Cafe – Gear Homestead – https://gearhomesteadconz.wordpress.com/cafe/

Reviewed by FiFi, June 2017

The Place:
This cafe is situated in a landmark building that is surrounded by gardens and open, fresh air with vistas as far as the eye can see.  There is plenty of seatings indoors and outdoors.  They offer delectable cabinet food and menus that change with the seasons including high tea on weekends.   They also offer gluten-free, Vegan and vegetarian options.  During the sunnier months there is also bean bags and umbrellas on offer to soak up the sun.  I opted for the Gear Stack (Benedict aka bacon) as there was not a Montreal on offer.  I did like that you could order a half (kids size) which our little Pokemon addict took advantage of or a full size which I ordered.  There was also a Vegetarian Hash (diced potatoes with onions and spinach) with a slight difference (the egg was fried, not poached).  Extras ranged from $4 to $5.  When you consider an extra of an egg at $4 the prices seemed a wee bit steep.

The Service:
Although it was extremely busy the service was spot on.  The staff were friendly, helpful and had smiles on their faces.

The Presentation:
The blue crockery plate set the scene for the decadence of the dish.  It was presented beautifully although I feel a tiny trace of greenery would not have gone amiss.

• The Benedict – was simply delicious.  Although I was disappointed that there was not a Montreal option or the portion size the taste was heavenly.
• The Eggs – were free range, warm, runny and delicious.
• The Bacon – the streaky bacon was smoky, crispy and cooked to perfection with the portion side being slightly on the smaller side.
• The Hash – was homemade and melted in your mouth.
• The Hollandaise – was the star of the dish.  It was smooth and creamy with a tiny splattering of mustard seeds which gave it some zeal.  I would have liked a smidge more.

Would We Go Again?
Although quite pricy we would go again.

Scorecard:
Style: 5/10 – Classic.

Taste: 9/10 – the hollandaise was amazing

Originality: 6/10 – the Benedict was pretty standard.  As mentioned there was a smaller kids option or vegetarian option.

Value: 2/10 – although very tantalising on the tastebuds the price was hefty at $19.50

Eggs: 7/10 were runny, warm and free-range.

Overall score: 6/10

1 Okowai Rd, Papakowhai, Porirua 5024