An old bears critique of garlic bread

There are so many types of garlic bread's out there - and we always eat some whenever we are out. So I decided, that I would critique the garlic bread's - especially as very recently we had eaten a very different version.
This is meant as a light heart-ed view of this old bears tastes - so no offence.

Naturally at some point I have to go back and see if the quality has improved (or not).

Of course - if you have been at these places and sampled the local garlic bread - feel free to leave your impression via the comment section! They most likely will differ from my experience - and lets  hope in a better / improved way!!  Or if you have found
the  P E R F E C T  Garlic bread - let me know  where . . . .    ^^ 

Garlic Bread from Crescent Bar & Grill in Kaitangata

Crescent Bar & Grill

 2 Clyde Terrace, 

Kaitangata 9210
 

Tel 03 413 9790

WWW. -->  on Facebook only

 

Oh did we love this offering - our second ever perfect 20 from 20!!!

You could not want for better . . . .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Presentation	5 out of 5
Quantity	5 out of 5
Taste:	5 out of 5
Quality	5 out of 5
Overall score:	20 (out of poss 20)

Garlic Bread from the Hurunui Hotel

 

 

Hurunui Hotel

1224 Karaka Road, 

State Highway 7, 

Hurunui 7385

Phone: 03-314 2207

www.thehurunuihotel.co.nz/

https://www.facebook.com/hurunuihotel/

 

garlic-bread from Hurunui Hotel

 

 

Rinse and repeat. . .

Copy and paste from last visit . . . 

No changes or additions compared to the last visit there . . .

 

 

 

 

 

Presentation	3 out of 5
Quantity	2 out of 5
Taste:	3 out of 5
Quality	3 out of 5
Overall score:	11 (out of poss 20)

Garlic Bread from Heartland Hotel in Auckland

 

 Heartland Hotel Auckland Airport

14 Airpark Drive
Airport Oaks
Auckland 2022
New Zealand


https://www.scenichotelgroup.co.nz/auckland/heartland-hotel-auckland-airport/runway-restaurant-bar/
 

https://www.scenichotelgroup.co.nz/auckland/heartland-hotel-auckland-airport/


P: +64 9 275 4540
E: aucklandairport@heartlandhotels.co.nz

Listed as:

  Garlic Ciabatta (V)
Mozzarella cheese
– Add Bacon: $2.00
   $14.00

 

It certainly was a Ciabatta bread.  There was lots of flavor and a good sprinkling of green herbs present.  Crusty on the outside and soft and fleshy on the main body - inside! The cheese added a slightly nutty flavor to the bread!  It arrived in good time and was still hot to the touch - but not to hot to bite right into! Not sure if the presentation suffered from " transport" to the table - could have been a teeny bit better.

Kudos for the plate and lack of napkin.  We rated this version very highly

Presentation	4.5 out of 5
Quantity	5 out of 5
Taste:	4.5 out of 5
Quality	4.5 out of 5
Overall score:	18.5 (out of poss 20)

Garlic Bread from Dawsons Hotel, Reefton

 

Dawsons Hotel in Reefton

74 Broadway,
Reefton 7830,
West Coast,
New Zealand


Ph. +64 3 732 8406

Email: stay@dawsonshotel.co.nz
Web:   www.dawsonshotel.co.nz/

 

It had to happen eventually - after nearly 13 years of searching and blogging - and at times getting to an almost perfect score - we struck Gold - In Reefton, NZ!!

 Everything as it should be - perfect flavor - hot crusty on outside  - herbs - no napkins - porcelain plate - just the right amount (not to much or little) - presentation ok . . .   

We did enjoy this particular sample

 

Presentation	5 out of 5
Quantity	5 out of 5
Taste:	5 out of 5
Quality	5 out of 5
Overall score:	20 (out of poss 20)

Garlic Bread from Rotherhams Hotel

Rotherham Hotel

42 George St
Rotherham
North Canterbury
New Zealand

https://www.rotherhamhotel.co.nz/

Phone: +643.315.6373 

  

The garlic bread arrived in good time.  The wicker basked is a nice touch - the napkin under neath not so much.  As it was the semi melted garlic butter did manage to drip a bit right through onto it!

The bread itself felt warm to the touch and was very soft outside.  Lots and lots of garlic butter inside - still melting away - so one had to be careful how one broke bread!! 

Lots of flavor and a sprinkling of green herbs complementing said flavor! Surprisingly - there was just enough to eat - and not leaving you full before your main course arrives - or maybe we were just over hungry?! Overall very enjoyable to eat!

 

Presentation	3 out of 5
Quantity	4 out of 5
Taste:	5 out of 5
Quality	4 out of 5
Overall score:	16 (out of poss 20)

Garlic Bread from Fat Sally’s Pub & Restaurant in Oamaru

 Fat Sally’s Pub & Restaurant

84 Thames St
Oamaru,
New Zealand

Phone: 03 434 8368

https://www.fatsallys.co.nz/

 

Oh -  this turned out to be almost 100% perfect!  Easy to eat - leaving you wishing for one more bite! Lots of flavour / colour herbs etc! Crusty on the outside / nice soft on the inside! Nice arrangement!

