Cafe search...

This morning I got to go out for a morning of RnR without the kids. So first stop was the hairdressers to get my hair trimmed (I haven't had it cut since Mum and Dad were here last November). What I really wanted to spend my morning doing was sitting in a coffee shop, relaxing with a cup of coffee while reading some of my magazines and latest novel (Frederick Forsyth - Afghan). The problem is I haven't had the chance to go to many cafes in Hamilton, so don't know the good ones; the bad ones; the ones that have comfy seats; the ones with good coffee; the ones to go to when you want to feel like you are in happening place... Actually now I think about it, I have been to a handful of cafes (7 including todays), but most of the time a big factor is whether they have a good kids play area. Here's a quick review of the ones I've been to:

Scotts Epicurean: First discovered on my last solo RnR outing, it has a great brunch menu; great coffee; a really nice honey, lemon and ginger drink. It is a happening place with a steady stream of customers; cheerful staff and good music. It also has paper and crayons for the kids to do drawings with while your there. It isn't the place to go if you want to relax and read a good book - it's too noisy and happening (although they do have comfy seats).

Sierra: This is also another busy and popular cafe (especially on weekends). I wasn't impressed with their food - they make it sound gourmet on the menu, but what comes out looks and tastes a bit pedestrian. The coffee didn't taste nice. Also, they don't have comfy seats and it is a bit noisy - would be hard to carry on a conversation.

Columbus: Great coffee, great cakes/slices (something with a bit of character, not just the normal cafe cakes), good relaxed atmosphere. Unfortunately they don't have comfy chairs for long sits with a book (they are wooden seats), and they don't have a kitchen so there is only cabinet food on offer if you are wanting something more than coffee and cake.

The Verandah: This cafe is situated right next to the play equipment at the edge of Lake Rotoroa in Hamilton. This is great because it means you can grab a takeaway coffee and then go and supervise the kids while they play on the play equipment; or you can adjurn to the cafe after the kids have had a play and you are all starting to freeze (as I did with a friend the other week). They make great coffee, have reasonably priced cakes/slices, and make the best sausage rolls (they have carrot and other vegetable matter in them and it is real mince, not just reclaimed carcass stuff). It can be very busy during school holidays and at weekends, and again it isn't the kind of cafe for book reading.

Smo's cafe: Went here with a friend after it had been suggested to her as a kid friendly cafe. Well it had what you could define as a kids play area, I guess - a large playpen with a few broken/miss matched toys in it. It is in a large warehouse building, so has a very cold and empty feel to it. The food was reasonable, but nothing I'd rush back for.

Cafe Agora: This cafe is actually owned/run by one of the church's in town. I found out about this cafe when it first opened, from a mum at playgroup as it had a 'kids play area'. This is actually the best 'kids play area' in a cafe that I have found in Hamilton - it is a large separate room (with a window, so you can still see your kids), where the kids can go and play with a range of toys. It has great coffee, nice food and really comfy couches. The only downside is that is only open Monday-Friday, so I can't take Peter and the family there on the weekend or just go there by myself while Peter looks after the kids.

Pumice: This is the cafe I went to today. I had found out about it at the food and wine festival where they had stall selling food. I tried some of their food samplers then and it was really good, so I decided to try out the real thing today. The cafe seating is rather limited - fitted in around their shelves of deli produce - and no comfy couches. But their bistro area has nice booths with padded seat - this is where I decided to set-up camp. With a whole booth to myself I ordered a coffee and got out the Donna Hay magazine I'd bought a couple of weeks ago, but hadn't got around to reading much of. So there I sat for 2 hours looking a recipes for delicious food with beautiful photography (although having studied a few of Donna Hay's cookbooks, it has come to my attention that sometimes the photo of the 'finished' dish doesn't always have all the ingredients in it - especially if a particular ingredient has a tendency to make the dish look 'messy', but is needed for the flavour). The waitress after a handful of visits to the table at the start to check if I wanted anything, left me alone in peace for the rest of my stay. I came home feeling refreshed and energised - ready to enter messy family life again.