Ark Cafe, Epsom

Ark Cafe, Epsom. Photo / Dean Purcell

Herald rating: * * *
347 Manukau Rd, Epsom

We came here because it loomed out of the rain just as the two 12-year-olds in the car were about to expire from hunger. Parking was easy on the side streets.

We walked in and immediately thought we had stumbled into a cafe attached to a car dealership. Then we took a closer look at the cars peeking out from the mezzanine and realised we were in the same building as a classic car museum.

The most unusual thing on the menu was a children's fish dish called Nemo Found. If that didn't remind you who you were eating, images of tropical fish swam around on two television screens attached to the wall.

We ordered eggs benedict for the grown-ups (poached eggs with hollandaise, toast with spinach and lots of crispy bacon, $21) and "mini arks" for the kids (bacon, scrambled eggs, hash browns and toast, $14.50). The eggs benedict was good - not outstanding but up to scratch. The kids' meals looked a bit dry, but then again we barely had time to see them before they disappeared.

The service was great. The manager phoned to ask someone about the ingredients of a sauce he was unsure of, and all the food came out promptly.

The coffees were huge. The kids' tall, lavish iced chocolates deserve a special mention.

We recommend if you come here you bring the family. You'll feel comfortable here even with small kids.

Overall we thought there was nothing special about the food but the careful service more than made up for it.