Karrikin Yamba — Restaurant in Yamba

I’m not here to give a bad review, I’m here to give constructive criticism/feedback, because I enjoyed my night and the service was good. I’ve never left a review like this before or this big; but I thought it was great to have a place like this in a small coastal town like Yamba and want to see it succeed, but there is a lot of things I think should be addressed by the owners who I assume are the chefs. Just a hunch.

I would also like to fore-word this by saying that I have spent the last 11+ years working in the management and operations of bars and restaurants. It’s hard to me to say that because it makes me cringe; but thought it was important because when it comes to dealing with Google reviews I know that some people can be insanely difficult and deluded as to how these businesses run. But from the other reviews I have read they all seem to be complaining about the same thing. I can see through your food and your restaurant that there’s a lot of love in this place. But at the end of the day consumers pay the bills, and it might be time to listen to a few of them.

The whole secret menu thing I think is a terrible idea. It leaves to the mystery of the prices of items and not the surprise and excitement of the food. Because although it’s a $88 set menu there is a lot of stuff you upsell your guests and not inform them off the price unless you ask. Our waiter asked if we wanted oysters and we said yes, we didn’t ask the price. The oysters were great but came with toppings on top of the oysters which we weren’t aware off (No menu) and didn’t ask for, along with a price tag of $72. If they were shucked to order then I think that price is probably okay. (I didn’t ask so I’m not sure) But If we knew what they came with the topping’s and the price we probably wouldn’t have got them. We also were not told what was on top of the oysters, just dropped.

We also didn’t ask for the bread but we got bread on our table. Also not apart of the $88 set menu. The bread was great, but if we had known it came with a $24 price tag. We probably would have opted for no bread. (No Menu) I’m sure the bread and butter is house made (I would hope so for the price) and I know it takes probably a night to rise and bake it but charging that much is Ludacris especially considering you charge $18 for a cocktail.

So you’re charging small town costs of cocktails with big city dining prices of the food? The reason fine dining restaurants can charge that much for food is because it’s an immersive experience and the atmosphere, lighting decor goes along with it. It’s all encompassing.

Which brings me to my final note (I’m sure you probably hate me by now)

The atmosphere and energy of the restaurant just gives local small restaurant. Which is absolutely fine we are not snobs, but not when you’re charging high end restaurant prices. We could hear buzzing and grinding and pots and pans coming from the kitchen. I’m sorry but absolutely not okay for the prices you charge.

What I would change?

Print the menu. Add a section of what you can add on to the set menu with prices to assist upselling. Drop the price of the set menu slightly, especially depending on the produce you are using in the dishes.

Your staff were lovely and gave great service, which is a credit to you as I’m sure it’s not easy finding staff in a small town.

I hope you take my feedback well, I apologise if you don’t like what you hear. But I do hope you take it on board.

It was my first time in Yamba but I will definitely be back and will...

I don't enjoy writing negative reviews for small businesses, but our experience at Karrikin was very disappointing, and we didn't want others to be unaware, given the high Google score.

It was an unpleasant surprise that the only option was a four-course set menu without upfront pricing, with bread being the only optional (at-cost) extra. That wasn't anywhere on the website.

Far more disappointing, however, was the food. First course was a morsel of crab on a smear of devilled egg, placed on two cucumber slices. It was tiny, and didn't have any strongly defined flavour or kick. The second course was three small fish dumplings in a celeriac skin; again, it was insubstantial, the skin left a tacky mouthfeel, and it didn't taste of much. The blue peaflower broth was pretty, but tasted of nothing. I suspect that it was chosen simply for being blue.

Third course was somewhat better - slow-cooked pork neck with a miso gravy, and noodle'd carrots twisted atop. The pork was reasonable, but the carrots were bland and unsuited to the treatment.

Finally, there was a small dessert, of sorbet on a sponge.

The whole sum total of this - for four bites of watery entree, a reasonable-if-not-great main, and a very straightforward dessert - was $70 per person, plus bread. I don't object to paying so much for food if it's great, but I want to know what I'm signing up for, and I want to savour it. I can't remember anything of what the dishes at Karrikin tasted like - it seemed so focussed on making the food impressive, that it forgot to make it taste of much. The eventual food bill felt like nothing short of a complete rip-off. The bread was very good, but it did cost extra. An $80 degustation - which is what this was - needs a lot more than four insubstantial courses.

The positives are that the cocktails are good, the wine was nice, the commitment to local ingredients is laudable, and the staff were lovely - though perhaps asking mid-meal how everything's going is ill-advised unless food isn't being eaten.

As above, I am sorry to post such a damning review on the site for a small business where clearly there is heart, soul and sweat being poured in. However, I can't remember being as disappointed at a restaurant for a very,...

Had our 11th Anniversary Dinner here tonight. First impression was a quiet little side street restaurant. On entering staff are attentive straight away and well trained, we had a booking so were asked where we would prefer to sit to make us comfortable! Which was a great touch and comforting from the start. On pouring us our water and explaining the menu we had booked in for the waiter then informed us we had a drink on the house which he would bring out to us. When this arrived it was a glass of sparkling wine each in an awsome champagne glass filled with great quality sparkling wine which was appreciated. We had booked in for the 4 courses at $88 per head. First out came the snacks which we were presented with an option at the start of adding bread or prawns or both we chose to add the XL prawns these along with the kangaroo and davison plum tarts and pickled veg with tomato jam and puree were unbeleivable prawns were to die for and the kangaroo tarts left us wanting more!! Entree was a zucchini noodles with squid and pesto dill sauce so much flavour packed into a small bowl and such a well balnced dish amazing. Mains was pork colar sliced with pumpkin and apples, a cider cream puree and a bowl with share poatatoes seasoned with ginger, chilli and shallot crisp suttle filling and tasty! Desert was toasted coconut panna cotta topped with merigue served with a banana caramel and a sweet crumb, (which we had take away) and was still exceptional. This little restaurant is amazing and is producing food that should be recognised at the top level. A pleasure to eat here for our anniversary and will be definately back. Lucky we live local thanks guys for making our night a night...