Truffle Pizza! (Bar Centrale di nuovo...)

BAR CENTRALE

Cuisine: Italian

Address: 51 Willow St, Tauranga

Phone: 07 574 8200

Website

Drinks: Extensive cocktail list, wines, craft beers

Reservations: probably for dinner or events

Like some - but certainly not all - people, I am a truffle lover. In fact I'm a regular Pavlovian dog, drooling at a mere mention of the elusive subterranean fungi. I bloody love those things! My partner Jan on the other hand doesn't even like the smell. 

So when I discovered there was a Truffle Pizza on the menu at Bar Centrale you can bet your life I was immediately off for another lunch there (without Jan). By happy coincidence my son Cohen has just moved from working at Oscar & Otto on the Strand to Bar Centrale (he's the tall handsome one). He told me about the pizza.    

It was another lovely sunny day, perfect for the terrace at Centrale. Obviously cocktails were required...

• LIMONE   Mezcal, Limoncello, Lemon Marmalade, Lemon juice, Lemon Bitters  $21
• MAI-TAI-P-O'-PINA   Pineapple Rum, Aperol, Cynar, Pineapple Shrub, Coconut, Lemon, Peach Bitters  $21

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another two winners! The Limone was beautifully refined, a distillation of lemon flavours, including their own housemade lemon bitters, intense and focused. The other was - as suggested by the name - something of a cross between a MaiTai and a Pina Colada. Again it had a real complexity and balance, not too sweet and not too much coconut, and not too bitter from having both Aperol and Cynar (another Italian liqueur made by Campari). I liked it a lot!

 

OK. The main event... 

• TARTUFO PIZZA   Mozzarella, Italian Truffled Ham, Mushroom, White Truffle Oil     $32
• PORCHETTA   Roast Pork, Braised Fennel, Charred Lemon     $33 

                 

 

First thing I should say is, yes, that is a seriously expensive pizza. Second thing is OH MY GOD!!! Sorry for sounding like a teenage girl for a second but that pizza was simply the most wonderful thing that has gone in my mouth all month. You could smell the truffle as it approached the table and with the ham and the oil and some unmentioned truffle paste it was just a truffle lovers dream. My mouth is salivating again as I think back. Damn, it was fantastic.

 

 

The Porcetta? Also very good. Also not exactly cheap. It used pork belly. But it was absolutely perfectly cooked pork belly, beautifully moist and tasty with crisp Euro-style crackling. I was surprised to find it stuffed with something a bit like a salsa verde rather than the more regular (I think) meat stuffing but it was delicious nonetheless if what you want on a plate is two big chunks of very meaty pork.

 

Right, that's all I've got to say. Bar Centrale continues its excellent high standards. They may charge "Auckland prices" but everything about their operation also delivers "Auckland quality" (if there is such a thing!).

 

A QUICK NOTE:

 

One more thing... They also make their own ginger beer. Takes me back. It is served in small glass bottles and at $9 is - again - quite expensive. And - again - quite wonderful. 

 

(And it reminded me that I've never made my own ginger beer. I've always meant to. I've heard it's really easy. If anyone has a reliable recipe please send it if you'd be so good. Otherwise I'll search on-line - I shall report back with the results!) 

A Coupla Cocktails at Miss Gee's

Miss Gee's Bar and Eatery

Cuisine: bar snacks and sharing plates

Address: 3/59 The Strand, Tauranga

Phone: 07-571 1284

Website

Drinks: Gin & Cocktail bar

Reservations: It's pretty relaxed

Miss Gee's mission statement says they're all about the music. And the vibes. They also have a modest menu of modern youth-focused sharing dishes with plenty of vegetarian/vegan options. 

Nestling in Masonic Park, set back from the Strand in the space that was once Nomad, Miss Gee's serves funky family-friendly food during the afternoon - they're currently open Thursday to Sunday from noon - and becomes a DJ dance hangout at night. I believe they operate a No Under-21s policy after 9pm. So it's young and hip. But not too young.

But we weren't there for food or dancing. In addition to being all about the music and the vibes Miss Gee's is also all about the gins. They have a good if not vast range of them, with a focus on the local, as well as 10 selected G&T pours and 10 gin cocktails. 

In comparison with another nearby cocktail spot, the G&T pours aren't quite as detailed as the Bar Centrale G&T list with its extravagant bespoke garnishes, and the style of cocktails is very different here, leaning towards a fruitier summery approach with gin usually the only spirit in the mix. 

