Oh, Tony! I am not a big fan of beef or steak unfortunately, however there was always something about Tony's steak house that I thoroughly enjoyed. I've been there about four times now and my experience was always delightful. Therefore it was no surprise that I've been itching to introduce Josh to the restaurant for a while now. Many opportunities had risen but somehow we ended up choosing other restaurants. However, last Friday, we finally got the chance!
It was date night and the moment had arrived. Finally, Josh would be able to have a taste of what I had been going on and on about, like, forever! BUT, let me skip way ahead to the very end and say this... I have never been so disappointed. Tony's failed me! And I do not think it was a coincidence or a one off thing. I honestly think that the standards at Tony's has fallen! When I was still a faithful follower of Tony's in the past, many people had told me they did not like it there and the food was bad. But I'd just laugh it off really. Sad to say now, I don't think I'll be going back. Let me start from the beginning...
Upon entering the restaurant, there were quite a few people lined up in front of us looking for a table. When we were served, I have to say the manager was not friendly at all. Maybe she wasn't having a good day, who knows, but that's okay, we don't let that bother us. I think our only fault that night was that we did not have any reservations, oh and maybe also having such high expectations for the food. However because we had no reservations, the only available table was one by the front door and window which was one of their more uncomfortable tables. Oh, the space was tiny! The table was so slim and the plates were so big, they could hardly fit. The bench was so close to the table that our knees touched. However again we smile because it's not their fault and anyway, the delish food would make up for it. We ordered an appetizer, nachos, Josh ordered the Tony's house steak as his main and I had a creamy mushroom fettucini. We also ordered a side of chips because I had always thought Tony's had the BEST chips!
When the food came, it looked great! The nachos really was quite good but the rest of the meals were disappointing. Josh complained that the steak was way too dry and chewy. My pasta... I ate about a quarter of it and took the rest home. It was incredibly cheesy, creamy and oily. Yes I know it's called creamy mushroom but I didn't expect them to dump the whole bottle in one plate! The chips was disappointing too. I had thought that at least that was one thing that would still blow me away but no. The usual crisp was gone and there wasn't enough dressing as there used to be. Needless to say, neither Josh nor I finished our food. As for my pasta? Well it lasted me my two next meals the next day. I had it for lunch and finally finished it for dinner. When I did, I looked at the bottom and all I saw was a thick layer of oil. Now that is disgusting.
The upside of it though? Service from the waitress and waiter were excellent. They were very helpful and lovely and happy to fill our requests such as having both tartare sauce and aioli dressing for our chips instead of just one choice. And as always, the ambience and decor at Tony's is fantastic. It has a low lighting feel and a sort of middle eastern touch to the decor. I like how private it feels with soft music in the background and good service just a call away. It is also great if you're looking for a place where you can dress casually or formally without anyone staring at you weird.
Anyway, Josh and I did not end up staying for dessert given that we were already disappointed so we scooted off as quickly as we could. Oh and the manager, she finally managed to give us one big smile after we had paid and left.
If you plan to go to Tony's:
- Make reservations to avoid disappointment and a crappy table
- When ordering, ask questions
- Remember that Tony's has a few other brother/sister chains on Lorne St & Victoria St
Our overall rating: 2.5/5 (I have given more scores for the good service and environment)
Website: http://www.tonys.co.nz/
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