Garlic bread from the Hurunui Hotel

 

Hurunui Hotel

1224 Karaka Road, 

State Highway 7, 

Hurunui 7385

Phone: 03-314 2207

www.thehurunuihotel.co.nz/

https://www.facebook.com/hurunuihotel/

It is described as:  The Hurunui Hotel has been serving the community for over 150 years. Built in 1868 it has the longest continuous alcohol license in New Zealand. Located on State Highway 7, it is the perfect place to stop and rest on your journey. Cold beer, wine from our own winery, amazing food and the best coffee around!'

 

 It certainly has seen some changes in its time - some emforced from the earthquakes.  It has a new owner/manager - so we were keen on trying them out for a stay and meal!  

We ordered the garlic bread and it came in good time.  The artistic arangment did not suffer in transit!  As you can see - it is/was a ciabatta bread sliced and liberally sprinkled with herbs. It could have had a teeny weeny bit more garlic flavour.  As there was three of us we had 2 slices each wich was plenty - perhaps one to many for just two people?!

Crusty crust and soft fleshy inards - just the way we like it.  The condiments - needed a explanation - although we had fun guessing them - the far right defintly had honey in it, while the far left was - we think - a garlic infused oil?! The middle is your standard pesto!  Nice additions.

Sadly the timber detracted - especially as we found later that the served hamburgers came on the same platter/timber type (one thing fits all?!) , and as many previous eaters had used knife's to cut their bits of meat etc . . - there were some deep grooves . . . Pity - if this had been on a white porcelan type plate it would have rated very highly indeed.  

Presentation	4 out of 5
Quantity	3 out of 5
Taste:	4 out of 5
Quality	4 out of 5
Overall score:	15 (out of poss 20)

Garlic Bread from Cobb & Co in Redwood

 

484 Cranford Street,  

Redwood, 

Christchurch 8051

Tel 03-595 0265 

https://www.cobb.co.nz/menus/

 

 

It has been a long time in-between drinks to visit Cobb Co! The Restaurant chain nearly disappeared from NZ eating scene - and now is making a comeback! There are now 8 stores - oops sorry restaurants to go and eat from!  So when one opened up in Christchurch we made a point of going there!

We did wonder if the quality would be different from the two previous experiences (see links below)

Sadly - the franchise has decided that it needs a wooden platter with serrated knife - which is almost not needed as you can just use your fingers and chomp away.  To cut the bread into slices you have to touch it anyhow - so you get messy fingers one way or the other!  Thus the knife - if used -  leaves deep cutting grooves in the timber - again! At least there is no paper napkin hiding underneath the Garlic bread!

The garlic bread itself as nice and hot and had extremely finely chopped herbs! I suspect that the garlic butter was not home made (industrial strength?? ) 

I could have had some more *flavor* - that's just my personal preference! It was warm - hot and crispy on the outside - soft fleshy on the inside! - so there is a plus! 

Overall we give this a small margin of improvement from the one we had in Dunedin

http://garlic-bread-critique.blogspot.com/2018/04/garlic-bread-from-cobb-co-in-dunedin.html

http://garlic-bread-critique.blogspot.com/2012/06/garlic-bread-from-cobb-co.html

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

Garlic bread from the 65 and Dine Gastropub in Twizel

65 and Dine Gastropub Smokehouse

13 Tasman Road,
Twizel 7901

Phone: 03-435 0832

Website www.lunchtime.co.nz/Top-Hut-Bar-and-Bistro/Mackenzie/menu/
Email admin@falstonehospitality.co.nz
https://www.facebook.com/65andDine/

We braved the rain and cold and treated us to a weekend away with our campervan, in Twizel - and naturally we had to sample some of the local cuisine!!  We decided to give the Gastropub a whirl (it looked new???) and promptly ordered the Garlic Loaf as starters (along with the *secret* recipe Garlic Butter!!!)

It promptly arrived and was still warm to the touch.  It is the first time ever in all the years, that we have seen it wrapped in baking paper - especially printed!!

Unwrapping it, you could just smell the *garlic* aroma!  It was cut into thick slices all the way to the bottom - with the steak knife provided for cutting through the very last 2 or 3 mm of crust.  Lots of flavour!! We did miss the sprinkling of green herbs!  The timber plate looked new-ish so not many cut grooves in it yet - they will come though!! Regular readers will know how I feel about these!
It is sold as "a loaf for 2" - and while I am still a moderate big eater - we decided to leave at least one slice behind so as to leave room for our mains - let alone dessert!  :)  I have yet to find a *loaf* small enough to be just right as starters!! 