Another thing they're doing at the moment is a selection of twists on the Espresso Martini, which seems like a very groovy idea. However, I do think they're slightly missing a trick since although the food and wine menus are on their website the cocktail lists ain't. So I took pics of them. They're at the bottom of the page.

• Jaffa Cake Espresso Martini - Vodka, Cointreau, Creme de Cacao, Espresso, Orange Bitters     $17
• Sweet But Sassy - Beefeater Pink Gin, Raspberry Syrup, Lemon juice, Cranberry juice, Rose syrup, Lemonade     $17

Sweet But Sassy

Jaffa Cake Espresso Martini

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And I have to say they were both well worthwhile. The Sweet But Sassy wasn't too sweet and, more importantly, was quite concentrated in its fruitiness with a bit a tartness from the lemon and cranberry - very refreshing without being watery. The Jaffa Cake Espresso Martini was first class. Orange and chocolate are good with coffee and here they were in total harmony and balance. The garnish included crushed Jaffas (of course!) which not only added more chocolate/orange notes but also gave it a playful crunch.

Obviously, just having a couple of cocktails is hardly doing any justice to Miss Gee's operation - I'll get back in for a bite to eat soon. The Korean Fried Cauli (Peanut and Sesame Crumb, Coriander) sounds good and I wouldn't mind a crack at a couple of other Espresso Martini variations. It's certainly a nice place to sit on a nice day. Why not?

Dinner at India Today

India Today 

Cuisine: Indian

Address: 81 The Strand, Tauranga

Phone: 07-577-6518

Website

Drinks: Licensed & BYO wine

Reservations: Recommended for dinner

Everyone in Tauranga seems to have their favourite Indian restaurant. There is a decent-sized Indian community here and a fair few restaurants to choose from: I know people who like Own Marsala on 11th Ave; I know people who eat every Sunday night at Talk Of India on Cameron Road. Then there's Castle 51 in Greerton, and various branches of Great Spice (Papamoa East, Papamoa Plaza, Mount Maunganui and Bureta Road), Mumbai Marsala in Papamoa, House of Spice in Bethlehem, Spice Trader in Tauriko and a bunch more.

But four of us have fallen into the habit of eating at India Today on the Strand about once a month. It's been there since 2011 and also has a couple of branches in New Plymouth. Jan and I go with two American imports from Kansas: Jim, owner of New Zealand's best little wine shop, Finer Wines in Katikati, and his wife Maria. We put the world to rights and drink red wine - usually something from the Rhone - and the other three order the same food every time.

That means that I get to pick a "wild card" starter and main each visit. Don't get me wrong, we all share all the food. But aside from my two choices it's always the same. And I always find the service friendly, but then we visit so regularly that they know us and our proclivities.

(And - AGAIN - a quick apology for the photos. It's a beautifully decorated restaurant but not very bright. And some dishes were steaming. Anyway, long story short - crap pics again, sorry. The food on their Facebook page looks much better!)

I suspect each Indian restaurant has its own individual touches. Here everyone gets a complimentary bowl of papadums on arrival, something to nibble while looking at the menu. One thing I do find slightly unusual is that India Today's Onion Bhajis are actually onion rings. Is that a trad thing I don't know about? Anyway, they're nothing like the patties you get elsewhere... 

Aloo Tikka

ENTREE

• Seekh Kebab - Skewered Lamb infused with spices and cooked over the tandoor  (half $12.99) | full $24.99
• Aloo Tikka - Grilled croquettes made with potato, onion and various spices, served with yoghurt, cucumber and tamarind     $11.50 (my choice du jour)
  
• Garlic Naan     $5.00

 

Seehk Kebab

 

 

Garlic Naan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's always the same and always good. We have everything spiced "medium" - it's a monthly blast of Indian comfort food. The kebab, only very mildly spicy (we share a "full" one) has a mint and yoghurt dipping sauce. And everyone agreed that my choice - the Aloo Tikka - was excellent. Very yum! It looks a bit odd but is in fact two big "croquettes", or at least two spiced mounds of potato, smothered in a refreshing combo of yoghurt and tart tamarind. 

