Garlic Bread from South Bar & Cafe inside the Christchurch City Airport

South Bar & Cafe
30 Durey Rd
(Level One, beside Domestic Arrivals)
Christchurch Airport
Christchurch City

Tel:03 353 1930


We ended up going to the South Bar and Cafe - having spotted this on our last trip to the Airport, and our first choice place to eat said they need a booking (even though the website said no need for one). Now I know what you are thinking - Airport food! Yea right. However these days they are more then just a feeding/holding pens for travelers - they can and should be a destination in itself. You also know there is no problem with car parking! We got a seat easily enough and were warned that due to "busy-ness" food would be about 35 minutes later arriving. And to a minute it was. The garlic bread duly arrived exactly 35 minutes from being seated. As you can see, it came on a plate AND a wooden platter. I don't get this - so many of the breads we have eaten at various places come on a wooden platter (and then on a plate). The wooden trays are so unforgiving for any buttery or oily spills and yes there were some on it.
 The Bread was certainly fresh and hot - too hot for the first bite and needed cooling down. The triangular slices where about palm size and by the time the two of us munched through - I could have easily eaten one or two more - in fact it would have been perfect for one person. Perhaps it was meant for one person only as there was only one red napkin supplied?!
Sadly there was little garlic flavor to be savored.
This is a curious place and a mixture of plain and simple yet at times good quality. There were no desserts on the menu and the kitchen offered a limited number of meals (seven only) - however what came out a f t e r the garlic bread was first class and the New Zealand wines offered were great. However the table cloths on the tables were then covered by a plain beige colored and double folded PAPER!! Weird

I rate this as just below average (for the garlic bread)

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

Garlic Bread from Costas Taverna

478 Cranford Street,
Shop 3
Christchurch, New Zealand

Phone: 03 3523232

www.costastaverna.co.nz/

After all the shakes and destruction many places have relocated - Costas being one of them. It has a good reputation and this was evidenced by the full house when we arrived and it was clear why you needed a booking - especially when you consider that they run a second booking for 8pm meal.  Our place was ready and we were seated quick enough. The orders were filled (via electronic blue-tooth means) and the Garlic "bread" arrived in extra quick time. Given the speed with which the bread arrived one was hoping for mains to be as quick - alas it was not to be.  Not surprising given the full house. Anyhow, the garlic bread is sold as Garlic 'Pita' bread and such it was - cut as can be seen in the picture half way and then again through the middle and nicely filled with garlic butter and some herbs. The Pita bread was just your average pita bread.  Nothing fancy there. It was to hot to touch and the supplied knife and fork came in handy. There was ample to eat for two people. The presentation - given the rest of the "themed restaurant", fell short of the expectation, and was very plain and simple. Overall - this would be a slightly above average bread.

Presentation	3 out of 5
Quantity	4 out of 5
Taste:	4 out of 5
Quality	3 out of 5
Overall score:	14 (out of poss 20)