Groundup Cafe – https://www.facebook.com/pages/Groundup-cafe/123211517792164

Reviewed by Fi Fi – April 2014

The Place:

You can sit inside or outside.  We sat inside but the doors were open so I had to grab my coat.  It was freezing inside. I personally think that the place is too small, even with the extension out the back.  There is plenty of counter food as well as a menu and a specials board.  It’s a pleasant enough atmosphere, it’s just missing that that cool, funky vibe such as what Cafe L’Affare has.  There is a lot of counter food so plenty to chose from for kids.  It’s worth noting that they do not charge a surcharge on public holidays.

The Service:

The service was okay but nothing to write home about. I must say though, our coffee and food came out at the same time, and it was really quick. They would be better off bringing the coffees out first giving us time to enjoy the coffee before bringing out the food. There was plenty of staff working.

The presentation:

As you can see from the photo – the dishes looked appealing.  Nice touch with the parsley and sprinkling of pepper.  The Montreal would have been quite unappealing/small had it not been for the side of Hash Browns.

• The Benedict and the Montreal – were pretty average.
• The bacon – was cooked nicely, it wasn’t anything to get too excited about though.
• The salmon – was okay, although it could have had just a wee bit more.
• The eggs – were just right, the eggs were runny and warm.
• The hollandaise – was creamy, but a shame it wasn’t home made, or if it was then they need to get it some zest.
• The bagels – were pretty tasteless.
• The Hash browns – were nice and crunchy, in fact probably the best part of the meal.

Would we go again?

Not for the Benedict or Montreal, but we would consider trying other menu items or the counter food.  In saying this, it might take some persuasion to get me back there.

Scorecard:

Style: Classic 4/10

Taste: 4/10

Originality: 4/10

Value: 6/10 The Benedict or Florentine cost $16.50.  The Montreal is $17 (but it’s not advertised on their board). The hash browns cost an extra $3 which is not bad for a side order.

Eggs: (how good they were): 6/10

Overall score: 5/10

15 Paekakariki Hill Road, Pauatahanui, Porirua