 

MAIN

• Butter Chicken - Tender pieces of chicken half cooked in Tandoor and finished in a creamy tomato flavoured sauce and garnished with almonds     $21.99 
• Chef Special - Roast beef cooked with cumin, ginger, garlic and coriander, finished with Indian whiskey     $25.99
• Tandoori Chicken - Chicken (with bone) marinated in yoghurt and spices, cooked in the tandoor. Served on a hot sizzling plate with mint & yoghurt sauce                      (half $14.99) | full $28.99 
• Eggplant Subzi - Roasted eggplants cooked with ginger, garlic and red onion. Garnished with fresh coriander     $20.99 (my choice du jour)
  
• Plain Naan     $4.50
• Plain Rice x 2     $3.99 each 
  

Clockwise from top left: Tandoori Chicken; Chef Special; Rice; Butter Chicken; Eggplant Subzi

Of the main dishes, Jan likes the creaminess of the butter chicken and Jim likes exactly the opposite about the Chef Special, a slightly quirky beef curry with neither cream nor yoghurt, though there seemed to be less actual beef in it than usual which was disappointing. The eggplant sauce had a tomato base and was a tasty little number, slightly hotter and more intense than the other dishes (with a hint of pickle perhaps?). It tickled the tongue nicely. We always go for a full Tandoori chicken and it was just fine as usual. 

I guess we should be a bit more adventurous. I blame the others. For those with dietary restrictions there are many vegetarian and gluten free dishes and I keep thinking we really should try some of the daals. I might also mention that if you are a smoker of such things, shishas are available in many flavours and seem popular in the courtyard area out back (which is a rather attractive space, as the bottom right pic suggests).

AND THAT WINE. MMMMMM... 

In fact, nice though the food was, the high-point of the meal was two fantastic bottles of wine, both Chateauneuf-du-Papes from the Rhone Valley in France, recent arrivals in his shop that Jim wanted to try (and at moments like that we just say "Yes!", with big smiles...).

We actually had access to the famous wine critic Robert Parker's notes and were amazed by quite how accurate they were, particularly the lovely bouquet of the Charbonniere which clearly displayed cherries, orange and raspberry just as described. That was the winner from the pair. The Brotte was very good, noticeably "darker" in its flavour notes, a little more closed still and not quite as integrated. It lacked the extra edge of smoothness and concentration that the Charbonniere had in spades. In fact the Charbonniere was simply superb even at this young age, warm and rich with layer upon layer of spicy notes and just acres of lovely complex flavours. Yum! 

I offer RP's notes as I'm sure they make more sense than my gobsmacked fawning over these two beautiful wines...

Charbonniere Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2017 

Rated 94/100 in Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate 

$72.95

Charbonnière's performance this year was remarkable, all the more so because I didn't visit the estate, so the wines were all tasted blind. The regular cuvée, the 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape, is a stunning blend of 70% Grenache and 15% each Mourvèdre and Syrah. Cherries, raspberries and orange zest mark the nose, while the full-bodied palate is silky-textured and concentrated, adding layers of dried spices and complex, tea-like notes. Warm and generous, it may not be the longest-lived vintage, but it will offer immense pleasure over the next decade or so 

Barville Secret de Barville Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2017

Rated 90/100 in Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate 

$69.95

There are only 500 cases of the 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape Secret Barville, a barrel-aged blend of 75% Grenache, 15% Syrah and 10% Mourvèdre. It's super ripe and chocolaty, with modest cooked-fruit flavors, a broad, expansive mouthfeel, ample weight and some warmth on the finish. Tasted twice (once blind), with consistent notes.  

 

 

A quick shisha out back perhaps?

 

  

 

 

A NOTE TO ANYONE WHO GOT THIS FAR!!!

I'm just getting my act together and setting up a Facebook page and possibly Instagram page attached to this blog. It'll happen soon so when it does please come and follow/like. That'll mean I can put shorter bits there about food/film/interesting happenings and keep the longer stuff for here... As always THANK YOU FOR READING!

"Let's Eat" lunch at Izakai

Izakai

Cuisine: Japanese with a Maori twist

Address: Baycourt Shopping Centre, Mount Maunganui

Phone: 07-572 0484

Website

Drinks: Licensed

Reservations: At night and weekends (it's small)

 

I have long been a fan of the concept of Izakai, if only because it is so refreshing to see a restaurateur do something genuinely different. That's what Izakai does and it's a surprise to find something so original in a shopping centre (pretty much everything else at Bayfair is a franchise operation). 

