17th April 2013
On the road to Murchison there lies a pleasant surprise for the thirsty and hungry traveller. Be you a cyclist, a motorcyclist, a motorist, a truck driver or an alien visitor from another planet wanting to experience true South Island hospitality, you may well find what you want at the Maruia River Lodge & Café. I have thundered past this upmarket property many times in all manner of craft, chariots powered by petrol, diesel, human grunt and heaving lungs but it is only very recently that I spotted a sandwich board advertising café……
Naturally enough, as a person whose daily existence is defined by the consumption of food largely from other peoples’ kitchens I had to stop and investigate.
The temperatures were high on the Mercury gauge and the infamous West Coast sandflies were rampant in their desire to take blood from my veins. Nonetheless, I was intent on sitting outside on the verandah, beneath the ivy (or was it Wisteria?). The management kindly supplied a range of spray on insect repellents, gratis, which, when liberally applied to the exposed skin, worked marvelously well.
Green tea was the order of the day, with a dockworker-sized ham and mustard sandwich, garnished, nay, blessed, with an assortment of garden- sourced goodness. This simple, worthy recipient of my mealtime attention was delicious, filling and was made for me while I sipped my tea - Home baked bread of mouthfilling chunkiness through and through, thick slices of local, flavoursome ham and bright salad ingredients. More than this, though, the service was genuinely friendly, helpful, professional and in keeping with the quality and standing of the Lodge. I felt I was being ‘looked after’ very appropriately during my 45 minute stay.
The venue offers superb accommodation, spectacular evening dinners boasting middle to upper South island produce, a good wine selection, outstanding river and mountain views and complimentary WiFi if you need to check your emails……or Skype a friend!
My visit was a lunch snack-stop only but I resolved to stay longer on my next trip through the region in the hope of experiencing one of the much-talked-about evening meals……and the Brown Trout fly-fishing in the Maruia River is claimed to be the very best in the country.
On the road to Murchison there lies a pleasant surprise for the thirsty and hungry traveller. Be you a cyclist, a motorcyclist, a motorist, a truck driver or an alien visitor from another planet wanting to experience true South Island hospitality, you may well find what you want at the Maruia River Lodge & Café. I have thundered past this upmarket property many times in all manner of craft, chariots powered by petrol, diesel, human grunt and heaving lungs but it is only very recently that I spotted a sandwich board advertising café……
Naturally enough, as a person whose daily existence is defined by the consumption of food largely from other peoples’ kitchens I had to stop and investigate.
The temperatures were high on the Mercury gauge and the infamous West Coast sandflies were rampant in their desire to take blood from my veins. Nonetheless, I was intent on sitting outside on the verandah, beneath the ivy (or was it Wisteria?). The management kindly supplied a range of spray on insect repellents, gratis, which, when liberally applied to the exposed skin, worked marvelously well.
Green tea was the order of the day, with a dockworker-sized ham and mustard sandwich, garnished, nay, blessed, with an assortment of garden- sourced goodness. This simple, worthy recipient of my mealtime attention was delicious, filling and was made for me while I sipped my tea - Home baked bread of mouthfilling chunkiness through and through, thick slices of local, flavoursome ham and bright salad ingredients. More than this, though, the service was genuinely friendly, helpful, professional and in keeping with the quality and standing of the Lodge. I felt I was being ‘looked after’ very appropriately during my 45 minute stay.
The venue offers superb accommodation, spectacular evening dinners boasting middle to upper South island produce, a good wine selection, outstanding river and mountain views and complimentary WiFi if you need to check your emails……or Skype a friend!
My visit was a lunch snack-stop only but I resolved to stay longer on my next trip through the region in the hope of experiencing one of the much-talked-about evening meals……and the Brown Trout fly-fishing in the Maruia River is claimed to be the very best in the country.
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