Tiffanys
Tables - October 09
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There was something fishy about Yvonne's dinner.
Something fishy
Tiffanys has been one of Christchurch's fine-dining restaurants for 27 years. Surviving like a giant tortoise, on the wrong side of The Strip, there's been no hurry to sample its wares - until a spring set menu for $59 caught our eye. Four of us met at Oxford Terrace's grand old dame one Sunday night to give her a whirl.
In the early 1900s, the Tudor-style Tiffanys was the home of Dr F G Westernra, the registrar at nearby Christchurch Hospital. Much later, a car sales firm took over part of the building. Tiffanys was eventually named after the daughter of George Scrimshaw, an insurance broker who, having bought the property in 1981, saved it from the wrecker's ball.
Today, the building is elegant inside and out, with no sign of fustiness. Yes, Tiffanys has starched white napkins and tablecloths, but there's no angst about rows of cutlery and the restaurant staff are free to have personalities.
Three of our party saw good value in the three-course set menu and went for it. Wine was scarce by the glass, so we ordered a St Hallett Shiraz Gamekeepers Reserve 2006 from Australia's Clare Valley, one of the cheaper bottles at $42.
I asked for a vegetarian version of the set menu, and the maître d' discussed my chances with the chefs before he delivered the verdict. The tortellini from the à la carte menu could replace the meaty mains, with a mixed salad as entrée, he said. Sorted, or so I thought.
The lemon-marinated salmon ceviche with spring greens and crostini was enjoyed by the fish lovers at our table. Another diner savoured the rich, roast Portobello mushroom soup, even though the late arrival of the fresh herb bread meant it was mostly eaten on its own. Beetroot pieces found at the bottom of my mesclun salad spared it from being boring (this was fine dining, after all).
On to mains, the groper on a herb risotto was well baked and seasoned, and very satisfying. The beef medallions were more generous than anticipated and cooked to perfection, medium rare, as requested. They came with roast potatoes and French beans, with rosemary butter. An accompanying dish of courgettes, potatoes, broccoli and carrots, cut into flowers, was enough for four to share.
My vegetable tortellini arrived somewhat different to how it was billed on the menu (smoked Portobello mushroom, goat's cheese and spinach). For one thing, it was atop a bed of what looked like lima beans in a tomato-based sauce. After eating several cheesy pasta parcels, I was surprised to find one inexplicably stuffed with smoked fish. Not a fish eater, I gave the rest of the parcels away and they also contained fish. Hmmmm. Better luck with dessert, I hoped.
The set menu had a choice of sticky date pudding or a lemon tart, but we were also offered a crème brûlée or chocolate mousse. The pair who went for the brûlée declared it smooth and creamy, with a satisfying toffee crunch on top. The sticky date pudding with butterscotch sauce also went down a treat. My lemon tart, being punchy and zesty, soon masked the lingering ill taste of fish. Coffee and petit fours rounded off a good night.
Our meal was more filling than expected (the hungry cyclist in our party did not have to stop at Subway on the way home, as we had jokingly predicted) and it was nicely paced over several hours. Only after the bottle of wine was emptied did we realise we had been given a $62 St Halletts Blackwell Shiraz 2005 from Barossa Valley, not the one we'd ordered. No wonder it was delicious.
Overall, Tiffanys is a good choice of restaurant for a memorable occasion. The 20-odd group celebrating an 80th birthday - the only other diners on this quiet night - seemed to be savouring every moment. Tiffanys' beauty and ambience encourages slow dining and easy conversation. But vegetarians, be warned, this is not the restaurant for you.
Where: 95 Oxford Terrace.
Hours: Seven days from 6pm. Open for lunch in November and December.
Wine: Top-end selection of sparkling, aromatic, red and white wines from $38 to $395. Limited selection by glass.
Prices: Spring menu for $59. Entrées $21-$24, mains $34-$39, desserts $14-$16.
Service: Courteous, if not quite accommodating.
Ambience: Old-world charm and vibe.
Amenities: Very elegant and worth a visit.
