Abracadabra in Rotorua. What a deceivingly spacious place this is. I should have known with the name; it gives it a magical charm. So, inside you have around ten tables all which can seat 4, or can be put together for larger parties. You have a few outside (if you want to brave the cold in the winter months). It is out the back that you get the real surprise. You have a huge bar area that is perfect for functions and is completely separate from the main cafe area.
So as it was lunch, you order at the counter (we found out that it is very Kiwi to go and order your food, instead of having wait service). You have a delicious brunch menu from 10.30am to 5 pm. You then get the dinner menu (we will discuss this in a separate article. Yes, that’s right we went back there for dinner the same evening).
Parking is not bad, although pay and display during the day. You do, however, have a shopping centre just 5-minute walk that offers 3 hours free. The only thing is, though, it’s for the patrons of the shopping centre. I do struggle to see how this would be enforced (try at your risk).
We had an English breakfast tea and a peanut butter and a chocolate smoothie (tastes just like a snicker bar). The tea was obviously for Tina (i cannot stand hot drinks, I know how British). We then tucked into what was the size you would have for dinner.
Tina has the pull pork special, which was an open sandwich with salad, chips and the most incredible garlic aioli you have ever tasted. Lots of different spices, however, Tina said that it could be too peppery for some palettes. I had an open steak sandwich. This juicy piece of steak topped with bacon and caramelised onion was magnificent. I only fault I could find was the ciabatta half could have been toasted. I found that the steak juices made the bread quite soggy. Therefore, when trying to put a bit of everything on the folk. The food would fall off (a strategy I overcome with some folk re-arranging).
We couldn’t fit in a dessert there and then. But we did take away two of the cafe desserts.
All in all, a perfect venue for a pleasant cafe lunch. We were told that the atmosphere changed in the evening when it was the dinner service.
So was it?? Have a read about our Abracadabra dinner experience!
