Market Place Restaurant — Restaurant in Christchurch

I joined a group for high tea on August 2nd. There were a few other tables but it wasn't too busy. Most of the dairy free high tea options were nice enough, particularly the sandwiches and the chia coconut pudding. Unfortunately they had run out of the tea I wanted, but the server helpfully suggested another option which I quite enjoyed. The service was good and friendly enough. Water was brought around just as my glass was getting low. The main downside was the in-house GF DF scone. It was very hard, I only just managed to cut it open. It came with margarine and a nice raspberry jam. I put too much marg on initially because I didn't realize that's what it was. I almost didn't eat the scone at all because it was so tough, but it tasted nice enough with the jam. Another guest came over to ask how I'd got on with my scone as she'd had the same and found it too hard to cut through. My recommendation for the kitchen would be to replace the scone with pikelets as they are easier to make dairy free while...

A friend gave me a gift of High Tea for two at The Crowne Plaza for a Christmas present, and today I took my Mother with me to enjoy it. It is in the Market Place restaurant on the first floor, where you enjoy a gorgeous view out of the huge windows, seated in comfortable chairs with plenty of room between tables, waited on by immaculate staff. Our host Sunny was absolutely fabulous and made us feel so special with his attention to detail, he anticipated our every need and made our visit so pleasant. The china was gorgeous and more importantly beautiful to use . The assortment of sandwiches, cakes, fancies and scones were lovely, flavourful and wonderfully presented. We wiled away a couple of hours chatting, enjoying the lovely food and views and time with each other, it was really relaxing and I highly recommend it as a regular or special treat for the special people...

Overpriced and under delivered. The dauphinoise potatoes didn't have even a hint of garlic and cream, it was a dry slab of under seasoned potato with little flavour at all. Steak was fatty and gristly. I could cook a better steak myself.

The Cafe de Paris sauce wasn't a sauce at all, I was expecting an entrecôte bathed in a nice buttery sauce, but received a miserly slice of chilled Cafe de Paris butter in a side dish which was rather underwhelming.

The service was friendly but given there were only two other tables dining at the time it was rather slow. The table we were seated at wobbled like a jelly on a plate.

I did however enjoy the brown butter and pear...