REVIEW - CJ'S GOOD FOOD
CJ'S Good Food
83 Main Street, 
Lithgow 2790
Open Monday -Saturday, Lunch from 12, Dinner from 6pm. Sunday, by appointment.

FOOD 3/5
SERVICE 3/5
VEGETARIAN OPTIONS 1/5
ACCESS 3/5

COMMENTS
Call me a cynic, 'CYNIC!' but I find it a little suspicious when an eating establishment feels the need to TELL us it has GOOD FOOD. Be that as it may, CJ's has become something of an institution in Lithgow, seems that everyone knows it and just about everyone has eaten there at some stage.
I went there with a group of friends on a Tuesday evening and I'll admit to being a little surprised by the number of people prepared to brave a very chilly evening to eat out.
I have eaten at CJ's on a few occasions, the one thing I can say is that the menu changes pretty regularly, but it tends to be the tried and true (perceived) favorites. You won't find anything too adventurous on the menu but will almost always be served a well prepared and tasty meal.
So, I guess I shouldn't be too disappointed in the menu then, knowing that it will probably change soon, but feel it worth commenting on.
The starters menu contained several dishes, all but one of them contained seafood of some kind. Which is probably great if you love seafood, not so good if you can;t eat it or don't like it. The only other option was a stuffed mushroom dish, which contained nuts and cheeses. Two of us at the table were in the position of not being able to order any of the starters menu, save the bread, even if we wanted to. I considered filling up on the garlic bread as a starter but thought better of it. It was getting close to 8 pm by the time we arrived at the restaurant and most of us were ready to eat the tablecloth.
The was a distinct lack of vegetarian options but there was a gluten free menu included.
Steaks are cooked to order and even if you hanker for a well done steak, you can get one well done that doesn't come to the table looking like it escaped from a crematorium, this is a skill in itself.
If it's all about dessert for you, you will not be disappointed, with chocolate, ice cream and cream all over the place. The menu is predictable and conservative which is probably why it has lasted in Lithgow.
The service was somewhat sporadic, you had to be quick to see a wine list or order a coffee. Plates were being removed from the table as others were still eating. This, traditionally has been a service no-no, but I must cut them some slack, due to the time.
Parking on Main street is always very limited, but in the evening one can usually do a bit better. People with mobility issues are best served entering via the back of the building, where these is access and parking spaces and unlike the front of the building, has no stairs to negotiate.
It is still probably one of the more expensive dining options in town, but the meals are generous and well prepared. Everyone at our table seemed to enjoy their meals when they turned up.
Being there on a Tuesday evening we were also treated to live music. 
http://www.cjsgoodfood.com.au/index.html

What's a Nice Blog Like You doing HERE?

Or, another way of putting it could be, 'What's a place like Lithgow doing with a food & restaurant blog?' Well may you ask.
Well, it kind of started like this ...
I work (sometimes) in a small museum in town and I am almost always there on a Sunday. For some reason that still alludes me, people tend to turn up around lunch time or whenever I happen to be thinking about eating or even getting a cup of instant coffee.
Over the years I have had quite a few people ask me things like ...
'Where's a nice place to have lunch in town?' ooo, they want a NICE place to have lunch, mmm. 
In fact it made little difference if the places were nice or not, as nothing ever seemed to be open on a Sunday afternoon anyway. Welcome to the west of the ranges people!
I would usually end up sending them down the road to the local club. It had the added benefit of being just down the road, so not even my directions would get people lost and it was pretty much always open. But let's face it, been to one club you've pretty much been to 'em all.
I might actually go and review it some day, see what I can actually say about it!
Things are slowly changing here though and the arrival of a small university campus, has seen things like a  tapas bar being opened up at the hotel across the road from the university. cafes seem to be open longer hours - EVEN SUNDAY AFTERNOON!!!
I still like the idea of current, relevant and updated information for locals and visitors alike, to navigate Main Street and beyond in search of sustenance. Be nice to also be able to produce a booklet for those lost city folks to take with them, so if they get VERY lost they can just eat the book. Now I'm being silly. Or am I?

REVIEW - Kar Wah Inn Chinese Restaurant.

Kar Wah Inn Chinese Restaurant.
2C Lithgow Street (opposite Valley Plaza shopping centre)
Open Tuesday - Sunday 12 pm - 2 pm, 5 pm - 9.30 pm

FOOD; 3/5
SERVICE; 4/5
VEGETARIAN OPTIONS; 1/5
ACCESS 5/5

COMMENTS
I started at the Kar Wah Inn, because I was there anyway! A meeting I attend, meets at the club monthly, so I am also quite familiar with the restaurant.
As with most Asian style food served in Australia, it has been 'dumbed down' for our sensibilities. Anyone who has been to an authentic Yum Cha can appreciate the difference.
That being said, the servings are fairly generous and the food is usually tasty. Served on large dinner plates, if you want to use chopsticks you'll need to ask for them.
Being lunch time we ordered off the lunch specials, which consists of the usual suspects. The Chicken with cashew nuts gets a big thumbs up from a friend who will order it every time we meet there. It has tender chicken, stir fried vegetables and the cashews add an extra texture dimension to the dish.
Satay Beef was found to be lacking in the creamy, nutty taste that was expected but made up for this with the use of chili!
Before hand we had vegetarian spring rolls, while not on the menu, they are available if one asks for them. The lunch menu has Stir Fried Vegetables as it's token vegetarian dish, while no vegetable based alternatives appear on the main menu.
The club has plenty of parking and is a level, one storey building with wheelchair access.  
This place may not rock your world but it was just what we needed on a cold, rainy day.
http://www.clublithgow.com.au/dining.php

REVIEWS ON THIS SITE

Reviews on this site will be set out in the following way (until I come up with a better way) Eateries will be assessed by the following criteria ...
FOOD 
SERVICE
VEGETARIAN OPTIONS
ACCESS
each section will be marked out of 5.