Comments on: Pay the price at the Flower Drum (or eat cheaper down the road) http://www.tomatom.com/2008/04/pay-the-price-at-the-flower-drum-or-eat-cheaper-down-the-road/ The insiders' guide to food and drink in Melbourne. Since 2005. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 07:40:44 +0000 hourly 1 By: Jay http://www.tomatom.com/2008/04/pay-the-price-at-the-flower-drum-or-eat-cheaper-down-the-road/comment-page-1/#comment-43554 Jay Tue, 09 Dec 2008 18:25:53 +0000 http://www.tomatom.com/2008/04/pay-the-price-at-the-flower-drum-or-eat-cheaper-down-the-road/#comment-43554 Agreed. I don't know any of my friends who would ever recommend FD. Found this after someone mentioned Flower Drum, and it brought a montage of memories back. Thought it might be worth checking around seeing if anything has changed. Guess not. When our group finally got there for a birthday, the food was lacking to say the least. We cook better food at home, and there are plenty of the other places that serve better food - for a significantly less painful hit on the wallet. Over cooked and dry meats, soft and mushy or tough and chewy veggies that were never on the correct side of the scale, and anything fried was more was on the lines of slow cooked in oil until soggy. And service, oh yes the much lauded service. Each time we needed service I had to get up and go get someone. Better food to the South Easterly directions. Agreed. I don’t know any of my friends who would ever recommend FD.

Found this after someone mentioned Flower Drum, and it brought a montage of memories back. Thought it might be worth checking around seeing if anything has changed. Guess not.

When our group finally got there for a birthday, the food was lacking to say the least. We cook better food at home, and there are plenty of the other places that serve better food – for a significantly less painful hit on the wallet.

Over cooked and dry meats, soft and mushy or tough and chewy veggies that were never on the correct side of the scale, and anything fried was more was on the lines of slow cooked in oil until soggy. And service, oh yes the much lauded service. Each time we needed service I had to get up and go get someone.

Better food to the South Easterly directions.

]]> By: Ken http://www.tomatom.com/2008/04/pay-the-price-at-the-flower-drum-or-eat-cheaper-down-the-road/comment-page-1/#comment-31234 Ken Tue, 13 May 2008 13:16:37 +0000 http://www.tomatom.com/2008/04/pay-the-price-at-the-flower-drum-or-eat-cheaper-down-the-road/#comment-31234 Another thumbs down for the Flower Drum - this time from me. I went there a couple of nights ago and was terribly disappointed with the food. Thank god I wasn't paying, and I don't think I ever will at that place. We left it in the hands of the chef, and 3 out of the first 4 dishes were deep-fried. Bleccchhh. The ingredients are good but the treatment of them is horrible. How did it go so wrong? Another thumbs down for the Flower Drum – this time from me. I went there a couple of nights ago and was terribly disappointed with the food. Thank god I wasn’t paying, and I don’t think I ever will at that place. We left it in the hands of the chef, and 3 out of the first 4 dishes were deep-fried. Bleccchhh.

The ingredients are good but the treatment of them is horrible. How did it go so wrong?

]]> By: What is good service in a restaurant? | Tomato http://www.tomatom.com/2008/04/pay-the-price-at-the-flower-drum-or-eat-cheaper-down-the-road/comment-page-1/#comment-31152 What is good service in a restaurant? | Tomato Fri, 09 May 2008 02:45:43 +0000 http://www.tomatom.com/2008/04/pay-the-price-at-the-flower-drum-or-eat-cheaper-down-the-road/#comment-31152 [...] Stringer from Oyster Little Bourke St. Garnaut’s words haunted me as I was over serviced  at The Flower Drum recently and nearly knocked a waiters glasses off as he topped up my water for the five time in as [...] [...] Stringer from Oyster Little Bourke St. Garnaut’s words haunted me as I was over serviced  at The Flower Drum recently and nearly knocked a waiters glasses off as he topped up my water for the five time in as [...]

]]> By: Ed http://www.tomatom.com/2008/04/pay-the-price-at-the-flower-drum-or-eat-cheaper-down-the-road/comment-page-1/#comment-31067 Ed Mon, 05 May 2008 04:54:13 +0000 http://www.tomatom.com/2008/04/pay-the-price-at-the-flower-drum-or-eat-cheaper-down-the-road/#comment-31067 Lets do this then. It sounds exciting and challenging. Lets do this then. It sounds exciting and challenging.

]]> By: stickyfingers http://www.tomatom.com/2008/04/pay-the-price-at-the-flower-drum-or-eat-cheaper-down-the-road/comment-page-1/#comment-31064 stickyfingers Mon, 05 May 2008 00:46:40 +0000 http://www.tomatom.com/2008/04/pay-the-price-at-the-flower-drum-or-eat-cheaper-down-the-road/#comment-31064 Thank you, I'm flattered that you ask. I think it's a great way to learn more about Cantonese Cuisine. For a group it is traditional to negotiate a menu with the restaurant before the event, in order for them to have sufficient fresh ingredients. We can also then hammer out a price per head. I won't be available until late June however, due to a full schedule which will also take me out of the country for a while. If there is anything in particular that you have always been interested to try, eg. Beche de Mer, Chinese roast pigeon, Shark's fin, braised abalone, conch meat etc, please let me know. With sufficient notice most Cantonese restaurants are happy to accommodate special requests. Thank you, I’m flattered that you ask. I think it’s a great way to learn more about Cantonese Cuisine. For a group it is traditional to negotiate a menu with the restaurant before the event, in order for them to have sufficient fresh ingredients. We can also then hammer out a price per head.

