Centennial Parklands

This is a review of a restaurant experience from last Thursday. It was a beautiful day, perfect for a walk in the park followed by lunch. However, the lunch did not meet expectations. There was a 10-minute wait for a table, as all the waiters seemed preoccupied and not assisting customers. After finally being seated, orders were taken after another long wait. Despite requesting that our children's meals be served first, they ended up being the last to arrive. The food itself was disappointing - tasteless, over-boiled fish and dry, inconspicuous soba noodles. This restaurant is not cheap, so there is no excuse for such poor quality service and food.

The ambiance at the greenhouse café is delightful, especially on a sunny day for breakfast or lunch. The menu offers a variety of options, though it can be a bit pricey.

Three of us dined at the restaurant. When I made the reservation, I requested a quiet table, but we were seated in the middle of the bustling restaurant. One of us ordered the Chicken Grape and Riesling Pie with spinach and red wine jus, which they enjoyed for $24. The other two shared the Abb and Prosciutto Salad, which had pears instead of figs, along with radicchio, watercress, red onion, goat cheese, and apple dressing for $20. We also tried the Potato Gnocchi with asparagus, poached egg, and lemon for $27, which was a favorite among us for its small, moist gnocchi and delicious sauce. We needed spoons to savor every last drop of the sauce. The service was good, but the dining room was uncomfortably hot, which prevented us from staying for dessert or coffee. Overall, we enjoyed the food but were disappointed by the dirty, food-stained menus.

I had two bad experiences here to avoid sugar or preservatives. Staff and chefs are not reliable or particularly cooperative.

The food options are accessible and good. It is the environment that cannot be equaled. Ducks, swans, possums, magpies, galahs, cockatoos, kookaburras. They are all there. Where else has this in an urban enclave that also has such lovely open spaces and wooded areas?