 

Mount Maunganui-born Liam Millard and his partners aim to create a local NZ take on the Japanese Izakaya (which are small informal bars that serve drinks and snacks), bringing together culture, tradition and flavours of both Maori and Japanese to create a unique experience. That's what they have done with this intimate 30-seater restaurant, with its tastefully understated decor, open kitchen and a good dose of imagination.

 

 

There is only a small wine list, but since it highlights the most excellent Marlborough vineyard Te Whare Ra you can't complain. There is also a small and unusual bespoke cocktail list, a vegan one at that since it uses aquafaba (chickpea water) instead of egg whites. Most interesting is the Foraged Negroni which includes Kawakawa and fig infused Tanqueray, a truly native take on the drink.

The menu itself does exactly what the mission statement promises - mixes trad Kiwi and Japanese flavours. Thus they offer the likes of Ramen with Hangi-style Pork Belly and Watercress, and Lamb Rump with Boil-Up Reduction. The specialist ingredients do not, however, come cheap: the Ramen here costs $25 as opposed to around $14 at the excellent Chidori.

 

They also offer a "Let's Eat" Best Of Izakai selection at night ($60 p/p) and at lunch ($35 p/p), for a minimum of two people. There were two of us so we opted for that and a couple of glasses of the Te Whare Ra Toru, their Pinot Gris, Riesling, Gewurztraminer blend ($13/150ml). If you do the same I'd suggest waiting 10 minutes before drinking as it was served too cold to taste properly.

 

The "Let's Eat" selection comprised 5 dishes, one of which was a choice of dumplings from the three they list. We really should have had the more unusual Creamed Paua and Prawn ones but for reasons that now escape me we opted for pork. Here's what we got:

• Edamame - Spicy Soy Glaze, Shichi-mi

• Pork and Watercress Dumplings - Shitake Mushroom, Bamboo Shoots, Watercress, Yakiniku Sauce, Spring Onion

• Ika Mata - Coconut Panacotta, Mango Salsa, Flying Fish Roe, Passionfruit Dressing, Micro Coriander, Crispy Shallots

• Kaitia Fire Karaage Chicken - Kaitia Fire Japanese Fried Chicken, Teriyaki Glaze, Koshu Mayo, Shichi-mi 

• Seasonal Goma Greens - Goma Dressing, Garlic Chips, Shichi-mi 

Pork & Watercress Dumplings

Ika Mata

Karaage Chicken

Edamame

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seasonal Greens

OK. Overall it was a very enjoyable lunch and the food looked lovely as you can see, but I must say it was actually a bit of a mixed bag. I do - surprise! - have a few thoughts...

 

The edamame beans were good with a very tasty coating. They were only very slightly spicy.

 

The dumplings were a bit underwhelming. Nothing wrong with them at all but they were pretty plain pork dumplings. I assume they had mushrooms and bamboo shoots in them but it wasn't obvious. The sauce, however, was fantastic, really savoury and tasty. Unfortunately it completely overwhelmed the light flavour of the dumplings....

 

The Ika Mata, four slices of Tuna, was absolutely perfect. The accompaniments were all excellent and all worked with the fish both together and individually - coconut, fried shallots, those little fish eggs - yum! I wouldn't have minded a couple more slices of Tuna but it was still The Dish Of The Day.

 

The Karaage chicken was a bit weird. If it looks a bit dark in the pic that's because it was slightly burnt. But at the same time the chicken inside was still moist and tender so it didn't ruin it. I always find it hard to know what to do in a situation like that. It wasn't burnt burnt, so it felt a bit too picky to send it back, but you could definitely taste an inappropriately charred edge on some pieces. The other odd thing is that despite the description (which mentions Kaitia Fire twice) we struggled to detect even a hint of chilli heat. 

 

And the seasonal greens. They were broccolini. Just fine. Cold but with a nice sauce.

 

So in the end I find I have mixed feelings. I like the concept more than some of the execution - there did seem to be some rough edges and I'm still not entirely convinced by the value for money ratio. But I still immensely admire the whole idea and there's a lot more on the menu that I'd very much like to try. And those cocktails. I'd certainly recommend giving Izakai a try, and I'll be giving it another crack next time I'm at Bayfair...

