[T2DMan]

Add your review of Chocolate Fish Cafe & Cones and be part of the fun .

Contact Details:
497 A Karaka Bay Road
Seatoun
Wellington
ph. 0-4-388 2808



(I can't find their white/yellowpages listing, but they are definately alive and kicking - phoned them 13/6/05)

[Fat Little Hobbits]

"Caution Waiters Crossing"

Says it all really. Where else can you sit at your table (on a chair that you may possibly have sat on at school!) and have the sea gently lapping just below your feet.

OK so I am biased having spent my formative years in the Karaka Bay area!!!

Then there are the staff. Penny - always with a smile on her face regardless of how busy/chaotic is gets. Chis you meet at the Fish one day - the Frog the next. Get my drift? Great 'family' atmosphere.

And then there is the bacon! - Has to be the best I have ever tasted!

Cool decor as well.

Leah says:
And that Paua wall! (She loves it)

The only thing left after a visit - especially in springtime - is to take your loved-one around the point and chuck her into the Wild Sweet Peas growing on the slopes.

I was interested to read on the restaurant section of your website what you had to say about the above establishment. Please allow me to recount to you the experience I had there yesterday with my visitors from the UK.

We were served a meal referred to as a DDT. This consisted of soggy panini bread containing undercooked hash browns, half a tomato, undercooked fatty bacon and garnished with a mystery dressing. It was accompanied by a large helping of sour cream and sweet relish; no salad.

The fat-loaded meal was indigestible and unpleasant. None of us finished it and one of our party told the waiter we had not enjoyed it but he was jokey and dismissive.

Today, I tried to call and air my grievance with the manager but was told hurridly by a waitress that they were very busy. I wish now that I had complained more loudly at the time but was embarrassed as I had believed the recommendations I had read and suggested the restaurant to my companions.

I am bringing this to your notice for two reasons. Firstly, having lived
here for nearly a year I am aware that Wellington is trying to attain a
certain reputation for good food and service. Secondly, obesity is a problem in this country and serving food such as we were offered is a health hazard.

In my opinion, Wellington cannot trade on The Lord of the Rings and lovely views exclusively and good reputions have to be deserved. I, for one, will not be returning to The Chocolate Fish and am amazed that you support them.

Regards, Pat Hounsell

note by T2DMan:
- received review in the form of an email and have uploaded it to the forum 12/3/05 for the date I received it
- I do not as such "support" the restaurant, merely list its details and provide opportunity for people to comment

[Fat Little Hobbits]

The 'Lil Hobbits were surprised and somewhat disapointed to see Pat's comments. We haven't visited since we were down during December '04. The food then was above average, the service (a table for 7 outside - at short notice) excellent. And they were busy as usual.

I (Tony) was talking to sister Sharon today and she had also heard things were not rosy from a few of her friends with complaints about the quality and cost.

I am heading back down at the end of the month so I will no doubt gravitate back to see what is happening at "Troughton's" old shop.

Pat, also be aware that Mike & Di at Time2dine do not support the 'Fish. In their extensive and fantastic site, they just provide an entry that gives others a chance to make comments, good or bad. You only have to check our reviews to see that we are not averse to criticising poor food/service.

For your interest, our "Fat Little Hobbits" log-on was filched / borrowed / stolen (call it what you will) from Clark Design, Tauhinu Rd, Miramar. One of Christine's excellent designs that we like to wear when reviewing. Adds to the fun.

Regards

[Fat Little Hobbits]

Back down home and called into the 'Fish as promised.

Sorry Pat, I was unable to do a comparison as hoped.
The weather let us down. Low cloud, rain and wind and of course, the outside was left to the seagulls.

There were only about 20 people there, we were greeted warmly, service was quick and efficient, the food what I expected.
I had the DDT and sister Sharon had a Panini. .
We certainly had no gripes. Prices on checking, I suppose, were a bit on the high side, but to be honest, I seldom check those opting for satisfaction and enjoyment instead.

So I standby our previous reviews. Not to say that Pat did not have a valid complaint, but we think (hope) that hers was an aberration

[foodee]

I must admit the last time I went to the Chocolate Fish was about 3 years ago. But I still remember what I had! And that must be a good thing. The views are definitely great and the food was awesome. The first time I had a caeser salad. The other time I had a baked potato. My friend and I agreed it was delicious! Great memories and next time I'm in Welly I will definitely visit this great cafe.

[blueshoes]

Try the Semolina Poached fruit breakfast. Yum mo.

[Frequent Diner]

The food we had here was just fine but we have to share a HORRIBLE experience we had there today.

My husband ordered the meatloaf. It came wrapped in bacon which was not listed on the description of the meal. We are Jewish so we don't eat bacon - my husband took the meal up to the counter and apologised for having to bring it back but said he couldn't eat it. He ordered another meal and the lovely waitress apologised and returned the difference in cost between meals.

We were happy until Penny, one of the owners, decided to come to our table towards the end of our meal and lecture us that we should have known better that meatloaf typically has pork meat in it. We felt very uncomfortable, it was totally unnecessary to lecture us when we had felt that the situation had been addressed. She complained to us that her kitchen wasted a meal on us and had effectively given us a free meal - she told us that we should always ask exactly what goes into any meal we ordered.

We spent $70 all up at this place (the menu is overly expensive) and one of the members of our party asked the owner whether it had been worth it, for the quality of the service, to actually come to us and make us feel bad for sending a meal back (especially when we were nearing the end of our meal and were very happy with the service we had received). We told her we wouldn't return and would make it known to friends etc what service we received. She agreed that she had given bad service.
Overall, we were really upset by her treatment, we feel that she should know that NZ being a multicultural society with different eating requirements and even allergies, that it should be the restaurant's responsibility to correctly list what goes into their meals when it comes to meat, seafood etc! Furthermore, we are absolutely appalled at the customer service she gave us - so much for the customer is always right. We will not return to this cafe on principle and would suggest that other Jews and Muslims etc question what is in the meals if they do choose to go so that they also don't get this terrible treatment.

[Moira from Sydney]

I ate at the The Chocolate Fish and the Chocolate Frog six times while in Wellington recently. Lunched out each day for two weeks at a total of eight places and the Fish was my preferred lunch spot. The food was good - some choices were very good - and the service was uniformly quick, friendly and helpful.