An Italian Bite at The Mount's Alpino

ALPINO

Cuisine: Italian

Address: 16 Pacific Ave, Mount Maunganui

Phone: 07-827 5595

Website

Drinks: Licensed

Reservations: recommended weekend evenings 

 

I must confess right up that I've only ever previously eaten at one Italian restaurant at The Mount. And it was this one, a couple of years back when it was still called the Clarence Test Kitchen, a "warm-up" operation while Clarence Bistro and Bar Centrale, now inhabiting the old post office building in Willow Street, were still under construction.  

 

It is still owned by Noel Cimadom, the man behind Clarence, who also has the original Alpino in Cambridge. There are obvious crossovers with the menu here and at Centrale though the food here is a little more straightforward.

Since I'm a big fan of both Clarence and Centrale and happened to be over at the Mount I popped in for a quick bite. Amazingly, despite the generally rainy times, we struck the one sunny day in June and found the place packed and humming. We even got to sit outside (hence the washed-out looking pics. Apologies for yet another failure by me in the photographic department!).

 

Not my pic! It was packed when we were there!

(also not my pic - great reflection - very clever!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The menu is quite concise (see the bottom of the page) - half a dozen snacks, half a dozen entrees and half a dozen "secondi", plus pizzas. The mains give an idea of the general direction - eggplant parmigiana, pappardelle with a beef ragu, spaghettini with clams, porchetta - though there are also some modern twists. There is an impressive list of Italian wines, but I chose:

• The Landing Vino Rosso, Bay of Island    $13 (150ml)

It's the house blend of the Northland winery and was excellent, firm-bodied, well-rounded and smooth without being too fruity. Very good. I note with interest that they offer two glass sizes both here and at the Mount's newest wine bar Solera. Except at Solera the two pours are 100ml and 150ml while here they are 150ml and 250ml. I can't help thinking that at a full third of a bottle a 250ml pour is a serious-sized glass of wine!

 

We got taking to Chef Scott who was kind enough to offer us a couple of "specials" that he was preparing for evening service, and we had a couple of starters from the menu. Since I was being treated by my generous son I didn't note the prices (or the names) of the new dishes - the others are from the menu.

• Snapper Crudo - Pickled Kohlrabi, Oyster Mayo, Green Apple, Bush Fennel     $22
• Carpaccio Di Manzo - Seared Beef Carpaccio, Rocket, Swiss Brown Mushroom, Shaved Pecorino     $21
• Deep-Fried Gnocchi, Aioli
• Mozarella & Herb-Stuffed Tortellini, Pumpkin Puree, Crisp Sage Leaves

And the difference from Centrale was immediately obvious, with a more rustic approach to presentation and simpler flavours. But they were still spot on. Case in point: the crudo was less sophisticated than the current offering at Centrale but the sweetness of the apple chimed beautifully and the tiny dusting of fennel (invisible in my crap pics of course!) lifted the whole thing without overwhelming the fish - it was a small touch but just brilliant.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The carpaccio was reliably good, very thin, a proper carpaccio rather than just some sliced seared beef which is often the way. And the tortellini was terrific - always good to enjoy well made fresh pasta - the pumpkin puree silky as all get-up.

 

But the real eye-opener was that gnocchi. Talk about great beer-drinking snacks! Or wine-drinking snacks since these seemed a bit flash for beer. Just great. Apparently they're coated in some rice flour before being deep-fired but I don't know why everyone doesn't do this to gnocchi. I can see a whole trend arising with differently-flavoured gnocchi and different dipping sauces. This could be the new Italian food wave!  

 

OK. So obviously I didn't try very much of the menu. But I'd be happy to have a crack at everything there. The service was efficient and friendly, and the small wooden room has a great intimate vibe and the food and wine are effortlessly everyday Italian. I like it. 

 

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Solera: Truffle Cheesecake and more!

 SOLERA Wine Bar

Cuisine: Modern New Zealand, sharing

Address: 165 Maunganui Rd, Mount Maunganui

Phone: 07-572 0246

Website

Drinks: Extensive interesting wine list, cocktails

Reservations: Recommended

 

Having just two plates of food to eat and a small glass of wine I'm not sure whether this merits a full blog entry or just a quick Facebook post but since the two plates were as good as anything I've tasted all year I decided to write it up here.

 

Solera has a new menu. It actually has a continually new menu since bits are being tweaked all the time. But since I went there last there have been substantial changes and, once again, I wanted to eat everything on the menu!

 

I was lucky to have half an hour to kill at the Mount so popped in because of a recent Facebook post of theirs about having a full range of Central Otago's Te Kano wines and, specifically, their Fume Blanc de Noir by the glass.

 

That's a Pinot Noir that's been made without skin contact (so is white, the "Blanc" bit) and then barrel aged (for the "Fume" bit). This was an experiment and they only made one barrel this year. And it was a lovely wine, smoky from the barrel and a complex mix of fruit spiky slightly citrusy fruit flavours, a million miles away from the red fruit of a Pinot Noir.

