Flavours of South Korea on Willis St
Dish of the week
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After two years as a popular Capital Market stall, Oriental Blues has been reincarnated as flashy Seoul Salon, right next door. ‘‘We wanted our own space where we could do what we really wanted to do,’’ says owner Hee Yeon Jung.
‘‘Our original plan was to spend two or three years at Capital Market trying things out. Now we’ve moved, with a new name and menu, and we’re looking forward to welcoming our regular customers again.’’
Jung describes Seoul Salon as a ‘‘contemporary East Asian’’ restaurant led by Korean and Japanese flavours. Starters such as edamame and gochujang spare ribs are followed by mains such as kimchi fried rice and yaki udon.
The bibimbap (a Korean rice dish topped with vegetables or beef) is proving a customer favourite.
Prices for the mains sit comfortably in the $20-and-under mark, even in the evening.
Jung says her vision for Seoul Salon is to be an inviting spot in the city centre where office workers can stop by in their lunch breaks to take it easy with some fine Asian food. Takeaways are also available.
‘‘We’ve got plans to add a lot more to our menu as we go, and we’re looking at expanding into catering and adding online ordering too,’’ she says.
145 Willis St
Dr Mojo will see you now
Patients, staff, and visitors at Wellington Hospital can get their Mojo fix without leaving the premises, thanks to a new pop-up.
Based in the Clinical Services Block, the Mojo coffee cart is serving its premium brews while a permanent cafe is being built on site.
‘‘We’re hoping the permanent space will be ready around Easter,’’ says Mojo general manager Katy Ellis.
In keeping with the Mojo outlets dotted around Wellington and Auckland, the hospital cafe will boast a slick interior by Allistar Cox, who also designed the interior for Matterhorn.
Not surprisingly for a hospital, the theme will revolve around wellbeing and sustainability – reusable cups will be available, takeaways will be provided in compostable packaging, and the menu will focus on healthier options.
A festival with spirit
First there was Beervana, then Wellington on a Plate took the city by storm. Now, the masterminds behind Wellington’s culinary festivals have launched Highball, New Zealand’s first dedicated spirits and cocktail festival.
An ‘‘immersive two-day celebration’’, Highball brings together more than 20 local and international distilleries. Mingle with Reid + Reid, Thompson Whisky, Stolen Rum, Glenfiddich, Johnnie Walker, Bushmills and more.
Bar takeovers during the festival will see top local bartenders such as Ray Letoa (The Roxy), Peter Lowry (Forresters Lane and The Library), Abi Chilcott (Havana Bar), and Alex Vowles (Hawthorn, Cuckoo, and CGR Merchants) mixing cocktails from the bar at the Embassy.
There will also be a stunning lineup of speakers from around the world.
May 11-12, 2019, Embassy Theatre It all starts with a bit of sourdough culture, and it finishes with plenty of butter.
The ham and gruyere croissant at Baker Gramercy is a contradiction.
It appears so simple – a ham and cheese croissant, but it takes three days to make and needs some serious skill and attention to detail.
Owner James Whyte says the croissant is made from 27 layers of dough, wrapped around Cameron Harrison award-winning ham, swiss reserve gruyere, and a dab of wholegrain mustard.
‘‘You’ll see it, and you’ll want to scoff it,’’ he says.
Treat yourself, exclusively on a Saturday morning (for the time being). You’ve earned it.
Where to get your sourdough
Served warm with herb butter, or as a base of a bacon butty, few breads can match the versatility of sourdough. Thankfully, there’s no shortage of places to get your fix.
Begin with Starta, Wellington Sourdough’s flagship bakery and cafe. Tucked away in Left Bank, it’s Catherine Adams’ brainchild. Her products grace the tables of cafes such as Loretta and Floriditas. The No 8 Mr Potato Man loaf comes highly recommended.
Just down the road you’ll find Leeds Street Bakery, where the polenta loaves are as popular as the famed salted caramel cookies.
Or head to Arobake in Aro Valley, home not only to the spectacular sprouted buckwheat sourdough but some of Wellington’s best cakes and burger buns.
If you’re out in the Hutt, make sure you stop by Little Bread Loaf, the purveyors of fine Polish bread. Pressed for time? Simply order a loaf online and pick it up in Wellington’s CBD.
Shelly Bay Bakery doesn’t have a walk-in store but you can find its wares in markets, Commonsense Organics, and eateries across town. Finally, pop into Bakery Gramercy in Berhampore, for an impressive range of loaves and legendary custard and chocolate brioches.