Garlic Bread from Wave Cafe & Courtyard in Picton

Wave Cafe & Courtyard
22 High St
Picton

Ph:  03 573-5650
No known email or website

 We were on a fast trip from Christchurch to Wellington and stopped briefly in Picton before we caught the Ferry and so naturally once we found this Cafe (oddly the sign outside said Greek Pottery) we had a small lunch that did include a advertised garlic bread.  This particular bread were quite small rolls  (indeed two bites for each roll and it was pretty much gone) and cut lengthwise through the middle straight down. It was slightly burned on top however and thus very crusty with the butter on the inside only semi melted. As it was late to the table I felt it was a rushed job.  A sprinkling of fresh herbs helped.  A redeeming feature was the porcelain dish for presentation. Overall I'd rate this as just below average.

Presentation	4 out of 5
Quantity	1 out of 5
Taste:	2 out of 5
Quality	2 out of 5
Overall score:	9 (out of poss 20)

Garlic Bread from Hanmer Heritage Hotel

Hanmer Heritage Hotel

1 Conical Hill Road
P O Box 10
Hanmer Springs 7334
New Zealand

Ph: +64 3 315 0060
Fax: +64 3 315 7023
Website: Heritagehotels - Hanmer Springs

This should proof interesting - it was sold as a Cabiatta bread with garlic flavour. As you can see it was indeed said bread and came in a timely fashion.
There was enough for two people to munch over and enjoy without feeling over filled or left wanting for more.
The flavour was tasty and included a smattering of green herbs!  The bread was crusty on the outside and soft on the inside. It wasn't hot hot by the time it got to us but given the distance it travelled from kitchen to table - not surprising!
My eating companion enjoyed this version and was rating it highly.  The presentation was great. All in all a great garlic bread that rated on the higher end of the satisfaction scale!

Presentation	4 out of 5
Quantity	5 out of 5
Taste:	4 out of 5
Quality	4 out of 5
Overall score:	17 (out of poss 20)

Garlic Bread from BullyHays Restaurant in Akaroa

BullyHayes Restaurant


57 Beach Road
Akaroa 7542

Phone:    03-304 7533
Website:   www.bullyhayes.co.nz‎
Email:       wayne@bullyhayes.co.nz


It was listed as: 
Crusty Garlic Sour Dough Baguette
Garlic & cheese butter crust  $ 6.50

It all started with us having to go over to Akaroa and two of us attended a Funeral - while myself stomped around the neighborhood.   In any case, we knew we needed to have a bite to eat and after some forth and back settled on the BullyHayes Cafe - which surprisingly
had a Crusty Garlic Sour Dough Baguette!! I should have known better!!

It arrived in good time and as you can see from the photo - it was just two slices of bread - oops sourdough baguette. This would be the first time that we have ordered garlic bread and it is ONLY for one person.  There was a smattering of greenery on the top and the bread was crusty.  Upon biting in - I missed the garlic flavor and  could not see any little cut pieces on the top (which would indicate a decent home made garlic butter) .  It also was thinly applied - which proved as soon as you checked the bite mark. the "Garlic-butter" must have been a Garlic spray-on oil - as it penetrated the bread by exactly 1.5mm.
My companion was not impressed with the presentation - again - on  a timber platter that clearly had seen better days in a previous life (it had long running cracks - which can and do harbor bugs . . . )   I gave it a generous 7 out of 20 - but won't be in a hurry to re-sample this delight

Presentation	1 out of 5
Quantity	2 out of 5
Taste:	2 out of 5
Quality	2 out of 5
Overall score:	7 (out of poss 20)

Garlic Bread from The Speight's Ale House

The Speight's Ale House
Speight's Brewery
200 Rattray Street
Dunedin

Phone: +64-3-471-9050
Fax: +64-3-471-9030

 Email: thealehouse@xtra.co.nz

 www.SpeightsAlehouse

They call it -->  Ale House Loaf    
Locally baked Speight’s bread.
Hot and delicious – garlic or plain. 
Half $7.0, Whole $12.0

