On My Plate – July

By Denise Irvine

I’ve been road-tripping in the Coromandel and it was heartening to see local cafes getting good support from locals and visitors, in a winter where the peninsula is hard hit by weather bombs and road closures. Some highlights:

Fish curry, with loads of delicate spicy flavours, at Café Melbourne, 715 Pollen St, in the Grahamstown end of the main street. The fish curry is a much-loved menu stayer, a neatly judged plate of fresh local (pan-fried) fish in a Thai-style coconut, lime and chilli sauce, plated with rice, finely sliced Thai salad and fried shallots for crunchy texture. As well as good food, there’s a friendly atmosphere, nice service, and plenty of other menu dishes, and cabinet food, to choose from. Check out the lane of interesting small shops at the rear of the cafe before you go. And if you time it right, visit the cellar door of Thames’s amazing gin distillery Awildian. Last year, Awildian’s Coromandel Dry Gin won the title of World’s Best Classic Gin at the World Gin Awards. Cellar door, at the end of the lane at 715 Pollen St, is open Thursday-Friday, 11am-3pm, Saturday 10am-2pm.

In Whitianga, there was coffee and pastries at The French Fig, 41 Albert St, and Hula, 5 Albert St, both recommended for a good brew, and breakfast or lunch. Over the hill in Kūaotunu, Kua Kawhe, 20 Blackjack Rd, has the excellent locally roasted Coffee LaLa and one of the best looking cabinets of home-made baking and savoury goods that you’ll find anywhere. Sweet muffins are especially good, my combo of raspberry, almond and coconut was all pleasure.

Lunch, on the road home, was a wholemeal pastry tart filled with spinach, feta and julienned beetroot, at the funky, friendly Waiomu Beach Café, on SH25, the Coromandel coast road. A fly cemetery slice chosen from loads of lovely home-baking was the sweet, sticky hit we needed for the last leg of the trip.

Meanwhile, back in town:

Greek stuffed eggplant (Imam bayildi), a satisfying dish of baked eggplant stuffed with seasoned minced lamb, at Mediterranean Kitchen, Bryce St, Hamilton (Centre Place dining strip). If you drop in here after a movie at the Lido you can be assured of a warm welcome and warming food.  I love their stuffed eggplant, I’ve made my own version of it at home but it’s at its best from MK chefs. They serve it with a zippy tzatziki and green salad, and at about $28 it is good value for money.

Parsnip and garlic soup, a generous bowl of deliciousness, at Weave Eatery, 3 Melody Lane, Innovation Park, Hamilton East.  This soup-of-the-day had earthy parsnip flavour, topped off with spicy sunflower seeds and served with wedges of toasted sourdough. Excellent cold weather comfort, I didn’t want to get to the end of it.  Weave’s cabinet baking is recommended as well, especially the lemon slice and lamingtons.

Fish of the day was a dinner treat at Camarosa, 11 Davison Rd, Newstead, the perfectly pan-seared snapper layered on barley rice with raisins and almonds, broccoli, jalapeno sour cream and citrus dressing. Nice work from the kitchen, and good service at front of house.

Lastly, one for sardine lovers: If you’re over Paeroa way, call into The Refinery, 5 Willoughby St, for Croatian canned sardines on sourdough, served with ajvar (roasted red pepper sauce), a lemon wedge, and a fried egg on the side. So many sardines, so good!