On one chilly winter night in Rotorua I found myself drawn inside The Fainting Goat by their glowing lights and promises of cocktails and sliders. As it turned out, this was just the type of place you hope to find yourself in on a cold night, relaxed, cosy and serving up good pub grub accompanied by an equally good selection of drinks. Here’s a glimpse of how it felt, what we ate, and whether or not those sliders were all they’d been made out to be.
A Cozy Winter Night with Sliders and Cocktails
The Fainting Goat
By the time we got there it was dark but the establishment immediately gave off the cosy lived-in vibe. Low lighting and dark timber make up the dining room which is offset by an abundance of comfy seating and trailing greenery overhead in the lounge area off to one side. It was nice that each space felt distinct; whether you wanted to grab a few drinks and some snacks or sit down to a proper meal, you could do so without feeling out of place.
One side of the room are dominated by the bar, lined with shelves of spirits and chalkboards showing their current pour list. We spent a little while looking over the drinks menu. It featured a good selection of wines, beers, and an entire section of winter cocktails that seemed fitting for the weather outside.
Finally, we decided on our orders.
To begin with, I had a beer while my partner got herself one of the dark spirit mixers. They came promptly and hit the spot after some chilly strolling about town. The service from the barman was pleasant but not intrusive; always a good thing!
A selection of the smaller dishes followed; these is for sharing.
The crumbed fritters were served with a lemon wedge. They were crisp on the outside, but I would of preferred a dipping sauce. But it was the sliders that brought us here.
They was stacked up high with greens and practically too tall to eat in one mouthful. They didn’t look like they should taste this good but, in fairness, they did. The buns held together and the meat was cooked correctly, which is not always a given when eating sliders.
Why not? We also ordered a serve of their loaded fries with bacon and some herbs on top. As the bar filled around us, we cleared away boards and bowls from the table and ploughed through it all.
It’s not hard to eat. You don’t need to think about it to much, and it’s the sort of thing you want to share. It is solid, satisfying pub fare done well.
During our meal I took a flick through their entire menu. It’s on some nice kraft card in a simple format, with a selection of mains, specialty pizzas and even shared boards. It is not overcomplicated, but it offers a good variety if you’re feeling hungry for something different than what we got.
I hadn’t been expecting such a long drinks menu. There were pages of cocktails, house lagers, and a respectable wine list covering both reds and whites, along with the usual beers and wines. I flicked through them all and noted in my head that I’d have to sample one of those cocktails on the following round.
After a while, however, we gave in and ordered from the winter cocktail list. It had been there all evening, almost challenging us to sample some warming drinks. My choice, one of the whisky ones, was right up my street: strong but not too strong, a little sweet but not cloying, and smooth.
Just the ticket. With drinks to match the season, a warm place to sit, and good sliders, it was everything I hoped for on a cold winter night in Rotorua. Next time I’ll be going back to try some of their pizzas as well as working my way through the rest of the cocktail list.
Do you have a favorite place for drinks and food during the winter months in Rotorua? Or have you visited The Fainting Goat?