Zeytin Cafe
118 Maunganui Rd, Mount Maunganui
Ph: (07) 574 3040. Open 7 days, 9am-9pm.
Licensed.
www.zeytinmountcafe.co.nz
On the menu: There's a Mediterranean flavour through everything. There are plenty of bread and dip-type options to start with and sharing is always a good thing with this. The main courses include favourites such
as doner kebabs, iskender and moussaka. Yummy looking pizzas and salads complete the menu. A selection of tasty desserts is available if there is any room left.
The buzz: There's a wonderful friendly, warm feeling about the place. Diners cover just about every age group from 5 to 65. Such is the menu's range, there is something for everyone. This is relaxed dining that is cheery and comfortable.
I'll have: Scallop Meze ($15.50) Pan-seared skewered scallops on toasted bruschetta served with a home-made salsa of fresh pawpaw and avocado. The scallops lured me to this dish but the home-made salad was equally delightful. For a main, I went with tradition and chose Iskenders with wood-fired lamb ($28, served with rice, hummus, tabouleh and salad). Lucky I was hungry. It was enough to feed two! The wood-fired lamb was tasty and tender and the rice, salads and sauces took me in my mind to a Turkish seaside village.
She'll have: My wife went with two starters for her two courses, starting with Dolma Meze ($12, vegetarian stuffed dolma, served on home-made hot tomato and basil passata with feta cheese and baby watercress). She found this dish beautifully presented and a lovely combination of tastes between the dolma, feta and sauce. For mains, she chose Haloumi Meze ($15.50, pan-fried haloumi and red peppers, served with olive tapenade, capers and baby watercress). This was full of Mediterranean flavours, with the caperberries an intriguing addition to the meal. Both starters were a good size and proved just right in terms of quantity.