Well I did wonder and was not overly surprised.
It reminds me of the loaf you get at Harringtons. Similar idea there too:

ww.garlic-bread-from-harringtons.html

Indeed at least they had a genuine loaf - where as this had more of a tin loaf feel to it.
It came pre-cut - into 6 slices and the cuts almost run along the change of colour.  It ended up being about an inch thick.  The butter had been added from the top and little of it made it to the bottom of the bread, let alone right across the thickness of the bread itself. I have also got the sneaky suspicion that the basic loaf is used for other menu items - this proved to be correct.
Turns out that this is not the only use of bread, as the soup that came later had a slice from the same type of loaf (in the kitchen) and a dollop of salty butter on the top.  Greenery was missing in action.
Yet again the Garlic (Loaf)  was just warm enough to melt the butter but not warm enough to give of that appealing aroma.
Its redeeming feature was the presentation and the dramatic effect of a knife sticking in the bread. 
One slice and you pretty much had enough eaten for the night - which goes begging the question - do they want you to fill up before the dinner arrives - because it is so bad or . . . .  not enough on the plate - or they assume you are a strapping hulking male who needs double the carb's everyone else would normally need???? Suffice to say the 5 of us present managed to leave one slice behind in the end.

Presentation	4 out of 5
Quantity	1 out of 5
Taste:	2 out of 5
Quality	2 out of 5
Overall score:	9 (out of poss 20)

Garlic Bread from Etrusco's at the Savoy

Etrusco's at the Savoy

8 Moray Place
(The Savoy Building)
Dunedin Central
Dunedin City  

Ph:  03-477 3737

http://www.etrusco.co.nz/starters

This place came highly recommended to us and while we did not have a booking - we did get in - the last un-booked people on the night.Many arriving after us got turned away - a testament to its popularity.
The food and atmosphere was fabulous
right down to authenticity - which is great given the Native Italian ownership.

Sadly the same could not be said for the garlic bread. It arrived in  good time but was luke warm only and while the texture of the garlic bread was cripsy on the outside and soft-ish on the inside - it lacked a aroma/flavour.  The garnish on top was wasted and appeared to be a after thought. The presentation did leave a lot to be desired for as well - its only redeeming feature the crockery plate underneath, which is always a bonus compared to the wooden platters we have seen.  It just lacked inspiration - especially when compared to its surroundings. The price of $5.50 would be a fair reflection - cheap enough to be of value  but definitely worth of improving - in all aspects.-

Presentation	2 out of 5
Quantity	2 out of 5
Taste:	2 out of 5
Quality	3 out of 5
Overall score:	9 (out of poss 20)

Garlic Bread at a friends place

The Austrian Connection
c/o- Penruddock rise
Christchurch



So I am on strict instructions, to not critique this particular version of Garlic bread. However - as it is  - or should be was - of a fairly high standard,  this is too good an opportunity to pass up and it should be shared. - Sorry LH

The bread in question was a bought french baguette from a local super market and cut vertical into small segments and filled with a home made garlic butter and a decent sprinkling of fresh (from the owners garden) Parsley.  Oven baked and served hot.  Which just gets to prove that with some TLC, an ordinary piece of bread can be transformed into something delicious and tasty.

We rated this particular version as a 17.5 - with the drawback being the presentation - still on the silver foil wrapper and on the oven tray! It did not however detract from the consistency and flavour nor from the relaxing evening and stimulating conversation which was been had along with a bottle of New Zealand's finest wines.  This particular garlic bread was savoured and appreciated - and I am not just saying that because we ate at a friends place. It earned its points on its own merits!

I wasn't allowed to take a picture - so you just have to take my word for it.
No doubt we shall return for another meal at some stage and we will look forward to the taste sensations on offer.

