April 2013
The Williamson
With loose change in my pocket, a rental car with a hot, traffic-beaten engine and no GPS, I stumbled unknowingly on a café in Ponsonby whilst gracing the City of Sails with my presence three weeks ago.
The tables on the footpath and the imposing presence of the light brick, early 20th century building with a bell tower caught my eye, as I was looking for a lunch spot, any lunch spot that wasn’t on a busy road or crammed full of patrons.
The Williamson looked a likely target and in I rushed; joy of joys, only two others inside and a couple on the footpath! What’s more, the free WiFi enabled me to happily fiddle away on my laptop and check all manner of inane messages on Twitter, on my battery-life challenged not-so-smart Smartphone.
I wasn’t expecting a culinary ‘high’ at this café but sensed that good home-style fare with a dash of flair might be available. The cabinet was comfortably stocked without being impressive, the espresso machine hot and boasting its beany aromas and the two guys behind the counter keen to oblige this customer.
I’d fled a series of less than inspirational meetings in Mt Albert to seek out a simple lunch, with no particular type of food in mind. I was an open mind with an open mouth, ready, willing and able to be tantilised. Even something traditional and simple in its execution, presentation and taste might suit….and so it was!
Mince on toast with an egg on top. Don’t you just love it? I did and it was a dish I hadn’t had in a long time, many years in fact, the thrill of loading the hot, tasty mush of mince onto the soon-to -be soggy toast a cause of considerable inner excitement. This was like a belated breakfast fix and came with an espresso that delivered every bit the slap and tickle I expected. A second coffee was entirely appropriate as I wanted to linger and not only infuse the caffeine but also soak up the atmosphere well evident in the old firestation, the heavy beams overhead, the original old station doors and the polished concrete floors below…….a delight for this post-earthquake, historic building starved Christchurch resident.
An hour later I was back on Dominion Rd hoping I could find my way back to Mt Albert then onward to Manukau & my evening Air New Zealand flight south.
The Williamson
With loose change in my pocket, a rental car with a hot, traffic-beaten engine and no GPS, I stumbled unknowingly on a café in Ponsonby whilst gracing the City of Sails with my presence three weeks ago.
The tables on the footpath and the imposing presence of the light brick, early 20th century building with a bell tower caught my eye, as I was looking for a lunch spot, any lunch spot that wasn’t on a busy road or crammed full of patrons.
The Williamson looked a likely target and in I rushed; joy of joys, only two others inside and a couple on the footpath! What’s more, the free WiFi enabled me to happily fiddle away on my laptop and check all manner of inane messages on Twitter, on my battery-life challenged not-so-smart Smartphone.
I wasn’t expecting a culinary ‘high’ at this café but sensed that good home-style fare with a dash of flair might be available. The cabinet was comfortably stocked without being impressive, the espresso machine hot and boasting its beany aromas and the two guys behind the counter keen to oblige this customer.
I’d fled a series of less than inspirational meetings in Mt Albert to seek out a simple lunch, with no particular type of food in mind. I was an open mind with an open mouth, ready, willing and able to be tantilised. Even something traditional and simple in its execution, presentation and taste might suit….and so it was!
Mince on toast with an egg on top. Don’t you just love it? I did and it was a dish I hadn’t had in a long time, many years in fact, the thrill of loading the hot, tasty mush of mince onto the soon-to -be soggy toast a cause of considerable inner excitement. This was like a belated breakfast fix and came with an espresso that delivered every bit the slap and tickle I expected. A second coffee was entirely appropriate as I wanted to linger and not only infuse the caffeine but also soak up the atmosphere well evident in the old firestation, the heavy beams overhead, the original old station doors and the polished concrete floors below…….a delight for this post-earthquake, historic building starved Christchurch resident.
An hour later I was back on Dominion Rd hoping I could find my way back to Mt Albert then onward to Manukau & my evening Air New Zealand flight south.
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