A big cudos to Rachel in particular who was our waitress and also for the other staff present! It is refreshing to hear the question asked "HOW is your meal?" - an open question - yusssss!! So often we get asked ''Is everything ok?'' - closed question - and the short answer is yes, now go away!!  Ha, I recall the time I said no and the waiter promptly walked away without even asking why not - guess he was not really intrestred in the answer at all!!!

Hmmm how to rate this - ok lets see . . . .

Presentation	4 out of 5
Quantity	3.5 out of 5
Taste:	4.5 out of 5
Quality	4.5 out of 5
Overall score:	16.5 (out of poss 20)

Garlic bread from Fire and Ice Cafe in Hanmer

Fire and Ice
Cafe - Restaurant - Bar

37 Amuri Avenue,
Hanmer Springs 7334

Phone: 03 315 5006
Email: info@fireandicecafe.co.nz

www.fireandicecafe.co.nz/

There is not a lot to say about this.
One word would summ it up - -  Perfect!!

The arrangment suffered during transportation - for sure - and the bowl on the side contained a lovely cheese sauce/dip.  Lots of flavour / color - no wooden platter or napkin underneath . . .

Yup
A first
Perfect

(Must check and see if this is the highest ever score so far . . . )

Presentation	4.9 out of 5
Quantity	5 out of 5
Taste:	5 out of 5
Quality	5 out of 5
Overall score:	19.9 (out of poss 20)

Garlic Bread in Armadillos Restaurant Belfast

 Armadillos Belfast

812 Main North Road
Belfast 8050

Ph 03 323 6126

Email: armadillosnz@gmail.com

www.armadillosrestaurantsnz.com/coming-soon



A new place to eat out in town - and it was our wedding anniversary - so we decided to Armadillos.
It is so new - the website has hardly caught up with it (had to dig for the actual place on the ''master'' site), and is one of many other eateries dotted around the South Island!!

The garlic bread was listed on the menau as:

Garlic Bread
Freshly baked ciabattas loaf smothered in our home made garlic butter



I was not sure how BIG the loaf would be - having had almost some baskeball sized offerings previously.  The size ended up just a fraction to large for two - or right if you were ravenous!!!
It came on a wooden board that was old and well-used - so much so, it made me wonder if this is an old hand-me down!?!?! Not what you would expect from a brand new place!!  We give it a single point as SOME effort was made re presentation. 
As you can see - it is a loaf and was still hot from the oven.  The Steak knife was needed to cut (it was cut and buttered almost all the way to the bottom) through the crust at the bottom - a feat just managed with my hands.  Try cutting a hot loaf with bare hands!!
The crumbs visible at the side turned out to be some sort of rock salt, which we left alone!!
It did have lots of flavour - as I like to say - one you can see!! Lots of freshly cut garlic in it!  




As an aside - closer inspection of the steak knife revealed that it has regularly been washed in a dish-washer.  A big No-no as the timber is suffering and eventually will fail to hold the blade in place.  They ought to be hand washed in clear luke warm water and if at all possible slighty re-oiled to preserve the timber!  This knife clearly showed a loosning of the blade from its tang-hold and will fail soon and thus need replacing - an expense coming  up . . . . . .

Presentation	1 out of 5
Quantity	3 out of 5
Taste:	4 out of 5
Quality	2 out of 5
Overall score:	10 (out of poss 20)

Garlic Bread from the Seabreeze Cafe & Bar in Picton

Seabreeze Cafe &Bar


24 London Quay,
Picton 7220

Tel: 03-573 6136

https://www.seabreezecafe.co.nz/


A outdoor Lunch beckoned - The weather was superb and the al fresco dining was very tempting!  Bonus was the Garlic Bread on the menu
It was advertised as:

Garlic bread (GF option) / 9.50
French stick with fresh garlic butter



Tempting so we placed our orders and waited - not for to long - it arrived in good time! 3 large-is pieces - artistically displayed and NO napkin underneath the Bread - a bonus!  For the first time (from memory) there is a side salad greens on offer - a new trend me thinks!! 







The bread itself was crispy on the outside and still warm to the touch.  You could see the fresh cut Cloves liberally displayed - urm - applied to the bread. Yummy taste and easy to eat!
1.5 slices for each of us - just right

















Just for fun I looked up the website and saw this on it - not what we got - still . . . .

Presentation	3 out of 5
Quantity	5 out of 5
Taste:	5 out of 5
Quality	4 out of 5
Overall score:	17 (out of poss 20)