Discerning Dining

If you happen to be wandering aimlessly around Lambton Quay or tiring of attracting the shopwalker's attention as you handle the expensive crockery in Kirkcaldies's; when a peckish feeling comes on, you might like to pop into Eliza's in Brandon St. for a delicious morning tea. Then again, you might not. But it's worth a look anyway.

Eliza's provides a general atmosphere of 'good taste' — a pleasant green and white colour scheme, fresh flower arrangements, a few pieces of strategically placed fine old china. The two tall, thin, elegantly dressed, look-a-like ladies who manage the shop look as if they could be made of delicate china too.

However, it is rather a small, pokey place (there's an [unclear: pstairs] section but it's only open at peak times) — not the place to waddle into dripping wet wearing gumboots and parka. Nor is it suitable for private [unclear: consfl] - in fact typical clientele tend to [unclear: mdultffl] loud clear name-dropping. 'I say [unclear: darhifll] I'm most terribly upset that your [unclear: brotfll] the cardinal.....' and so on.

Situated between Kirk's and the [unclear: DIM] Eliza's is in the heart of middle-aged [unclear: nfll] ron country and is frequented mainly [unclear: by] overweight ladies and paunchy [unclear: busine] men who pretend they are on diets but [unclear: the] resist gorging themselves. And the food [unclear: a] suitably attractive and tasteful for this pose — peaches stuffed with cottage [unclear: che] and fresh herbs, quiche Lorraine, [unclear: delicat] wholemeal sandwiches with wholesome fillings, and so on.

The service is the efficient type [unclear: which] encourages you to eat up and leave. [unclear: TWF] open only for morning teas and [unclear: lunches] if you leave your lunch-call until [unclear: twofl] you're likely to be swept up with the [unclear: c]