8 | CAMBRIDGE NEWS
Going Dutch again
THURSDAY DECEMBER 9, 2021
AGE OF REASON
The burden of our beast By Peter Carr
A scene from the Dutch market in December last year.
Cambridge’s popular Dutch market will be back running next week; the first since July. The market’s aim has always been to help people of Dutch descent connect with each other and for other residents to experience the unique Netherlands culture. Volunteers run the market and proceeds go to the Netherlands Friendly Society who visit older Dutch residents in the Waikato region. At the market on December 18, will be stalls
with specific Dutch treats like poffertjes (a kind of pikelet), oliebollen (a kind of doughnut), herring, cheese, a small selection of Dutch groceries, kroketten (croquettes), plants and handcrafted cards. There will also be a stall dedicated to Xmas decorations and one of the volunteers will run a kids corner with a Dutch “sjoelbak” to play on. There are hundreds of people who identify as Dutch in Cambridge. The 2018 Census showed
that in New Zealand there were 29,820 people who put themselves down as Dutch even though nearly 70 per cent of them had been in the country for more than 20 years. About 3850 Dutch people live in the Waikato region. Usually, the market runs on the last Friday of the month, a pattern which will hopefully return in March next year. The market will be at Bridges Church on Duke Street between 10am and 1pm.
This has been a week of both error and revelation. After the recent lengthy lockdown we set off southwards last Wednesday to catch up with Wellington-based families. All was good with the world as we wound our way towards Port Nicholson, with an overnight stop at the southern end of Lake Taupo. The following morning, after an early start, we stopped for breakfast at a longsupported café in Taihape. All was still good with the world as we started to pull out of this Rangitikei town. And then the fun started. The engine of our large white beast went into ‘crawl’ mode. Luckily a hazardous slow-speed 180 degree turn and a crawl up the hill brought us back to Taihape to start enquiring about diesel mechanics. We soon learned a fuel injector was in need of surgery, the part was not available and as the engine was still in warranty, the vehicle had to be handled only by the representative of one of the world-leading vehicle manufacturers. A phone call to Whanganui revealed a two-week backlog, Palmerston North had one. So with the somewhat miserly support of the insurance company we arranged a tow to the city which resulted in a smart vehicle arriving two hours later to haul the mobile home onto its back. But what about us? Luckily a connecting bus was only an hour away. And then the fun started. What eventually transpired between us (and the very helpful i-Site manager), and InterCity should be recorded for posterity as to how poor a service exists. In fairness the people at the head office of that company tried hard once we fought our way through a most unhelpful phone
reception area and engaged the services of a supervisor. He attempted several times to phone the bus driver who clearly was not in receptive mood, so it was not possible to ask him to stop and pick up the two stranded and somewhat elderly prospective passengers. With the helpful assistance of the operator at the local BP we found a dial-a-driver in Taihape who agreed to take us to Palmerston North for a very reasonable price. We left the van at the vehicle centre to be dealt with ‘next week’ and were rescued by a daughter who drove up to take the distressed couple, clothes and food towards Wellington… where it has not stopped raining since. While here in the south of the island we have become engrossed in discussions regarding the have and have nots. I am talking about the dichotomy between those who have been double-vaccinated and those who have chosen not to be so. I have a concern for the stress on people who are driven to retreat within their four walls and possibly descend into anxiety and depression. Life in retirement villages is descending into a two-tier culture which is abhorrent, unfair and in some cases unmanaged. In a number of villages the management are trying very hard to take a reasonable line. That said, someone has to speak up for those to whom needles, unknown vaccine contents and an ever-changing set of government driven rules are creating a morass of uncertainty. And we came away for a holiday to get away from all this!!
BUSINESS SHOWCASE
BUSINESS SHOWCASE
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Restaurant brings city chic to Tamahere It’s when sound business ideas meet a perfectly shaped gap in the market that the magic starts.
drinks menu. Tajeet said the concept had been to bring some of Auckland’s viaduct ‘chic’ to the Waikato. Unsurprisingly, The Boundary has attracted a raft of positive reviews. It’s easy to see why … parking is a breeze, the service is slick, and options like ‘kids eat free Tuesdays, and ‘half price pizzas’ on Mondays make for an appreciative customer base.
