RESTAURANT REVIEW INDEX JUNE 2021

AUGUST 2020 - MAY 2021

At the start of each month I'll post a current index of restaurant reviews. Some may obviously be a little on the older side. Nearly all the restaurants are in the Tauranga region (except where marked).

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Just a reminder - the A Debt To Pleasure Facebook page is up and running, with lots more (shorter) food things than here, and even a Song of the Day. Come Like and/or Follow it - all sorts of groovy stuff is planned!

1 - 100

88 Chinese Restaurant

B 

Bar Centrale (1)

Bar Centrale (2)

Bar Centrale (3)

Bar Centrale (4)

Bluebiyou

C

Casual Kitchen

Chidori

Clarence Bistro (1)

Clarence Bistro (2)

Clarence Bistro (3)

Craggy Range Restaurant (Havelock North)

D

Dumpling Delight (1)

Dumpling Delight (2)

Dumpling Delight (3)

G

Great Spice Tauranga

I

India Today

Izakai 

M

Malabar (Taupo)

Mary's (Havelock North) 

Miss Gee's

Mudan

N

Norris & Bell

O

Oscar & Otto (1)

Oscar & Otto (2)

P

Palace

Pasture (Auckland) 

Pho Vina

Piku (Havelock North)

R

ReBurger Tauranga

Rice Rice Baby

S

Sichuan Style

Solera (1)

Solera (2) 

Somerset Cottage (1)

Somerset Cottage (2)

Sugo (1)

Sugo (2)

T

Takara

Te Puna Deli

The Barrel Room

The Chook Nook

The Cider Factorie

The Falls Retreat Bistro (Waikino)

The Melting Pot 

The White House (1)

The White House (2)

V

Vine (Taupo)

Volare (1)

Volare (2)

Z

Zozo

 

 

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. 

 

   

 

 

 

 ***************************************************

Just a reminder - the A Debt To Pleasure Facebook page is up and running, with lots more (shorter) food things than here, and even a Song of the Day. Come Like and/or Follow it - all sorts of groovy stuff is planned!

Mary's in Havelock North - our new favourite "diner"

MARY'S

Cuisine: Posh playful diner

Address: 15 Joll Road, Havelock North

Phone: 06 650 7770

Website

Drinks: Fully licensed, Craggy Range wines 

Reservations: Yep - it's small and busy

 

Straight after lockdown, Craggy Range Restaurant chef Casey McDonald launched Casey’s Diner in the cellar next to the winery restaurant and found it wildly popular. He has transplant the concept to Havelock North with Mary’s, an upscale diner named for Mary Peabody, wife of Craggy Range founder Terry Peabody. It's a good-looking joint, reminiscent perhaps of a posh New York Diner from the thirties. An open kitchen and bar extend in a horseshoe into the room, with signature yellow highlights throughout. There's even a small outside area for a sunny day.

 

The food takes full advantage of the Josper oven, and there's a not unreasonably-priced Craggy Range winelist, as well as a few cocktails. After really enjoying a bite on the Craggy Range terrace during our last trip, five of us called in for lunch at Mary's during our recent weekend in Hawke's Bay.

 

There is a small menu - 3 Bites, 3 Entrees, 3 Mains, 2 Sides - and, yes, one of them is a cheeseburger. But that's about as close to a traditional diner as you get. This is tasty fancy food: we ordered most of it. The bread came quickly and the next thing we did was to immediately order a second serving. Both because it's not large and because it was simply fantastic, soft bread, charred by the Josper over, filled with a gooey cheesey Béchamel sauce. It was simply the best, most decadent bread we could remember! 

 

THAT bread!

THAT bread (close up)!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

  

BITES

• Mary's garlick-y, cheese-y bread (v)     $9

ENTREES

• Raw fish, horseradish cream, citrus dressing & black pepper (gf)     $22
• Coal roasted halloumi, grilled & marinated endive, sweet 'n' sour fig (v) (gf)     $23
• Grilled prawns, potato aioli, capsicum, garlic & chilli butter (gfo)     $26

MAINS

• Baked potato gnocchi, roasted tomato sauce, basil & mozzarella (vgo) (vfo)     $29
  
• Fish fillet, braised octopus, olive tapenade, lemon & burnt butter sauce (gf)     $37

SIDES

• Shoestring fries & aioli (vgo)     $9
• Rocket, parmesan, pear & walnut salad, chardonnay dressing (gf) (vgo)     $9 

    

Raw Fish

Halloumi

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prawns

Gnocchi

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In fact everything was top notch. The raw fish was a favourite: it looked pretty and the hits of citrus and slight sharpness of the radish made for a bright fresh taste in the mouth. Nearly had two of those as well!

 

The prawns leaned towards Middle Eastern flavours and Jan declared them the best prawns she'd ever eaten. She is pretty fussy about her prawns so this was high praise indeed! The bed of potato aioli nestled them and there was a scattering of crispy bits to excite the texture buds. The Halloumi - charred in the Josper - rode on a flavour bed of fig and apple which was lovely. Again, it was a light and refreshing dish and very popular. 

