A Feast For a King

Turangi. April 2009. Ajr One of my loveliest finds on my recent Frommers New Zealand road trip was River Birches - a gorgeous hideaway on the banks of the Tongariro River. We all know the Tongariro is a fishermen's paradise and River Birches owner, former New Yorker and now Bangkok-based Jason Bleibtreu has kitted the place out with river-cams, so fishing guests can see what's happening in all the river's hot-spots without ever having to leave the lodge's comforts - unless they want to actually fish of course. The best thing of all though, you don't have to be a fisherman to indulge yourself here. It's the perfect romantic getaway, the ideal skier's base, a perfect retreat of any kind. And the meals? Divine. This was the starter I enjoyed on my night there - poached figs stuffed with goat's cheese and wrapped in proscuitto. And that was just the beginning. To see River Birches in much more depth and to meet the host, click on River Birches and Jason Bleibtreu in the label line below this post. www.riverbirches.co.nz