Jester House

As Andy mentioned, it is now officially summer here in New Zealand (as of December 1^st!) and we decided to go on a mini-trip to explore nearby Abel Tasman National Park for a few days.

Abel Tasman National Park is only an hour or two northwest of Nelson, but since there is just so much to see and do on the way, we made multiple stops and took a couple days to get there. One such stop was at Kina Beach. Our next stop was lunch at a little cafe called Jester House.

Andy and I have rarely eaten out on this trip, but I heard good things about this place and, after our experience there, I think it is worth a mention. First of all, though the portions were a bit smaller then I expected and hoped, the food was quite good.

Andy's B.L.A.T. and my Seafood Chowder

However, what really made this place special is its unique atmosphere and design. They had indoor and outdoor seating and the outside patio and garden area reminded me of a set from Alice and Wonderland (think Mad Hatter Tea Party). There were a variety of tables and chairs in different shapes and sizes and mirrors hung up on gates and fences. While waiting for our food, we wandered around the garden for a bit and kept finding hidden pathways and random props.

I wish we had taken more pictures, but we were too busy ooh'ing and aah'ing over all our little finds. We did, however, take many pictures of the cafe's main attraction, which they advertise on their sign and website: eels!

When was the last time you went to a cafe and were able to feed tame eels! Crazy... These eels hang out at the stream nearby and practically come up on to the rocks when they think you have food.

Jester House is a bit of a hidden gem as it is on the road running parallel to the main road to Abel Tasman. But if you ever find yourself in Nelson, NZ, I recommend checking it out if only to play Alice in Wonderland for a day.

Stay tuned for our next stop: Kaiteriteri Beach!