Overpriced, unappealing food awards

[Ludwig]

Any racecourses, in your experience, which deserve a mention, in the unappealing, overpriced food awards?

[nomates]

18 minutes ago, Ludwig said:

Any racecourses, in your experience, which deserve a mention, in the unappealing, overpriced food awards?

Smart man Ludwig , ask that question the other way around you would have got no replies .

Personally i have never been able to get the two together , either great food highly overpriced or cheap and tasted like crap .

[Ludwig]

I have never forgiven Awapuni, this is going back ten plus years. They pulled down the public stand, replaced it with a monstrosity, and served up the most ghastly overpriced crap, while I bet all the toffs dined on the finest. The people who ran that course got so offside with their traditional roots.

[Huey]

3 minutes ago, Ludwig said:

I have never forgiven Awapuni, this is going back ten plus years. They pulled down the public stand, replaced it with a monstrosity, and served up the most ghastly overpriced crap, while I bet all the toffs dined on the finest. The people who ran that course got so offside with their traditional roots.

Those buns with a bit of ham in them... serious rip off, owners room there is also awful as unfortunately is Trenthams.

[Chief Stipe]

Do you really expect racecourse to compete with the hospitality industry where the majority of businesses struggle to make a profit?

Interesting how there are complaints from racing stalwarts about the food and choice of beer brands when I would have thought the priority was good safe fair tracks and high quality fields attractive to punters.

[Peanut]

The best thing about the otherwise unappealing Alexandra Park is the Grand Harbour restaurant on course.  Last time i was invited there it was a great night seated in the restaurant and walking out to watch the races.   A lot of courses should just forget about trying to be a hospitality venue and focus on core product.  Give free rent and fit out contributions to experienced operators for a pop up and/or allow Food trucks to operate on course.  

[nomates]

Went to Otaki a couple of weeks ago , a punnet of shoestring chips , $7 , she asked if i wanted tomatoe sauce , i said " no , gold flakes ".

[Doomed]

3 hours ago, Chief Stipe said:

Do you really expect racecourse to compete with the hospitality industry where the majority of businesses struggle to make a profit?

Interesting how there are complaints from racing stalwarts about the food and choice of beer brands when I would have thought the priority was good safe fair tracks and high quality fields attractive to punters.

Racing is in the entertainment industry. Part of that experience is the wine, beer and food on offer. The average punter wouldn't really know a high quality field if they saw one, but they do enjoy a decent beer.

[Ludwig]

20 minutes ago, Doomed said:

Racing is in the entertainment industry. Part of that experience is the wine, beer and food on offer. The average punter wouldn't really know a high quality field if they saw one, but they do enjoy a decent beer.

Thanks. I do agree. Of course, quality fields, on safe tracks is paramount. But for Joe Public, so is somewhere dry to sit without being attacked by rogue nails, the availability of clean toilets, and adequate refreshments, reasonably priced. It's all part of the package, and if we're serious about reviving racing, then we should take seriously the entire package being offered.

[Ludwig]

4 hours ago, Huey said:

Those buns with a bit of ham in them... serious rip off, owners room there is also awful as unfortunately is Trenthams.

In the uni hostel I used to run, if we ever served the students something bad like that, the staff would expect it to be returned immediately via air mail.

[Doomed]

4 hours ago, Ludwig said:

In the uni hostel I used to run, if we ever served the students something bad like that, the staff would expect it to be returned immediately via air mail.

You were obviously at my uni hostel. Lumpy mashed potatoes never went down well, but did fly well.

[Doomed]

4 hours ago, Ludwig said:

Thanks. I do agree. Of course, quality fields, on safe tracks is paramount. But for Joe Public, so is somewhere dry to sit without being attacked by rogue nails, the availability of clean toilets, and adequate refreshments, reasonably priced. It's all part of the package, and if we're serious about reviving racing, then we should take seriously the entire package being offered.

It is an area which has been very badly neglected over the last 30 years or so. Just when some clubs had started to make a bit of an effort in that respect. Then the money ran out. If the old amenities fund that Reefton often refers to had remained in place facilities would have been much better.

I can't recall the rationale behind dropping that fund at the time. I think it may have been about the time that Chittick was running the show.

[Ludwig]

23 minutes ago, Doomed said:

You were obviously at my uni hostel. Lumpy mashed potatoes never went down well, but did fly well.

Yes, potatoes, baked, boiled, mashed, were an excellent missile in the right hands. And I discovered on St Patrick's Day 1976, that a rice pudding could make an excellent substitute.