Porcelain Platter - serviette on the side (not underneath as some do) - arriving hot but not too hot and in good time!

The ONLY markdown  - the platter had a tiny little chip at the side - which we only noticed, once we had eaten most of it!! Apart from that - yup - almost perfect!!

Presentation	4.9 out of 5
Quantity	5 out of 5
Taste:	5 out of 5
Quality	5 out of 5
Overall score:	19.9 (out of poss 20)

Garlic Bread from O'Flynns Irish Pub in Hanmer

O'Flynns Irish Pub

47 Amuri Ave
Hanmer

Tel: 03 3155282
Email: info:oflynns.co.nz

Web: www.oflynns.co.nz


The menu listed this as: 

Garlic Ciabatta (V) $11 

Toasted garlic ciabatta with garlic herb butter

 

 It came out in good time and was still hot to the touch - although I think the arrangement may have suffered during delivery.  Further - seems that everyone these days is using Ciabatta bread as first choice to use! Not sure why that is . . .

Upon closer inspection you could actually see the little garlic bits - having been roasted - on the top!! Sadly - a tiny wee dash of green herbs was absent!  

There were three of us and I wonder if the quantity had been adjusted for that - even with three - there ended up one piece left behind! We should go back as a couple and see if there is less on offer for two!

Certainly plenty of flavor and seemingly genuine butter - although that would go counter to the V - (meaning Vegetarian) listed on the menu. Maybe Margarine or Olive oil was used???  Crispy skin and fleshy soft on the inside - almost perfect! Notable too is the absence of a wooden platter or the usual napkin underneath.

Presentation	4.5 out of 5
Quantity	3.5 out of 5
Taste:	4.5 out of 5
Quality	5 out of 5
Overall score:	17.5 (out of poss 20)

Garlic bread from Cheviot hotel

Cheviot Trust Hotel

State Highway One
P.O. Box 58
Cheviot
North Canterbury
 

Ph. 03 319 8616

https://www.cheviothotel.co.nz/

 

It was time to treat ourselves again and we bunked down in the little town of Cheviot.  A meal out was part of that treat and we visited the Cheviot Trust Hotel.

The ordered Garlic bread came out with the main meal (after the 2 plates of meal came  out first).  Hmmmm  - OK the  Garlic bread itself was nice and very hot - straight from the oven! Crusty on the outside all-round and soft fleshy on the inside! Plenty of flavor and as you can see, a healthy sprinkling of herbs. The steak knife was useful in cutting it into pieces as it needed a lot of cooling down to handle it.  Given it came with the main meal at the same time - we did have little time to savor it - and ended up leaving some behind.  I did love the plate - so much better then the usual wooden platter. 

Presentation	5 out of 5
Quantity	4 out of 5
Taste:	4 out of 5
Quality	5 out of 5
Overall score:	18 (out of poss 20)

Garlic Bread from the Hurunui Hotel

Hurunui Hotel

1224 Karaka Road, 

State Highway 7, 

Hurunui 7385

Phone: 03-314 2207

www.thehurunuihotel.co.nz/

https://www.facebook.com/hurunuihotel/

 

 We have been there before and enjoyed the meal out and of course - the garlic bread on offer.  See image from Aug 2020

 

 

 

Finding us there at the same venue we of course had to have the garlic bread - and compare notes with 2020's offering

 

 

 

 Two changes were obvious from the beginning - the condiments were a bit different (Do I see some traffic Lights???) 

Then it ended up being a loaf - which was way more then 2 people needed to eat - so we offered some slices to the children to the table next to us.

There was a good smattering of garlic butter and the loaf was still hot to touch! The steak knife was needed to cut through the crust at the bottom - making a bit of a crumby mess - and of course more cut-lines on the timber board! 

Compared to the 2020 offering, I sadly am afraid to say, the standard has dropped a bit! 

Presentation	3 out of 5
Quantity	2 out of 5
Taste:	3 out of 5
Quality	3 out of 5
Overall score:	11 (out of poss 20)

Garlic bread from Cobb & Co in Papanui

Cobb & Co

484 Cranford Street,
Redwood,
Christchurch 8051

www:cobb.co.nz
Phone: 03-595 0265

With these Virus times it is hard to get out and eat out - so there are long breaks in-between reports! 

We did manage to get out recently and sampled a great meal - with the garlic bread included - of course!!!  This arrived in good time, although not steaming hot it was warm enough to hold in your fingers - just!  Cut into 3 pieces each there was plenty to eat, with a feeling of maybe just one more slice would have been either perfect or just over-enough!!  Crusty on the crumb-outside and soft fleshy top and inside.  I could not see any garlic-bits in the "buttery-part" which partially explained the lack of "flavor"

The Bamboo platter looked new - so no cut-lines were visible - which at this stage was a good thing.

