Cafe Review: Rata @ Zealandia

Visited 09 Feb 2014

Crew: Mark, Me, LJ

Food: 7/10
Ambience: 9/10
Overall Rating: 8/10
Cost: $40 after discount
Kid Friendly?: Definitely. Two high chairs provided, kids menu that has a couple of non-deep-fried options AND a playpen with toys.

An overcast weekend day in high summer, what a surprise (not). We were desperate to get out of the house, and it was lunchtime. Since we are Zealandia members, we opted for a quick trip to Rata, in order to use our 10% off, and try somewhere new.

The cafe is spacious, airy and light, even on an overcast, damp day. We are early, there are very few people around. We grab one of the two high chairs, and steal a couple of toys from the toybox to keep LJ occupied.

We opt to sit "outside", next to the big cafe blinds that are keeping out the worst of the weather. Its still cozy, but we have the advantage of a view. We both agree that we are gutted this didn't exist for our wedding, as its a stunning venue.

The kids menu is passable. A lot of fried food options, but also a couple of brunch choices. We pick the french toast with banana (LJs all-time-favourite food) and bacon for him ($7.50), while I go for a peri jose beef burger ($19) and Mark takes his chances on the special - lamb, pikopiko and mushroom (I think) pie with a tuatara beer match ($14). I also ordered a caramel shake.

While we waited, the cafe filled up noticably. Unfortunately for another couple, they were the third baby to arrive and there were not enough high chairs.

Mark loved his pie, he thought it was awesome. It certainly looked fantastic - big wedges of lamb in a smooth gravy, with a thick crust.
My burger was tasty, BUT the mayo / cream cheese combination was unfortunately overwhelming. It was all I could taste. The salad disappeared, the sweet meat had no taste. Thankfully the sauce was not massively spicy, otherwise it would have been inedible. Instead, it was nice, but lacking complexity. The chips were very tasty though.
LJ enjoyed his french toast, even though it was too hot for him to eat to start with and wound up covered in maple syrup up both arms and all over his face. The banana was his favourite part, but he also ate good quantities of bacon and actual french toast. Mark got to finish his leftovers.

Would I go back? Definitely! I'm also curious to try their dinner menu, but they only appear to open for dinner over summer.

Kids in the Kitchen

So, I have a 10 month old, and I would dearly love for him to be involved in the kitchen as much as possible, from as young an age as possible.

Thanks to an awesome group of mums I know, here are some ideas for things under 3 year olds can do to help:

Grandma helping cake decorating

• Peeling - carrots, potatoes, kumara, parsnip.
• Trimming - beans etc
• Popping apart brocolli / cauliflower florets
• Measuring - almost anything that can be measured!
• Counting - "Can you get me 3 potatoes for dinner?"
• Filling pots (using cold water), to cover the veges
• Collecting things
• Stirring - particularly cold things. Hot / on the stove would require supervision and a knowledge of your child before trying
• Table setting
• Grating
• Make your own pizzas - either a pita bread they can top, or even go as far as letting them help make the dough!
• Rolling meatballs / patties
• Breadcrumbing
• Get them a "lettuce" knife - Scanpan brand do a plastic knife that wont cut your skin, but can cut tomatoes, lettuce etc.

About this age / slightly older, they can probably start to do things like breaking eggs, using a hand beater to whip cream and perhaps even start helping with hot stuff, like making scrambled eggs, spreads on toast and filling toasties.

A great option, if you have a parent who bakes, is to get their grandparent to spend some time cooking with them. Gives you a break, and them some special one-on-one time with Grandma / Grandad, who often have a bit more patience!

Heres hoping I'll enjoy having my son in the kitchen with me. Have you cooked with your kids? How did it go? What do you get them to do?