Lushingtons Cafe
5 Archibald St, Tinwald
Ashburton 7700
Phone: 03 308 6858
Website: www.lushingtons.co.nz
We (or more to the point - Mamabear) needed some good quality chill-out time - so we debated whether we we should head north, or south, or west. No point in going east - since after 15 km you hit the pacific and that is just a tad cold atm. In any case - we eventually headed south. Half way there we tried to remember the 'Highway nr 1 Inn / cafe'. A quick google and realised it was just south of Ashburton. Hmmm - it no longer is the same place that we used to zip past at 100 miles an hour or so on our way further south - more of a tourist place run by Asians - catering for inbound yup you guessed it - Asian tourists. The 'authentic' kitchen - well you had to have a booking - soooo not to be outdone we headed back to Ashburton and stopped at Lushingtons Garden, Gift & Cafe place we spotted on way south.
What a gem!! What a gem of a place.
Even better - they do regular evening meals AND, even way more better, they do Garlic bread. Good choice Mamabear!!Naturally we had some (along with the lunch and drinks and urm - *cough* dessert)!
It proofed to be a winner.
Lovingly made.
You could smell the flavor as it was delivered. Warm enough to be enjoyed but not hot enough to be burned. Good buttery texture and some liberal sprinkled fresh cut herbs. Oven grilled - on a wire rack I suspect - the top nicely done (with the fresh cut garlic bits and pieces getting a good tan - yes you could see the pressed/cut garlic) and the bottom being nice and very crisp! The bread itself would have been a small round Cibiatta type bread - cut horizontally and one half being used-served for us. It arrived somewhat artistically arranged!!
The only down side - as usual - the wooden platter. This one however looked new - and clean - no drops of oil or cuts on the timber.
We rate this highly - hardly can be faulted and only stops receiving a full mark of 20 via the wooden platter/presentation.
One more slice of bread would have been perfect - it left you wanting - but I guess that is not a bad thing either.
| Presentation | 4.5 out of 5 |
| Quantity | 4.5 out of 5 |
| Taste: | 5 out of 5 |
| Quality | 5 out of 5 |
| Overall score: | 19 (out of poss 20) |
