Salient. Official Newspaper of the Victoria University Students' Association. Vol 44 No. 9. May 4 1981
Eating Out
Eating Out
The Greenstone Room
World Trade Centre B.Y.O.
Now that you have just got your first payment, and since it will be some time until you get the next one ... now is the time to start layingup fat for the winter. Up till now we have reviewed restaurants that were either in the nature of a treat or had some special quality, say like serving breakfast, but now we bring you something a little bit different. Quantity.
The World Trade Centre was opened up when it was the thing to do to look at dream kitchens and bathroom fittings on a Friday night in town. It's all looking pretty tatty now and the Greenstone Room on the third floor has managed to capture the atmosphere. You can enter off the Cuba Mall and a tunnel of shops (including the excellent Government Bookshop branch) or off Sturdee Street or again off Ghuznee Street. At the Ghuznee Street end is the slowest glumest branch of the BNZ in Wellington and certainly worth a look on your way in... if you have the time.
Well you wander in through display box photos of voting at the 57th Peoples Congress and halt a dozen empty cabinets with the Soviet Trade Display on the left -also worth a look - take the lift to the third floor and you're there.
The Greenstone Room has a smorgasbord every lunchtime and Friday evenings for $4.50 and $5.00 (children cheaper) respectively. Now it wasn't designed as a place to go and stuff yourself but that is probably the only reason for you to go.
Menu
Sliced Cold Meats: Sliced pork, salami, corned beef etc.
Hot Dishes: Soup. Cottage Pie, Macaroni Cheese, Fried Rice, Fried Fish, Chips, Hot Green Beans.
Salads: Over a dozen assorted. Beetroot, bean, green bean, potato etc.
Deserts: Cheese cake, Trifle, Apple Sponge, Tinned Fruit Salad, Cream.
Coffee/Tea Cheddar Cheese and Snax.
You pay your money, you take your plate and you eat. There was not a single item on the menu that had any flair at all. Just basic cafeteria spread even down to the weak perked coffee. But what are you going there for? Quantity. Quantity to tide you over the weekends when you can't get home. You don't want to get there and let your delicate feeling towards 'going out' and 'special' muck up your plans; the Smorgasbord business is the same as a bookie... it works on the law of averages. The proprietor thinks none the less of you for being a winner, because there are plenty more behind you who will eat less than they paid for.
I got a chipped plate and a dirty cup and saucer but overall was not disappointed. You can go there on a Friday night and slowly eat yourself to standstill. No extras; no musak; and as much as you like for five bucks.
B.Y.O.
Robert Lithgow