Our last evening at Blanket Bay was by far the best meal of all three there. We had met a wonderful couple from Brisbane and decided to eat together, and we had a ball with them. Our cocktails went back to our standard Scapegrace Vodka Martinis and the yummy pre-dinner tuna sliders on brioche with grilled pineapple were delish.
We ordered a Cox's Vineyard 2023 from Gibbston in the nearby Central Otago Valley which Damien the fabulous sommelier recommended, and it was fabulous. Our friends, Adam & Alex ordered a Felton Road 2019 Calvert Pinot Noir also from the Central Otago wine region and it was truly a revelation as are so many of the unknown wines of this region. (Today we visited Maude Winery on the suggestion of Damien and had a brilliant tasting and ended up shipping some back to the US).
The first course was a gorgeous pair of Te Matuku North Island tempura oysters with yuzu koshu that we all reveled at. This was followed by a beautiful Burrata (that Jayden explained was formed in house by stuffing the mozzarella with ricotta), heritage tomato, compressed peach, basil puree, balsamic and last year's pickled green tomato! (all the fotos are on FB).
The main course was a brilliantly cooked local Snapper Fillet in green onion Dashi broth with Remarkables (a local farm vendor) Fungi, Snow Peas, Edamame and Nori Powder accompanied by a deliciously crispy spring roll filled with Remarkables Fungi, Bok Choy & Green Onion.
Will & I decided to split a dessert and cheese as did Adam & Alex and we loved the Pineapple Kalamansi Roulade (which was not very pineapple-y) with vanilla sponge dipped in chocolate with fresh raspberries and blueberries, compressed cherries (these were awesome), chocolate/raspberry crumb and yoghurt sorbet. It was so refreshing it was all gone in seconds. The cheeses changed a bit with the same Pecorino as before but two new ones: Double Cream Brie and a yummy New Zealand Blue Brie.
Pistachio and Hazelnut Chocolate Biscuits (called "mendiants" in French--or "beggars") sent us off very happily as they were divine with the Scapegrace Whiskey.
What a fabulous last night here in the Southern Alps.
