An exciting Japanese addition
Dish of the week
Situated on the competitive Tory St, Wellington’s latest Japanese restaurant, Enoki, is well worth a visit. At present, the restaurant is focusing on traditional Japanese fare plus some fusioninspired dishes but manager Jensen Rong is eyeing up exciting additions in the future.
‘‘We have a new menu featuring a range of light dishes from $5, plus special dishes, including Japanese-style hot pot and Hainanese chicken rice. These will be ready in two weeks’ time; everything has been developed and we’re just waiting on the design of the menu,’’ he says.
‘‘From mid-June, we’re planning to do a buffet, including a range of quality seafood on Saturdays and Sundays.’’
Rong says the antique environment of the restaurant is geared towards helping customers feel relaxed and says diners can look forward to getting a taste of the special Enoki sauce that’s used in cooking some of the mains.
‘‘Dishes that are cooked with our special Enoki sauce, especially the Enoki lamb, have had great feedback from customers. The curry chicken katsu don and katsu don are some of our other popular dishes.’’
Enoki’s ethos is simple, Rong says: it’s all about retaining the traditional side of Japanese cuisine but also bringing in new and exciting elements.
‘‘We are always aiming to provide and create high-quality food for our customers.’’
82 Tory St, Te Aro
Wellington’s newest patisserie
Already home to some truly outstanding patisseries, Wellington has just welcomed another into its ranks.
Based on Tory St, Grace Patisserie is run by husband-and-wife team Andrew and Mariah Grace and aims to offer something new to the capital’s pastry scene.
The duo’s products fuse French patisserie techniques with Asian flavours, and desserts change with the seasons.
‘‘Every item is made in-house, from the butter sheets of the croissants to the chocolate decor on the petite gateaux,’’ the pair say. ‘‘And for our cafe’s ambience, we wanted our customers to feel like they have enough seating and walking space between other customers. We did this by having fewer tables and seats inside and not trying to fill the cafe up with as many as we could.’’ The Graces also proudly rely on local stockists to supply the beverages that accompany their pastries.
‘‘Not many other businesses in New Zealand use Rich Coffee and True North Tea products yet, but it’s only a matter of time until we see them everywhere, so we’re happy to be one of the first to have them.’’
The lemon-thyme meringue tart, featuring lemon-thyme curd on a Sable Breton and torched Italian meringue, is proving to be an early favourite. There are also plans to introduce high teas and plated evening desserts. ‘‘We hope to be the place to be and where people want to go to for late-night desserts, or even just taking home a sweet treat for themselves.’’
6/100 Tory St, Te Aro
Boneface gets an upgrade
Exciting things are in store for popular Upper Hutt brewery Boneface. Armed with a brandnew There aren’t many spots you can try a pasilla ‘‘raisin’’ chilli in Wellington, so you’d better get down to Machete. The Mushroom Tacos (vegan and glutenfree) feature these special chillies that add a unique earthiness to the dish.
Owner Paul Day says diners are often surprised at how different they are as they lack that sharp heat so often associated with chillies. The tacos are made from corn tortillas, slow-cooked mushrooms and topped with pico de gallo fresh tomato salsa and greens. Everything except the Mexican chillies is sourced locally. Because of its popularity, this is a yearround dish. Order a range of tacos and share a plate.
kitchen and with a revamped menu in the works, the crew is seriously upping its game, adding exciting items to its range.
‘‘Our focus will be on smoked and chargrilled meats, accompanied by gourmet sides and some nice sharing-style platters,’’ says owner Matt Dainty. ‘‘We will also still be doing pizzas and other small dishes.’’
And with the finishing touches being applied to both the team and the premises, Dainty assures punters from across the Hutt and beyond that they’re in for a fresh experience.
‘‘We hope to grow our menu over the next few weeks, while we take on new team members and get into the flow of the new kitchen, which is five-times the size of our last one.’’
27 Blenheim St, Upper Hutt
Go wild
Learn from a marine ecologist, outdoors writer and researcher, and join Peter Langlands’ mushroom foraging expedition. On Saturday, Langlands is taking a small group to look for edible mushrooms in the forest, native bush and open grass areas in a practical workshop. Tickets cost $80 full fee, or $60 for a student. Email matt@ourterroir.nz to inquire. Saturday, 11am-4pm.