 

But it was the food that blew me away. The first thing I had was:

• Cured Venison - paua, quince, oyster mushroom     $20

All I can say is "WOW". Sorry the pic is a bit crappy - the colours were a lot better in real life! But the flavours... salty unctuous venison, smoky charred mushroom, perfectly chewy paua, and a quince gel just slightly sweet and slightly sharp. Add in a little orange flash and a couple of slightly peppery nasturtium leaves. In credible. Every single thing on the plate was delicious and together they were simply sensational. I can't rave enough about this - all I want to do is go and eat it again!

 

Then, on the recommendation of a friendly American woman who was also perched at a bar stool around the kitchen counter and who seemed to love the food and know what she was talking about, I had something I'd never have even considered, especially when I wanted to eat pretty much everything else on the menu - cheesecake! Or to be more accurate:

• Basque Cheesecake - yuzu, truffle, parmesan     $14

And it has to be a bout the ugliest dessert around, looking like nothing more or less than an oozy block of brie or camembert. But the taste... I can honestly say I've never tasted anything quite like it. There was truffle, heady strong truffle, so strong I could still taste it hours later ( yes, I say that as a good thing!), there was sharp parmesan, there was a hint of citrus from the yuzu and there was a sweet crisp layer of bruleed sugar, the sweetness of which was amazing with the truffle and parmesan. The cheesecake itself had a texture somewhere between a souflee and a cake, delicate and melting in the mouth. Incredible.

 

So that's it. Two dishes both of which astounded me. I want to go back immediately. Since the menu changes so frequently I'm not not sure the current one is on line. In case not I am happy to share it here. Click on it to enlarge. I can't recommend it highly enough.

   

 

 

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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

 

 

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.

 

 

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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!

Burgers 'n' Wings at Palace

PALACE  

Cuisine: American diner-style burgers and wings

Address: 217 Maunganui Rd, Mount Maunganui  

Phone: 07-572 1550 

Website 

Drinks: Tap beer, natural wine, cocktails 

Reservations: Not sure it's an option

 

For some time now I've been hearing about this very funky burger place at the Mount. It's been a busy time, but I managed to pop in and enjoy a quick burger, along with a cocktail. And got some wings to take away for later...

The first thing that surprised me about the joint is quite how grungy it appears. I mean that in nothing but a good way. When I heard it was modeled as an American Diner I immediately thought of something clean and shiny like the Burger King that used to be next to the cinema in town, all bright lights and Happy Days music. But this certainly ain't that.

 

There's still definitely that fifties vibe all diner-style restaurant seem to exude but at Palace there's more than a touch of juvenile delinquent in the mix. If it were a boy it would be a bad boy; if there were tracks Palace would be on the wrong side of them. It's got a slightly dark 'n' dangerous look, perhaps because of the mesh on the window, and this is carried on by the music, good dirty Americana Southern rock. It works.

 

But the service was quick, friendly and efficient and - as you can see in the pic - it's a bit of magnet for families as well as the generally hip and happening. 

 

The menu lists 3 meat burgers, 3 chicken, and 3 vegetarian (mushroom, jackfruit and cauliflower respectively) as well as chicken and cauliflower wings. There are also sides and desserts.The drinks menu has cocktails, beer on tap, some interesting shakes and wine, with several natural wines also on tap.

 

• HOEDOWN - BRISKET SMASHED PATTY, CHEESE, BEER BATTERED ONION RINGS, BACON, JALAPEÑO JAM, BBQ & CHIPOTLE MAYO      SINGLE $15 DOUBLE add $4

• MAPLE BUTTER BASKET - SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN WINGS COVERED IN OUR MAPLE BUTTER SAUCE    $14

• PASSIONFRUIT MIMOSA - PROSECCO, ORANGE, PASSION FRUIT    $12

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And, as you can see from the pics, the "grunginess" continues with the food. The burger was what you might call "Burger King Style" with a small soft bun as opposed to a big toasted one and no sign of anything green. It wasn't very pretty. But taste-wise, with its smashed brisket pattie, this was light years ahead of any chain. In fact all those listed ingredients were present and correct and combined into a thing of total deliciousness - crisp bacon and onion ring, oozing cheese, tasty sauces, damn!

 

The mimosa was also very good, just what I felt like, and when I had the wings at home they were most excellent, and fantastically unhealthy-tasting with that maple butter! I would happily eat everything here again and look forward to trying literally everything on the menu.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SOME FINAL THOUGHTS

 

In my mind, Palace is actually doing something very new and very cool. It is, in an offbeat way, the complete package - perfectly matched food, decor, drinks and vibe - along with a bunch of fascinating contradictions which I think are the reason it feels, despite the retro trappings, so modern. 

 

First of all you have the extensive (and imaginative) vegetarian options. And you have the natural wine, pretty much a first for the Bay especially in a burger bar! These would suggest some sort of health-consciousness, but then look at that burger - it has nothing healthy in it at all just deep-fried stuff and fattening sauces. And I'm sure the maple butter sauce - mouthwateringly good as it is - should probably come with a health warning.    

Then there's the down-beat look of the place. It seems very "adult", like a David Lynch biker bar, yet most of the people in when I was there were happy families...

Something is happening here and I don't know quite what it is. But I like it! 

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