Review - Mirimar Californian Garden Centre - 43 out of 60

There are two Californian Garden Centres that I am aware of. There is the one in Lower Hutt which is a favourite of ours, and we recently decided to visit the one in Mirimar. We had heard good things about this establishment and decided to see for ourselves.

Food

Steak, Mushroom and Cheese Pie.

I am a sucker for a good pie in the chilled display cabinet they had a monster sized Steak, Mushroom and Cheese Pie. 2 minutes in the microwave and then it arrived at our table. The problem with pastry is that it doesnt like microwaves at the best of times and it likes being reheated even less.

Even with all these things against it, the pie was actually very good. Large chunks of meat that was amazingly tender, mushrooms full of flavour and just enough cheese for presence, but not so much that it leaves an overwhelming cooked cheesey fat flavour. Sure the pastry was slightly chewy but that was always going to happen with a microwave. But for $6 it was a great value feed.

8 out of 10.

Corn Fritters with Bacon, tomato relish and salad


Hmmm. At $12.50 I expected a little more. The corn fritters, a personal favourite of mine were very poorly made. The batter was stodgy and it was seriously undercooked. The outside was blackened, but within the dark brown veneer lay an undercooked yellow paste studded with chilled lumps of corn kernals.

The accompaniment of bacon and salad was desultory and rather too well matched to fritters.

2 out of 10.

Coffee

Caffe L'affarre coffee, well made flat white. Great taste, fresh beans, great creama. 9 out of 10.


Service

Not bad. We asked for something for a small child like a plate of wedges and were told that they didnt have anything. Fortunately a quick thinking emplyee offered to make a toasted sandwich which was presented amazingly quick. This was done by the same man who took such care with the coffee which was presented in just as quick fashion. 8 out of 10.

Cleanliness

Everything seemed clean, although there were water spots on the cutlery. 8 out of 10.

Toilets

The toilets were clean, functional and well signposted. 8 out of 10.