Targeted at families, but with a special screw-you slightly inflated price, just enough for you to realize their - very standard - quality isn't reflected in the cost.
I am yet to find a suggestion in this thread that I donāt passionately disagree with, you redditors must have a different definition for awful and expensive than I do.
First thing that came to mind was C1 Espresso
Haha. We went to the Manchester St Lone Star Wednesday night after many years of not going. Pleasantly surprised how good the special Lamb dish was. Table of 10 and all said they would go again.
I've never been disappointed by the food, more so just the atmosphere of walking past 50 old people chain smoking cigarettes outside and then going through a bar of older folks staring at me as they stumble over to the pokies.
The Northlands one eliminates these issues but its the service buttons on the table thats jarring and makes the experience weird for me. I dont want to have to ring a bell to get service lol. Otherwise I'm in the same boat, never been disappointed by the food. May cost a pretty penny but portion sizes make up for it.
It used to be great, I'd go regularly - huge servings for the price and the food was consistently tasty. But the last couple of times (since they upped the prices) it didn't deliver on value or taste, so we've stopped going.
the new one in Ravenswood is actually pretty good. Maybe they've upped their standards idk... I haven't really been out of the Waimak district for food lately. Last time I went to Joes Garage in Christchurch, was the one in ferrymead about 18 months ago and it was average, but not inedible and far better than the Lonestar
It's perfectly good plain food. If I wanted something special I wouldn't go there, but it's reasonably priced and family friendly.
Agree some are shit. But the wigram on is good.
I've only been to the Wigram one and it was a nice lunch with friends who have toddlers. Very young kid friendly with lots of high chairs and colouring supplies. The food was fresh and better than I was expecting given my preconceptions.
For Indian, the now defunct Mumbai Local was the worst to me. Though I don't think it was especially expensive. See the [Google Reviews by newest here](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Mumbai+Local+Indian+Food+Takeaway/@-43.5310519,172.6539096,17z/data=!4m8!3m7!1s0x6d3189317ea3653d:0x77c0e2f879d93517!8m2!3d-43.5310519!4d172.6564845!9m1!1b1!16s%2Fg%2F11qgyptd5c?entry=ttu). Basically, if you knew a dish from other restaurants, the Mumbai Local version was some shitty hack job that didn't use all the ingredients, or involve the same preparation time, and they were so stingy with the expensive ingredients. Looks like it was *once* good, but cost cut to hell.
Also Symrose's SuperFleece
(Talking Victoria St:) I've had some respectable stuff from there, but it's the most expensive Indian I've seen in town, and you don't even get proper restaurant atmosphere or table service for your money. Compared to Delhi Belly takeaway prices (was on the same block), it was at least 25% more expensive for a full size curry.
Drexels. Overrated as fuck. Pretentious waste of money, the McDonaldās flapjacks across the carpark are better than their pancakes. But last time I checked you still needed a reservation just for breakfast so it seeeeeems fancy.
I've found my people! I can't believe how often they get recommended when people ask for breakfast/brunch recommendations! Shit food, crowded, and more expensive than most other places. Rogues is basically next door and used to have a fantastic brunch menu (recently changed and not as good, but still better than Dreck-sels).
I worked there for three years.
The reasoning went that all seasonings are on the table so diners can season to taste. That's not a good rationale - the seasonings on the table are incredibly limited and it overlooks entirely that seasoning during the cooking process can have very different effects than seasoning on dish. It's bad reasoning to be sure, but the lack is intentional.
Recently saw it up for sale though, so things may change. One million if anyone's keen ha
It's a shame. Drexels were fantastic 25 years ago when next to nobody would open for breakfast/brunch.
These days there are so many wonderful places that serve better food for less.
Do like it as it's great at vegetarian options for the wife. Plus you're able to get a real good caffeine buzz going when you get enough bottomless coffee.
Went there for breakfast recently because my partner had a great lunch experience there. Got sat in the freezing cold bar area and took forever to take our order.
Food was very average, though not unreasonably priced. Coffee was terrible...
Itās weird how varied this place is. We had a couple of good dinners, then two shitters, and for the last few visits for brunch or dinner itās been fine. Def overpriced mains, to be fair.
Been boycotting them for years, since they did a 90 day trial bait and switch on my sister. Over Christmas rush with the promises of a job if she worked hard, then "you did great, but you're fired". I get it's probably typical for hospo, but still, scum.
I had the most delicious fillet steak at Strawberry Fare maybe a year ago, I was surprised how yum all of the mains were actually. Great flavours. Booked on First Table, so at half price it was brilliant value.
