I like Rob Broadfield's column in Saturday's West. I've gone to restaurants he's reviewed and come away in agreement usually. So if you stick to Broadfield's recommendations you should be okay.
Paying $50 for a meal? I think it depends on the quality and style of a restaurant. One won't get much change from a silver service novelle cuisine restaurant but if you went to e.g. a good Thai one such as Saowanee's Place in North Perth, you'll come away feeling it was money well spent.
The facts are also that it takes alot to poach (no pun intended) and keep a good chef here in Perth especially when they're in higher demand over East or anywhere around the world for that matter. Add to that the increasing rents, electricity (25% increase and rising) and gas tarrifs and the owner will try to cut costs somewhere.
I've seen it at Bunnings - people are constantly complaining about lousy service. But if you want cheap goods, Bunnings will cut down on labour costs to keep it cheap. When most consumers say in surveys that they're prepared to pay a bit extra - that's because talk is cheap. The fact is that if Bunnings raised its prices by $1, all those consumers would be out that door to the next hardware store - and the indications are all there that Woolworths is entering the DIY market in a big way.
You get what you pay for and unfortunately, consumers will have to pay more to get more. Take a look at the Indiana Tea House in Cottesloe - you pay but you don't pay for good service or gourmet fare but for a view - which you can't eat.
