Cafe Stua lives up to its Scandinavian name

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 3, Issue 18, 24 September 1985, Page 9

Cafe Stua lives up to its Scandinavian name

Cafe Stuain Ohakune's Clyde Street provides daytime snacks and nighttime feasts all year round. It has a BYO licence. This is the third year that Cafe Stua — the name is a Scandinavian one meaning a small, intimate dining establishment serving good food and coffee — has catered for visitors and locals alike in the tastefully decorated premises that feature the woven wall-hang-ings of proprietor and host Mona Lishman. Mona Lishman's wallhangings, most of which use natural fleeces and vegetable dyes, are displayed both for decoration and for sale so there is a constantly changing pattern of colour and texture on the walls. The black and white rustic decor is further enhanced by the use of cane screens, displays of pottery, plenty of plants and a large freestanding log-fire. Cafe Stua serves morning coffee, light snack lunches and afternoon teas. At those times patrons have a choice of croissants and cakes, filled rolls, french bread, soup of the day, hot chocolate, cappuccino coffee and expresso coffee. Mona is especially proud of her coffee. . ."it's from New Guinea and is ground fresh for each cup so it never has that stewed, sour taste associated with 'brewed' coffee." In the evening — and sometimes late into the night — Cafe Stua caters for cas-

ual diners, organised parties and special functions. The a-la-carte blackboard menu offers diners a soup of the day or the following entrees: Cracked Pepper Pate; Mussel Cocktail; Avocado Turoa (a hot avocado portion with a choice of fil-

ling, ham, cheese etc) and Shrimpboats (a shrimpfilled toasted french roll). Main course dishes include the house specialty, Roast Pork. Other regulars include Rabbit Casserole and a very flavoursome Vegetarian Las-

agne. These are supplemented by other dishes from time to time dependent on season and demand. Mona Lishman says that all main dishes are served with fresh vegetables. "In fact everything is fresh and

not frozen. . .even the pork and rabbit which we get from Waipuna Farms south of Waiouru." Desserts featured on the blackboard menu include a Swiss Apple Flan and Lemon Roulade (a glazed chocolate-based confection

from Germany) "but our regular patrons also know that we always have pavlova too as a house specialty," said Mona. To round off the meal a continental cheeseboard is available and a choice of liqueur coffees is available.