Aspect Hotel in Caloundra

Short version: Great food, poor service.

Long version: Arrived at six o'clock on a Friday evening, to be told that all tables had been reserved - but if we could clear out in an hour, we could have a table. Naturally, we said yes.

Our waitress was quick in taking our order, and our entree arrived about ten minutes after we ordered it. So far so good.

Ten minutes later, no mains.

Twenty minutes in, no mains.

Half an hour in, no mains.

At ten to seven - a full 45 minutes after we ordered - we asked the waitress where our food was (for the second time), expressing our concern that the table was booked after us. The waitress told us not to worry, and that the table wasn't booked until seven-thirty. Ok, but were we going to get our food with enough time to eat it?

At five past seven - an hour after ordering - our food arrived. It was excellent, but at this point anything would have been; we'd been sitting so long!

I understand a busy place taking time to bring out an order, but a full hour? Not to mention how we were one of about four tables actually occupied at the time, it's not like they had a lot to do.

Oh, but wait. Take aways. We watched person after person order (and receive!) their takeaway orders while we waited. It was clear to us that the kitchen was prioritising takeaway customers, and when I raised this with the waitress, I was told this wasn't the case - the alternative is that they just have bad service, I suppose. It doesn't take an hour to make two plates of pasta, that's for sure.

3/4 of the food is in the bin and we are praying that the rest isn’t going to make us sick tonight!! The online ordering system was very easy but the food was terrible. The lamb massaman curry was mainly filled with potatoes and the lamb was very chewy. The chicken fried rice was gluggy and mainly contained cabbage and capsicum- very little chicken. The prawn pad Thai contained off prawns that smelt and tasted terrible. $70 worth of wasted food. We will never be back again!!!! ?