OT: Rant...'Tower for Two'

[Alext]

Ok this is a bit of a rant but I feel so irritated after my meal at Hog's Breath this evening. My girlfriend and I went there for dinner and ordered the 'Tower for Two' which consisted of 3 plates arranged in a vertical tower - the bottom had their signature curly fries, middle had a basic salad and the top had some spare ribs, 3 lamb cutlets and 2x200g sirloin steaks plus sauce.

When we ordered it the menu stated $35 so we thought it was decent value.

The steak was crap...tough and the kind you want to smother in sauce to convice your tastebuds you are actually eating something more interesting. The other meats were passable but nothing notable. The salad and chips were basic fare.

We get the bill and noted we were charged twice ($70) for our main courses. Alarm bells rang. I thought this was very strange and convinced this was a 'Tower for Two' suggesting a single price but I checked the menu anyway. Sure enough 'Tower for Two', but hang on...the fine print says '$35 per person'. Shit. Under the dimly lit table it was hard to make out the fine print but sure enough there it was....So $70 for some basic meat and vegetables. What an absolute bloody un-Australian rip off. They were so cunning to list it in small print as $35 per person because no one in their sober mind would pay $70 for any single dish at Hog's Breath*.

I made a suggestion (bit of a complaint actually) to one of the waitresses who said she would pass it on.


*I certainly won't be. Ever.

[Jeef Beef]

That confirms my long held opinion that Hog's Breath sole edible menu item is the curly fries. Sounds like the food you had was only good for making into a tower - and nothing else.

What a cheeky way for them to nab unsuspecting customers. Stupid though, because you'll never go back.

[amk2912]

Unfortunately I don't think this sort of action is uncommon in Australia today. Everyday we see examples of unethical, mischievious, unconscionable behaviour. Be it banks ripping us off in the way they hike interest rates overnight but drop them over weeks or months when official cash rates drop. Fuel companies take us with their so-called price cycles. Major supermarkets squash suppliers and primary producers yet achieve massive profits at the checkout. Every bastard is out to get you nowadays, there are no ethics and no morals - everyone is out for the buck irrespective of the means to justify the end.

This evening we went out for dinner too! I had a "surf and turf" - $39.95 for a "fillet" steak that was the size of a playing card and as thick as two iPhones, about 8 prawn cutlets, a handful of wedges all smothered in a cream sauce, with a big serve of salad (who eats the salad!). When I buy fillet steak it's around $50/kilo and I have never seen the meat go white on the inside especially if ordered medium. Obviously there's been a bit of substitution here!

No wonder more people are watching Masterchef et al, and staying home!

[Taymaishu]

Originally Posted by amk2912

Unfortunately I don't think this sort of action is uncommon in Australia today. Everyday we see examples of unethical, mischievious, unconscionable behaviour. Be it banks ripping us off in the way they hike interest rates overnight but drop them over weeks or months when official cash rates drop. Fuel companies take us with their so-called price cycles. Major supermarkets squash suppliers and primary producers yet achieve massive profits at the checkout. Every bastard is out to get you nowadays, there are no ethics and no morals - everyone is out for the buck irrespective of the means to justify the end.

This evening we went out for dinner too! I had a "surf and turf" - $39.95 for a "fillet" steak that was the size of a playing card and as thick as two iPhones, about 8 prawn cutlets, a handful of wedges all smothered in a cream sauce, with a big serve of salad (who eats the salad!). When I buy fillet steak it's around $50/kilo and I have never seen the meat go white on the inside especially if ordered medium. Obviously there's been a bit of substitution here!

No wonder more people are watching Masterchef et al, and staying home!

Shame to hear about all of this... And after my run-in with Verandah in Sydney CBD last week, i certainly have doubts about most food outlets.

However with the supermarket thing - i wouldn't be having too much of a jab at them. Call me old-fashioned, but there's nothing wrong with homebrand, unless you think something is wrong with buying food half the price and at the same quality.

I get all of my staples Home-Brand: Milk, flour, water, cheese etc. The only things I buy branded are pasta and the odd bottle of Coke or Pepsi, amongst other items.

