Category Archives: Food

Well we finally managed to get a table at Ostro last Saturday night after booking 4 weeks ago! So our party of 8 fronted to Josh Emett’s latest offering in the Britomart precinct on Saturday night at 7 o’clock high on expectation based on what we’d heard. Yes and it was VOP (Venturing Outside Ponsonby)!

We were one of the larger parties and scored a great spot in front of the glass wall which allowed the first 4 to arrive the get the seats with a view out over the wharf area/car storage area!!! Gorgeous early-summer evening and with the gentle breeze zephyring through the open panels on the glass wall we were set for what turned out to be a most enjoyable night.

Service was prompt and in fact pleasantly attentive throughout the evening.

To the menu. I hate it when there are about 3 items for each course that you’d love to have. Normally I then spend the night looking longingly at other people’s plates and thinking “I wish I’d had that”!

I started with the SMOKED KAHAWAI OMELETTE with hollandaise and watercress

Smoked Kahawai Omelette

while others had the OX TONGUE TWO WAYS with mustard, cornichons, sauce gribiche and grilled sourdough, MARKET FISH CEVICHE with meyer lemon, avocado, red radish and cucumber

and the  ‘CURIOUS CROPPERS’ TOMATOES with fresh herbs, compressed watermelon, avocado and cucumber. All were declared very tasty. I particularly liked my omelette which was light and flavoursome. I was dying to try the two way ox tongue and tried to put the evil eye on Tom but there was no offer forthcoming. Had it been Deb I’d have nicked a bit off her plate; but she’d never have had it in the first place. Al wanted me to specifically refer to his curious croppers tomatoes – curious choice is all I’d say!!

For mains we covered a fair bit of the field. The ROAST SCAMPI RISOTTO with Marlborough saff ron and parmesan was one of the dishes that I could easily have had but I felt like a steak so went for the Grain fed, 250g WAKANUI SCOTCH with béarnaise and a jus which I just loved.

Others had the HONEY-GLAZED GRILLED POUSSIN with harissa and blackened tomato, the BRAISED DUCK AGNOLOTTI with Parsnip, pickled pear and duck crackling, RICCOTTA & SPINACH TORTELLI with Tomato, basil and parmesan and the LINE-CAUGHT TARAKIHI Candied grapes, fennel and toasted almonds

We shared sides of MIXED LEAF SALAD with lemon and avocado oil, FRENCH FRIES with fresh herbs and STEAMED ASPARAGUS with picada – all passed the test.

Verdict on mains? Well I’ll leave that to my fellow dinner guests. Tom said the Scampi risotto was scrumptious, Marie said the fish was gorgeous, Deb declared the poussin “perfection on a plate”, Lena loved the rissotto, Murray said the duck was excellent, Juls rated the tortelli really nice and I can’t remember what Al had haha. Ah yes I can after texting him, it was the tarakihi which he pronounced very nice!

For dessert there was a fair bit of couple-sharing going on with the BOMBE ALASKA with Orange & mascarpone parfait with lemon sorbet and the CHOCOLATE & COFFEE MOUSSE with Hazelnut beignet and milk sorbet. No sharing for me though!! I had my own Bombe Alaska and it was gooood. Of course with me not sharing there was no chance of getting a taste from anyone else!!  Both desserts were declared very yummy.

So all in all it was a most enjoyable evening and Chef Cobus Klopper and the team at Ostro did a fine job.

And here’s the party of 8! Merry Christmas to all.

Party of 8 – has been having pot luck dinners for over 30 years!!

This is the third post I’ve done about Mexico (the restaurant) – they must be doing something right. And of course they absolutely are.

Ponsonby Mexico this time. Friday night. Stroll up Norfolk Street. Turn right and we were there. And as a bonus there was a street side table available for the grabbing. Fortunate as it was full and jumping inside!

Actually it was the first time we’d been back since the opening night so were keen to consider the full menu option. As you would. Water arrived promptly, menus already on the table (I like that), waitress arrived, order taken. 5 minutes. Great. Drinks: Margarita (of course) pour madame and Virgin margarita pour moi – to mix my languages – just felt like bursting into French haha.

Ordered 2 soft shell tacos (pan fried fish w/ salsa gribiche, chipotle mayo, red slaw and braised pork belly w/ pomegranate, spiced cabbage, sesame), Mexico fried chicken and a quesadilla (chipotle chicken, portobello mushrooms, oregano & salsa borracha).

The fried chicken arrived in no time, closely followed by the rest. Even before the drinks!

Anyway, to return to the virgin margarita. I often like to sample the non-alcoholic fare and I liked the sound of it – rose water, apple juice, lime juice, sugar, cinnamon rim. It was divine.

That fried chicken though – that is the standout offering for me – being a bit of an old fan of the Colonel. Actually a bit of a new fan as well. Only tend to have it when Deb’s out – then I can tell her I had chicken and salad without having to fib!! But I digress.

The tacos and the quesadilla were scrummy. Oh yes we had a vegetable special as well – little roast potatoes with a spicy tomato sauce – sooo nice.

Mexico smorgasbord

Meantime all was abustle around us with the passing Friday night revellers. Such fun.

For completeness (of course!) we had to try the desserts – Deb had the chocolate tart, the Mexican donuts special for me. The donuts were splendid – five mini donut balls with gooey chocolate in the middle.

TDF Donuts

So another enjoyable night at Mexico. Food was excellent, service was friendly and attentive and maître d’ Josh was a star.

Thanks again to the wonderful Mimi and her team. Oh and Mimi, get those donuts permanently on the menu please.