Wanderlight Restaurant - Mudgee

Had a lot of friends staying at the motel for a few days. Booked tables and was asked to select our meals upon booking. (Hours before dinner time). We all met for dinner at the restaurant on site. Waitresses were friendly and helpful. Waitress asked our names so they could collect our pre orded meals. (8 at our table, about 30 for dinner in total). Started bringing meals one at a time at all different times. One meal was finished eating then 5-10 mins before the next one. Different tables meals arriving all over the place. First two on our table were finished before the next two arrived (plate scalding hot, food cold like if was cold when placed on the hot plate) and the same with the next three people at our table, these three meals chicken snitzel (deli purchased by the look) and chips. They did not eat them fear of salmonella poisoning with the chicken, Cold cold cold. Twice I was asked what my name was and what I orded as it hadn't arrived. An hour later they said it won't be long and I said "I don't want it, cancel it". We asked for our money back and lady whom I assume was he manager wanted to heat our meals, ummm no I don't want microwave heated meals thank you. She was very mater of fact and rude like it was our fault. Red flag should have gone up when they wanted our order in hours before eating. Never will I return unless it changes hands.

I really wanted to score this restaurant higher. On my last visit just over 1 year ago, I was really impressed with size of the meal and the service, but on my visit last week, only the service remained above average. I think I ate roughly the same meal, and this time it was a disappointment. Nothing to complain to management about, but not the same abundance of food, like last time. I had a nice size and tasty steak with gravy, cauliflower, mashed potato, and really small portions of peas, carrots and broccoli. I had a decent dish of herb bread and a nice glass of red wine. I also ordered Dutch Apple Strudel and Ice Cream which was a really large portion and filled me to the brim. Washed it down with a flat white coffee and I needed to walk around the town on a freezing cold night, before I could sit down again. I think the abundance of food that I had on the previous occasion was reduced due to costs and the latest meal served seemed to reflect this. I would have preferred a good sized main with a lot of vegetables and a small artistic styled dessert. It wasn't pretty or colorful, more a working mans meal, that probably satisfies the miners who live in the motel, after a hard day's yakka. Fine dining it will never be. The chef worked really hard and even waited tables, even though it seemed that some customers were sitting for some time waiting for their meals. The waiting staff were also well trained and were quite efficient, though I wonder how good the service would be, if the restaurant was full of customers. Maybe if the chef didn't have to be the maître de, as well as cook, efficiency would have improved. Just my observations though. Will try again in a years time, to see if there are any changes.

I am impressed at this motel restaurant. I am here on Friday night, the waitress said that Friday & Saturday nights are never full. I can't imagine why. Service was great and instantaneous. I ordered my drink and the wine came quickly. I had two glasses of De Bortolli Cabernet Shiraz over the course of my dinner. I had a glorious soft and buttery garlic bread, followed by a Scotch fillet steak with mashed potatoes, peas, beans, cauliflower, carrots, with the steak cooked medium well. I was very happy with the meal. It was an honest country sized meal that was well cooked. I was very surprised that I was the only diner between 6.00 pm and 7.00 pm on a Friday night. Come on Mudgee, keep these good restaurants operating. I was too full for dessert, but I am certain it would have been worth the money, in a nice country way.

Service was quick and friendly and the courses arrived in a reasonable timeframe. It wasn't haute cuisine, but then neither was the price. The meals were a generous size and well cooked. The wine list was quite adequate and reasonably priced, with a good range of local wines. It all made for a comfortable, enjoyable evening.

Had to wait an hour before getting our entrees, then had to get waitresses attention for service. Mains came out an hour after the entrees and were cold, meals were nice but would have been better had they been hot or even warm, we ate them cold as we had waited long enough and were hungry. Had to ask someone if we could pay as no-one was attending the register. Simply not good enough, our patience had gone after hour and a half, only 5 tables were taken plus ours, should have better service with such a small amount of people there. They need more employees to help in the restaurant.......