Tudeloo

Presentation	3.5 out of 5
Quantity	4 out of 5
Taste:	5 out of 5
Quality	5 out of 5
Overall score:	17.5 (out of poss 20)

Garlic Bread from South Bar & Cafe inside the Christchurch City Airport

South Bar & Cafe
30 Durey Rd
(Level One, beside Domestic Arrivals)
Christchurch Airport
Christchurch City

Tel:03 353 1930


We ended up going to the South Bar and Cafe - having spotted this on our last trip to the Airport, and our first choice place to eat said they need a booking (even though the website said no need for one). Now I know what you are thinking - Airport food! Yea right. However these days they are more then just a feeding/holding pens for travelers - they can and should be a destination in itself. You also know there is no problem with car parking! We got a seat easily enough and were warned that due to "busy-ness" food would be about 35 minutes later arriving. And to a minute it was. The garlic bread duly arrived exactly 35 minutes from being seated. As you can see, it came on a plate AND a wooden platter. I don't get this - so many of the breads we have eaten at various places come on a wooden platter (and then on a plate). The wooden trays are so unforgiving for any buttery or oily spills and yes there were some on it.
 The Bread was certainly fresh and hot - too hot for the first bite and needed cooling down. The triangular slices where about palm size and by the time the two of us munched through - I could have easily eaten one or two more - in fact it would have been perfect for one person. Perhaps it was meant for one person only as there was only one red napkin supplied?!
Sadly there was little garlic flavor to be savored.
This is a curious place and a mixture of plain and simple yet at times good quality. There were no desserts on the menu and the kitchen offered a limited number of meals (seven only) - however what came out a f t e r the garlic bread was first class and the New Zealand wines offered were great. However the table cloths on the tables were then covered by a plain beige colored and double folded PAPER!! Weird

I rate this as just below average (for the garlic bread)

Presentation	2 out of 5
Quantity	3 out of 5
Taste:	1 out of 5
Quality	2 out of 5
Overall score:	8 (out of poss 20)

Garlic Bread from Reflections Café and Restaurant in Tekapo

Reflections Café and Restaurant

State Highway 8
Lake Tekapo · New Zealand

Phone/Fax: +64 3 680 6234

Email   reflectionsrestaurant@xtra.co.nz

www.reflectionsrestaurant.co.nz

I must be getting old(er) - we did decide to go to places we had not been before - and then came back here. I ended up looking back to a previous blog entry
( garlic-bread-from-reflections-cafe visit in Jan 2012 )

only to find out that we had indeed been here before!! I was glad that I did - for it proved that my "taste" or critique standard has not changed over time. Back then we rated it highly and were pleasantly surprised this time again!  We liked the fact that there is a special made dish for presentation (which proves the care taken for "delivery" of the food). The bread was slightly crusty on outside and yet yummy and soft on the inside - along with plenty of garlic flavour - but not oily as can often be the case. We will have to agree with a previous visit and rate this as very nearly the perfect bread!

Presentation	5 out of 5
Quantity	5 out of 5
Taste:	4 out of 5
Quality	4 out of 5
Overall score:	18 (out of poss 20)

Garlic Bread from Mackenzie's Bar and Grill

Mackenzie's Bar and Grill  (Montheiths)

State Highway 8
Lake Tekapo
Canterbury
New Zealand

Phone: 03-680 6886



We had been there before and the meals we had been of a good quality - so for a treat we did revisit. Could have sworn that we had garlic bread there as well before - but an extensive search through photos and blog / diary entries later shows that we must have forgone the choice last time. Ah well - new ground and possibly just as well.
The bread itself consisted of 3 pieces on plate.  Buttered just on a single side with garlic - it lacked flavour and was somewhat overshadowed by the fresh - yes fresh green herb (which normally would be a redeeming feature).  It arrived being a tad overdone and was very crusty, with crumbs liberally sprinkling to the plate below when taking a bite. With three slices and two people present we soon found ourselves outdoing ourselves by being polite -  quote "you eat it - honestly - I had enough".

Presentation	3 out of 5
Quantity	2 out of 5
Taste:	2.5 out of 5
Quality	2.5 out of 5
Overall score:	10 (out of poss 20)

Garlic Bread from Pepes Pizzaa in Tekapo

Pepes Pizza and Pasta Restaurant Bar
Lake Tekapo
Village Mall
State Highway 8
Lake Tekapo
Mackenzie Canterbury 3978

