SISTER ANN REVIEWS. Lovely get together over drinks. There are a few
highlights at the Pig and Whistle in Rotorua... the pig tail fries and the
rock bands, the spare ribs and this is where I invented my cocktail; The
Rainbow. Line up 5 shots of vodka and add 3 drips of colour to each. Crème
de menthe, blue curacao, peach schnapps you choose. The addition does not
flavour the vodka, it is merely for the colour...a rainbow. Oh by the
way...Do. Not. Try. Meths.... for the purple colour.
ATMOSPEHERE 9 FOOD 8 SERVICE 9

Magic at Abracadabra Café

SISTER ANN REVIEW I ALWAYS have the Calamari Salad. Creature of habit… should that be sea creature? And it is ALWAYS terrific. I like my vinaigrette tangy and I like my calamari lemony. How did that sound Chris? Cheffy? Nanna had a seafood chowder. Very fabulous! Friend Don had a lovely latte. The coffee is wonderful here but the most outstanding thing about Abracadabra is the service. That’s Jace in the photo.

ATMOSPEHERE 9 FOOD 7 SERVICE 10   

Sorry but although you may sound "cheffy" I do NOT like this place. Vinaigrette and Calamari do not a restaurant make. It's a bit scruffy around the edges and the food is below a 7 - and don't we go to food places for the food? Christine     

Central Otago Rail Trail

Who hasn't heard of this great MUST-DO activity then?
Not only is it awesome fun and fantabulous scenery, but the food and hospitality are the best I've enjoyed for some time. If you can't bike, then walk. If you can't walk, then go by horse. If you can't ride, what about an electric chair? (Or are they called something else - a disability scooter?) If all else fails get yourself there by minibus or car and stop in at least 2 different places to experience the magic.
Tunnels, amazing viaducts, accommodation in old school houses, meals that are home cooked. Grab a  few friends and make a date - March is settled and not windy. November is often blowing and more difficult. The bikes we hired were great - no escaping the sore bottom but it was minor compared to the fantastic adventure.
I'm going back!

Adult iceblocks! Ice Bar

No, they are not shaped like naked women so you can lick them...
First taste and you know they're going to be your favourite for Summer. Ginger Beer! Beauty lemonade - not at all sweet but really fruity. But what I really really like is the recipes on the side.

Rugby World Cup Adventures in Aussie

Can't believe we managed to book a trip to Australia for the very time of the RWC Final in which New Zealand was to STAR (and eventually win...). Neverthless that's what happened. And there we were surrounded by ants ... green ants... bloody ginormous blighters.

Found a cool little beach bar (below) on the beach at Thala Lodge which was sensational. Mental note to stay there for a day or two when I win Lotto. Another mental note to build one of these in the retirement village I'm planning for later in life with friends.

 Have not had this experience in New Zealand supermarkets: pick up beetroot chips packet (also a new one) to find live GECKO alongside. Much screaming, other supermarket patrons seriously grumpy, but not something one expects. Livestock on the groceries.

 Close up of gecko between bags seen below.

 And at last we found a place with a cool beer (or 3) where we could drag a table to watch the game on the giant screen. Most of us couldn't watch the second half.

Biter and bitee

Let's think now - food blog, therefore writer=biter.
Not in Australia though. All manner of things that will indeed bite you. Even though they may in another life be your food. Therefore in this instance dinner=predator.

 
 This guy was funny - this part of his act called "Man Eating Croc"

This is actually food. 

 This is the place where that is called food.

Cairns, Port Douglas and Palm Cove

Just back from hols - if you can call 6 days a hol. Well, kind of. Just not long enough.
In terms of food, pretty good really, although we didn't go mad and eat at the VERY best places. Cairns had a big harbourside destination - rather large, strings of restaurants side by side and sitting under cover while torrential rain fell was rather nice.
Tha Fish at the Pier was the chosen place, and Jules arrived on her very birthday. What a fab way to have a holiday - invited to join some very special people on their big birthday trip.

The chef's tasting menu was the decision all round and very nice it was too.

Sand crab bruschetta with rocket, tomato and capers

Fresh oysters steamed in bamboo basket with soy, ginger and shallots
Then Hervey Bay scallops with braised pork belly, orange, coriander and master stock glaze
Black bean, chilli and seafood wontons with house made sweet chilli sauce
Then Fish of the day - Barramundi
and BBQ tiger prawns with avocado salsa and blood orange vinaigrette
Then Pear and cinnamon frangipan tart with vanilla bean ice cream.

Fortunately during the day Stew had found a way to exercise.

Very cool place for those with a penchant for exercise - a several-kilometre path around the entire harbour, with exercise stations like this every few metres. At the main marina a very large free swimming pool, and posters showing all the group exercise (FREE) classes held each day. Very inspirational stuff and I seee no good reason why we couldn't have that level or organisation here in New Zealand. Tamaki Drive in Auckland is just made for it.

