Takeout stakeout: Mt Albert BBQ Noodle House

We ordered one whole roast duck.

Mt Albert BBQ Noodle House, 932 New North Rd, Mt Albert
Ph: (09) 846 8388
$40 for two adults, two kids

IN

The path to Whole Roast Duck is paved with broken concrete. The roadworks currently messing up New North Rd, at the Mt Albert shopping precinct, are depressing for anyone trying to punch on through but I imagine especially so for the poor cafe and restaurant owners. The road is now a chicane where you can reach dizzying speeds of up to 10km per hour. The parking is, needless to say, total crap.

The owner of Mt Albert BBQ Noodle House was standing outside as I stumbled along the path to his door and he greeted me like a long lost friend. I think this is entirely down to his natural friendliness and hospitality rather than desperation because, thank god, there were quite a few people dining in.

OUT

I'd phoned because I've written here before about being a bit of an online-ordering Luddite and I don't want to bore you by repeating my shortcomings. It was straight forward to talk, and I think that fact we never got our rice was entirely my fault or it all just got lost in the confusion over working out what vegetable dish to order.

THE TAKEAWAY

We ordered one whole roast duck ($25, cut into pieces), one steamed rice for four and one choysum/broccoli stir fry in soy sauce ($15). It was ready and waiting (except the rice is, which I wouldn't notice until later), taking exactly the 20 minutes promised. It wasn't till I got home that I realised there was ... cue family outrage ... no rice! The disappointment lasted only as long as it took us to open the standard, environmentally devastating polystyrene containers. For two simple dishes, it was an impressive, generous spread. There are other outfits in town that charge $40 for a whole roast duck so this is really a delicious bargain. The only thing I'd do next time is ask for the duck hot, rather than cold as it was - and to please add rice.