So Wellington on a Plate has been going for four days now, and I have three things to report back on so far. Good on me, let’s see if I can keep this pace up (I won’t be able to). The Suite Life at the Bolton Hotel Tapas and wine Dine Wellington menu at Sterling […]
This post is sponsored by Cuisine magazine. Thanks! Go buy a subscription. We’re often full of advice about places to go for a feed, because as Madonna said, everyone should experience eating out, but sometimes some of us do like to stay at home and cook. So, harking back to the time when we challenged y’all […]
We didn’t have the TAWAs this year, but lots of awesomeness still took place. Here’s a very self-indulgent look at what I particularly loved and didn’t – hopefully other Wellingtonistas will add their own posts too.
Over the past couple of months I have been reviewing Malaysian restaurants all around Wellington for Malaysia Kitchen (full disclosure – I got refunded some of the costs). It’s time to share the reviews! With so many Malaysian restaurants to choose from in the capital, sometimes the decision simply comes down to whereabouts you are at any […]
There may be no such thing as a free lunch, but there are cheap and/or free things for you to do every single day in Wellington. Because Wellingtonista not only loves Wellington, but also YOU, we’ve compiled a bit of a list for what you can do every day. Monday: If you go to Chow, […]
On Monday night my sister and I went to our first Wellington on a Plate event – the way sold-out (they added a couple more sessions even) Cupcakes and Cocktails at Martha’s Pantry. Given that neither of us is a slouch in the kitchen or bar, we weren’t sure how much we’d actually learn from the event, but since cupcakes and cocktails are two of our favourite things, we thought we’d give it a go. And when we walked in the door and saw that the McKenzie brothers were doing the mixing, we knew we were in safe hands.
I figure I’ll do this post basically just a series of cupcake porn photos. You don’t mind, do you? Good.
This was what was waiting for each of us at the tables – sandwiches to nibble on, cupcakes, icing and the cupcake recipe. We were also given Winter Pimms Punch to drink.
We had a couple of demonstrations about different ways to pipe, and were let loose on our own cocktails.
You can see here that we had varying techniques and levels of success with that.
Then, before too much icing could accidently end up in our mouths, Justin McKenzie, wearing one blue glove that was kind of creepy let us in on the magic formula for cocktails: two parts strong, one part sweet, one part sour. It’s so simple, I wasted all that money in Hooch and Hawthorne and Cuckoo for nothing!
For my first Wellington on a Plate meal deal, I decided to go to Finc, with the delightful company of a friend I’d just seen killed twice on Saturday night. People have differing opinions about Finc, but for myself, I’ve always found it great in the evenings and very average at lunchtimes. For pork belly, I would take the plunge.
Congratulations to Richard who you will find hiding away at Munchen Burger getting his borsct on. This week we’ve got our last prize to give away, thanks to celebrate Wellington on a Plate, thanks to the lovely Positively Wellington Tourism, we have a $100 voucher to The Occidental to give away.
Congratulations to Tracey who wants to be burgered senseless but will also be enjoying a good time at the General Practitioner as well. This week, to celebrate Wellington on a Plate, thanks to the lovely Positively Wellington Tourism, we have a $100 voucher to Sojourn Cafe in the James Cook Grand Chancellor to give away.
It’s true that hotel cafes might not be the first place that springs to mind when you’re thinking about where to eat, but maybe it’s time to reconsider. Sojourn’s lunch special during Wellington on a Plate sounds delicious:
Lunch Offer – $25 set menu
Choose any two courses plus a glass of Wellington regional wine, and a cup of tea or coffee
Starter
Smoked salmon timbale, filled horseradish, cream cheese, olives and artichokes orMozzarella wrapped in zucchini over aubergine galette with a vino cotto reduction
Mains
Chargrilled lamb rump over potato gratin infused by rosemary, served with chicory and radicchio orPoached thresher shark laid over a Chardonnay risotto infused by lemon pepper and rustic tomato sauce