Back to Somerset Cottage for lunch

Somerset Cottage

Cuisine: Contemporary New Zealand

Address: 30 Bethlehem Road, Bethlehem, Tauranga

Phone: 07 576 6889

Website

Drinks: Licensed and BYO wine

Reservations: Recommended

 

Now we're into 2021 and an email arrived to say they're open again, I realise I forgot to mention our last visit to Somerset of 2020. They usually only do lunch on Friday but there was an extra lunch service on the Wednesday before Christmas so since Jan and I were both on holiday we headed in for a quick bite before bracing for the upcoming festivities. I know I've written about them before - that's the thing when you live close by. I promise I'll get to some new places from next week on!

 

The lunch menu is actually the same as at dinner - half weekly, half unchanging, vegan options - but since it was a fine day we got to sit outside on the rather lovely back porch and look across the gully at the scenery. We tried not to just order the same things we had last time. Luckily the weekly menu offered several new options.

 

We'd taken along a bottle of 2014 Stonecroft Old Vines Gewurztraminer to drink since Somerset is one of the few restaurants around that allow you to BYO wine. I should mention that they do also have what I reckon is about the best wine list in the Bay, filled with unusual interesting drops all personally picked by owner Anne (and intentionally reasonably priced).

 

The wine was solid and intense, showing a little bit of age, rich and luscious, not too sweet and brimming with floral perfumed notes. Damn fine!

 

On to food. Jan just wanted a main (yes, it was the same one she had last time...) and her usual salad. I fancied two entrees, and I got to eat Jan's veges which automatically come with the main course. Then we shared dessert.

• Crispy cauliflower coated with a sticky gochujang sauce           $20
• Beef cheek arancini, red wine glaze                                               $20
• Crispy battered Bostock chicken, Korean style glaze                  $39
• Salad of cos leaves with grano padano and classic vinaigrette    $9
• Korean doughnuts, salted caramel and chocolate sauce              $9 ea

And it looks like we had a Korean meal from that list! Actually, it seems Somerset are on a small Korean journey since there are three Korean-influenced dishes on the weekly menu. We just happened to have all of them. We're still blown away at the crispness of the coatings and the way the sauce seems to soak into it without making anything soggy.

 

Arancini

Cauliflower

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The cauliflower and chicken actually have a totally different coating, the cauliflower more like breadcrumbs and the chicken resembling tempura. Meanwhile, the arancini was excellent, the meat inside unctuous, the sauce deep and dark and with the added bonus of mushrooms. 

 

The only part of the meal I had reservations about were the vegetables (we forgot to photograph them) which were broccoli, courgette and more and were served cold with a mixture sprinkled over the top - cous cous, almonds and more. It's the cold thing I'm not sure of: gimme hot vegetables or a cold salad not the other way round. (I do struggle with even the concept of a hot salad - but then I'm a bear with a very small brain...)

Chicken

Salad

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Doughnuts

 

 

 

As to the doughnuts they were excellent too with a hint of the cronut to them. I should probably mention that they did look alarmingly like Mr Hankey The Christmas Poo from South Park (Jan did her best to disguise that in the photo!) but they tasted fantastic and pretty much as fantastically unhealthy as a cronut. Since we only had one each it was easy to forgive ourselves for what tasted like an extreme indulgence.

 

Yum. Lovely lunch. It felt like a complete escape from the world for a couple of hours. Some people perceive Somerset as more expensive that other restaurants though I think it's pretty much on par with Clarence, Harbourside, The White House and others, and the BYO deal makes it very attractive even with the corkage charge. I notice on-line this morning that the weekly menu has changed again - looking forward to trying more new dishes...    

 

Wine & Pate at the White House

WHITE HOUSE RESTAURANT

Cuisine: New Zealand
Address: 15E Minden Road, Te Puna 
Phone: 07 552 4443
Website 
Drinks: Fully licensed
Reservations: Recommended

 

(I've written about the White House before, but that was lunch and yesterday I was struck again by how nice it is as just a casual drop-in spot...)

 

And actually, the title says it all. I just thought I'd pop this quick post up as it struck me that there are probably people in the vicinity of Te Puna who are perhaps not taking advantage of having a handy restaurant open all day most days (Tuesday to Sunday from 12 midday).

 

We remembered on the way home, so as we were passing we called in for a quick pate and glass of wine.

