IS IT JUST ME? ...

 ... well it can't be as you know I'm easy going and don't make a fuss over things.

Yesterday I had some time to fill as our real estate agent was showing some people through the house at midday so I went into town. As it was lunchtime and as I was feeling peckish - "you know, esurient" I thought that a sandwich and a cup of coffee was a good idea.

I drove to the Basin area which is Whangarei's marina surrounded by shops and restaurants. I easily found a carpark and didn't have to pay any parking fee because I have an 'over 70' sticker on my windscreen. I then proceeded to visit three cafes, queuing up to view the offerings in the display cabinets. Generally I like the food in these cafes with one making the best cheese scones I've ever tasted and another making great muffins but ... I wanted a sandwich. Just an ordinary sandwich not some chef's fantasy.

I ended up walking out of all three cafes, not because their food offerings were bad but because they did not cater to my immediate need. I didn't want a massive croissant, any form of pie, quiche or savoury tart all accompanied with other stuff - I wanted a sandwich. A simple sandwich. A club sandwich would have done but there were no sandwiches on offer. Sheesh!

I left my car in the Basin parking area and walked off into town proper calling in to nearly a dozen other cafes and eateries. Guess what? No sandwiches just massive- portion sized pies, savouries, salads, quiches, tarts and Robert's god only knows what. All accompanied by salads and other stuff. I tell you - we're getting to be like America where if you want a simple sandwich in a cafe-style place you have to get it with soup and salad and maybe a side order of fries. Sheesh!

I certainly got my walking quota in, criss-crossing town and about to give up my quest when I found, on a busy road and away from the 'nicer' parts of town a bakery operated by Vietnamese people. It was named Konnie's Bakery Kafe (with 'k's where 'c's should have been). It was a large place with display cabinets stuffed with 'old-fashioned' style food - sandwiches, filled rolls, club sandwiches, savoury pies, sausage rolls and all sorts of cakes that I remember from my school days - all at sensible prices. 

I bought two cheese sandwiches and a sausage roll - $8.50 total which I thought to be fair.

I understand the difficulties of running small businesses as we've owned and operated two in the past. It's hard to make a profit in cafes as rent, wages and overheads are high so every opportunity has to be taken to increase margins. This is why those fancy-schmancy cafes have resorted to making bigger items - huge scones, muffins, savouries and pies etc. and added all sorts of things on the plate to pad out the optics and the price. I get it but ... I won't buy it. To get some plain fare like I found' customers are being forced to the fringe parts of town or, as The Old Girl said, to buy their snacks and lunch in service stations.

The more observant reader will have remembered that I wrote of this before when looking for a sandwich in Christchurch. See: I'M OVER FANCYSCHMANCY