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News.com.au
7 days ago
- Business
- News.com.au
‘Ripped off': Sydneysider slams price of ‘tiny' pub steak
A Sydney pub owner has defended the price of an eye fillet on his menu after a diner who bought the meal claimed the steak was 'the same size as the mushroom' that accompanied it. The disgruntled customer shared a photo of the pub dinner on Reddit, stating it was ordered at the Four in Hand pub in Paddington, an upscale suburb in Sydney's eastern suburbs where the median house price is $3.5 million. The customer paid $49 for the eye fillet, but after seeing the portion size, they felt as though they were being 'had on' by the venue. The dish featured the expensive piece of meat, three truss cherry tomatoes, a field mushroom with mustard cream, and a red wine jus. After adding an additional peppercorn sauce, the total bill amounted to $52. While the diner acknowledged that they ordered a premium cut of beef, they thought the value for money was poor, especially at a pub, where one typically can get good value meals. 'Am I right to think that they're having a laugh here?' the Sydneysider asked the forum, before the image went viral and over 100 people weighed in. In response to the post, the owner of the pub and industry stalwart, Colin Parras, defended the pricing and portion sizes. 'Fillet steak prices are through the roof at the moment,' Mr Parras told 'The dish in question is $49 for a 200g steak and sides, which is priced lower than most similar venues in the area'. He claimed that most establishments in the area have actually taken eye fillets off the menu due to the cost. Beef pricing is surging in Australia at the moment partly because China has ramped up its imports of Australian beef, leading to a record amount of beef exports in April – more than 127,000 tonnes. The record month comes as beef exports from the United States to China have ground to a halt. Mr Parras also pointed out that the angle of the photo, taken directly from above, doesn't clearly show the thickness of the steak, which is important as eye fillets are 'proportionately thicker than they are wide'. He believes that those ordering an eye fillet typically are opting for 'quality over quantity', but if customers baulk at the price, they always have a $35 hanger steak available or $22 steak nights on Tuesdays. Mr Parras' points were not lost on the post's commenters, with many surprisingly defending the pub – which doesn't usually happen in these sorts of posts, especially given the cost of living crisis. 'Costs have gone through the roof for things like produce, electricity, gas, insurance, security, council rates, loans or rent, and to a lesser extent, wages,' one commenter pointed out. It's true that the hospitality industry is under immense strain, with many venues forced to raise menu prices just to stay afloat. Nearly one in ten food service businesses closed in the past year amid rising rents, labour shortages, cost of labour and economic pressures, according to a recent May report from CreditorWatch. Others pointed out that the customer should have known what they were paying for – and in which suburb – when ordering. 'I for one can't believe an expensive cut of meat in the eastern suburbs is so pricey,' one commenter said, sarcastically. 'The price and size of the steak would have been written on the menu and you chose to purchase it … Plus, have you ever eaten an eye fillet cut before?' said another. However, there were a few people who shared the original poster's disappointment. 'Used to be such a good pub too. Shame. Yes, you've been shafted,' said one. 'A complete rip off,' another wrote. 'Yes, you are right. Taking the p**s deluxe,' wrote a third.
ABC News
10-05-2025
- ABC News
Push for housing in Sydney's east will erase last traces of once-famous Grotta Capri restaurant
When patrons dined at the famed Grotta Capri they felt transported to Neptune's cave in Italy. That is despite the Kensington restaurant being on a bustling road in Sydney's east. The dining room, fit with fish tanks, blue lights, painted water scenes and fake stalactites, was an underwater-dream. It's exterior — thousands of chipped oyster shells stuck onto textured walls —is worn down by time. The Grotta Capri has been closed for nearly 15 years, but soon the site will be lost to history. The former restaurant and neighbouring buildings have been earmarked for a precinct redevelopment with approval by Randwick City Council for four high-rise residential apartment blocks. Kensington has seen massive change over the last decade with the introduction of the light rail. As demand for housing and urban renewal increases, older venues have either been knocked down or reserved for construction. Opening in 1955, the restaurant was aptly named the Grotta Capri after the Grotta Azzurra in Italy, a famous blue sea cave on the coast of the island of Capri. It was a tribute to the post-World War II rush of migrants that shaped modern Australia. The Grotta Capri was known for its cassata — Sicilian style gelato with layers of candied fruit, nuts and sometimes sponge cake. The original owners, Rosa and Giovanni Battista, are long gone, but George Fotaras and his Greek-born father, Foti, owned the restaurant for several years from the late 1990s. He remembers Ms Battista fondly. "She lived locally after her husband died. It was the first restaurant that served pizza in Sydney. They used to have a bakery upstairs." Mr Fotaras, who now works as a building designer, said diners came from far and wide to try their Mediterranean cuisine. He said some people even paid taxi drivers to pick up their orders if they wanted takeaway — well before food e-delivery drivers were invented. The most popular dish was a hot and cold seafood platter that included grilled Balmain bugs, oysters and a "pineapple in the middle filled with fruit salad". The restaurant was even a set for various film and television scenes, including Muriel's Wedding and Underbelly. Mr Fotaras said the venue's unique interior was part of its success. "It was all cement and chicken wire. Stalactites and stalagmites. It was solid as, bit of a bunker. It was a bit like a big restaurant in the middle of the [NSW] Jenolan Caves. "The restaurant had a water feature that ran throughout the ceiling, down through waterfalls, down through little rivers under the floor," he said. "There was a 6,000 litre water tank under the floor that was not working when we bought it. "It was a large restaurant, but it had all romantic little nooks and crannies." Originally from Sydney's east, Caterina Jones said her parents, Maria and Camillo Di-Cola, chose the Grotta Capri restaurant in 1959 for their wedding reception. "My parents wanted to have their small and intimate wedding reception there because being Italian migrants themselves, the restaurant and food on offer felt like home," Ms Jones said. She said it was a place where many people in the community held their special celebrations. It was extra special when years later in 2009 the family returned to celebrate a milestone wedding anniversary, Ms Jones recounted. "When it came time to celebrate my parents' 50th wedding anniversary, the Grotta Capri was the only choice for venue. "To be able to come back so many years later to celebrate was so meaningful and emotional. My family and I will always have fond memories of the place." Rob Freestone from the School of Built Environment at the University of NSW said local landmarks could have a big impact on a community. "Enduring local landmarks have a greater familiarity, and their passing can either be noted as the price of progress or genuinely mourned because of the depth of attachment," Professor Freestone said. It's not yet known when construction of the Kensington site will commence. Professor Freestone noted that Sydney's landscape would continue to evolve thanks to population needs in the future. "Revisit a place you haven't been for a while and note the changes that have taken place, physically, culturally, commercially. "It's part of the urban dynamic. At least the personal memories remain. But take that last photo now before it all disappears." Mr Fotaras hoped the memories of Grotta Capri would remain ever-present in the minds of former diners. "You mention Grotta Capri to someone who grew up in Sydney and they will say they have been to a wedding, a Valentine's Day or had a big day at the Randwick races and went after to celebrate. "It was just an amazing place … something we will never forget."
