Kalimna Hotel — Restaurant in Victoria

We went for dinner on a Saturday night. Wasn't super busy when we got there at 7:30pm which was nice. Was hoping to come after the rush. I ordered a pizza entree then a scotch fillet and 2 kids meals to come with mains. Our friends with us were one person behind in line to order (I say this because the way the food came out was bizarre ...) they received one kids meal (out of 3) then came their adults parma and one of my kids meals afew minutes later Then 5 mins later my steak came. I asked about my pizza entree and was told it was coming soon. Then came the rest of the kids meals 5-10mins later and another 10mins after that my mates steak came out. They apologise for that saying there was a mixup and his went to another table. Ok fine get that mistake happen. But why did my pizza entree come after my main came out? Why did the kids meals not come together? Why did one adults meal come before all the kids meals? So bizarre. Its like everything was getting cooked by a different section in the kitchen and being sent when it was ready, not together or in any sort of order. They really need to sort that out. Other than that there wasnt anything to complain about. The meals were nice. The scotch was just a decent pub steak. But cooked well. Just devoid of any seasoning whatsoever. But theres salt and pepper on the table so no big loss. The only other complaint is the live band was so bloody loud. We were up the other end of the venue and could barely talk once they started. This venue has alot of promise. We will come back one day. Hope to find they've sorted things out. Otherwise keep up...

WILL NOT RETURN: great view and nice atmosphere, unfortunately that’s where the compliments end. We booked as a family and ordered 2 entrees, 1 kids meal and 6 main meals. The 2 entrees came out very quickly and then we waited more than an hour with no sight of meals. Eventually we asked a staff member for at least the kids meal to be brought out. Another 20 minutes passed before we saw the kids meal arrive. The staff member apologised again and assured the main meals would not be far away explaining that a meat platter main was the cause of the hold up. Three tables around us who had arrived much later than us have now had their meals and left. After 1 hr and 45 minutes the meals began to arrive whilst the meat platter sat under a warmer obviously waiting on an item to be finalised. At the 2 hour mark we finally received the final meal and another apology by the staff member We asked to speak to the manager (Craig) twice and yet never saw him come away from the serving warmer. Another table across from our’s also with children were also frustrated with the LONG time frame for meals with no explanation why. It appears that the management and leadership is a reflection not only on the poor service but flows through to the arrogant staff who slam plates down or refuse to speak when they present meals to your table. Maybe Craig should get out from standing next to the warmer and see how the establishment is failing at common customer...

Was up at Lakes for work.., as I do every so often, and was scouting where to eat? When I saw there was a 12 hour slow cooked Lamb Ragout Pappardelle…., I was jumped in the car and made the drive up there.

Cold night. A slow cooked Ragout married up with some pappardelle? Perfect.

Unfortunately.., that’s as good it as it got.

When the dish came.., there was No pappardelle. Fettuccine instead. No mention by anyone , waiter or kitchen staff that that would be the case.

Disappointed? Yes.

There is a reason why pappardelle is usually served with a ragout. Its broad volume soaks up the slow cooked juices and is a perfect fit for this dish.., and at $38 for this dish, I certainly would’ve liked to have known that and therefore had a choice to accept it with fettuccine or opted for something different.

To top it off…, there was so much garlic in the dish, that you could not taste any of those alleged slow cooked flavours. All you could taste was this overpowering garlic. In fact the garlic was lumped in there, as it crunched between my teeth throughout. I enjoy garlic, but this was extreme and seemingly raw and uncooked.

Very disappointing overall, more so at $38.

Tip to Kalima. Either update your Menu or inform the person ordering the dish that it will be different. Lastly.., go easy on the garlic, and perhaps cook with it, rather than...