Elegant and sweet café

SISTER ANN REVIEWS Lovely little café called PICNIC, opposite the Novatel in Rotorua. Lovely coffee. One drawback...very slow in getting it to the table. It seems to have a regular clientele and is very pleasant. A bit off the beaten track. I am yet to eat there as I am worried it will take too long. Nanna is 98. We don't have all week.

ATMOSPEHERE 9 FOOD n/a SERVICE 9

Buffet night at the Travel Lodge in Palmerston North
SISTER ANN REVIEWS. Had a chance to eat at 'Nosh' again on the way home from
Wellington. Luke was very happy ...desserts on view, in a line, are all a
19yr old would want. I asked him how his cooking was going now he was in a
flat? " I'm cooking a lot of nothing ..." he said " and a little bit of
thyme...get it Mum?...thyme -the herb." Hmmm yep. I mentioned missing entire
meals is not a healthy way to lose weight.
ATMOSPEHERE 7 FOOD 8 SERVICE 8

High School Reunion

SISTER ANN REVIEWS. A group of us decided to get together. Chris (Editor) couldn't make it unfortunately. Gordy, Don, from the Rotorua Boys High School, Sonya, Ann, Katrina from the Rotorua Girls High School. We went to the ‘Wild Rice’ in Tutanekai St, Rotorua. The food was all excellent. I cannot remember much. We started at the ‘Brew’ Bar over the road and I had quite a few vodkas. The boys said the Croucher’s Beer is gooood. The boys thought the wine was too average to drink out of a glass but it still worked by the look of it. After dinner we picked up a couple of tourists for a group photo and Gordy was still hungry so he licked some leftovers off Don's head. We were close at high School. Wasn't everyone?

ATMOSPHERE 7 FOOD 8 SERVICE 8   

I remember you inviting me to this. I'm sorry I missed it. No, really. Christine    

Craig's favourite Chinese Restaurant

SISTER ANN REVIEWS. There is very little food shown in this review. It was so messy and gone so fast. RAMS Restaurant is a tiny café and even though we had 6 people at our table, there was something in front of us almost immediately. Everything was excellent. Craig loves Asian and Indian food so I go with his choices. What astounded me was the bill - $153.00 total. We brought a couple of bottles with us, and I think we added a couple of Cokes. Fantastic value and utterly gorgeous food.

ATMOSPHERE 8 FOOD 9 SERVICE 9 

Where is it please? (Good grief, you pay people to do a job and you get this...?)  Also, ATMOSPEHERE does not need so many E's.

Hello again old friend!!!

SISTER ANN REVIEWS. Sigh- I. LOVE. THE. GREEN. PARROT. Situated in Wellington Central, right around the corner from Parliament, all the politicians eat here. Brother Craig (a chef) (why aren't you writing this Craig?) tell him to start his own thank you! Christine. told me once it was Winny's favourite Restaurant. Winston Peters (oops almost called you Concrete Peters). That was enough for me. Never voted for you Winny, but I like you. By the time we left, the entire Maori Party was there with Turiana Turia. The food is preceded by a plate of bread and butter. I wanted to photograph it but by the time I got the camera out of my handbag, Craig and son Mick had eaten the entire stack. So Craig ordered another stack and I only managed to get this photo of a few slices as they thought it was a great joke to try and eat the complete stack again, before I got organized. I asked Craig what was good here and he said "the wiener Schnitzel" "I'm not ordering Weiner Schnitzel in a restaurant!" I said. My thinking is, if I can cook it, it is pretty darned easy and the chef cannot be that good. I asked the waiter. " Weiner Schnitzel ". "Well - the Weiner Schnitzel then" I said. It was goooood..reeeel Goooood! Mick had the steak. His hand is in beside it on the plate to indicate how big it is. Mick is 6'2" tall. The flounder which Cheryl had was actually twin giant flounders. The chef obviously didn't want to part brother and sister.

ATMOSPEHERE 10 FOOD 10 SERVICE 10               

Art in the Park

SISTER ANN REVIEWS. Nanna and I did a tour of the Art in the Park, held annually, in the Government Gardens, Rotorua. There is a stall selling morning teas, in the Te Runanga Tea Rooms served by the local Rudolph Steiner volunteers (thanks Gerard). This is a fundraiser for their kindy. Just adore the kiwiness of this type of occasion. Christine would agree I'm sure. I had a filled roll and Nanna had a date scone. Not too fond of change, eh Nanna? Want a muffin next time?

ATMOSPEHERE 10 FOOD 7 SERVICE 8

Eastbourne by the water

SISTER ANN REVIEWS Sitting in the sun at the Chocolate Dayz Café in Eastbourne, 20 mins drive out on the motorway north of Wellington. What could be nicer? Well, of course, it would be nicer if your daughter India was there, Cheryl (pictured). I apologized for accidentally getting on the motorway north instead of turning into a car park in Thorndon where we were supposed to be going for lunch. India forgave me. The food was gorgeous and the café was full so everyone in Wellington either took the wrong turn, or all of Eastbourne eats there. Cheryl and I had a chicken salad and it was fresh and colourful and tasty. Just right. Nanna had a  date scone, I think.

ATMOSPEHERE 10 FOOD 8 SERVICE 7 NAME 4

Mr Bun... Yum Yum...

SISTER ANN REVIEWS. You are going to hate me Christine. Ha ha. But this is just the most fabulous view of central Wellington! Right beside the coloured buckets fountain in Cuba Mall. Hawkers below our front window. I bought a necklace from them. Our brother Craig replied "$35" to my question later that night; " how much do you think I paid for this?" Well not bad Craig... it was $54.00. I bought an assortment of luncheon items and Nanna wanted the asparagus roll. Good for you Nanna. No Date scones sadly.

ATMOSPHERE 10 FOOD 6 SERVICE 7

Breakfast at the Lake Ferry Hotel...

SISTER ANN REVIEWS. For more kiwianaism... is that a word Chris? No. What was wrong with "Kiwiana"? Breakfast at the Lake Ferry Hotel comprises of a tray of jams, bread, butter, a bowl of grapefruit off the tree out the back and a toaster. Serve yourself as much tea and coffee as you like as long as you don't want anything with an Italian name. Love it!!! Spent a little time planning the trip out to Featherston...taking the western road around the lake. Winged it and arrived without a mistake. Un. Believable.

ATMOSPEHERE 10 FOOD 7 SERVICE 7

Sun sets at Lake Ferry

SISTER ANN REVIEWS. (our) mother insisted Nanna and I stay at the Lake Ferry Hotel, while on a road trip to visit the place Nanna was born in 1914 (Lake Ferry). I googled it and thought it might be a bit 'backpacker', but no ...simple yet clean...and completely comfortable. Denise checked us in. Nanna had a room with a bathroom and I had a bedroom and shared bathroom. All good. Denise cooked and served the food too...and there is nothing else to have, but fish and chips. Just lovely. Sitting in the sun with the local drovers, as the sun set over the hills. The food was served in baskets with tartare and tomato sauces. Fresh fish , crisp batter and hot hand cut chips. Drank a little vodka and gin and went to bed early.

ATMOSPHERE 10 FOOD 9 SERVICE 9