 

As for the fish, I didn't try it but it was Tarakihi and Russell declared it excellent! I also didn't try the gnocchi but our vegetarian diner gave it the thumbs up. The salad and fries were all you could ask for.

 

Fish...

...and Chips

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Salad

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                     We were all seriously blown away. The staff, during a hectic and busy service, were nothing less than calm and efficient and we enjoyed a selection of Craggy Range wines, including some older ones from the list. There's a good range by the glass. In case you're curious, the wine list is here.

I can do nothing but recommend Mary's in the highest terms. We liked it so much we actually called back later for a sneaky cocktail. Havelock North is lucky to have it.

 

 

****************************************************

Just a reminder - the A Debt To Pleasure Facebook page is up and running, with lots more (shorter) food things than here, and even a Song of the Day. Come Like and/or Follow it - all sorts of groovy stuff is planned!

RESTAURANT REVIEW INDEX MARCH 2021

AUGUST 2020 - MARCH 2021

At the start of each month I'll post a current index of restaurant reviews. Some may obviously be a little on the older side. Nearly all the restaurants are in the Tauranga region (except where marked).

1 - 100

88 Chinese Restaurant

B 

Bar Centrale (1)

Bar Centrale (2)

Bar Centrale (3)

Bluebiyou

C

Chidori

Clarence Bistro (1)

Clarence Bistro (2)

Clarence Bistro (3)

Craggy Range Restaurant (Havelock North)

D

Dumpling Delight (1)

Dumpling Delight (2)

I

India Today

Izakai 

M

Miss Gee's

Mudan

O

Oscar & Otto

P

Pasture (Auckland) 

Pho Vina

R

Rice Rice Baby

S

Sichuan Style

Somerset Cottage (1)

Somerset Cottage (2)

Sugo

T

Takara

Te Puna Deli

The Barrel Room

The Chook Nook

The Cider Factorie

The Falls Retreat Bistro (Waikino)

The White House (1)

The White House (2)

V

Vine (Taupo)

Volare (1)

Volare (2)

Z

Zozo

Luxe snacks at Craggy Range

CRAGGY RANGE Restaurant

Cuisine: Contemporary New Zealand

Address: 253 Waimarama Road, Havelock North

Phone: 06 873 7126

Website

Drinks: Mainly Craggy Range wines 

Reservations: definitely

I love the restaurant at Craggy Range. I first ate there back in the early days when David Griffiths and Prue Barton (now of Mister D's) were in charge but I reckon the current incarnation under Head Chef Casey McDonald is as good as it's ever been, with his emphasis on the very best locally-sourced ingredients along with the restaurant's immaculate standards out front and in the kitchen.

The place itself is simply about the flashest winery in the country, beautiful and grand and open, vast lawns and a pond, sculptures and a helipad, all resting under the imposing figure of Te Mata Peak.

So when - after a fun day playing at the River Park Blues Festival in Waipawa and on our way to an afternoon gig out at Cape Kidnappers - we found ourselves with a few free hours on the Sunday I couldn't resist hitting Craggy Range at lunch time. Just in case. Despite the fact that we had no reservation. And it was Valentine's Day. Just in case...

Of course they were fully booked. Of course. But they are fine people and offered us snacks on the terrace with a glass of wine. That's a big YES.

There is a small menu of four snacks, one dessert and two platters (cheese - $29 and cheese/charcuterie - $55). We had the four snacks.

• Organic fried shitake mushroom, fig sauce   $18
• Beef cheek croquettes, salsa verde & mustard aioli (5)   $16
• Raw venison and beetroot jubes, horseradish cream, duck egg & crispy parsnip   $26
• Shoestring fries   $9

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And they were, with the possible exception of the fries which were just good fries, absolutely sensational! We were all completely blown away. 

 

• The mushrooms, cut thinly and then coated in a batter that was slightly nutty and thicker than a tempura so they were like crisps with the most amazing subtle sweet and sour fig sauce that I bet came from local Te Mata figs - incredible! 

• The croquettes, small, delicate with a great fresh salsa verde kick - brilliant. (And here's a demonstration of the absolute class that Craggy Range continually demonstrates - the menu listed 5 croquettes. There were 3 of us. They brought 6 and didn't even ever mention it. Thanks guys!)

• But the star of the show was the venison tartare. I'm still in awe of it with those beetroot jubes, juice that had been reformed into firm jellies, not too strong, not too sweet, the same size as the tartare and subtle enough to let the venison still shine. The egg yolk was cured or confited or something to make it unctuous and the parsip crisps were small and perfect (and crisp). The horseradish was very subtle and the whole thing a masterpiece of texture and taste. Wow.

 

It was the most wonderful way to wile away an hour, sitting in the lap of luxury with a nice glass of Craggy Range wine (a current Riesling for me, Pinot Gris for Grant, and a Garage Project beer for Nicky, all priced as you'd expect. There are also older vintages available of the reds.). Everything was flawless from the food to the views to the service. One of New Zealand's very best.