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Shop 110
Sam Levy's Village
Borrowdale
853137/38
0712 218 449/0777 394444

 

Millers Cafe – “glitzy” café style dining 2011
Those of us of a certain age are prone to reminiscing - fond memories of Café Med  flooded back when I dined in the completely rebuilt and beautifully refurbished Millers Cafe.  To this day I think that Café Med served the best peri-peri chicken in town which I suspect was cooked over coals (much superior to the present Rotisserie method!) as it was always available when ZESA power cuts prevented other more refined delicacies being cooked.  Very many and long evenings have been spent in Café Med, particularly when the power cuts first started and some of us had not organized alternative power sources and also in winter when the blazing open fire (still retained I was glad to see in  Millers Cafe) provided the necessary heat as well as cosy ambience.

So back to the present, Millers Café’s elegant design is similar to its sister (or should that be “brother”?!) establishment in Ballantyne Park, Millers Restaurant, utilising beautiful hard wood for the interior and shutter type windows giving the whole area a feeling of space and airiness. The Café atmosphere is created by the outside seating and “upmarket Wimpy” type menus with bright colours and pictures and a large screen television showing the inevitable Sports Channel on one wall. Previously I had only dined at Millers Cafe at lunch time so I was interested to see how the ambience would adapt to the more intimate dinner experience.  As at lunch time the restaurant was busy and noisy with hardly a table vacant and suitably dimmed lights provided just the right brightness for reading the menu. And that is a task in itself as there are a vast array of dishes on offer - Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner as well as casual snacks.  Breakfasters can choose a hearty steak dish (Rancher), a sophisticated smoked salmon omlette or something more subdued like muffins or waffles and everything in-between.  Lunch time and evening diners have a similar vast array – pizzas , pasta , salads,  schwarmas, steaks , chicken, including the fondly remembered Café Med Chuck , fish and chips ….I think you get the picture, plenty of choice, something for every taste and pocket!  And I mustn’t forget the wine list, in contrast to the menu it featured a restricted selection of wines supplied by that august establishment “The Stables Winery” but was none the worse for that as they were excellently chosen and fairly priced.

After much thought for there was much to think about with such a substantial menu my companion chose Fish and Chips ($12) and I the Pancetta and Brie 200g Fillet ($14).  We shared our starters of crumbed mushrooms ($4) and fried haloumi ($6), both served with a dipping sauce and excellent “pub grub”! As usual the fish was battered hake ( I really wish restaurants would use our local delicious bream) and our waiter cheerfully agreed to serve it grilled and to replace the chips with a baked potatoe.  Excellent service in a busy restaurant and indeed throughout the meal the service remained first class – willing and efficient without being fussy and the manager(ess!) unobtrusively checking all was well with our meal. Having had mouthwatering fillet steak at Millers Restaurant I was slightly disappointed with my rather tougher steak and more so by the miniscule amount of Brie toping.  Plate decoration was non-existent and this only merits mention as Millers Cafe classifies itself as “Deluxe Family” which implies attention to presentation. Neither of us could manage a sweet but we finished our very pleasant meal with excellent coffee.

While we were dining there were two big birthday parties both of whom the waiters serenaded in the traditional manner and an eclectic selection of diners of all age ranges – proof if needed that this restaurant is justifiably popular and good value for money.  Whatever the time or occasion I can heartily recommend it! Open 8 am to 10 pm including public holidays.
Deluxe Family Restaurant
Borrowdale Shops
5 Plates
Expect to spend $14 to $22 per head

 

NYR