Our first night in Wellington was dinner out with Jacqui, a school buddy of Will's whom I met on our last trip here 2 years ago. we chose one of the top dining spots in town which serves on the "Logan Brown Experience," a tasting menu that is guaranteed to fill you up with local ingredients prices at $130NZD(75.00US including tax!!), a real steal.
The venue is the lobby of an old bank with lots of character and very cozy to boot. It was quiet and while casual, felt very elegant.
The breads (sourdough & fruit) arrived with two fabulous butters: French onion soup and an amazing Miso Truffle! We started with a bottle of "Clos Samuel" Viognier from Milton in Gisborne which was creamy and rich and a delight to drink alone or with our first two courses. Beetroot & Chevre "Tart" (all photos on FB) was a superb salad of grilled asparagus, beets, goat cheese from Kapiti Island to the north, lonzo (cured pork akin to prosciutto, but thicker), caramel walnut dressing and a flax seed circle perched atop. It was almost too pretty to eat!
Perhaps one of the best pasta dishes ever came next. Paua Ravioli is Logan Brown's signature dish on the menu since opening in 1996 and we know why. The abalone mousse filled ravioli were in a decadent Coriander & Lime Beurre Blanc with crisp kumara (sweet potato) shredded atop. It was so rich, yet so perfect, we wanted more but moved on.
We ordered a glass of Neudorf Tirititi Chardonnay (there are also paired wines per course, which this was) which was fruitier than most chardonnays, yet very dry and ideal with the Line Caught Hapuku (local Grouper) with heirloom tomato, smoked eel beignet, macadamia and ajo blanco dill dressing with olives. Another fabulous local fish that makes you really want to eat (and maybe live) here all the time.
Next came the Lemongrass Confit Pork Belly with Crayfish Sausage, Red Dates, Grapefruit na d Lime leaf Crackling in Citrus Beurre Blanc. They did not want to give this to me because of the grapefruit slice, and I said it was fine and would simply not eat it, and was I glad I did. Will got a Cauliflower steak with caramelized harissa, whipped feta, pomegranate and crispy kale which he loved.
We switched to a perfect Pinot Noir Schubert Selection from Martinborough (the paired wine for the next course). The Costal Spring Lamb was from the west coast of the North Island and came with Potato & Caper Gratin, Tomato Jus, superb Fresh peas and Garlic Puree. It was delish, but I was a tad upset that the menu said it came with Smoked Tomato Sweetbreads and I would have loved to taste that.
Dessert was a delish Passionfruit White Chocolate Cheesecake Brulee with yuzu sable, dulce de leche, fig leaf gelato and blueberries that was not too sweet or to cheesy; another perfect dessert with all three plates wiped clean.
Our server Misha and Amber were fun and a delight and they even brought a taste of dessert wine called Fromm Spätlese Riesling 2024 from Marlborough, but it was not sweet enough for our palates!!
We loved the whole meal and the whole experience, and it was the perfect start to our short weekend in Wellington.