I reckon I save around 40% on my shopping bill by doing it - the large supermarket chains actually do give options and i decide to take them

[zenderm3]

It does certainly seem like quality of food/service is high on a lot of restaurant's minds... I was in hospital yesterday and well the food there was shite... and they want people to get better!?

[Guran]

Suck it up and shop at Aldi if you want to save some dollars on groceries. We do!

As for eating at Hog's Breath ... what did you expect? I have never eaten there and never will. Same goes for all the other American steakhouse style "restaurants". You only need to see the menu to know that it's going to be shite.

If you want a decent steak, just drop in at a pub or club bistro. That's what they have always specialised in doing. My local in Albion Park (voted as one of the "Top 10 Bogan Suburbs" by The Punch) does a great steak and vege dinner for about $25. There's also plenty of other good stuff on the menu to choose from. Support the little guys rather than the big overpriced restaurant chains.

[MickyD]

Originally Posted by Taymaishu

but there's nothing wrong with homebrand, unless you think something is wrong with buying food half the price and at the same quality.

half the coles branded stuff is more expensive than the 'name' brand stuff....

[05C4R]

you guys are asking for trouble eating at hogs breath and ordering something called a schnitty, i might have to get out more but what is that.

[chylld]

chicken schnitzel? haven't had one in ages.

hog's breath used to be really nice with the full smoked flavour. but now it's just gone all downhill at least at the last one i tried (castle towers, sydney).

but yes the curly fries are still nice

[Taymaishu]

I'm not going anywhere near schnitty for ages: http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=307217

[Alext]

I hear what you guys are saying and have learnt my lesson.

It begs the question what if I simply ordered the Tower for Two just for myself and paid $35 only? They effectively charged me $35 for an empty plate for my girlfriend!

[05C4R]

they have a hogs breath at everest, maybe the meat was a little tough cos it was llama.

if your in sydney go to rock pool bar and grill for the dry aged steaks, you pay a little more but its awesome and your girlfriend will definately, well, she'll appreciate it,

[Taymaishu]

Originally Posted by beemer

they have a hogs breath at everest, maybe the meat was a little tough cos it was llama.

if your in sydney go to rock pool bar and grill for the dry aged steaks, you pay a little more but its awesome and your girlfriend will definately, well, she'll appreciate it,

Definitely second the Rockpool Bar & Grill - plus they have an amazing wine list to match!

They have a bottle of the 02 Lake's Folly Cabernets; of which I have in my cellar going for $187 a pop. Considering I got it at $80 a bottle, the markup is intense but they could pass up the Lake's Folly at $250 and still sell. Considering it's Australia's 3rd most collected wine!

Can I also recommend Ripples @ Chowder Bay. An excellent atmosphere, great for weekend lunch or dinner, and a wonderfully cosmopolitan menu. They location is divine. Great place to take your Mrs.

[delete-this-account]

Originally Posted by amk2912

This evening we went out for dinner too! I had a "surf and turf" - $39.95 for a "fillet" steak that was the size of a playing card and as thick as two iPhones, about 8 prawn cutlets, a handful of wedges all smothered in a cream sauce, with a big serve of salad (who eats the salad!).

i can understand your rant because I see you live in perth.
I grew up in perth and moved to melbourne 4 years ago. I'm currently back in perth for work and have been going out to dinner most nights catching up with friends and family. All i can say is i'm so disappointed with almost every restaurant i've been to! Be they fine dining or casual dining, everything is over priced and average food!!!
$40 for a main at Mosmans (ex-meads) is more than i'd pay at Cutler and Co in melbourne, and the food was the same quality i'd expect from a $20 restaurant on Lygon street (aka home of trashy italian food).
and $4+ for a coffee???????? you've got to be kidding me????

In melbourne people dine out as a culture - it's often cheaper to get a nice healthy meal for $15 a head out rather than cook at home.
Sorry about the anti-perth rant but it frustrates me coming back here and seeing no progress! It's still a big sleepy country town, and I aint going to sit around here and wait for it to grow up!

