Cocktails at Piku in Havelock North

PIKU restaurant & cocktail bar

Cuisine: Modern Japanese Izakaya

Address: 15 Joll Road, Havelock North

Phone: 06 8779 400

Website

Drinks: Fully licensed, Japanese-inspired cocktails 

Reservations: definitely a good idea

Last time we were in Havelock North we had dinner at Piku and loved it. Great service, great food, everything you'd want of a Kiwi Izakaya. And we went next door afterwards and drank many a cocktail. This visit we ran out of time for food but made sure we popped in for more of those cocktails. 

15 Joll Place in Havelock North is actually a bit of foodies dream, what with the one address containing both Mary's and Piku. At Piku the restaurant is around one side and the cocktail bar on the other, opening into a small courtyard. We sat in the courtyard. The young cocktail team are both knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the large and varied list ranging from classics to complex gin and tonic combos, dessert tipples and signature cocktails, many of which have a distinct Japanese influence.

 

I completely lost track after the first couple but amongst the various things we tried were: 

• Lemon Meringue - Skyy Vodka, Limoncello, Amaretto, Lemon & Egg White     $19
• Kaistau Sour - Feijoa Skin Infused Haku Japanese Vodka, Aperol, Lemon, Feijoa & White Chocolate Cordial     $17
• Not As It A Pears - Furikake Infused Havana "Especial" Gold Rum, Dow's Tawny Port, Walnut Bitters and Pear Juice     $18
• Shiso Tasty - Shiso Infused White Vermouth, Yuzucello, Disaronno Amaretto & Yuzu Curd     $17     

I'm not going to do a rundown of each cocktail, but now I want to try everything else on the list! They were all excellent, unusual creative combinations using bespoke ingredients, many of them created in-house, each garnished imaginatively. It was a pure joy to rediscover the place and enjoy the skills of their expert cocktail-makers.

 

 

One special note, for the last of our drinks - Homemade Baileys ($10.50). Now I know there was a time when everyone made Baileys at home. And it was always awful. It never tasted quite right or - particularly - got the texture right. Some were too thin, some were too thick, some were too eggy, some were just "claggy" and coated your throat...

 

Not this one. The flavour of the week was Matcha & White Chocolate and it was outstanding! There was even a slight green tinge from the matcha. Or perhaps I was imagining that; we had several. 

 

OK. One of the pics is the signature cocktail part of the current menu which seems to change regularly. Expand it and I think you can read it. And if you're anywhere near Havelock North and feel like a cocktail, Piku is well worth a detour. Of course there's food too... Kudos. 

 

   

 

 

 

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