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hat’s exactly what happened when The Boundary Restaurant and Bar recently opened its doors in leafy Tamahere. Long before the people of lockdown-weary Waikato were ripe for another culinary adventure, mention was made to respected hospitality guru Parry Takhar of an opportunity in fast-expanding Tamahere. He leapt at the chance to create a premier restaurant in the countryside. Parry is managing director of The Social Group, an Aucklandbased enterprise running a swathe of successful city-based restaurants and pubs. His daughter, Tajeet Takhar, expertly manages both The Boundary and its sister operation, Forever Bound Café. The names of both are drawn from the area. The literal translation from Māori of the word Tamahere is ‘bound boy’ and legends linked to the area
Top:The Boundary Restaurant and Bar owner and manager respectively, Parry Takhar and his daughter Tajeet Takhar. Above: Restaurant manager Tajeet Takhar on a stylish seat set to one side of The Boundary.
inspired the décor as well as the names. After a halting start due to Covid lockdowns, The Boundary Restaurant and Bar finally opened on September 10. It offers à-la-carte, European-style fine dining with a selection of bar food, a good kid’s menu and a great ‘build your own plate’ option. The ethos is one of catering for all – there is a good selection of vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and dairyfree dishes, and an outstanding
The restaurant comfortably seats around 300, indoor or out. The versatile space lends itself to functions, and Wednesday evenings could become a regular quiz or comedy night. “We want to bring the community together,” says Tajeet. “Anyone wanting to take part – perhaps some comedy or play music – is welcome to get in touch.” The Boundary is open seven days, from 12pm to 10pm. As a special Christmas treat, it will be open from 12pm to 3pm on Christmas Day, with booking and pre-ordering required through 07-210 0462. The restaurant will close from December 26 and re-open on December 29.
EMAIL: restaurant@theboundary.co.nz CALL: 07 210 0462
2/65 DEVINE ROAD, TAMAHERE, HAMILTON
Everything we look for in a good suburban eatery can be found in spades at Tamahere’s Forever Bound Café.
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ust for starters, there’s plenty of space. The different areas sprawl with a comfortable lightness, easily seating upwards of 40 patrons, either inside or out. The coffee is exceptional, brewed using one of only five quality machines of its type in New Zealand, and the cabinet is packed with all the delicious treats you’d expect. Breakfasts and lunches can be prepared to suit all dietary requirements. Forever Bound Café, like its neighbour The Boundary Restaurant and Bar, is owned by Auckland’s Parry Takhar. It opened in March and his daughter Tajeet Takhar manages both with a keen eye focused on maintaining quality while keeping things fresh.
Parry Takhar and his daughter Tajeet Takhar in the stylish Forever Bound Cafe.
of ‘Tamahere’, but it was only when he spotted local artist Amanda Herbert painting telecommunications boxes at a nearby roundabout that he knew how he wanted to do it. “Dad stopped and asked if she would do some art for the café, and she agreed,” Tajeet recalls.
Customers have found it an easy, pleasant spot to catch up with friends in a relaxed, sophisticated environment.
“We told her what we were working towards with our designer, and she created this fabulous wall art. We were so lucky to have found her.”
Much of the café’s charm is in the respect it gives to the neighbourhood in which it sits. From the outset, Parry wanted to acknowledge the meaning
One full wall carries the outline of the region’s topography, another is given over to the Māori legend linked to Tamahere, and dotted about
Address: 2/65 Devine Road, Tamahere, Hamilton 3283 Phone: 07 210 1913 Facebook + Instagram: @ForeverBoundCafe
are Amanda’s paintings hung in unusual, boxed frames. A dried flower wall and slick lighting throughout adds panache to the unusual décor. Forever Bound Café is available for private functions, and while there isn’t a fee to hire the café, there is a minimum drinks spend required. The café is open seven days a week from 8am through to 3pm. It will take a break over Christmas, closing on December 24 and re-opening on January 4. Forever Bound Café sits adjacent to The Boundary Café and Bar, both are at the new complex at 65 Devine Rd, Tamahere.