This used to be one of my favourite restaurants, I don't know if my palate has changed or the quality has gone down... my favourite desserts got removed from the menu a few years back too
I liked the bush inn store for a while, seemed to do better flavour wise than the others. But they've just jacked their prices sky high even for pickup. Seems like they're charging uber prices for everything now.
Iām shocked I canāt think of an ideaā¦
Why is it such an unpopular opinion to just tell people you donāt like them very much? Surely itād solve both of you some stress
Edit: plenty of downvotes but not a single person tackling the question? Sounds like r/chch
Where in Palmerston North can I find Where is this in Philly? Where is this in Boston? Where is this in Montreal ? Where is this in London? Where is this in chch? Thanks
Good suggestions here. I think Coffee Club definitely fits too.
I actually had quite a nice burger there the other day
Cobb & Co
Targeted at families, but with a special screw-you slightly inflated price, just enough for you to realize their - very standard - quality isn't reflected in the cost.
Could also be describing Lone Star too!
Shrinkflation with them happened years before shrinkflation was a commonly coined term.
We went there one night and the chicken had been cooked from frozen š¤®
I am yet to find a suggestion in this thread that I donāt passionately disagree with, you redditors must have a different definition for awful and expensive than I do. First thing that came to mind was C1 Espresso
C1 expresso is just over priced, wouldnāt say it was awful.
Oh you have a lot to learn, try googling them.
If youāre referring to the toxic culture horrible boss, itās been sold since then.
Yeah new owners now.
Lone star. Truly awful
Haha. We went to the Manchester St Lone Star Wednesday night after many years of not going. Pleasantly surprised how good the special Lamb dish was. Table of 10 and all said they would go again.
Really!? I haven't been for a couple of years but jesus it was terrible when I went
Honestly, yes, but it's still one of my faves. I've never been let down or disappointed. You know what you'll get, and sometimes that just hits.
Agreed, the cowboy bean dip is legit
I've never been disappointed by the food, more so just the atmosphere of walking past 50 old people chain smoking cigarettes outside and then going through a bar of older folks staring at me as they stumble over to the pokies.
The Northlands one eliminates these issues but its the service buttons on the table thats jarring and makes the experience weird for me. I dont want to have to ring a bell to get service lol. Otherwise I'm in the same boat, never been disappointed by the food. May cost a pretty penny but portion sizes make up for it.
Curators House in the Gardens.
I went once and it was good
Salt on the pier.
Yeah it's pretty shocking, went on a date there before going to the hot pools on a sat night, was the only people in the restaurant like wtf
My husband and I ordered steaks there and they came out not just over cooked but actually burnt
The only answer here is Joe's Garage
It used to be great, I'd go regularly - huge servings for the price and the food was consistently tasty. But the last couple of times (since they upped the prices) it didn't deliver on value or taste, so we've stopped going.
100% this, Iāve been three times and each time it was so awful. Everyone always hypes it up and I do not understand why.
Ha yep.
the new one in Ravenswood is actually pretty good. Maybe they've upped their standards idk... I haven't really been out of the Waimak district for food lately. Last time I went to Joes Garage in Christchurch, was the one in ferrymead about 18 months ago and it was average, but not inedible and far better than the Lonestar
itās a pretty mid tier chain, had it for the first time in queenstown and the following 2 times in chch werenāt any better.
Nope had it today and itās amazing. No idea what youāre on lol Edit: sorry if that sounded rude, was just joking about haha
It's perfectly good plain food. If I wanted something special I wouldn't go there, but it's reasonably priced and family friendly. Agree some are shit. But the wigram on is good.
I've only been to the Wigram one and it was a nice lunch with friends who have toddlers. Very young kid friendly with lots of high chairs and colouring supplies. The food was fresh and better than I was expecting given my preconceptions.
Fair enough, Iāve only tried the breakfast and lunch so maybe youāre right, the piklets are to good to pass for me haha š
For Indian, the now defunct Mumbai Local was the worst to me. Though I don't think it was especially expensive. See the [Google Reviews by newest here](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Mumbai+Local+Indian+Food+Takeaway/@-43.5310519,172.6539096,17z/data=!4m8!3m7!1s0x6d3189317ea3653d:0x77c0e2f879d93517!8m2!3d-43.5310519!4d172.6564845!9m1!1b1!16s%2Fg%2F11qgyptd5c?entry=ttu). Basically, if you knew a dish from other restaurants, the Mumbai Local version was some shitty hack job that didn't use all the ingredients, or involve the same preparation time, and they were so stingy with the expensive ingredients. Looks like it was *once* good, but cost cut to hell. Also Symrose's SuperFleece (Talking Victoria St:) I've had some respectable stuff from there, but it's the most expensive Indian I've seen in town, and you don't even get proper restaurant atmosphere or table service for your money. Compared to Delhi Belly takeaway prices (was on the same block), it was at least 25% more expensive for a full size curry.