[Doomed]

22 minutes ago, Ludwig said:

Yes, potatoes, baked, boiled, mashed, were an excellent missile in the right hands. And I discovered on St Patrick's Day 1976, that a rice pudding could make an excellent substitute.

That's about the time I was there. I think they have it much better these days, seem to be a bit more civilised.

[Chief Stipe]

On 19/01/2022 at 8:23 PM, Ludwig said:

Yes, potatoes, baked, boiled, mashed, were an excellent missile in the right hands. And I discovered on St Patrick's Day 1976, that a rice pudding could make an excellent substitute.

The 1981 Lincoln College Halls of Residence Refectory food fight was an all time classic.  Careers both rugby and academic were stalled as a post fight investigation ensued.  Luckily no CCTV in those days although I imagine if it happened today they would have been taken out first.

As the song says "It all started with a 💋..." in this infamous incident it started with a pea launched from a teaspoon.  It covered some distance bouncing off someone's noggin onto their table still intact.  Of course return fire was mandatory but as no one knew who was the intended target or who fired the first shot a small exploratory barrage of pea tracers were launched speculatively in a number of directions.  Accompanied by some sliced carrots launched in a side motion by the same versatile teaspoon launcher.

The Halls of Residence tutor sitting at the same table as me was heard to utter "Uh oh, this is going to be a big one..."

Escalation rapidly ensued - teaspoons were upgraded to tablespoons and then ladles.  Peas became roast spuds.....

When the artillery graduated to hard boiled eggs still in their shells 🥚 defensive manoeuvres emerged and fire returned from under the cover of table tops.  The sports teams came into their own during this phase intercepting the egg missiles in mid flight, returning fire while willing to take the odd pea hit.

Pinex partitions suffered serious damage due to the penetrative attributes of the hardened egg shells (pun intended).

The fight entered a softer phase as the main course supplies were deplenished.  However boiled fruit and custard were hopeless projectiles with friendly fire and self harm occurring.

After nearly an hour of intense battle munitions supplies were diminished, Bob's (the local pub) was calling and word was circulating that a counter attack led by the College Principal was imminent with the real threat that prisoners would be taken.  Rapid retreat ensued via all exits except the main door.

......it all started with a pea.....

 

[Doomed]

52 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

The 1981 Lincoln College Halls of Residence Refectory food fight was an all time classic.  Careers both rugby and academic were stalled as a post fight investigation ensued.  Luckily no CCTV in those days although I imagine if it happened today they would have been taken out first.

As the song says "It all started with a 💋..." in this infamous incident it started with a pea launched from a teaspoon.  It covered some distance bouncing off someone's noggin onto their table still intact.  Of course return fire was mandatory but as no one knew who was the intended target or who fired the first shot a small exploratory barrage of pea tracers were launched speculatively in a number of directions.  Accompanied by some sliced carrots launched in a side motion by the same versatile teaspoon launcher.

The Halls of Residence tutor sitting at the same table as me was heard to utter "Uh oh, this is going to be a big one..."

Escalation rapidly ensued - teaspoons were upgraded to tablespoons and then ladles.  Peas became roast spuds.....

When the artillery graduated to hard boiled eggs still in their shells 🥚 defensive manoeuvres emerged and fire returned from under the cover of table tops.  The sports teams came into their own during this phase intercepting the egg missiles in mid flight and willing to take the odd pea hit.

Pinex partitions suffered serious damage due to the penetrative attributes of the hardened egg shells (pun intended).

The fight entered a softer phase as the main course supplies were deplenished.  However boiled fruit and custard were hopeless projectiles with friendly fire and self harm occurring.

After nearly an hour of intense battle munitions supplies were diminished, Bob's (the local pub) was calling and word was circulating that a counter attack led by the College Principal was imminent with the real threat that prisoners would be taken.  Rapid retreat ensued via all exits except the main door.

......it all started with a pea.....

 

Non university attenders would of course be shocked at these reminisces.

Edited January 21, 2022 by Doomed

[Ludwig]

Yes, one hostel always had a problem with Sunday evening meals being launched. So the whole menu had to be changed, to avoid possible items that could be launched.

I always felt quite sorry for the serving staff who would often have food lobbed back over the severy partition. .some of the pastry/  cake items could make a decent mark when on target.

[holy ravioli]

' allow Food trucks to operate on course.  '

Best,practical...solution.

[Ragamuffin]

12 hours ago, holy ravioli said:

' allow Food trucks to operate on course.  '

Best,practical...solution.

They do, overpriced, less than healthy & little variety.  Taupo had a truck doing Mexican, best I've had there but nowhere's compared to Te Teko for freshest & BEST wraps ever, always took 1 home for dinner as well Ellerslie & Riccarton was always shyte