A place to meat, greet, and drink

Renovations at a New Plymouth bar and eatery have transformed a dining area into a ‘‘high class steak restaurant,’’ owners say.

The former dining area upstairs at Frederic’s bar has been renamed Meat and Liquor and is focused on serving quality food and drinks, owner-manager Cohen Baird said.

‘‘We’ve rebranded but the focus is still on serving prime cuts of high quality meat sourced from suppliers we know.’’

Baird said a wide range of alcohol, including 14 different whiskies and six individual bourbons, was available.

‘‘The bar is martini focused and the cocktails are an opportunity to showcase the spirits range.’’

The supply chain represented a ‘‘mixed bag’’ of New Zealand and Australian farms, co-owner and manager Lara Toyne said.

Beef, including grass fed wagyu, lamb, venison, chicken and fresh fish was on the menu.

Among the farm suppliers was Taranaki’s Green Meadows Farm, which runs a beef finishing farm for 500 head of 12 month to two year old angus cattle, south of Opunake. The grass fed steers were slaughtered at a predetermined weight to ensure quality remained consistent.

‘‘We’ve had a good relationship with our previous suppliers and it’s a good opportunity to showcase their products,’’ Toyne said.

‘‘Our chefs, know exactly what they are getting to cook, and this is passed onto our customers.’’

Business partner Craig Macfarlane said knowing who the supplier was and that the product had been grown sustainably was critical, he said.

‘‘Customers have become more discerning and knowing where the product is grown helped to lift the level of service we are providing.’’

The restaurant had been reinvented and rebranded to keep pace with the changing nature of the hospitality industry, he said.

‘‘We felt there was a need for a high class steak restaurant in New Plymouth, and what we have come up with is what we would like ourselves. It is important to meet what the market wanted, and being good at what we do, otherwise you get left behind.’’