However my adventure at the seaside left little to recommend it. While Stew played with mobilising his mobile in Aussie, I went water-edge for a closer view of the crabs when SURPRISE! I walk straight into knee deep black sticky mud hidden under the sand. White pants no longer, and lucky for me there was a firm bit where I could put the other knee while trying to haul myself out. Looking for Stew to help me I find he's walked on with my handbag and all, not noticing my dilemma. Nice! Covered in mud from the knees down including shoes. Thankfully we found a gardener with a hose. Next stop this sign:

which reads: Warning - do not approach the water's edge, crocodiles frequent this area.

Lovely. Thanks for that Stew, half-way to Darwin while I'm eaten alive.

Gooding’s….goodies in Rotorua
SISTER ANN REVIEW Lovely roast veggie salad and the coffee is top rate. Browse the store for quirky little interior pieces…from craft to art. I ate the salad before I remembered to photograph it but had not completely mutilated the coffee- so photographed that instead. Mum had bacon and egg kitsch (kitsch?! Where did this woman get her food knowledge - out of a McDonald's bag??! Make that quiche...) and as she proclaims her bacon and egg pie is the best in the world, her approval is worth something

ATMOSPEHERE 9 FOOD 8 SERVICE 9 SPELLING 2

RUGBY night…semis on saturday
SISTER ANN REVIEW Christine and Stewart were down at Miriam and Norman’s bach for the semi finals. Great rugby. Great backs and really terrific handling and…um…something about a front line. Yes- well I haven’t been employed for a rugby critique. I said the All Blacks are so poetic on the field and was told by Brettt -never to say that again. Eh? Wha!? But the food was Gor-Jus. Christine …. a classic Kiwi roast …mmmm…yams….Awww shucks thanks! and Julie made the best carrot cake I have ever tasted!!! It didn’t look that brilliant after the culture vultures attacked it…but it was sublime. Miriam’s afghans were just melt –in- the- mouth -moments! Great company! Cheers Julie and Brett. Nanna was there-put that gin down, you’ve had enough!

ATMOSPHERE 12 FOOD 10 SERVICE 10 BIASED Yes

LONE STAR forever
SISTER ANN REVIEW While in Palmy Luke and I went to his favourite restaurant. Chris, you are going to hate the fact I reviewed a ‘chain restaurant’, but it was too good to ignore. I didn’t take the camera, so I have added a few cowboy star stock photos off the net…oh and a lovly one of Audry Hepburn. If Luke had had his way, we would have been there every night. I had the fish,grilled, and it was superb-with a French accent . Luke had meat …it was big and Lone Starry. He went “mmmm’ a lot! So it was good, but he has had to eat food I cooked, for 18 years, so he is grateful to be able to eat what is on his plate. I joke. It looked fabulous and I am not that bad a cook (and Lone Star deserves better). Alexia was amazing as are all the Lone Starf (get it? Lone Star-f) But hey that’s what you get when you train people to be experts in customer service.

TRUE GRIT Script excerpt (or is that Wyatt Earp)

Rooster: I mean to kill you in one minute, Ned, or see you hanged at Fort Smith at Judge Parker's convenience. Which'll it be?

Ned: I call that bold talk for a one-eyed fat man!

Rooster: Fill your hand, you son of a bitch!

ATMOSPEHERE 9 FOOD 8 SERVICE 8

Brekkie in Palmy
SISTER ANN REVIEW . I was inPalmerston North for a 3 night break to see younger son Luke and we saw a terrific looking café called AQABA. It seemed to be an Egyptian theme on secondglance, but on first glance it appeared a more expansive version of ‘Lone Star’. I am thinking it is a pretty fab bar at night. My plate was wonderful. I had a basil, tomato,pesto stack(with eggs) ; like an eggs benny, with the hollandaise, without salmon or ham…very very nice. Luke had the Big Breakfast (getting predictable Luke)

ANN ; ”How’s that?”

LUKE ;” Hash browns are pretty damned good”

ANN;” How’s the bacon?”

LUKE;”Bacony”

what did I expect? Overall opinion Luke?

LUKE; “It’s food- I don’t care!”

It looked tasty to me.

The till/billing system was particularly awful. The menus were on the table so you sit down, and after a little light reading, discover a line of copy,at the top of the menu;

‘pay for meals at the kitchen’. Luckily I stopped by the bar, as we were expected to pay for coffee at the bar, and then traipse 500m (it seemed) down to the back of the HUGE hall-like restaurant…. (HELLO HEllo hello-that’s the echo) …to pay for the meal at the kitchen counter. Not! Good! Enough! The staff were clawing their way to average. oh no…just missed that benchmark.

ATMOSPEHERE 8 FOOD 8 SERVICE 1

Maketu Magic
SISTER ANN REVIEW Kathrine and Nanna and I went to Maketu for the fish n
chips. Fresh fresh fish and a paua fritter. I ate it before I remembered I
wanted to photograph it although we all know how ugly they look don't we?
The fish was a melting in the mouth moment. The chips were average and the
potato fritter was the worst I ever tasted. The paua fritter was gorgeous
and the view was to die for ...which is a possibility agfter that much fat.
ATMOSPEHERE 10 FOOD 7 SERVICE 6