Ngatea is a little village on the way to Tauranga and the Thames area of New Zealand; that is if you divert slightly off the main road. It is one of quite a few towns and villages on the Hauraki Plains. Today I decided to visit my brother in Paeroa, another town, snuggling up to the ranges and famous (in NZ) for being the birth place of Lemon and Paeroa, an iconic NZ soda drink.
I had breakfasted at home on Qinoa Porridge so I was feeling like a nice cup of coffee. There are several cafes in this little town of Ngatea, but we chose one, simply because it was easy to park right outside.
Enter the simply furnished Fig Tree café. The menu board was clean and clear, offering breakfast and lunch dining. All the 'usuals' were there and a few 'of the day' specials. The prices were fair and I couldn't see anything over about NZ $15 (except for the big breakfast. With my new 'regime' firmly in place, (remember, I had just had bariatric surgery two weeks ago, so big meals are out) I reluctantly limited myself to the coffee. Next time, I will have breakfast! Sometimes when I order coffee in cafes, even their small options are too much for me now, so I was delighted to see that I could chose a small tulip shaped cup. While I was waiting I visited the toilet. I don't usually comment on 'toilets,' but they are a good guide to the overall cleanliness of an establishment. I was most pleased---it was extremely clean and nicely 'decored,' for want of a better word.
ROMAN, the friendly barista.
On returning top my table , the coffee came. I noted that they use Gravity coffee and the combination of that and the skilled presentation made my visit most pleasant.
I decided to talk to the 'barista' on leaving and he happily posed for my badly focused picture. I am bloody useless at tasking pictures sometimes. I think that Roman and his Mum (oops, not his mum, but a relative) own the café and they should be proud of their little establishment on the way to 'points' on the Hauraki Plains. The Fig Tree is well worth the stop-off and they deserve to do well. Their simple plan seems to work: good coffee and no-nonsense food, presented in an impeccably clean environment. Well done Roman!
We went back again, this time with Perdy. Picture by Rio. 2/05/13
I had breakfasted at home on Qinoa Porridge so I was feeling like a nice cup of coffee. There are several cafes in this little town of Ngatea, but we chose one, simply because it was easy to park right outside.
Enter the simply furnished Fig Tree café. The menu board was clean and clear, offering breakfast and lunch dining. All the 'usuals' were there and a few 'of the day' specials. The prices were fair and I couldn't see anything over about NZ $15 (except for the big breakfast. With my new 'regime' firmly in place, (remember, I had just had bariatric surgery two weeks ago, so big meals are out) I reluctantly limited myself to the coffee. Next time, I will have breakfast! Sometimes when I order coffee in cafes, even their small options are too much for me now, so I was delighted to see that I could chose a small tulip shaped cup. While I was waiting I visited the toilet. I don't usually comment on 'toilets,' but they are a good guide to the overall cleanliness of an establishment. I was most pleased---it was extremely clean and nicely 'decored,' for want of a better word.
ROMAN, the friendly barista.I decided to talk to the 'barista' on leaving and he happily posed for my badly focused picture. I am bloody useless at tasking pictures sometimes. I think that Roman and his Mum (oops, not his mum, but a relative) own the café and they should be proud of their little establishment on the way to 'points' on the Hauraki Plains. The Fig Tree is well worth the stop-off and they deserve to do well. Their simple plan seems to work: good coffee and no-nonsense food, presented in an impeccably clean environment. Well done Roman!
We went back again, this time with Perdy. Picture by Rio. 2/05/13
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