Park House Cafe

In Toowoomba for a couple of weeks from Sydney.
Found this place, great position, good ambience, shame about the inconsistency with food snd service.
«Tasting Plate» sounded tasty, but didn’t come close.
Arancini balls stodgy and tasteless, we had no idea what was in them except the obvious rice.
Prawn coating tasted stale.
Chicken portions pale/​dry and bland.
Haloumi cheese portions paper thin, overcooked snd rubbery.
Pork belly was tough, and uninteresting, very small bits.
Dips were capsicum and olive tapanade, accompanied by whole olives and capsicum slices. Very boring.
Bread was ordinary.
Had a bruschetta as well. Half/​warmed tomatoes served on bread, with slices of spanish onion, balsamic vinegar drizzled over, most of it on the plate.
Very disappointing food.
Had a dinner here 2 nights ago that was worth 4 ½ stars.
Have had brunch on 3 occasions as well over the last 10 days. They were 3 star meals.
Service is hit and miss during the day.

This used to be my friends and I go to café for coffee. In fact I met my oldest and dearest friend for coffee for the first time at this café. It has some sentimental value. That was some 11 years ago and still on a weekend morning you can find this café buzzing with families, couples and locals sipping coffee (Bellaroma, which seems to be a new and welcome addition. But it’s longevity in Toowoomba stands to say that they must be doing something fairly well. Sure, Toowoomba’s café scene isn’t as saturated as Brisbane but it’s still burgeoning enough for customers to talk by not filling seats. This is yet to happen at Park House.
The quality of coffee has improved ten fold since I had breakfast here a few months ago) and taking advantage of the all day breakfast. This morning I had serious order envy when my dining companion ordered a smoked salmon omelette. It made me pity my bacon and eggs.
Service has always been without trouble. If anything it was excessive (and possibly not tables not being tracked) this morning with no less than two waitresses asking for our coffee and breakfast orders when they’d already been taken. They’ve also been more than happy to provide a small container of water for the mornings our dog has been with us.
Park House is a decent breakfast option with a gorgeous park view but, the breakfast is fairly standard — lots of eggs, served with white bread and sides are a little steep — $ 4.50 for avocado for example. And just as Kimberley P. noted, I personally, for the meals, struggle to justify the $ 45.50 it cost my partner and I to have breakfast (one coffee each, him the smoked salmon omelette and me the bacon and eggs). It’s not five-​star dining but the prices are up there. Granted these are all personal things to my own taste. I’d suggest making it a coffee stop or lunch venue!

I love the atmosphere here. It is always lively, and there is always an open table inside or out, on the patio or on the deck.
My bf ordered the park house breakfast. His eggs were ordered poached, but they were actually baisted, but he never noticed.
I ordered the smoked salmon breakfast. They brought me the smoked salmon eggs Benedict, but when I mentioned the error, the server checked back, informed me that it will be ready in 2 minutes, and it was. I appreciated her apologizing, checking back with me, and bringing out what I ordered promptly.
My only complaints are the price; each of our brekky’s were $ 20. Add coffees and your looking at $ 50.
The other issue is that we were seated by one server, our order was taken by another, we were asked by another if we had already ordered, our food was brought out by another, and cleared by the original server. Too much room for error. Pick a section and see each table through.
I was happy with the meal overall.

Just up the road from Valetta’s this is another good spot for a coffee. It has both nice inside and outside places to sit. Outside is wonderful with views across to the park under umbrellas, shady trees or a verandah– what ever takes your fancy.
Coffee is good, not great but good. Or you have have a wine and have a lazy Sunday imbibing

My friends and i have had a very good Breakfast and i enjoy the perfekt Coffee. Next Time we stay in Toowoomba we come again
Peter Haltermann from Germany