see, and it’s never a welcoming one. It makes the whole experience uncomfortable before you’ve even stepped inside. Easily the most unwelcoming front desk/security team I’ve come across at any club – and I’ve tolerated it for far too long.

Perhaps they could take a lesson from Bankstown Sports Club, Hurlstone Park RSL, or Ashfield RSL, where patrons are greeted with professionalism, respect, and a smile. That’s how it should be done.

On top of that, the gym men’s bathroom toilets have been faulty for years – they rarely flush properly – and the showers are moldy and overdue for an upgrade. Staff use these facilities too, so I know they’re aware. With thousands of gym members (most of whom barely/don't even use the gym), you’d think some of that money could be put back into basic maintenance. It took years just to get a water filter that could fill more than one bottle per 10 minutes, so maybe in a few more years we’ll finally have toilets that flush.

To be fair, the gym staff themselves are excellent – friendly, approachable, and helpful - the main reason I keep coming back.

A shame the same can’t be said for the grumpy men at the front door...