Eating in New Zealand

On the day before Christmas eve me and my family decided to frequent a French restaurant in Parnell. It was necessary to make a booking due to both the popularity of the restaurant and the fact that, like many high-end establishments, they were closed on both Christmas Eve and Christmas day itself, until reopening on 6th Jananuary.  While I’d guess that this should drive up the demand for the restaurant and also ensure that no holiday pay is necessary for its staff nor the surcharge for its customers, it’s only a guess but since a lot of other eateries were doing it, it seemed logical.

The ambiance could be described as relaxed, smart, yet casual. The music and lighting both serve to provide a pleasant dining experience, and while this makes taking food photos in its setting difficult, it makes a perfect place to treat your significant other to a special treat.

I started off the meal with a cocktail I guessed nowhere else would serve : The french frog. Made of Crème de Menthe, Vodka, Frangelico, Crea, it was a nice drink for the ladies and I would recommend it to anyone who likes a minty bite to their liquer.

Since I felt a bit full from lunch (bruschetta with fava bean salad and some chopped livers) I opted to go for a main dish and with room left over, maybe some dessert. The Apple Tarte (called the St Tropez Tarte tatine on the menu, pictured above) was sweetly crunchy on the first bite, yet it did not overwhelm when I took a few more and finished the plat, so I was keen to try another offering.

I opted for the Eye Fillet, choosing the ‘Lyonnaise Fricassé Potatoes’ and ‘Red Wine Shallot Garlic Butter’ sauce. While the sauce didn’t stand out too much, the potatoes were awesome! Diced and cooked with tenderness and flavor, for someone who loves mashed potatoes this was another delight. The medium rare eye fillet was done just so, although I would’ve preferred the meat to stay a few more seconds on the grill as a personal preference. As a whole, the dish was well prepared and nicely presented, well worth the $32.50.

For dessert, I chose the Chocolate Fondant Tarte. The chocolate used in the ’sticks’ and the base were different, with the larger base being of the lightly sweet, nutty flavor while the ’sticks’ were a lot more sweeter and milkier in comparison. The Candied hazelnut ice cream was a nice touch to go with the macadamia sprinkled across the chocolate base. I don’t personally like eating a lot of chocolate, but this dish hit the spot just right. Just like the apple tart, I am again pleasantly surprised at how well the dessert is sweet without being overly so - perhaps I’m just easily satisfied!

Overall, the meal was well worth the hassle of booking in advance and paying top dollar for the meal was definitely justified. I include the description of the items I ordered off their menu at the end of this post as a reference, but specifically the meal total for my portion of dinner came to was 13.5(cocktail)+32.5(eye fillet)+11.5(dessert) = 57.50. Normally my meals range between the $15-$30 range so this was definitely a highlight in my budgeted expenditure. However for those university students looking to impress, look no further than this venue if you want French cuisine with consistent quality in their dish. I’m certainly looking forward to my next visit here, after I’ve had time to heal the wound in my wallet!

Be advised though that as the location is on Parnell road, it is advised that you arrive about 10 minutes prior to dinner so you have time to find parking in the side streets. They get pretty full after 6:30pm on most nights.

The menu items:

French Frog ~ Crème de Menthe, Vodka, Frangelico, Cream  (13.50)

Filet de Boeuf
Eye Fillet - Your Choice of: Lyonnaise Fricassé Potatoes OR Pommes Frites
32.50

Sauces ~ *Red Wine Shallot Garlic Butter * Blue Cheese * Mushroom & Chablis Cream Sauce

Chocolate Fondant Tarte (11.50)
Macadamia & Candied Hazlenut Ice Cream, Anglaise Sauce

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