eatWelly

Well, a bad review had to happen eventually.  What a disappointment Astoria was.  I went here recently when I was in the Lambton Quay area with a friend from Auckland on a Saturday lunchtime.  Not much was open nearby, and we’d been walking for ages and getting pretty hungry.  My friend was not picky about where we went – his only request was that we go somewhere not available in Auckland – ruling out McDonalds and other chain restaurants.  I’d been to Astoria a few times before – one time had been quite pleasant, but my last experience (before this one) had been underwhelming.  Figuring that the place deserved another shot, and at a loss for better alternatives, we lined up to order.

The cabinet food on display looked pretty pitiful – my friend got some chicken pasta from the cabinet that was reheated in a microwave.  It did not look appetising, but was only around $6 or 8, so I guess you can’t expect too much.  Faced with a choice between certain crap (the cabinet options) and the possibility of getting something half decent, I decided to try my luck with the more expensive menu options.  I wanted something with a little meat, and decided on the mince on ciabatta ($15.50) – how bad can mince on toast possibly be?

Turns out, pretty awful.  The mince was dry, mixed with soft pieces of carrots.  The ciabatta was half soggy, half chewy.  There were a few sorry greens placed on top.  At $15.50, this was – quite frankly – pathetic.  We would’ve been better off at Macca’s.

As far as service goes, there’s not much of it at Astoria – orders are placed at the counter, and you take a number to your table and wait to be served.  You also have to get your own water, etc.  What service we did have, however, was friendly enough and prompt, so no real complaints on that front.

Ambience is the one thing Astoria may have going for it.  It’s located in Midland Park, so easy to find and you can sit outside at one of the tables on nice days.  Inside though, it’s dark and has poor acoustics.

I’m sure Astoria has served up better meals – I don’t think it could survive if this is the usual quality of its meals.  But this was easily one of the worst things I have eaten in a long time, and enough to ensure I don’t go back.

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Address:159 Lambton Quay, Midland Park