Don’t give up if you think the joint looks shut, it’s full of treasure on the inside! Indeed it is. For the price, the food is pretty good. Service was friendly too. I enjoyed the soups and they had fabulous tingly prawn crackers that did not leave the usual oil slick on your tongue. Also, the fish cakes were the genuine variety, small rounds that packed a massive punch. Unfortunately our Gar Lok Chow Mein was a little bland and had a heavy noodle-to-goodie ratio. So maybe after another visit I’ll be able to up my star rating…
Lynn M.
Place rating: 4 Australia
They really have to improve their entrance here. I lived across the tracks from this Chinese restaurant for 3 months and always assumed that it was closed. One evening I tried the door and alas, it opened! Not prepared for the fact that an actual restaurant existed behind these red doors I must have had a rather confused look on my face. We were ushered to a table and given a menu. For that this place is, it looks like some sort of cover up(sopranos style) for illegal crime that may be occurring the back room. The food is actually pretty good and not the usual oily mess that some Chinese restaurants serve up. I quite enjoyed what I had and will come again.
Miranda P.
Place rating: 4 Western Australia, Australia
Gar Lok is easy to miss — it’s right down the road from where I live, and for ages I thought it was an old, shut-up shop. This is due to the fact that you can’t see into it at all. There are no windows, the exterior looks like it’s been boarded up with big red planks, and the entrance is barely visible. But don’t be fooled — it IS open! Once you realise that there actually is a way in, you find out that the food isn’t half bad. I don’t eat a lot of Chinese food — I find it too glutinous and greasy a lot of the time — but Gar Lok manages to avoid that. I often say that the measure of a Chinese restaurant is its prawn crackers(actually, I’ve never said that before. But I’m saying it now). Too often, they taste like they’ve been soaked in ten-year-old chip fat. But again, Gar Lok manages to avoid that disgusting greasiness. The prawn crackers are crisp and fresh, with a yummy crustacean flavour. And you get MILLIONS of them. I’ve never seen such a comically big bag. The Gar Lok Chow Mein is flavoursome, with crunchy vegetables and tasty prawns, pork and chicken. As the friendly girl behind the counter warned us, it comes in a huge portion — it’s enough for two people. The Chilli squid has a nice spicy kick, but could do with slightly more flavour. All in all, this is good Chinese food for a very reasonable price — our meal came to $ 45 for two.
