Star and Garter Tavern for lunches

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34128, 14 April 1976, Page 18

Star and Garter Tavern for lunches

The Star and Garter Tavern is a verv unusual place for eating out. It has developed the old “counter lunch’’ idea into a thoroughly practical and satisfying meal which has become highly popular among businessmen and others, especially ladies. Life for the Star and Garter began, of course, as an accommodation hotel. It has always been a popular place, and in its new role it has lost nothing of its appeal. » Ever since it was founded, in the days of horses and carriages, the Star and Garter has enjoyed its position on a curve of the Avon just out of the city centre. It is close enough to Cathedral Square that the spire can be seen from the footpath outside, yet there is peace and beauty in this part of old east Christchurch on Oxford Terrace. The tavern has mde the most of its site. A patio on the sun-drenched north side looks out on the river; and, at the back, land purchased has made possible the provision of a huge car park. Drinking facilities are divided into three areas known as the Public Bar. Bridge Bar, and Avon Lounge. Eating facilities are available in all three, and this is what the reader is concerned with here. No dining-room as such exists at the tavern. Meals are taken at tables along with drinks, but the result of the arrangement is that conditions for drinking are far more agreeable than usual. The menus in the Public Bar and Avon Bar are the same; the only difference is in standard of dress. What diners of both sides like is that the food is comparatively cheap, and it is able to be cheap because the normal bars are used for eating, and service is selfservice. All grills come attractively set out. on a platter with side salad.

A fillet steak is $2.50, and T-bone and ham steaks $2.35. Scallops and flounders are $2.40. With it all goes tea or coffee. This idea of the super counter-lunch has been running for about four years in Christchurch, and the Star and Garter was one of the leaders, said Bruce Barnes, the manager. Not all diners want a grill, of course; they can have a dish of two sausages, two eggs and chips and salad for $1.30. This is a very popular dish. The sausages are large ones made in Kaiapoi said Mr Barnes. The tavern uses 9001 b of sausages in a month, and this represents 5500 sausages. Diners can have the usual bar drinks; those who want wine can have it by the bottle or by the glass. Friday’s are the biggest days, when about 400 come for the midday and evening meals, and, of these diners, about 250 come for the lunch. On an ordinary day there are about 300 all told in the Public and Avon bars for a meal. The hours for this pleasant imbibing and ingesting are noon to 2.30, and 5 to 8.30. While all this is going on in the other two bars, the Avon Lounge is also satisfying an important group of people looking for something to eat. The food here is a lunchtime facility only. What the Avon Lounge coffee bar offers is pies and pastries, sandwiches, whitebait (on Thursday and Fridays). The pies and pastries are made on the premises and are highly rated. Only export meat is used. They cost 35c. Two whitebait patties and salad cost $1 —and the batter is just egg. In the Avon Lounge the tavern will also provide morning and afternoon teas, and ladies’ groups are lather fond of this (alcohol is not forbidden with the teas).