The Emporium Eatery and Bar – http://emporiumbar.co.nz/

Reviewed by FiFi, October 2016

The Place:

This well known, iconic art-deco building mixes modern and classic.  The atmosphere has a touch of elegance combined with a local feel that beckons you in.  Its very close to the buzz of the shopping and overlooks the picturesque Marine Parade.  You can dine indoors or have a seat outdoors and smell the fresh ocean air nearby.  You can chose anything from champagnes to their huge range of coffees.  And should you wish you could partake in high tea or chose from their huge menu.  There are nibbles, small plates, large plates, pizzas, desserts and cheeses, as well as the usual brunch-time range of delights.  There was only one actual ‘bene’ on the menu which was the Salmon bene & bage.  However, considering you can get bacon as a side you can actually substitute the salmon for bacon.   There is also the BBQ pulled pork roll.   This is comprised of poached eggs, slow cooked pulled pork, lightly smoked BBQ sauce and hollandaise.  The last option is Poached eggs & ham which comes with Champagne ham, potato & cheese croquettes, spinach, soft poached eggs.  The only thing you would need to request is to add hollandaise and voila a new bene option.

The Service:

The service was pretty good.  We had a large party yet all our meals came out quick smart.  The kids meals came first which is always a crowd pleaser when you have a number of hungry munchkins.

The Presentation:

The meal was plated what I consider to be ‘average’.  It was okay but not overly decoratively.  The spinach and sprig of greenery added some much needed zest to the plate.

• The Montreal – was rather bland and disappointing.  The only saviour was the salmon.
• The Eggs – were slightly overdone and therefore not as runny as they should be.
• The Salmon – was the best part of the dish.  I would have preferred it to be under the eggs instead of being to the side.  In saying this, there was just the right amount and it was tasty and chunky.
• The Potato hash – there certainly was plenty for this side and it was tasty.  It could have been slightly more crunchy, however for the price I can’t really complain.
• The Spinach – there really wasn’t much on the plate and it wasn’t wilted as the menu suggested.
• The Hollandaise – I would have liked more.  It tasted straight out of a bottle.
• The Bagels – were pretty tasteless, undercooked and did not have a crunch.

 Would We Go Again?

I would come here and try out their high tea or even try their BBQ pulled pork roll or Poached eggs & ham.  The venue is really lovely and has a relaxing ambience.

Scorecard

Style: 6/10 – Classic with a twist.

Taste: 4/10 – I was quite disappointed with how bland the meal was.

Originality: 7/10 – there are other options to chose from so this gains some brownie points.

Value: 6/10 – $17.50 was pretty okay for a Montreal.  For $4.50 there was a huge amount of potato hash.

Eggs: 4/10

Overall score: 5/10

2 Tennyson St, Napier South, Napier 4110