GPK Restaurant

Came here tonight for a celebratory dinner with my dad. It’s a nice enough place, the décor and layout are sleek and elegant yet welcoming. I liked the demure lighting and the outdoor (ish) seating. The meals were good to very good. We sampled each other’s dishes ~ my dad ordered the twice-​cooked duck, which came with quite a sweet sauce. The meat was succulent and slightly crispy on the outside, though the sauce was a little overpowering. No carbs on the side, which was a little surprising. Could have done with some potatoes or the like. I ordered the Caesar salad: the portion was very generous, with ample parmesan, succulent chicken strips, etc. Very tasty. The prices were quite reasonable. I caught a glimpse of the pizza order at the table next to us, and semi-​wished I’d opted for that: it was massive, and looked delicious. Next time!

Costly menu options and good/​passing quality of food. The menu was a bit eclectic for our tastes but nice enough place. Worth mentioning we came for lunch not dinner.

Before the proliferation of great new bars and restaurants in Takapuna, GPK was not only one of the better restaurants in town, but also used to be one of the classier spots to get a drink, as the bar side is quite substantial and used to attract a nulber of patrons of its own accord.
Now that the competition has heated up, I’d be less likely to pop into GPK for a salas, a takeaway pizza or a glass of vino than I would have previously. They do still have a nice outdoor seating area with clears on a wet/​windy day, but I’m waiting for them to change things up and wow me a bit more to drag me back down from The Commons.

GPK is a real institution. I have lived in Takapuna for nearly 25 years and it has been here for as long as I can remember. Situated in central Takapuna just up the road from the beach, it’s got a great summery vibe and is a perfect place to sit and watch the world go by.
There is plenty of seating both inside and out, and there is a separate bar area which is good if you are waiting for a table or if you are just there for a drink. The bar staff are always really friendly and love to experiment with drinks.
The food is really great and the menu is a real crowd pleaser. I really have never had a bad meal here. It is the usual New Zealand restaurant sort of stuff with a bug range of different tyoes of meat including seafod.
Something that is worth mentioning arthe pizzas, expecially the Bombay. It is Tandoori Chicken with banana and minted yoghurt and it is amazing.
Pricing is moderate and the atmosphere is really enjoyable. Surprisingly it is never that busy when I dirve past — I think this may be because it is rather predictable and people might be a bit bored. But hey, it’ll always satisfy.

GPK is one of those reliably average restaurants that you sometimes go to just because you know what you’re going to get. It’s in a good location right in the centre of Taka close to the theatre, beach and other night spots. Also it looks the part so that aspect of it pulls you in and persuades you that it’s worth the $ 30 you pay for a main, even if the food isn’t quite at a $ 30-​for-​a-​main standard. It’s good without really setting the world on fire — all about grilled meat and pizza. I ordered an eye fillet steak here once and while passable it just didn’t have very much taste, so for a $ 30 spend I was a little disappointed. Haven’t been there in a while since for that reason and I heard from the grapevine that the new management aint crash hot so I shall have to see what that’s all about one of these days.

GPK has been a bit hit and miss lately, but it’s still a decent place to meet friends and enjoy some wood-​fired pizzas. My girlfriend and I were there last week for dinner. The wait staff were very busy as usual, but our meals were still quick and the service was pretty good. The pizzas were crispy and delicious — just the way they should be.
The highlight was the crème brûlée. In fact, that’s the reason we went in the first place — it’s my girlfriend’s favourite dish in all of Auckland.
My only complaint was the number of kids running around, but that’s hardly GPK’s fault and perhaps I’m just turning into a grumpy old man.