Strawberry Alarm Clock, Parnell

The Strawberry Alarm Clock cafe in Parnell. Photo / Kenny Rodger

Herald rating: * *
119 Parnell Rd

We came here because it was an old favourite from years back so we thought we'd stop in to see how things were going.

Parking was down the road and surprisingly easy, but it was a long weekend and most of the locals were in absentia, causing traffic bedlam in Pauanui for a change.

We walked in and immediately thought let's flag the crowded dining room and retreat to the courtyard out the back. Once there, we were disappointed to see the furniture hadn't been upgraded since we used to come here - close to 10 years ago - and it was more than starting to show.

The most unusual thing on the menu is not terribly unusual, but the Alarm Clock has always been known for its roast potatoes instead of hash browns. We ordered the potatoes ($3.50), a smoked salmon bagel with cream cheese ($14), french toast ($15) and a strawberry smoothie ($6). The servings were more than generous but not overly exceptional. The french toast was fine but the bacon was dry and overcooked. The potatoes suffered the opposite fate and were barely browned - a far cry from the crisp, golden variety we remembered from days gone by. Dave was also annoyed to discover his smoothie was a creamy thickshake and not a frozen fruit smoothie.

The service was a little sleepy but so were we. And it was a long weekend, so there was no rush.

The coffee was good and strong.

We recommend if you come here you try to nab one of the streetside tables and enjoy the view. The courtyard has really lost the charm it once had and is actually quite off-putting now.

Overall, we thought it's not the same place we used to love but a little TLC could soon see it restored to its former glory.