Since moving to Covid-19 Level Three, cafés and
restaurants have been allowed to open and supply take-away or cook at home
foods, either to be picked up or delivered. Naturally, we want to support our
local establishments because we want them to still be there when restrictions
are lifted completely and we can get back to whatever the new “normal” will be
once this is all over. So here’s what we’ve had, and how I’ve ranked them:
The Larder: This was the first place that we went
to on Tuesday, as it’s our local and we wanted to show our support. They have a
limited menu, so we went for a burger (me) and prawn risotto (Nicola). I picked
up from the restaurant – it was ready after about a 10-minute wait. The burger
was good, the fries crispy, and the risotto also good. I’m giving this 8/10.
Why not 10? Well, they’re not burger specialists so the burger was OK but you
wouldn’t write home about it. Wait a minute, that’s exactly what I’m doing,
isn’t it? Total cost: $41.20 (incl. $1.20 credit card surcharge). Overall score:
8/10.
Scorch-O-Rama: On Wednesday, we took in our normal
walk around Scorching Bay and, having checked all the details yesterday, were
ready and prepared to order via text. They also allow ordering via the Regulr
app, which allows them to bill you once per week, thus reducing their credit
card fees. Unfortunately the app is a piece of shit that doesn’t work, so
instead I’ve been direct crediting them via my bank’s app. They can make coffee
and tea for takeaway, we’ve not tried any food yet. Also they accept keep cups.
Total cost: $9.00. Overall score: 8/10.
Café Polo: Another local café, and one providing a
reheatable menu service. We tried them for dinner on Wednesday evening, having
collected the food earlier in the day. We had a large serving of Scottie’s sausages,
mash and peas. The sausages were good, but due to being reheated in the oven,
didn’t have a crispy skin. The mash was fine, but there were precious few peas
in the portion, and the gravy had become incorporated into the mash. I
augmented it with a serving of frozen peas, but frankly this was a bit
disappointing. Once I get some decent sausages again I can do better than this at
home. I also ordered a loaf of their five-grain bread, which was good, but at
$12.50, a bit overpriced. Total cost $33.50. Overall score: 5/10.
Jano Bistro: One of Wellington’s top-end French
bistro restaurants, where we’ve been supporters of their cuisine almost since
the day they opened. They are one of Wellington’s unsung heroes of hospitality,
and I was more than happy to support them with their menu offering. We chose
the salmon and leek crayfish bisque gratinée. This was a dish that sounded
great on paper, but disappointed in reality. I’ve read a book called “The Billionaire’s Vinegar” – Jason bought it for my birthday a few years ago – which describes
the experience of drinking wines that are over 100 years old, and are sold for
many thousands of $$$ a bottle. Occasionally, one of these bottles is opened,
and an expert wine-taster delivers his verdict. Naturally, some of these
bottles aren’t really drinkable by this stage, so the oenologist declares “it
is wine”. I felt the same way about this dinner: “it is food”. Sorry guys, and
we will be back once you’re properly open again, but your delivery offering wasn’t
up to scratch. To add insult to injury, they’re using a delivery service called
Pandemic Pack, which promised to deliver between 6-8pm…they eventually showed
up at 8:15pm, after I’d already started to prepare another dinner, assuming it wasn’t
going to arrive (there was no answer on their phone, other than to inform me
that they would be open for business again on Tuesday next week). If you’re
using Pandemic Pack, order for lunchtime delivery if you want to eat dinner at
a reasonable time. They’re also the most expensive delivery option at $15.
Total cost: $67.00. Overall score: 1/10.
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