While shopping at Westfield Marion, I find myself looking for somewhere new to eat. Hungry, indecisive and with limited choice, I wander into Caffe Primo @ New York Bar & Grill forgetting my past experiences with this franchise. Just like a typical Italian cafe there are salads, pizza, meat, chicken, seafood, pasta and risotto dishes on offer. I don’t want to pay too much for lunch so my decision leans towards the $14.90 lunch and dinner specials.

The cafe is considerably spacious with chairs and tables over multiple split levels. There’s a small outdoor dining area protected from the elements for smokers and there is a function area upstairs. I prefer the modern appearance of the Plympton store but this place has its merits.

If you order a main meal for lunch, you get a complimentary Garlic Bread. The appearance of this one didn’t look as appealing as the one in the Plympton store. I also noticed a single strand of hair sitting on the edge of the dirty plate the Garlic Bread was on. The bread was dry, particularly around the edges. The centre was soft and fluffy, and well buttered. I felt a bit more garlic could have been added.

For lunch, I ordered the Yiros Pizza. The meal came out after a 15 minute wait and was average in presentation.

The lamb meat was lean and well marinated, and of a better quality than some of the other yiros pizzas I’ve had in my time. The sweetness from the tomato and Spanish onion were well balanced by the tzatziki sauce, although a bit more sauce wouldn’t have gone astray. The pizza base was handmade and had a nice thin consistency. Overall, the pizza tasted average and was a bit on the dry side.

The staff were friendly and the service was average. The atmosphere was relaxed and the pricing was on par with other cafes. The cost of the pizza was $14.90 which is part of their meal specials.

There’s a difference in quality between stores. The cleanliness at this one is also questionable.

WHERE: 297 Diagonal Rd, Oaklands Park