Phone   (03) 6806677
Email    pepes@tekapo.co.nz

We have been to Tekapo before and decided to give all the eateries there a fair go - so instead of going back to the tried and true, we gave Pepes a whirl.  The bread - surprise surprise was a flat pizza bread (this seems to be a common theme amongst pizza places - figure they have the flat dough already on the go - so why bother with another yet to be baked bit, ergo must be a cost/labour saving thing).
Anyhow this "garlic-bread" in that sense was no different - however as you can see from the picture it was folded back on itself towards the middle and tucked in on the centre which is a departure from the usual presented flat garlic-bread.  It contained a few mushrooms and was liberally sprinkled or should that be stuffed with cheese and some herbs.  From Garlic was little to discern and it lacked the flavour. Portion size - as you can see from cellphone and side-plate - 4 pieces each for two people. Served on the same wooden platter the pizza would have come to the table (I guess that is practical and saves on extra dishes to buy or wash - but does lack originality). The cheese made it more filling then it ought to have been. Due to the cheese present it was a bit greasy - to much for my liking and I rate this as a no frills bread.  Cost --$ 9 (although to be fair- good marks for doing something originally with the "bread")

Presentation	3 out of 5
Quantity	3 out of 5
Taste:	1 out of 5
Quality	2 out of 5
Overall score:	9 (out of poss 20)

Garlic Bread from The Old Vicarage Halswell

The Old Vicarage
335 Halswell Road
Halswell
Christchurch,
New Zealand

Phone     03 322 1224
Fax     03 322 1248

www.theoldvicarage.co.nz

Email    enquiries@tov.co.nz


It was one of those last minute spur of the moment things. We decided to go out and celebrate life - 50th b-day and pay review and - urm - nah - since when do we need a reason to go out???  Anyhow we decided to "treat" ourselves for a meal out and booked a place for 2 at the Old Vicarage!  Now for those who do not know - it is literally this - a old vicarage (where once a Anglican Church Minister used to live) and is by NZ standards a OLD building (some 140 years or so).  Lovely setting - with large gardens and and (as was in the old days) many 'bedrooms' and other rooms which now function as dining rooms.  We ended up in the "Library" which was well stocked and does indeed have Books to read.  It made for a cosy intimate dinner - especially as the only other table in the Library room  booked there did not fill up 'till we got to dessert!!

Anyhow - we had the garlic bread - as always - and were impressed. It arrived in double quick time - was hot enough to be enjoyed - but no so hot that you got burned eating it.  Plenty of garlic flavor with a sprinkling of herbs.  As you can see from the picture it is a French baguette cut into 5 pieces which was ample - again - just the right amount.  The impressive part was that the UNDER-side was also buttered up - not many places do both sides!! The arrangement was simple and yet effective.  It may well have scored a perfect 20 out of 20 (which would be a first) but for the fact we are yet undecided if a wooden platter in a high quality / priced place is a appropriate serving tool - instead of perhaps a rectangular porcelain plate . . .


 

Presentation	4 out of 5
Quantity	5 out of 5
Taste:	5 out of 5
Quality	5 out of 5
Overall score:	19 (out of poss 20)

Garlic Bread from Jagz Cafe at Styx Mill Christchurch

Jagz Cafe
158 Hussey Road

Ph: 03 323 5455

www.jagz.co.nz


It happened to be my actual Birthday and we decided to brave the new world order and try and eat out.  After all the earthquakes not many places were open = so this seemed a good a place as any.
We also aimed for a place where you paid for the food on the plate - and not so much for the size of the plate with a teeny mini artistic expression of 3 bites heaped on top of each other.

Anyhow - the garlic bread arrived in good time. It proofed to be a bit of a disappointment.
For a place that prides itself in relaxed but classy atmosphere the presentation was urm - well, urm - well below par. Who needs to see the butter stains on the timber - especially when everything else is geared for 1st class.
Quantity wise - there could have been another 2 slices of Garlic bread, the 4 presented where small-ish and disappeared rather quickly and left us wanting for more. The bread itself did have the advertized melted cheese and herbs - from Garlic itself only a little taste.  The most disappointing aspect though was that even though the cheese was nicely melted - by the time it arrived on our table, it was Luke-warm - at best - to the point of almost being cold
The rest of the meal was reasonably nice and filling, even if you saw more plate then food.  In terms of Garlic bread - which we review here - I'd say it was over all very poor and we had better in many other places.

