Ambience
I remember when this place first opened, getting a table without booking on a fri or sat night was difficult. The pizzas we ordered were so gourmet, better than the usual 'hawaiian' or 'meatlovers' you'd get at Domino's or Pizza hut (what happened to Pizza haven?). What I've started to notice though, as I grow older and as other restaurants/cafes/take away shops open, my idea of gourmet and value-for-money seems to change. This place was gourmet until I discovered Crust Pizza (gourmet pizza bar), but more on that another time.
Our table number
As a member of a newly formed sports team, there was an idea floating around about 'team bonding', which I fret about as sometimes the more people there are that don't have much in common, the more awkward it is. Eitherways, I went alone to it, making sure I wasn't first, arrived with someone I knew and sat with someone interesting (always sit with someone interesting).
Starter: Garlic Twist
GPK offers a 'banquet' option, shared between two. The most popular option is a choice of drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic), 1 pizza and 1 regular salad. I've always thought this was a good deal, till tonight when the waiter had mentioned to by mates that the dishes they ordered would work out cheaper without the banquet option...note to self, always work out the possible pricing of the dishes if bought separately before taking the 'banquet' option.
New Orleans: finely sliced chicken breast fillets marinated with hot Cajun spices, roasted potato, English spinach and mushrooms served on GPK’s tomato sauce, topped with sour cream, drizzled with sweet chilli sauce
Lemon, Lime and Bitters
As we were still deciding on the meals, a complimentary plate of garlic pizza arrives. Everyone takes a piece and a bite "now I know why it's free, there's no taste". Still, you can't complain on free food.
Free starter: Garlic Pizza
When the meals arrived, I'm quick to note that even though we're at a PIZZA restaurant, for a table of 9 only 2 people have ordered pizza, everyone else has ordered either pasta or salad.
Pasta: Bolognese +Chicken and Roasted Capsicum
Pasta: Bacon and Mushroom
Salad: Rocket and Parmesan, regular
I myself, being on a 'diet', have ordered for the large ceasar salad, and boy, was it big. There's absolutely nothing fantastically different about this salad, I just needed a bit more meat for the amount of cos lettuce in my bowl. The anchovies taste was quite strong, though I don't mind it as I can stand that pungent taste.
Salad: Ceasar, large
Overall, the pastas that arrived all look pretty standard, though that's what you'd assuming not being in a pasta restaurant. A friend's made a comment about the idea of eating pasta in a restaurant when it's much cheaper to cook them at home. I see her point but there are some pasta dishes that are still worth buying in a restaurant, unfortunately, these were not. Since there were no specific comments on the pastas, I'll say they would be standard taste too.
Shop 10 (Piazza section)
Castle Towers Shopping Centre
274 -280 Old Northern Road
Castle Hill NSW, 2154
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