I won’t be available until late June however, due to a full schedule which will also take me out of the country for a while.

If there is anything in particular that you have always been interested to try, eg. Beche de Mer, Chinese roast pigeon, Shark’s fin, braised abalone, conch meat etc, please let me know. With sufficient notice most Cantonese restaurants are happy to accommodate special requests.

]]> By: Elliot http://www.tomatom.com/2008/04/pay-the-price-at-the-flower-drum-or-eat-cheaper-down-the-road/comment-page-1/#comment-31050 Elliot Sat, 03 May 2008 00:33:44 +0000 http://www.tomatom.com/2008/04/pay-the-price-at-the-flower-drum-or-eat-cheaper-down-the-road/#comment-31050 Ed That's another great idea - what do you think stickyfingers? Ed That’s another great idea – what do you think stickyfingers?

]]> By: Ed http://www.tomatom.com/2008/04/pay-the-price-at-the-flower-drum-or-eat-cheaper-down-the-road/comment-page-1/#comment-31041 Ed Fri, 02 May 2008 05:39:36 +0000 http://www.tomatom.com/2008/04/pay-the-price-at-the-flower-drum-or-eat-cheaper-down-the-road/#comment-31041 Sticky, we were talking after Jamon about some more blogger dinners. How about you take a group of us round eyed bloggers to Dragon Boat and order off menu for us. Like I said at the Super Inn I'm always jealous of big groups of Chinese ordering off menu. Neil/Steve I think her Blackberry was waterlogged. Sticky, we were talking after Jamon about some more blogger dinners. How about you take a group of us round eyed bloggers to Dragon Boat and order off menu for us. Like I said at the Super Inn I’m always jealous of big groups of Chinese ordering off menu.

Neil/Steve I think her Blackberry was waterlogged.

]]> By: Steve Kirk http://www.tomatom.com/2008/04/pay-the-price-at-the-flower-drum-or-eat-cheaper-down-the-road/comment-page-1/#comment-31035 Steve Kirk Thu, 01 May 2008 22:07:53 +0000 http://www.tomatom.com/2008/04/pay-the-price-at-the-flower-drum-or-eat-cheaper-down-the-road/#comment-31035 Ed - is your Sydney Friend sending an SMS? Ed – is your Sydney Friend sending an SMS?

]]> By: neil http://www.tomatom.com/2008/04/pay-the-price-at-the-flower-drum-or-eat-cheaper-down-the-road/comment-page-1/#comment-31034 neil Thu, 01 May 2008 21:39:46 +0000 http://www.tomatom.com/2008/04/pay-the-price-at-the-flower-drum-or-eat-cheaper-down-the-road/#comment-31034 You'd think your Sydney friends would at least look happy to be out of the rain, it hasn't stopped there in six months. You’d think your Sydney friends would at least look happy to be out of the rain, it hasn’t stopped there in six months.

]]> By: stickyfingers http://www.tomatom.com/2008/04/pay-the-price-at-the-flower-drum-or-eat-cheaper-down-the-road/comment-page-1/#comment-31028 stickyfingers Thu, 01 May 2008 08:30:07 +0000 http://www.tomatom.com/2008/04/pay-the-price-at-the-flower-drum-or-eat-cheaper-down-the-road/#comment-31028 FD is for 'round eyes' and pretentious Asians. You get better canto-tucker in the burbs like Box Hill, Glen Waverley, Burwood & Springvale. And especially in my parent's home. The thing is if you want the real deal of Cantonese Cuisine and linen, go to where there is hardly a westerner in the venue. Ignore much of the menu and ask the head waiter to recommend what's good. Or look around and point out what other are eating, they won't mind. If the waiter suggests the fish, make sure you ask 'How much?' first - it can often be the priciest item on the menu. Whenever our Chinese family friends get together in the city for a lavish banquet of abalone, lobster, sea cucumber, crab and all the other good luck sounding stuff, we got to Dragon Boat on the Yarra, opposite Crown at the Convention Centre. It's the real deal. FD is for ’round eyes’ and pretentious Asians. You get better canto-tucker in the burbs like Box Hill, Glen Waverley, Burwood & Springvale. And especially in my parent’s home.

The thing is if you want the real deal of Cantonese Cuisine and linen, go to where there is hardly a westerner in the venue. Ignore much of the menu and ask the head waiter to recommend what’s good. Or look around and point out what other are eating, they won’t mind. If the waiter suggests the fish, make sure you ask ‘How much?’ first – it can often be the priciest item on the menu.

Whenever our Chinese family friends get together in the city for a lavish banquet of abalone, lobster, sea cucumber, crab and all the other good luck sounding stuff, we got to Dragon Boat on the Yarra, opposite Crown at the Convention Centre. It’s the real deal.

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