While Dani had dinner with her friend Laura, I went across the street from our hotel and had a solo dinner at Martin Bosley’s, which has been voted New Zealand’s best restaurant. The emphasis here is on fish, which is appropriate, given their singular location on the harbor.
My meal was as good as any on this trip, including the Michelin three-stars in Sydney. In fact, it was in my top ten ever. I had the Menu Degustation with matching wines. Nearly all the course were a home run, especially. When there were several elements on one plate. And the wine pairings were perfect, the best wines I’ve had on this trip, and all perfect matches. Service was professional but friendly, and the owner came by to say hello at the end of the evening.
Although I didn’t get a copy of the menu (in fact, there wasn’t one for the Menu Degustation), here are my recollections:
Amuse bouche of salmon with salmon foam and candied rosemary
Roderer Brut
Blue nose sashimi (tartare) with mandarin orange oil and purée, and dehydrated (freeze dried) mandarin orange wedge
Porcini Mushroom and cinnamon meringue with duck pate and apple cube. Wow!
Riesling
Crab & cocoanut risotto with salmon eggs! And I hate risotto, but not this.
Pinot Gris
Duck! caramelized onions, garlic compote
Pinot Noir
Valrhona chocolate
Graham’s 10 year Tawny
Baba calvados lemon curd yoghurt
Chapoutier muscat