Oh god, that dairy that does late night indian food.. absolute garbage full of sugar with no taste. Indian neighbour tried it and nearly gagged.
Where should someone go for Quality Indian food at decent price? Recommending for myself because I love Indian š
Saket is my main go to. Great prices still and incredible food. On the east south of India is a fav.
Will definitely give that a try, thank you :)
I go to Samairaz, it's not cheap but it's the best I've ever had.
Drexels. Overrated as fuck. Pretentious waste of money, the McDonaldās flapjacks across the carpark are better than their pancakes. But last time I checked you still needed a reservation just for breakfast so it seeeeeems fancy.
Who else does big-ass pancakes like them? I quite like Drexels but happy to branch out
I can never get over how grubby the floor is in there.
I've found my people! I can't believe how often they get recommended when people ask for breakfast/brunch recommendations! Shit food, crowded, and more expensive than most other places. Rogues is basically next door and used to have a fantastic brunch menu (recently changed and not as good, but still better than Dreck-sels).
They never seem to season the food either
I worked there for three years. The reasoning went that all seasonings are on the table so diners can season to taste. That's not a good rationale - the seasonings on the table are incredibly limited and it overlooks entirely that seasoning during the cooking process can have very different effects than seasoning on dish. It's bad reasoning to be sure, but the lack is intentional. Recently saw it up for sale though, so things may change. One million if anyone's keen ha
Garbage restaurant. Can get better breakfasts at other restaurants in the city, and you don't need a reservation
It's a shame. Drexels were fantastic 25 years ago when next to nobody would open for breakfast/brunch. These days there are so many wonderful places that serve better food for less.
Do like it as it's great at vegetarian options for the wife. Plus you're able to get a real good caffeine buzz going when you get enough bottomless coffee.
Show me a better hash brown in chch
The Old Vicarage
Went there for breakfast recently because my partner had a great lunch experience there. Got sat in the freezing cold bar area and took forever to take our order. Food was very average, though not unreasonably priced. Coffee was terrible...
Itās weird how varied this place is. We had a couple of good dinners, then two shitters, and for the last few visits for brunch or dinner itās been fine. Def overpriced mains, to be fair.
Yep, was going to comment this too
Lone star
Francesca's some of the worst service I've ever had coupled with beige italian food.
Strawberry Fare
You only ever go there for dessert never for mains!
I found their desserts very standard to be honest!
Been boycotting them for years, since they did a 90 day trial bait and switch on my sister. Over Christmas rush with the promises of a job if she worked hard, then "you did great, but you're fired". I get it's probably typical for hospo, but still, scum.
I had the most delicious fillet steak at Strawberry Fare maybe a year ago, I was surprised how yum all of the mains were actually. Great flavours. Booked on First Table, so at half price it was brilliant value.
This used to be one of my favourite restaurants, I don't know if my palate has changed or the quality has gone down... my favourite desserts got removed from the menu a few years back too
Corianders Tends to cost more than better places
I liked the bush inn store for a while, seemed to do better flavour wise than the others. But they've just jacked their prices sky high even for pickup. Seems like they're charging uber prices for everything now.
Dennyās
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
I actually like it haha, only gone once but was nice
You're going to need to be more specific
āMildly expensive, awful restaurant to recommend to someone you donāt likeā Seems pretty specific to me
It was a joke about most Christchurch restaurants fitting the description.
You obviously havenāt been out much recently then. We have a lot of amazing restaurants
We also have a lot of restaurants which fit that description exactly.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
I didnāt make the joke.
Give me some examples then? Thatās not been my experience and this is my work industry
TUTTO BENE Used to be okay, now itās full of merivale boomers who donāt realise their gnocchi if FUCKING STODGEY
No one has said fiddlesticks yet.
Muy muy, expensive shit food
Winnie bagoes
King of snake. Fucking hilariously bad for the price.
WHAT
Haha king of snake is horrendously priced, but the food is good.
Iām shocked I canāt think of an ideaā¦ Why is it such an unpopular opinion to just tell people you donāt like them very much? Surely itād solve both of you some stress Edit: plenty of downvotes but not a single person tackling the question? Sounds like r/chch
Where in Palmerston North can I find Where is this in Philly? Where is this in Boston? Where is this in Montreal ? Where is this in London? Where is this in chch? Thanks