La Gondola - Prince Rupert

I always make this my first stop when back in town. Well established with good quality at fair prices.

We have eaten here before, family run for many years, good menu selection and friendly staff. will be coming again soon, we hope.

This restaurant is a fixture of Prince Rupert. That being said the decor is a little out of date but that may add to the ambiance. This is a family run business with a real Italian flair. The food is good and the staff is nice. It is worst the visit. I had the burger but the veal parmigiana looked really good. The pasta dishes are well prepared and the soft ice cream and milkshakes can make it worth your while.

La Gondola has been a mainstay in Prince Rupert for the better part of 60 years and has -- over that lengthy period of time -- no doubt seen the city morph and change from a bustling fishing community to one still trying to find its footing in an uncertain economy and an uncertain world. Nevertheless, through it all, this restaurant has firmly entrenched itself within the local culture of Rupert. A big part of that, I suspect, is the fact that this place has been family-run right from day one. It makes for something of a homey experience.When you step into La Gondola, you immediately feel like you've been transported back into the 1960s or 1970s: the Venetian-style setting and decor do much in this regard. Some may complain and say it gives the place a dated look, but I'd argue that the look is partly what helps this place to stand out in a world increasingly filled with hip and postmodern "open space" restaurants that all begin to look the same.Plus, the look of Gondola fits right in with their drive-in service offered as well. The restaurant is spacious and offers a million dollar view. How's the food?Well, first a bit of context: I hadn't been here for about 30 or so years -- and I only know that because my grandparents said we used to eat here all the time. I'll take their word for it. So, even though I don't remember it, it was still kind of neat to be back here after all that time and to know the place is still run by the same people. It's neat and I wouldn't be surprised if the menu had barely changed either -- it's simple, with a good mix of northern and Italian cuisine.I thought the food was OK. My shrimp appetizer was a little on the scant side and my gnocchi was kind of bland (in all honesty the sauce tasted like it came out of a can;) however, the fried chicken was exceptionally good -- far better than, say, the ugly chicken you get at the Galaxy Garden. The chicken here had flavour; was juicy and perfectly cooked. Hence, the average rating: the pasta was a bit hit and miss, but the chicken pretty fabulous. And did I mention the view is fantastic?All in all, it was nice to return here after such a lengthy absence, but admittedly I was left wanting more or better. The actual pasta, as I've said, was average at best and reminded me more of something you can get at a place like the Old Spaghetti Factory chain of restaurants. In that sense, it was kind of disappointing given that this is an authentic Italian experience.FOOD: 3/5SERVICE: 4/5VALUE: 3.5/5RECOMMENDATION: The unique atmosphere and the view, I think, are enough in and of themselves to check this place out. It's unique in Prince Rupert!

The food here is good, but the hours seemed odd to us. Service was excellent, and we enjoyed our time here.