Wednesday, 1 May 2013

Review: Under The Oaks Café (Oxford, NZ)


Situated in the picturesque rural town of Oxford in Canterbury (NZ), Under the Oaks Café is a nice place to enjoy coffee, brunch or something more substantial.

Atmosphere:

The building is fairly new and is situated on the High street of Oxford.  It has a clean and fresh feeling.   The oddly mismatched chairs and tables introduce a slightly quirky ambience.
The layout is good.  There is plenty of glass and a handful of outdoor tables to allow for indoor or outdoor relaxation. 
The building itself is raised well above the street, so views are commanding.  It’s a great place to enjoy the sun.
Local artworks adorn the walls.  It’s a very nice touch.
Music was overpoweringly loud on the day we visited.  I had to raise my voice to be heard when ordering.  Even conversation was affected.  Come on guys – it’s a café not a nightclub.  -1 point. 

Service:

Staff are courteous and friendly. 
An inexperienced cashier overcharged us by ringing up our coffees twice.  She was apologetic and refunded the difference without hassle when the mistake was pointed out.
Wait staff were very efficient and our food arrived extremely quickly.

Drink:

A latte and a mochachino were delivered in glasses, which I detest.  I want my coffee so hot that a handle on the cup is essential.  Both coffees were significantly below temperature so the glasses were handled easily.  Because of the temperature the overall the experience of coffee was poor.  -2 points.

Food:

Vegetable Fritata – Served with lettuce and dressing. Approx $7.  Excellent.
Homemade Creamy Vegetable Pie – Served with lettuce and dressing.  Approx $7.  Absolutely delightful.
Chicken Pie – Served with a light salad for $10.50.  Exquisite.

Overall Rating: 

7/10 with potential to improve (i.e. turn the music down, serve coffee in crockery and make them much hotter).  Food was well above expectation.


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