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REGION TWO
When we ate at Table Seven, in Dunedin, the cocktail-making Michael told us that we had to visit Gantleys when we were in Queenstown. Knowing his judgement with our meal in Dunedin, we took his advice and we were not disappointed. The restaurant isn't actually in Queenstown, it's about 7 kms away on the road to Arrowtown. We went one evening and from the outside the whole place has a warm, welcoming glow.
Once inside that feeling continues. We were greeted by Brent, the owner, who told us the history of the place. He and the chef have been there for nine years, I think, and between them they have won a load of awards. All I can say after our night there is however many they may have won, they deserve more. We realise when we go to places and they know we are going to write about them that they will take special care of us. We don't mind and it gives us a chance to find out more. But I noticed that whoever entered Brent's restaurant, he was there to greet them so it wasn't just a show for us.
Once we left the bar and went to our table things got even better, if that's possible. Now look, for a change, I'm not going to even tell you what we had. It wouldn't matter because I know that everything here would be great. You could of course play a little guessing game and look at the pictures and see what was on our plates but my suggestion is to drop what you're doing, head down the Queenstown-Arrowtown road and go along to Gantleys.
After the meal Brent showed us his wine library but refused to let me borrow a few bottle which I would of course have returned before the due date; empty. He actually suggested that Ev buy a bottle of wine, maybe in France, keep it for fifteen years and then sell it to him and he would open it and we could drink it. Sounded too good to be true. Oh look I will tell you what we had. Ev had a baby. Between her starter and main she had a baby. Shall I explain? There was a young couple in from Queensland and they had a very young child with them. While they ate their starter, Ev looked after the baby. By the way the baby wanted the dessert, she was too young for aperitif (a pair of teeth?). Will Gantleys let me back after that? I hope so; otherwise I'll sit in the library and wine.
Contact Details: Website www.gantleys.co.nz;, email: gantleys@xtra.co.nz Tel:0064 (0)3 442 8999
With the promise of food, I agreed to another 450 metre Gondola ascent and, as it was dark, I couldn't even go to the luge. But our meal in the Gondola restaurant more then made up for it. They found us a table near the window but even in the dark I sat on the inside seat. However I must say the view down to the twinkling lights of Queenstown was pretty good. It is a buffet service and once you have been shown to your table, you just wander over to the food and pick what you want.
With no waiter/waitress service it is therefore important that the food is well-presented and, if you need help, there is someone there to advise you. Skyline restaurant did not let us down here and, on top of that, the choice was vast and the actual food magic. I think all of this going up and down in a gondola is getting to me. "They didn't let us down" and "on top of that", are definitely uplifting phrases.
The whole experience was superb; I even managed to forget about the trip back down again, well nearly. The setting for the restaurant is obviously unique in Queenstown and in the summer, I think, they also open for lunches. I cannot imagine a better view while you enjoy the cuisine and take in the surrounding beauty. At night, unless you sit where I do, the beauty may not be so visible but everything else is and many thanks to the staff for letting us experience it.
Contact Details: Website www.skyline.co.nz; email: Tel:0064 (0)3 441 0101
We arrived in Queenstown on an autumnal Saturday night, ready for the bustling nightlife we knew would be there. It wasn't. It was amazingly quiet. We were hungry. We needed to find a friendly restaurant to eat in and then write about. About half of them seemed to be shut as they took a month off during the quiet season. Eventually we found Sombreros and not only were they nice enough to invite us to a meal, it also had a really pleasant feel to it, with, unusually for a restaurant, a separate lounge-like area where you could have a before dinner drink or an after dinner coffee.
You've probably guessed by now that much of the food was Mexican and I didn't think I could keep that under my hat. We entered into the spirit and tried some typical Mexican food, having sizzling fajitas with different fillins and, if you have a look in the second photo, a little bit of a typical Mexican drink too. Everyone was very helpful and the service was good. I think sometimes larger restaurants forget about their customers and just concentrate on rolling them in. This is why we often eat in smaller places where you will have a more relaxing time and feel you are actually being served with your food rather than your dish being the next off the conveyor belt.
Contact Details: website; N/A, email: manana@xtra.co.nz Tel: 0064 (0)3 442 8420
There aren't that many restaurants in Franz Josef. There aren't that many people in Franz Josef either so it was a very pleasant surprise to find the Blue Ice Cafe and to discover that it caters for quite a few different styles of evening entertainment. Downstairs there is a restaurant area, neatly laid out and serving really good food, more later. Actually that was our comment too because having eaten there one night we came back the next night and went upstairs where they serve pizzas and have a bar area with, occasionally a dj and music.
For the meal we started differently and continued in that way. Ev took a chicken salad with cashew nuts while I, reading it was a bit of a speciality, went for the seafood chowder. And I have to say it was one of the best I have ever tasted. Having spent virtually every minute of the last four and a half years with Ev I suppose this rubs off on me when I am making a choice of food. As a result I went for the groper, which is a fish in case you didn't know, and she, obviously thinking of me, went for the rack of lamb, tender and almost regal in appearance. Both were beautiful and we were so well fed that we left the dessert till the following day when we came back for a pizza.
This time we ate upstairs and the last photo shows the table they have up there which must be one of the longest I have ever seen. I know the photo isn't fantastic but I wanted you to see it. I also would like you to pop along there and try the food, which is fantastic. As you can also take on a walk on the glacier during the day, I would say you are pretty much in paradise both for scenery and food.
Contact Details: website; N/A, email: blue_ice_cafe@hotmail.co.nz Tel:0064 (0)3 752 0707
