Gourmet road trips: Sweet surprises, music and succulent seafood delights

By AINSLEY THOMSON

Before you reach the beaches of the Coromandel Peninsula and holiday bliss this summer there is one obstacle you are likely to face - the dreaded Kopu Bridge.

Sitting in a two-hour traffic jam waiting to cross the one-lane bridge on a hot summer's day does not induce a relaxed holiday mood.

The wait is even worse if you are (a) hungry (b) thirsty and (c) in need of a toilet.

Handily, 8km before the bridge is the Pipiroa Country Kitchen.

A sign promising the cafe to be "purveyors of wickedly good country fare" is enough to entice many a weary traveller.

Once you (eventually) reach Thames, on the main street, disguised behind an ordinary store-front, is a shop that is anything but ordinary.

The Chocolate Shoppe is a must for anyone with a sweet tooth.

Stepping inside is like returning to a favourite childhood memory. Jars of lollies and chocolates fill every space, and there is that wonderful smell that only true lolly shops have. Then there are the chocolates.

Every one is handmade and not only tastes amazing but is a delicate work of art topped with tiny flowers.

Owner Marika van der Lee spent two years researching and testing her creations on lucky friends.

Dotted out in the Hauraki Gulf between Thames and Coromandel town are mussel and oyster farms.

To sample their products, stop at the Coromandel Oyster Company.

The tiny shop just before Coromandel township has shellfish that are straight out of the sea - this is as fresh as it gets.

The shop sells oysters, mussels, scallops and prawns, to name a few.

In the town itself opportunities abound to sample more of the local seafood.

And there is no better place to enjoy a plate of green-lipped mussels than Umu Cafe.

The stylish eatery steams the mussels in a mild chilli and coconut cream reduction, which is divine and goes well with the locally grown Mills Reef Cooks Beach Sauvignon Blanc.

The Coromandel Smoking Company is yet another way to experience local seafood.

The shop's sign reads: "You catch em, we smoke em", and that is exactly what they do. Just bring in any seafood and they will turn it into delicious smoked fare.

The shop also sells its own smoked fish and shellfish.

Coromandel town also offers arguably the best pies on the peninsula.

This title was bestowed upon the local service station on the way into town (which stocks the pies) by a particularly fussy person who would "normally not eat such things" but declared them to be "the best steak and cheese pies ever".

High praise indeed.

Over the winding Whangapoua hill is Castle Rock Fruit Winery.

Owners David and Sharon Wilson moved to the idyllic spot three years ago to escape fast-paced life in Auckland.

They have never regretted it. The winery offers 25 varieties, ranging from plum to lemon.

All the wine is handmade by the Wilsons - the only machinery is a filter. The couple also make jams and chutneys.

Further up State Highway 25 is the beach settlement of Kuaotunu. Here, at the local store, you will find the Kuaotunu Killer. This is one huge icecream. Five big scoops of any flavour you desire for $4.95.

Eating it is a challenge and extremely messy. The recommended method is in one's togs, standing in the water at the beach, into which you dive on finishing, to wash off half of the icecream that has dripped over you.

At Dino's in Whitianga, Aucklanders will feel so at home they will be fooled into thinking they never left Ponsonby Rd.

This is one stylish pizza joint.

Eating-in is definitely recommended, but the restaurant does takeaways and the nearby wharf is a great place to sit, eat great pizza and gaze at the boats an beach.

For a cold beer on a hot day you cannot go past the Coroglen Tavern. A little rough around the edges, this is a traditional Kiwi country pub.

But what this pub has that most don't is some great live music. In the past few years the pub has become a regular on many New Zealand bands' summer tours.

This summer is no different, with top names such as Scribe, Elemeno P, Fur Patrol, Golden Horse and King Kapisi playing there.

The Coromandel Peninsula has what feels like an unending amount of places to eat and drink. From the many stalls offering fresh fruit and vegetables dotted along State Highway 25 to fancy restaurants, there is something for everyone.

What to find where

Information Centre Thames: 206 Pollen St, 07 868 7284

Information Centre Whitianga: 66 Albert St, 07 866 5555

Information Centre Coromandel: 355 Kapanga Rd, 07 866 8598

TOMORROW: Waiheke Island

Gourmet road trips