On a date night, the husband and I will go for a drive and pick somewhere that looks promising - we hunt for somewhere that looks busy, but not too busy (we don't want to be shouting at each other over dinner), somewhere we either haven't been before or haven't visited in a long time, and somewhere with car parking nearby.
Often, we'll go to Rotorua for a change of scenery. When we're there, finding a restaurant is much easier.
Instead of being spread out across the city, many of the best places are clustered together in the aptly-named Eat Streat.
The street has been closed off to traffic and, over the years, improvements have been made gradually to the point where the whole sector is now roofed.
It's vibrant, fun - and convenient. The selection is made easier by the density of the eateries - there's about 15 of them packed into less than 100m of street - and the ability to take a leisurely stroll down the street to compare menus and different atmospheres without getting soaked in bad weather.
If you couldn't tell by that glowing review, I'm a big fan of the concept.
I'm sorry to say I don't find it at all appealing the way it is now, but then Eat Streat wasn't very exciting when it first opened either. It took years for it to become the destination it is now.
I hope that the plans for our own destination eating precinct do come into fruition, and don't become just another idea that no one's brave enough to take a punt on.