Wonder how long that lasts?????? 

Presentation	3 out of 5
Quantity	5 out of 5
Taste:	1 out of 5
Quality	2 out of 5
Overall score:	11 (out of poss 20)

Garlic bread from The Alpine Village Inn in Hanmer

The Alpine Village Inn

10 Jacks Pass Road,
Hanmer Springs 7334

Phone: 03-315 7005

https://www.alpinevillageinn.co.nz/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 A l m o s t  perfect.  We take a tiny amount of for the paper napkin underneath the creation which did not suffer during transport.  Crispy crunchy crust - soft fleshy inside - lots of flavor / herbs - on time - with additional condiments.  Well done

Presentation	4.8 out of 5
Quantity	5 out of 5
Taste:	5 out of 5
Quality	5out of 5
Overall score:	19.8 (out of poss 20)

Garlic Bread from Monteiths Hanmer

Monteith's Brewery Bar
Amuri Avenue,
Hanmer Springs  NZ

Tel 03 315 5133

www.Monteith's Brewery in Hanmer

 

Always good fun to go back to the same place and compare notes - see if there have been any improvements.

Sadly in this case - no dice - so its pretty much the same! At least it has not gone backwards.  A porcelan plate would improve this out of this world! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Presentation	4 out of 5
Quantity	4 out of 5
Taste:	5 out of 5
Quality	5 out of 5
Overall score:	18 (out of poss 20)

Garlic bread from the Hurunui Hotel

 

Hurunui Hotel

1224 Karaka Road, 

State Highway 7, 

Hurunui 7385

Phone: 03-314 2207

www.thehurunuihotel.co.nz/

https://www.facebook.com/hurunuihotel/

It is described as:  The Hurunui Hotel has been serving the community for over 150 years. Built in 1868 it has the longest continuous alcohol license in New Zealand. Located on State Highway 7, it is the perfect place to stop and rest on your journey. Cold beer, wine from our own winery, amazing food and the best coffee around!'

 

 It certainly has seen some changes in its time - some emforced from the earthquakes.  It has a new owner/manager - so we were keen on trying them out for a stay and meal!  

We ordered the garlic bread and it came in good time.  The artistic arangment did not suffer in transit!  As you can see - it is/was a ciabatta bread sliced and liberally sprinkled with herbs. It could have had a teeny weeny bit more garlic flavour.  As there was three of us we had 2 slices each wich was plenty - perhaps one to many for just two people?!

Crusty crust and soft fleshy inards - just the way we like it.  The condiments - needed a explanation - although we had fun guessing them - the far right defintly had honey in it, while the far left was - we think - a garlic infused oil?! The middle is your standard pesto!  Nice additions.

Sadly the timber detracted - especially as we found later that the served hamburgers came on the same platter/timber type (one thing fits all?!) , and as many previous eaters had used knife's to cut their bits of meat etc . . - there were some deep grooves . . . Pity - if this had been on a white porcelan type plate it would have rated very highly indeed.  

Presentation	4 out of 5
Quantity	3 out of 5
Taste:	4 out of 5
Quality	4 out of 5
Overall score:	15 (out of poss 20)

Garlic Bread from Cobb & Co in Redwood

 

484 Cranford Street,  

Redwood, 

Christchurch 8051

Tel 03-595 0265 

https://www.cobb.co.nz/menus/

 

 

It has been a long time in-between drinks to visit Cobb Co! The Restaurant chain nearly disappeared from NZ eating scene - and now is making a comeback! There are now 8 stores - oops sorry restaurants to go and eat from!  So when one opened up in Christchurch we made a point of going there!

We did wonder if the quality would be different from the two previous experiences (see links below)

Sadly - the franchise has decided that it needs a wooden platter with serrated knife - which is almost not needed as you can just use your fingers and chomp away.  To cut the bread into slices you have to touch it anyhow - so you get messy fingers one way or the other!  Thus the knife - if used -  leaves deep cutting grooves in the timber - again! At least there is no paper napkin hiding underneath the Garlic bread!

The garlic bread itself as nice and hot and had extremely finely chopped herbs! I suspect that the garlic butter was not home made (industrial strength?? ) 

I could have had some more *flavor* - that's just my personal preference! It was warm - hot and crispy on the outside - soft fleshy on the inside! - so there is a plus! 

Overall we give this a small margin of improvement from the one we had in Dunedin

http://garlic-bread-critique.blogspot.com/2018/04/garlic-bread-from-cobb-co-in-dunedin.html

http://garlic-bread-critique.blogspot.com/2012/06/garlic-bread-from-cobb-co.html

Presentation	1 out of 5
Quantity	2 out of 5
Taste:	2 out of 5
Quality	3 out of 5
Overall score:	8 (out of poss 20)