 

• Hihi The Full Monty Chardonnay (Gisborne) 2017      $13
• Prophet's Rock Pinot Gris (Central Otago) 2018           $15   
  

What a nice way to wile away an hour. The wines were both excellent. The Chardonnay was a deep yellow and had a strong butterscotch edge along with the lovely creaminess you get from malolactic fermentation. It is not an expensive wine but does its bit to help support Gisborne's claim to be New Zealand's "Chardonnay Capital"

The Pinot Gris was really very lovely, the dominant flavour being pineapple, with a little mixed fruit salad sitting behind that. It was both fruity and dry, very well balanced and with a hint of the textural "oiliness" you get from Alsace Pinot Gris.

 

Homemade Chicken Liver Pate (GFO)                                                   $18 

toasted ciabatta, dijon mustard, caramelized onions, gherkins & walnuts

 

And the pate was top notch too. There's nothing hard about making pate - you just have to do it right and here they do. The various accompaniments work well. I'm a sucker for the candied walnuts and the dijon and caramelised onions both complement the pate. The dukkah and almonds were good with it too. Simple pleasures.

 

There we go. Just a reminder that good food is lurking just up the rise at the back of the Te Puna shops. And if you call in to the White House don't forget to check out the Te Puna Deli which you'll drive right by - it a home of great artisan chartcuterie and cheeses as well as fresh organic veges and all sorts of good stuff.

 

A Big Bowl of Fish at Dumpling Delight

Dumpling Delight 

Cuisine: Dumplings, Nothwestern Chinese

Address: 20 Wharf St, Tauranga

Phone: 07 5712166

Website

Drinks: Beer, soft drinks - some unusual 

Reservations: Probably unnecessary

 

I do like this place. They are so sweet and friendly that the occasional chaos or the downhome need to collect your own plates and cutlery doesn't really matter. And the food is good. This is a brief rave because I tried a new dish and it blew me away!

 

We just popped in for some quick dumplings and I took the chance to try something I've been eyeing up since the first time we went to Dumpling Delight. Their Big Bowl of Fish. If you've been there - or up Devonport Road to Sichuan Style - you might have noticed really large deep bowls coming out from time to time. Most regularly these are beef or fish in chilli oil (Sichuan Style rather poetically calls it "...in thick spicy tongue-numbing sauce"). We've had the beef one here (rather wonderful) but never the fish. Till now.

• Pork Delicacy dumplings, pan-fried     $13.80 / 16 pce 
  
• Lemon Chicken                                        $22
• Fish Filets in Hot Chilli Oil                     $24
• Steamed rice                                            $2.50 each

 

 

And all I can say is WOW! It's a HUGE bowl, filled with hot-pot sauce from which you scoop out the fish fillets, bean sprouts, cabbage and bok choi. The sauce itself was deep and rich and redolent of chilli and beans and Sichuan pepper and all sorts of intense Northern/Western Chinese flavours, a strong underlying sweetness mitigating against the sea of chilli. And for all that it's not too hot (we went medium) since you're not really eating the soupy oily sauce itself, just the stuff in it.

 

Even more impressive was the amount of fish, thin fillets with a unique slippery velvety texture, and just masses of it. Three of us each had plenty. And bean sprouts are lovely lightly cooked like that. If you like a blast of something unusual and haven't tried this one I'd say definitely give it a go. Great dish, great price. 

The dumplings were as good as usual and are a helluva reasonable deal for 16 of them. They're handmade and are particularly juicy. And having them fried on the bottom adds a great textural edge. The chicken was just fine too, not too sweet, crisp, moist. But this was all about that fish. That big beautiful bowl of fish... Yum!

RESTAURANT REVIEW INDEX JANUARY 2021

AUGUST 2020 - JANUARY 2021

At the start of each month I'll post a current index of restaurant reviews. Some may obviously be a little out of date. All the restaurants here are in the Tauranga region...