[Durin's Bane]

Originally Posted by intehnet

Sorry about the anti-perth rant but it frustrates me coming back here and seeing no progress! It's still a big sleepy country town, and I aint going to sit around here and wait for it to grow up!

I've been here for 2.5 years and am still amazed at the high cost and very poor service I experience almost every weekend. I travel back to Sydney every month and this just reinforces my feelings.

But what is laughable are the Perth die-hards who think competition and extended trading hours is bad for business and the community in general!! It's a sad state of affairs when the food at say the CBD at Rydges is 50% more expensive than a Sydney Rockpool meal...

[amk2912]

Originally Posted by Durin's Bane

But what is laughable are the Perth die-hards who think competition and extended trading hours is bad for business and the community in general!!

I'm all for extended trading hours. Our huge Perth population of 1.4 million should more than adequately sustain the added costs businesses would incur. Mark my words the first businesses to reduce their hours would be those most wanting it, once they find out not everyone wants to spend their evenings shopping.

As for competition, we don't have Aldi as WA is not on their agenda yet. While we're talking competition let's let WalMart, Tesco etc come in. They'd destroy Coles and Woolworths in no time then we'd all jump to the beat of a foreign drum.

If you want true supermarket competition in this country then LEVEL THE PLAYINGFIELD! Let the Big Two pay the same commercial rents as the other tenants in shopping centres. Let the smaller retailers access products at the same wholesale prices as the Big Two.

Rant over!

[SimonB]

Wow, this OT thread could quickly go even more OT :-) I went to dinner at Incontro's in South Perth on Tuesday night and enjoyed it totally. $140 each wasn't too bad either, we had about 5 tasters, wine, champers, spirits, mains and 2 of us had desserts.

Lovely food, I had rabbit for the first time in ages... Anyway, yeah, I have 'come around' on the extended trading hours thing. I live in Yokine, yet I shop at Farmer Jacks in Subiaco or Fresh Provisions in Inglewood because the vegies are fresher and I can buy stuff that I can't get if Coles or Woolies don't like them any more.

I saw a thing on TV the other day where Coles and Woolies stopped selling junket. A lady decided to go it alone, sell it herself and now has a thriving business. Coles or Woolies wanted her to start supplying them, but at a huge (40%, IIRC) discount - she told them where to go. Good on her. Pity I don't like junket.

Anyway, I'll get off my soapbox too. PS: I remember the days of roster petrol stations too....

[amk2912]

Originally Posted by SimonB

I remember the days of roster petrol stations too....

Now there's a thing! Petrol rosters went to open up competition and where are we now...........getting screwed in an "open" fuel market that is becoming increasingly dominated by Coles and Woolworths!

Welcome to the world of "deregulation," people!

[sparoz]

Originally Posted by beemer

they have a hogs breath at everest, maybe the meat was a little tough cos it was llama.

if your in sydney go to rock pool bar and grill for the dry aged steaks, you pay a little more but its awesome and your girlfriend will definately, well, she'll appreciate it,

For those in Melbourne, Rockpool is great there too.

[Breville]

Originally Posted by MickyD

half the coles branded stuff is more expensive than the 'name' brand stuff....

The name brand manufacturers make the homebrand stuff! My mate works as a supplier to Coles and told me generally its the same.

[amk2912]

Originally Posted by Breville

The name brand manufacturers make the homebrand stuff! My mate works as a supplier to Coles and told me generally its the same.

By manufacturing (read: repackaging) the same product as a brand and a generic/home brand, the manufacturer corners both the budget end and the premium end of the market. By producing a generic the manufacturer takes budget market share from other generic/home brands.

Simple Market Dominance 101.

[smarm]

Originally Posted by beemer

they have a hogs breath at everest, maybe the meat was a little tough cos it was llama.

if your in sydney go to rock pool bar and grill for the dry aged steaks, you pay a little more but its awesome and your girlfriend will definately, well, she'll appreciate it,

I can't believe you're comparing Rockpool and Hogs Breath... slightly different audience