Fat August
This year, considering the annual food festival (long may it continue) of Wellington On A Plate, Team Wellington fangirls decided to go to a bunch of the places and dine sumptuously together…
The first place we went to was El Matador - Cafe, Asador Grill & Bar for lunch. The food was tasty and I am going back there specifically for the churros at some point. I don’t think they’ve put much effort into the décor, although I would always rather they put more effort into the food than the décor.
The very next day we went to La Boca Loca also for lunch. The food was nice - I would be happy to go there if I happened to be in Miramar - but not so amazing that I would trek all the way there just to go again. I was told it’s fairly authentic Mexican, not that I would know. The décor was cheerful. The non-alcoholic beverage was kiwifruit juice mixed with something else - guava I think? - and was surprisingly delicious; usually I don’t like kiwifruit juice.
We then went just a couple of places down the road to The Roxy Cinema, where I had never been. The Roxy is a very picturesque place, beautifully renovated, and lovely in every way except the height of the otherwise very comfy leather seats in the cinema. I had to rest my feet on my bag so as not to have them swinging. I am short yes, but not so very short that I feel that this should happen to me.
We went to see Now You See Me which had the most shoehorned in romance plot I remember ever seeing. They really should have stuck with heists, stage magic, and explosions. Those were fun.
We then sat around and chatted until it was time to have dinner at CoCo at The Roxy. The food was lovely, and the roast beetroot tartlet starter was especially fine. However, the bit which really impressed me was the bar. The pre-dinner cocktails lived up to the beauty of the surroundings, and (I am told) were delicious. Also the bit where the rest of the cocktail shaker was pouring into little jugs to top up the cocktail glasses is a very nice touch. The chairs were comfy, and we had a nice alcove to chat in. I really must go back there sometime when I’m not being sober driver and try some. My mocktail was nice, as was my pot of tea though.
The next week,
hazel and I were off to the only actual Event we went to, and the only Fat August dining experience lacking others of Team Wellington. this was The Whittaker’s Hip’ High Tea “A decadent Whittaker’s Chocolate high tea in Hippopotamus Restaurant”.
That was a fancy, fancy place. Very lushly decorated, (I wonder where one sources taxidermied peacocks? I saw at least 6 of them) and with a waterfront view. The bathroom even had the ‘dry your hands on individual towels and put them in the basket’ thing happening. I was therefore extra unimpressed that they messed up our drink orders at the start and gave me the mocktail and
hazel the cocktail, even if we did each actually like the taste of the drink that we hadn’t ordered better. Still! Be better swish restaurant!
Everything was delicious, and they came to refill the tea at reasonable intervals, but the sweet to savoury ratio of the high tea was far too unbalanced in favour of sweet, probably because of association with Whittakers. I will not be doing this event again next year - we had to sit quietly at the waterfront for quite a while to recover from all the sugar - but it was nice to try.
That evening we went on to have dinner at Floriditas with more of Team Wellington. The food was delicious and they had a vegetarian option for each course. The homemade lemonade was delicious and the Riesling was very very sweet. Definitely a dessert wine, I tried to have it with my main, was warned about the sweetness, ordered it anyway, and then had to drink it after I’d finished my risotto. It tasted good anyway. Then stuffed with much good food I slept like the dead that evening.
Next day it was time to have lunch at Finc. I got the burger (Burger Wellington!) and it was very nice. A rye bun works surprisingly well, and the big slab of beetroot was nice with it, and it was a good chicken patty. Kudos for it being gluten free as well. I do still feel that Finc is a bit overpriced, but it’s in central Wellington, so…
And then it was time for the final Fat August dinner at Bebemos where wow do they believe in proper portion sizes, and the food is very hearty. I ate until I was full, and then got the leftovers to take away and ate until full at lunch the next day. This would be a fantastic student pub. It would also be worth driving to Newtown on a grumpy winter day just to have a really hearty beans and rice and maybe a tap beer of the day, if I ever start to drink (lightly) and drive. Curse my lightweight liver!
And that was Fat August.
Tomorrow, roller derby!
