Cafe review - Mt Maunganui

On our last morning in Tauranga (after packing up) Bern took Elanor and Sophie for a last swim at Main Beach, and I took Rowena and Katie out to a cafe.

We ended up having a 1/2 hour walk to find a cafe that looked 'just right'. (There was a bit of a 'goldylocks syndrome' operating there!) Either cafes were too crowded, or no chance of a table outside, or not a good enough range of slices to choose from, or coffee too expensive, and so on.

We finally settled on the Captain's Table Cafe. It opens into a courtyard off the street and I think the name derives from a nautical these in the shops around the courtyard.

I would recommend it because:

1. it had very stylee cane armchairs at the outside tables,
2. the coffee was a good price - it has gone up heaps with the rising cost of milk, but I think some places are using this as an excuse to 'milk' the tourists, and everyone gets caught in that. I'm not ready to pay $4.50 for a latte. It was $3.00 here and it was nice coffee too.
   
3. good range of cake/slices. The caramel and choc chip slice was my favourite of the ones we sampled and was very tasty indeed. Kate preferred a different choc slice which had real chocolate topping. Rowena had a mini lemon meringue pie. She said it was very nice, but we never expect bought lemon meringue pie to be lemony enough - we always add extra to the recipe when we make it.

Right after we arrived a large group of oldies wearing matching tee shirts arrived too. (So we timed it just right.) They were the Mt Maunganui walkers and joggers group (according to the tee shirts). It seems that when you retire to the Mount you fill your days by walking (or jogging) with friends, meeting for coffee afterwards, then probably hitting the beach in the afternoon. Sounds alright to me!

Cafe Review

I managed two cafes yesterday.

Elanor had a voucher for coffee and a breakfast bagel off the Wholely Bagels breakfast menu, from her netball team. (I think each child on the team got a voucher.) We had to find a time to use the voucher, and we agreed that she would have the bagel, and I would drink the coffee for her, as she doesn't like coffee much.

The shop is on Willis St, though they have 4 other locations. We hadn't been there before, and once we found out how it 'worked', Elanor chose a cream cheese, honey, walnut and raisin bagel, and I got a latte. (Sophie was with us, and had a fruit bagel, toasted, to keep us company).

The coffee was very good indeed, which is enough for me to recommend the place. An added bonus was that Elanor, who is a bit fussy about things she hasn't tried before, enjoyed both her bagel and Sophie's (they went halves). At $5 for the coffee/bagel breakfast combo I would recommend the place on price too. The breakfast combo is available before 11am. (Standard latte is $3.20.)

After that time the bagels seem to be more expensive ($5.90 or so), so a bit expensive to take kids. Though they have a kids selection which is cheaper.

My other cafe was in the afternoon, when I went with friends to the Empire theatre (in Island Bay). I hadn't been there before, as I'Bay isn't my usual stamping ground. But I do approve of coffee places in suburbs (Brooklyn could do with a better one).

The cafe is at the front of the theatre, and seems very nice. I had a moccachino, which was quite acceptable, and an average price at $3.50. Where this cafe beats the Brooklyn cinema cafe is that it looks out on the street and has much better light for it. I'd have to try a straight coffee to be sure of the quality, but I don't want to sound dismissive. I'd go to the place again.

Cafe Review

I have just got back from the Early Childhood Convention in Rotorua, and could blog it all week. Five days of international speakers and local presenters, and so many topics... It was great!

But first, if you're on the Napier-Taupo road, I suggest you don't go to the Summit Tearooms. First off, the latte was from a push-button machine, but they charged espresso prices ($3.50). Very disappointing. Then, the scone was fridge-cold at 11.30am. (It should have been fresh that morning.) And about $3.00 too. To add insult to injury (and I wouldn't have worried about them if the first things had been right), the 'butter' was marg, and the loos were out of paper and hand-towels.

They are obviously taking advantage of a monopoly position - only cafe for miles. Hmmm.

cafe review

I visited St Paul's cafe today with the special interest group from my education policy paper. There are three of us in the group, plus the lecturer, and we've met at that cafe before. It's centrally located for the two group members who work in town, being downstairs from the MoE in Thorndon.

And it turns out they make great coffee! The latte is strong and comes in a mug. (No wiffily little glasses here - public servants must need a serious caffeine fix!) The long black looked good too. I haven't had any food there so can't comment.

Cafe review

Must be time for another cafe review.

Bern and I went out last evening "just because". We were going to check out Katapo, but it was shut. So we looked at a couple of 2nd hand book shops (no luck there) and went to our old favourite, Espressoholic.

It is our old favourite because it is the one 'coffee and cake' place that seems to be open any time we are in town of an evening, whether early or late. If anyone ever left comments on this blog (which they don't seem to) they could perhaps recommend other coffee places for 10pm and later.

The latte is generally good there, though seemed only average last night. I often go for chocolate cake, but they had something new last night - citrus coconut cake - so I had that. It was a good idea in theory, but a bit dry, and needed more citrus flavour. Also, the cream was overwhipped. So it'll be back to the chocolate cake next time.

They have funky painted tables and walls there, so if nothing else you get to feel hip and cool just being seen there!

Here's a link to someone else's review of the place.

Cafe review

Speaking about coffee in the previous post, I should blog about cafes when I try a new one. I certainly have favourites, but I have been trying some new cafes recently.

I usually manage a coffee on Saturday morning. We used to have a system where I would take one girl to a cafe each week for some individual mother/daughter time. This has fallen over this year, mainly because the music lessons work out so that we don't spend as much time in Kilbirnie in the morning. They don't have a 1/2 hour gap to have coffee with me in. (OK, I have the coffee and they have a cake/slice!)

The upshot is that I have to go to a cafe on my own.... :-)

I went to a place in a pedestrian mall called something like "love a coffee". It's the one with giant lips as a logo. Date scone and latte. A very friendly waitress - who kept calling me young lady!
This must be worth some brownie points for them. I feel like sending in friends and relatives to check at what point this waitress doesn't think they are 'young'.

Date scone was sold to me by this friendly waitress, but it was overcooked and dry on the outside. Wouldn't recommend. The coffee was ok - just a bit burnt taste, but nice in a tall 'Irish coffee' glass. $3. Quite a busy cafe, including family groups.