North Eatery challenges perceptions of salads
When Jodi McIntyre and Rob Essenburg decided to move to Nelson and open a new restaurant during a pandemic they knew they may need to pivot quickly.
Little did they know it would be just weeks after opening the doors at North Eatery in upper Moutere, near Nelson.
The couple, along with daughter Koa Essenburg, 3, shifted south from Wellington and took over the cafe´ space at Heaphy Winery in August 2021.
The move south came as Essenburg – a former head chef at Wellington’s Egmont St Eatery – was heading back to work after a year as a stay-at-home dad.
Ready to open their own business, the couple also wanted Koa to live in a smaller area, and were looking for a space that wasn’t too big, what McIntyre described as ‘‘that boutique feel’’.
So, when they found the space at Heaphy they grabbed it.
They also run the cellar door and offer tasting of Heaphy and Kahurangi wines.
McIntyre, who has spent her career in hospitality and runs the front of house at North Eatery, said she did ‘‘a lot of research’’ to make sure Heaphy was a brand they were happy to be the ambassadors for.
The name North Eatery came from their homes – hers in Northland and Essenburg’s in North America.
The menu focuses on sourdough pizzas, and salads, with the latter often a surprise to people, she said.
Most Kiwis thought of a salad as lettuce, tomato and cucumber, but theirs were made through a ‘‘very thoughtful process’’ using seasonal and local ingredients.
An example on the menu at the time of writing was a grilled green bean salad, with fennel, nectarines, hazelnuts, basil and olives.
Many diners ‘‘really struggled’’ with the concepts, but were usually quite wowed, McIntyre said. ‘‘You have to come try it – come try it, and then you’ll be fixed for the rest of your life. It’s one of those experiences you do think about after you’ve left.’’
The menu was quite different to many wineries, with a meal for two usually only costing about $70.
While the restaurant was new to the area, locals were a core part of their business, with some already becoming regulars, McIntyre said. ‘‘It’s taken a while, we definitely see a lot of familiar faces coming back through which is awesome, because it is definitely a local market.’’