expensive? New zealand food? Coo; that wasn't our impression, even compared to the US. Maybe it's different in South Island? In Wellington I really recommend Monsoon Poon http://www.monsoonpoon.co.nz/hungry.htm - the Dragon & Phoenix is my favourite - and drive round the peninsula to Seatoun and Chocolate Fish Cafe http://www.wcities.com/en/record/,91156/82/record.html. We usually did large breakfast - you can get some wonderful french toast with bacon in NZ - and dinner but even when we stopped to get lunch we didn't find we were breaking the bank...

Also greenery; again, south island and especially the approach to the alps and the grey coast and down by Dunedin we found lovely and green.