Waimea Restaurant – http://www.1waimea.co.nz/

Reviewed by Fi Fi – April 2015

The Place:

This is a little hidden paradise just a wee drive from the hustle and bustle of the big city.  You can dine inside or outside and admire the beautiful coastline.  The views are simply breathtaking.  The atmosphere is of a simple elegance, relaxing and inviting.  There is plenty of options on the menu including vegetarian.  Whilst there is no kids menu there is still options that are suitable for kids.

The Service:

The service was amazing.  Quick, friendly, accommodating.  They did not have eggs Benedict or Montreal as menu options, however they made me a Montreal anyway.

The presentation:

Considering that this was the first Montreal that they had created I was quietly impressed.   If they were to make it again I would actually consider letting them know to cut back on the salmon, but add more hollandaise.

• The Montreal – I was happy with my dish considering it actually wasn’t an option on the menu.
• The bread – the ciabatta was thinly sliced which made it a wee bit on the hard and crunchy side, still yummy though.
• The eggs – free range.  The eggs were warm, runny and tasty.
• The salmon – the salmon was plentiful, fresh and delicious.  There was heaps of it as well.
• The hollandaise – the sauce was smooth, fresh and leaving me wanting just a slight bit more.

Would we go again?

Yes I would go again and I would be tempted to try the crab cakes or fish pie.

Scorecard:

Style: Classic 5/10.

Taste: 6/10. x

Originality: 7/10

Value: 6/10. It was $17, about average.  The sides ranged from $1 to $6.

Eggs: (how good they were): 7/10.

Overall score: 6/10

1 Waimea Road, Waikanae Beach, Waikanae