1 - 100

88 Chinese Restaurant

B

Bar Centrale (1)

Bar Centrale (2)

Bluebiyou

C

Chidori

Clarence Bistro (1)

Clarence Bistro (2)

D

Dumpling Delight

M

Mudan

O

Oscar & Otto

R

Rice Rice Baby

S

Sichuan Style

Somerset Cottage

Sugo

T

The Barrel Room

The Cider Factorie

The White House

V

Volare (1)

Volare (2)

Z

Zozo

Yum Cha at 88 Chinese Restaurant

88 Chinese Restaurant

Cuisine: Cantonese and Dim Sum 

Address: 801 Cameron Rd, Tauranga

Phone: 07 5712388

Website

Drinks: Licensed (small wine and beer list) & BYO wine

Reservations: definitely a good idea

 

 

88 Chinese Restaurant has never had a good name; it is hard to think of a more generic anonymous moniker, though it is of course a lucky number for some Chinese, which is why so many restaurants have it as a name. But for the past 25 years or more it has served the best yum cha in Tauranga, first down in the CBD on Devonport Road (at the actual 88) and, following a move last year, on Cameron Road near the hospital. The new premises may be bigger but it now seems busier than ever. I almost hesitate to write about it here lest more people discover the wonderful food and reservations become even harder to get.

It was the first Sunday in the new year and four of us rendezvoused there for a yum cha lunch.

 

For those not familiar with the concept, yum cha is a Chinese lunch service comprising a selection of shared small dishes (known as dim sum). Traditionally in larger restaurants these dishes are brought round on trolleys for the tables to select. More commonly these days you will just be given a menu and are tasked with ticking the items you desire. Then everything arrives randomly. You should also be provided with small dipping bowls of soy sauce and chilli oil.

 

I guess you could regard this as the Cantonese equivalent of Tapas, or the small sharing plates of every nationality that have become so popular over the last decade. We had:

• Deep Fried Combination Dumpling        $6

  

  Pork Dim Sum (Sui Mai)

• Spring Onion Pancake                              $6
• Beef Ribs in Black Pepper Sauce             $7
• Pork Ribs in Black Bean Sauce                $7
• Pork Dim Sum (Sui Mai)                           $7
• Prawn Dumplings                                     $7
• BBQ Pork Rice Roll                                   $7
• Spicy Wonton                                            $9
• Deep Fried Prawn Toast                          $9
• Deep Fried Squid                                      $9
• Malaysian Tofu (deep fried)                     $9
  
• Roast Pork                                         reg  $15

 

In typical fashion I forgot to get pics of some of the dishes. Mainly the ones that arrived later while we were already munching. But here's a bit of a gallery of what I did manage to photograph...

 

Beef Ribs in Black Pepper Sauce

 

 

 

Deep Fried Prawn Toast

Malaysian Tofu (deep fried)

Roast Pork

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

Deep Fried Squid

 

 

 

Spicy Wonton

Prawn Dumplings

 

 

 

Pork Ribs in Black Bean Sauce

BBQ Pork Rice Roll

Spring Onion Pancake

Some thoughts: they really do a very good yum cha here, at least for the dishes that they offer. There are a lot of things you would regularly expect at yum cha - from many many different dumplings to stuffed vegetables - that are not available. Perhaps it's a Tauranga thing. But there are a few real stand-outs:

 

The Pork Sui Mai are outstanding, not filled with mince but as they should be with chopped meat, great texture, as good as any anywhere.

The Prawn Toast is also outstanding, with a generous layer of juicy prawns pressed against the crisp toast.

The Spicy Wontons are a thing of legend, primarily because of the beautifully balanced sauce. This time used cabbage instead of bean sprouts which wasn't as good but I assume they were temporarily out of the latter. 

The combination dumplings nail that unusual texture perfectly, a sort of weird "combination" of chewy and crunchy. Unique and worth checking out. (I didn't get a pic)

The BBQ pork rice roll also nails the unusual texture of the rice "skin". Not my favourite but people who like it rave about this version.

The Prawn Dumplings (Har Gow) are often very good. Sometimes the "crystal" pastry doesn't work but mostly it is excellent and the prawns have the correct "bouncy" texture that Chinese prize.

 

The only thing I would avoid is the Shanghai Pork Bun (Xialong Bao) which are a star of yum cha when made well but here are bought in frozen and are not worthwhile.

 

The restaurant is also open for dinner with a full Chinese menu, and does takeaways. They also offer roasted meats which can be taken home. The BBQ pork is particularly good for this as it makes a great addition to stir fries and other Chinese dishes and never tastes quite the same when you make it yourself. The wine and beer list is small but being able to BYO wine is great as a good Gewurztraminer is a wonderful match with pretty much all the food here.  

 

Yum Cha menu (1)

Yum Cha menu (2)