I’m fairly sure that nearly everyone has there idea of what there perfect restaurant / cafe would be down to the decor, food, music, staff etc. some may have even been there, some may have a fantasy of a famous top restaurant that they dream of visiting one day. I have had the good fortune to visit mine twice and its called ‘Driving Creek Cafe‘ up the Driving Creek Road just north of Coromandel in New Zealand.

It has for me the perfect attributes as follows.

• Great coffee, to define what I meen by Great Coffee it must be hot, strong, not to bitter, with enough soya milk to make it creamy, fair trade & organic, served in a large sturdy earthenware bowl.
• Engaging decor, something not to generic that looks like its could have been bought in the cafe wholesaler, either down the tacky retro modern isle or the cheesy sudo-vintage isle. I prefer solid, wholesome hand crafted decor that looks practical and conscience, natural, warm and friendly and not to precious, old miss matched, sofas, table and chairs and hand made crocory.
• Music thats condusive to eating and enjoying it, music you can talk over to your loved ones and still sit there bobbing along to.
• Great food, well presented, vegetarian or vegan & organic, served on beautiful plates in good mesure, with plenty for the kids to choose from at a price that is as palatable as the food is tasty, presented with love and character.
• Children friendly with stuff for them to play with, staff and other guests that dont mind kiddie activity, staff that dont pass ho drinks over children heads and place then in grabbing range.
• Interesting art on the walls for sale at prices that make it affordable to a normal budget, and they sell the crockery made by the wonderful Petra Meyboden at Puketai Pottery we came away with a few pieces and plan to build up our shelves at home with more as and when we find it.
• Happy helpful and knowledgeable international staff.

I long to go back there again an plan to (cash and work commitments willing) return around the end of February to stay across the road and spend a fine 36th birthday there.

My only areas of critisism are.

• Perhaps a small menu aimed at children.
• larger range of local artisan products for purchase

But I’m just being picky now.