This entry was originally posted at http://tamarillow.dreamwidth.org/6064.html. Please comment there using OpenID.
The first place we went to was El Matador - Cafe, Asador Grill & Bar for lunch. The food was tasty and I am going back there specifically for the churros at some point. I don’t think they’ve put much effort into the décor, although I would always rather they put more effort into the food than the décor.
The very next day we went to La Boca Loca also for lunch. The food was nice - I would be happy to go there if I happened to be in Miramar - but not so amazing that I would trek all the way there just to go again. I was told it’s fairly authentic Mexican, not that I would know. The décor was cheerful. The non-alcoholic beverage was kiwifruit juice mixed with something else - guava I think? - and was surprisingly delicious; usually I don’t like kiwifruit juice.
We then went just a couple of places down the road to The Roxy Cinema, where I had never been. The Roxy is a very picturesque place, beautifully renovated, and lovely in every way except the height of the otherwise very comfy leather seats in the cinema. I had to rest my feet on my bag so as not to have them swinging. I am short yes, but not so very short that I feel that this should happen to me.
We went to see Now You See Me which had the most shoehorned in romance plot I remember ever seeing. They really should have stuck with heists, stage magic, and explosions. Those were fun.
We then sat around and chatted until it was time to have dinner at CoCo at The Roxy. The food was lovely, and the roast beetroot tartlet starter was especially fine. However, the bit which really impressed me was the bar. The pre-dinner cocktails lived up to the beauty of the surroundings, and (I am told) were delicious. Also the bit where the rest of the cocktail shaker was pouring into little jugs to top up the cocktail glasses is a very nice touch. The chairs were comfy, and we had a nice alcove to chat in. I really must go back there sometime when I’m not being sober driver and try some. My mocktail was nice, as was my pot of tea though.
The next week,
hazel and I were off to the only actual Event we went to, and the only Fat August dining experience lacking others of Team Wellington. this was The Whittaker’s Hip’ High Tea “A decadent Whittaker’s Chocolate high tea in Hippopotamus Restaurant”.
That was a fancy, fancy place. Very lushly decorated, (I wonder where one sources taxidermied peacocks? I saw at least 6 of them) and with a waterfront view. The bathroom even had the ‘dry your hands on individual towels and put them in the basket’ thing happening. I was therefore extra unimpressed that they messed up our drink orders at the start and gave me the mocktail and
hazel the cocktail, even if we did each actually like the taste of the drink that we hadn’t ordered better. Still! Be better swish restaurant!
Everything was delicious, and they came to refill the tea at reasonable intervals, but the sweet to savoury ratio of the high tea was far too unbalanced in favour of sweet, probably because of association with Whittakers. I will not be doing this event again next year - we had to sit quietly at the waterfront for quite a while to recover from all the sugar - but it was nice to try.
That evening we went on to have dinner at Floriditas with more of Team Wellington. The food was delicious and they had a vegetarian option for each course. The homemade lemonade was delicious and the Riesling was very very sweet. Definitely a dessert wine, I tried to have it with my main, was warned about the sweetness, ordered it anyway, and then had to drink it after I’d finished my risotto. It tasted good anyway. Then stuffed with much good food I slept like the dead that evening.
Next day it was time to have lunch at Finc. I got the burger (Burger Wellington!) and it was very nice. A rye bun works surprisingly well, and the big slab of beetroot was nice with it, and it was a good chicken patty. Kudos for it being gluten free as well. I do still feel that Finc is a bit overpriced, but it’s in central Wellington, so…
And then it was time for the final Fat August dinner at Bebemos where wow do they believe in proper portion sizes, and the food is very hearty. I ate until I was full, and then got the leftovers to take away and ate until full at lunch the next day. This would be a fantastic student pub. It would also be worth driving to Newtown on a grumpy winter day just to have a really hearty beans and rice and maybe a tap beer of the day, if I ever start to drink (lightly) and drive. Curse my lightweight liver!
And that was Fat August.
Tomorrow, roller derby!
This entry was originally posted at http://tamarillow.dreamwidth.org/6064.html. Please comment there using OpenID.