In conjunction with the ongoing New Zealand Festival, Whitebait & Kale has launched a two-month-long food and wine promotion featuring a variety of New Zealand produce and Maori native herbs.
A selection of specials will be rotated throughout the promotion, and these will be reflected on the restaurant's iconic blackboard. Lunchtime will see three to four specials, while dinner will have six to seven.
A media tasting earlier this week provided the opportunity to sample head chef Nabil Tan's cooking, which was enhanced by the use of Maori herbs and spices such as piko piko fern tips, horopito wild peppers, kawakawa herbs, korego seaweed, kumara (sweet potato) and persimmons.
While these unfamiliar names may conjure up images of a smoking Hangi, or an outdoor pit oven, their inclusion in the dishes I tried earlier this week was not at all overbearing. It was subtle and delicate. While you could taste a difference in the dishes, there is no fear that the novel flavours will offend the palate.
Take the crayfish, for example. Spiced with horopito and served with rhubarb and kiwi salsa, the dish had a slight peppery, aromatic taste which was quite pleasantly paired with the tangy kiwi salsa.
The New Zealand Southern little-neck clams (main picture) did taste novel, thanks to the herbs which gave the savoury lemon-butter broth an aromatic flavour. These clams are prized for their sweet taste and delicate texture, and the ones I tried were most pleasing.
More seafood in the form of a baked lemon sole loin with organic kipfler potato. The light, buttery taste of the sole was balanced by the slight tanginess of the accompanying light pink lady apple sauce. While this dish did not seem ostensibly unusual, it was a showcase of New Zealand produce - the sole, kipfler potato and apples were all brought here from New Zealand.
Of course, one cannot think of New Zealand produce without thinking of lamb. The grilled lamb rack I tried yesterday was tender, well-prepared and went well with the muhammara, or red pepper and walnut, dip.
Pavlova with fresh cream, passionfruit sorbet & fresh mixed berries
The Pavlova is a meringue dessert which New Zealanders and Australians both lay claim to. The version you find at Whitebait & Kale is served with fresh cream, passionfruit sorbet and mixed berries. This is the lightest of all the desserts on the restaurant's menu, and is therefore an ideal choice if you'd had a pretty full main course but are still hankering after something sweet. The candy-like dessert will definitely satisfy your sweet tooth, while the tangy passionfruit sorbet and fresh cream both help to balance its sweetness.
Another New Zealand dessert featured was the lemon tart with mango sauce. This classic dessert may look small, but it is dense and satisfying - not too sweet, not too sour, but just right.
Cheese and wine lovers should check out the New Zealand artisan cheese platter, which gives you a selection of four types of New Zealand cheese served with quince and crackers.
New Zealand Artisan Cheese Platter
Three New Zealand wines are also featured during this promotion. I tried the Lawson's Dry Hills Gewurztraminer 2005 which was almost ambrosial.
Just in case you were wondering, Whitebait & Kale's regular menu is still available alongside the "Tasting New Zealand" promotion. If you do not want to venture beyond the tried and tested, you can always order your fish and chips, oven-baked spatchcock and all your other favourites.
Tasting New Zealand is on at Whitebait & Kale from now until 30 June, and is supported by the New Zealand Festival 2007.
Whitebait & Kale
One Orchard Boulevard,
Camden Medical Centre #01-01
(S) 248649
Tel: 6333-8697
