This was our second attempt to come here for brunch. Last time we met at 10.30 and all tables were taken and there really wasn't any movement. We went elsewhere. Last weekend we arrived at 9.30 and we got a table, so it pays to come early.
I had already decided what I wanted the week before, I was excited to order the pikelets with lemon curd, cream fraiche and caramel sauce, (this has changed to berries). LV ordered the Canadian toast with banana, pecans, maple syrup & bacon. We enjoyed both, however the wait was unbearable, it was too long. We waited over half an hour, and it wasn't that busy.
The coffees were strong and hot and there was no wait for them, they were served in smaller cups though.
The decor really makes this place, the mural paint by numbers on the wall is great and really brings back childhood memories of spending hours trying to paint within the lines thinking you are creating a masterpiece. The counter food, well the huge meringues with cream & berries look amazing, so does the coconut ice. The menu is definitely enticing and worth coming back for if you can cope with waiting. In summer the outside tables will be great.
Rating:
Food: 4
Service: 3 (the wait was just too long)
Ambiance: 5
Coffee: 4
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Salta, Ponsonby
This was not our first choice of cafes, but we were pleasantly surprised. I used to work across the road from here years ago when it was Atlas. I love the name change for those die hard Ponsonby fans who hate changes to their eating establishments. The service was great, so friendly and relaxed, really made you feel welcome. I ordered the M.O.P, I asked at the counter if this was mince on toast, even though they had another mince on toast on the menu, I just couldn't think what it would stand for. Mushrooms on toast! So not up with my abbreviations! I chose to have the mushrooms with the kidney's. LV had the same, mush on toast is her favourite cafe dish. She had without kidneys. ES had the spinach bacon and potato hash with poached eggs and hollandaise sauce. This would have been my choice as it is my favourite, but I cant order it every time and then blog about the same thing, different cafe! Maybe my next blog can be a cafe comparison, the search for the best potato hash.
Our food came out fast which was great, our mushrooms were done with a rich cream sauce and ciabatta toast, I would have liked bigger pieces of toast, these were quite small and I still had sauce and mushrooms left over and they were really nice on the toast. ES's potato hash looked great and she said it tasted amazing, just the right amount of hollandaise and the eggs were nice and runny.
The coffees were a little weak but hot and came out quickly.
Most of the tables were full so they definitely can handle a crowd.
Rating:
Food: 4/5
Coffee: 3/5
Ambiance: 3/5
Service: 4/5 (only because they asked if we wanted another coffee and ES did but we never got it, the waitress was so apologetic)
Our food came out fast which was great, our mushrooms were done with a rich cream sauce and ciabatta toast, I would have liked bigger pieces of toast, these were quite small and I still had sauce and mushrooms left over and they were really nice on the toast. ES's potato hash looked great and she said it tasted amazing, just the right amount of hollandaise and the eggs were nice and runny.
The coffees were a little weak but hot and came out quickly.
Most of the tables were full so they definitely can handle a crowd.
Rating:
Food: 4/5
Coffee: 3/5
Ambiance: 3/5
Service: 4/5 (only because they asked if we wanted another coffee and ES did but we never got it, the waitress was so apologetic)
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Harallambi Heaven
I cannot disclose the location of this fantastic private invite only cafe, I must say to get an invite is a privilege.
We arrived to freshly made coffee followed by slow cooked eggplant with tomatoes & spinach, fennel sausages, rosemary spuds & poached eggs on gluten free bread. Everything was cooked to perfection. The eggplant was soft and infused with tomato, the fennel sausages were outstanding with the perfect amount of fennel laced through them, free range too. Of course the eggs were poached to perfection and the potatoes crushed and slightly fried.
If you want to appreciate a breakfast cooked with love like this one, you can sample some of the finest breakfast fare at Kings Court when it opens for the ski season, you will not be disappointed.
We arrived to freshly made coffee followed by slow cooked eggplant with tomatoes & spinach, fennel sausages, rosemary spuds & poached eggs on gluten free bread. Everything was cooked to perfection. The eggplant was soft and infused with tomato, the fennel sausages were outstanding with the perfect amount of fennel laced through them, free range too. Of course the eggs were poached to perfection and the potatoes crushed and slightly fried.
If you want to appreciate a breakfast cooked with love like this one, you can sample some of the finest breakfast fare at Kings Court when it opens for the ski season, you will not be disappointed.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Annabelles St Heliers
I decided to venture over to my friend LV's area for breakfast. Her sister had been to Annabelles before and liked it, she suggested Orvieto in Three Kings and that was fantastic so I was willing to try Annabelles.
The position is great, right on Tamaki Dr with views over the harbour. It wasn't busy and we got a table right by the window. The breakfast menu is small, it did have the usual, pancake (not pancakes), big breakfast and eggs benedict. I had the big breakfast and LV had the chicken sandwich from the lunch menu. We were both surprised they allowed us to order from the lunch menu at 11.15.
My big breakfast was ok, the english sausage had a hint of a herb in it and was good, the eggs were great but I felt like the whole breakfast lacked something, but I wasn't sure what. LV's chicken sandwich was just that, a chicken fillet on foccaica and lettuce, to me it looked a little dissapointing.
The decor here is a little confusing too, and I think that is what throws you when you come here. The walls are covered in a light brick type tile and down the back is wooden veneer, but it's the roof that really confuses you. It is a wave of plastic interwoven, it looks like waves but not, very early 90's. The whole place just doesn't blend well and is confusing. The wait staff are friendly but I felt like they were standing around by the counter just waiting for customers.
On the plus side the coffees were great.
Rating:
Food: 2.5
Ambiance: 2 (I just couldn't get past the decor but the view was great)
Staff: 3
Coffee: 4
The position is great, right on Tamaki Dr with views over the harbour. It wasn't busy and we got a table right by the window. The breakfast menu is small, it did have the usual, pancake (not pancakes), big breakfast and eggs benedict. I had the big breakfast and LV had the chicken sandwich from the lunch menu. We were both surprised they allowed us to order from the lunch menu at 11.15.
My big breakfast was ok, the english sausage had a hint of a herb in it and was good, the eggs were great but I felt like the whole breakfast lacked something, but I wasn't sure what. LV's chicken sandwich was just that, a chicken fillet on foccaica and lettuce, to me it looked a little dissapointing.
The decor here is a little confusing too, and I think that is what throws you when you come here. The walls are covered in a light brick type tile and down the back is wooden veneer, but it's the roof that really confuses you. It is a wave of plastic interwoven, it looks like waves but not, very early 90's. The whole place just doesn't blend well and is confusing. The wait staff are friendly but I felt like they were standing around by the counter just waiting for customers.
On the plus side the coffees were great.
Rating:
Food: 2.5
Ambiance: 2 (I just couldn't get past the decor but the view was great)
Staff: 3
Coffee: 4
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