Before leaving for New Zealand I read about this happening café in a
Lonely Planet guide. I had an extra 45 minutes before I needed to be somewhere in Wellington, and determined to check it out, I quickly ran from my hotel (the
Abel Tasman Hotel) down Cuba Street to the dank and almost dilapidated Fidel's. Not surprisingly, the place was busy for 5pm, but the line was quick; I stood in line for no more than five minutes. After placing my order and getting a slice of the white chocolate Bailey's cheesecake (which was bland and sour tasting, since they used sour cream instead of lemon rind as a stabiliser for the cheesecake, which gave off an odd taste that undercut the subtle sweetness of the white chocolate), I found a table near the door and waited for my coffee.
The table I sat at had crumbs all over the surface, but the café was dank and dirty anyways, so it didn't really matter. I ate the entire slice of cheesecake (much to my chagrin) before receiving my cappuccino (I had been about to step up to the counter and ask where the hell it was). Disenchanted with the poor service and the awful cheesecake, I was not impressed by the café, though the décor, which mimicked the look and feel of Cuban Communism, was very well done.
(You can view a photo of Fidel's at
ZoomIn.)
Fidel's
brainwavez.org Opinion
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