High standards continue at local eateries

Two Kaikoura restaurants have been awarded with New Zealand Beef & Lamb Hallmark of Excellence Awards.

The White Morph Restaurant and Hislop's Wholefood Cafe received gold plates for the prestigious award which they have each won six times.

The only other Marlborough restaurant to win the award this time was Hotel d'Urville in Blenheim.

A secret diner or diners visited restaurants around Kaikoura and Marlborough to assess them for the award.

White Morph owner and chef Garry Ford said he was very proud of his team as the award highlighted the consistency of the restaurant's beef and lamb dishes.

"Doing the same dish well every time is what we aim for," he said.

The assessors described the lamb dish as exceptionally tender and beautifully smoked, "a faultless fusion of innovative flavours, superb seasoning and visual presentation".

Co-owner Kerry Ford said the compliments from customers showed they appreciate the hard work, "but they're sometimes surprised they can get this quality in Kaikoura.

"It's great that two out of the three Marlborough plates have gone to Kaikoura; it helps put us on the map," she said.

White Morph chefs also work at Bayside Blue Cafe.

Hislop's owner Elizabeth Hislop said the cafe had entered the Beef and Lamb awards since 2004 and had won each year except one when the cafe was closed for renovations.

Hislop's manager Rachel Pharazyn said the prestigious award gave confidence that high standards were recognised and being met.

Head chef Sara van Reenen said Hislop's used only organic beef and lamb and bought the entire animal, not just certain cuts of meat. This meant chefs were preparing a variety of cuts all the time rather than the same thing over and over, which kept the job interesting but also made it more challenging: "It's more exciting to cook."

The assessors praised Hislop's "lean and flavoursome beef" and perfectly cooked vegetables and jus in a dish showcasing "fresh, vibrant ingredients and masterful technique".

They said the lamb was expertly cooked, trimmed and flavoursome: "This was judged a superb meal, excelling in every aspect of Hallmark criteria and full credit is due to the kitchen."

- © Fairfax NZ News

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