Gold Coast Takeaways

This week we checked out Gold Coast Takeaways in Hillpark.

We ordered $3 chips, 2 tarakihi, 2 curry rolls, 1 potato fritter and a hot dog. The total price was $13.40. This easily fed 3 adults and our little Grace.

We were very disappointed with the chips. They were a bit greasy, and  tasted awful had an unusual flavour and texture (dry and floury). The curry rolls were very greasy, but tasted good and were nice and crispy. The fish was of fairly high quality with a crispy batter, but was a bit dry in parts. The 'potato' fritter had virtually no potato between the slabs of greasy batter, but the hot dog was quite nice despite being different from other ones we've tried.

Quality: 2/5
Value: 4/5

Overall: 6/10

Summary

Our overall impression was too much grease and a slightly unpleasant tasting oil. While the value was very good, the old maxim 'no one ever regretted buying quality' is appropriate here. Pay a bit more and get something that won't sit like concrete in your stomach. Needless to say we will not be returning in the near future.

Alfriston Takeaway

Tonight we visited Alfriston Takeaway on the corner of Alfriston Road and Claude Road in Manurewa. 

We ordered $3 chips, 2 pieces of tarakihi, 2 curry rolls and a potato fritter. The total came to $14.50. As you can clearly see we got considerably better bang for buck here than at Totara Park takeaways. This week we fed three adults and our 17 month old Grace. 

We found the chips to be light and fairly crispy, though the standard was not quite as high as at Totara Park takeaways. However for $3.00 we got at least four times as much as we did for $1.50 at Totara Park takeaways last week. The tarakihi had a good flavour, was moist and the batter was mostly crisp. The curry rolls had an excellent flavour and crisp exterior. At $1.50 each we got two for just 20 cents more than the one we bought at Totara Park takeaways. The potato fritter and hot dog were also of good quality. There was disagreement in our party over whether the food was a little over-salted. 

Quality: 4/5
Value: 4/5

Overall: 8/10

Summary
The chips are good, the fish is excellent, and the extras are enjoyable. We have frequented this takeaway store over the past 5 years, and have found the standard of quality consistently high. The value for money here makes this an excellent choice for families.

Totara Park Takeaways

This week we went to Totara Park Takeaways in Manurewa Auckland. We ordered $1.50 chips, 1 piece of tarakihi, a curry roll, a hot dog and 6 onion rings which came to a grand total of $14.00. We brought the fish and chips home and were disappointed to see the quantity of the chips. Granted we had ordered $1.50, but we specifically asked whether that was a scoop or not, and the young assistant intimated that it was.

Normally Sarah and I can feed ourselves and our little daughter Grace for around $10. Yet on this ocassion we left Grace asleep in the car because we did not have enough to share among three.

On the bright side, as we began eating, we found the food to be of good quality. The chips were neither mushy nor greasy, but light and crispy. Just the right amount of salt had been added. The onion rings which seem to be of a fairly consistent quality wherever they are cooked were enjoyable. The hot dog was tasty even if overpriced at $2.30. Sarah tried the tarakihi and was pleased. The batter was crisp and the fish tasty. At $3.80 it is priced higher than most local stores.

The biggest disappointment was the curry roll weighing in at an exorbitant $2.80. The casing was slightly chewy rather than crunchy, and the filling, while acceptable was not as tasty as the curry rolls we have bought elsewhere in Manurewa for $1.50.

Quality: 4/5
Value: 2/5

Overall: 6/10

Summary
The chips are excellent, and the food overall is pretty good compared with many fish and chip shops. Unfortunately Totara Park Takeaways is let down by its prices. All items we purchased can be bought at a significantly lower cost (without compromising on quality) at other takeaway stores in the general vicinity.