Presentation	1 out of 5
Quantity	2 out of 5
Taste:	2 out of 5
Quality	1 out of 5
Overall score:	6 (out of poss 20)

Garlic Bread from Costas Taverna

478 Cranford Street,
Shop 3
Christchurch, New Zealand

Phone: 03 3523232

www.costastaverna.co.nz/

After all the shakes and destruction many places have relocated - Costas being one of them. It has a good reputation and this was evidenced by the full house when we arrived and it was clear why you needed a booking - especially when you consider that they run a second booking for 8pm meal.  Our place was ready and we were seated quick enough. The orders were filled (via electronic blue-tooth means) and the Garlic "bread" arrived in extra quick time. Given the speed with which the bread arrived one was hoping for mains to be as quick - alas it was not to be.  Not surprising given the full house. Anyhow, the garlic bread is sold as Garlic 'Pita' bread and such it was - cut as can be seen in the picture half way and then again through the middle and nicely filled with garlic butter and some herbs. The Pita bread was just your average pita bread.  Nothing fancy there. It was to hot to touch and the supplied knife and fork came in handy. There was ample to eat for two people. The presentation - given the rest of the "themed restaurant", fell short of the expectation, and was very plain and simple. Overall - this would be a slightly above average bread.

Presentation	3 out of 5
Quantity	4 out of 5
Taste:	4 out of 5
Quality	3 out of 5
Overall score:	14 (out of poss 20)

Garlic Bread from Bonzai Pizzeria in Greymouth

31 Mackay St
Greymouth 7805, New Zealand

 Phone  03 768 4170
 Fax    03 762 6869

 www.bonzai.co.nz

 
We had traveled a lot and I had remembered that the Bonzai Pizzeria has good Pizzas. So we stopped there and ordered - well not Pizzas, but did order their home-baked garlic roll next with a proper main meal.
The Garlic roll is a piece of bread almost like a cheese twisty / bun and the size like a large muffin or Austrian semmel. It was just the right size for one person - enough to get a good feel for the bread and satisfying enough to not want more to eat then what was on offer.  The roll itself was cut 4 times across vertically down, and had nicely buttered garlic on both sides of each inside cut. You did not see any of the garlic-butter until you take a slice of main part of bread. There was plenty of flavour and smattering of herbs nicely hot melted, resulting in a soft and 'fleshy' bread on the inside – just crusty enough on outside. There may well have been a cheese topping on the top, can't remember and I did forget to take a picture.
We must have been eating at the wrong time - as the place can seat 80-100 and there were only 3 groups of paying customers.

 The only negative --  it came as a "bit on the side" and for all of that-  it was the last item to be delivered along the main meal.  It would be quit possibly the best Garlic 'roll' bread I had for a long time and will take some beating.

Presentation	4 out of 5
Quantity	5 out of 5
Taste:	5 out of 5
Quality	5 out of 5
Overall score:	19 (out of poss 20)

Garlic Bread from Monteiths Brewery in Kaikoura

49-51 West End

Kaikoura

Tel.  319 3333

Email: thewhalerkaikoura@xtra.co.nz

www.thewhaler.co.nz

I was mistaken.  I assumed that the Montheiths franchise would have the same menu from place to place.  Seems not so.  We were in Kaikoura recently and stopped for dinner and ordered Garlic bread - having enjoyed the version served in Montheith's Hanmer .  Well it turned out to be a bit of a disappointment  - in fact it was nothing like in Hanmer.  The bread while it arrived in a timely manner consisted of a a pizza bread dough - wafer thin. It had so much herbs on it - that it should be described and sold as Herb bread.  Three out of four diners could not discern any Garlic flavour. Now that was certainly a let down. There was plenty of butter on the bread and it had melted and seeing that the bread had no soft "bread-tissue' eg it was crusty all the way through, the butter had run straight of the bread and onto the plate, and  as well ended up on our fingers.   Our companion mentioned that you would feel cheated out of a pizza - no toppings etc. 
At NZ $9 I would have expected a lot more. The only redeeming feature would be the creative arrangement on the plate. 

Presentation	2 out of 5
Quantity	2 out of 5
Taste:	0 out of 5
Quality	0 out of 5
Overall score:	4  (out of poss 20)