Food: 3.5 stars
Service: 4 stars
Ambience: 3.5 stars
Girl friends, tick. Sunshine, tick. Betsy Blue, tick. Bestsy Blue is the name of my girlfriend’s new Mini Cooper. Besty Blue did her rounds and picked up four gorgeous single ladies. Well, single for the morning, at least. Brunch with my girlfriends seem to taste better when I pretend that I am single. Matterhorn used to be one of my favourite restaurants, having won Cuisine Magazine’s Restaurant of the Year in 2008. The new owner of this iconic Wellington establishment is the Olympic sprint runner turned restauranteur is passionate about delivering a memorable brunch experience in a more refined style than you would find in most Wellington cafes.
When we arrived at 10.30am on a Saturday morning, we were offered the option of sitting inside by the roaring fireplace or in the semi-outdoor courtyard area. We chose the latter and the heat lamp above was thoughtfully turned on for us to stave off the chilly autumn air. For the main, I ordered the Spiced lentils, eggplant, zucchini, tahini, soft boiled egg. It was moreish. The sweet and tangy tomato relish was a perfect accompaniment to the spiced lentil and the zucchini provided just enough freshness to lift the dish. The big quenelle of cream fraiche was a surprise, however, since I don’t like dairy and it wasn’t listed in the description. For the dessert, I ordered the Summer stone fruit frangipane tart. What was served was a slice of pear pie with a dollop of lemon curd and what I guess to be popped buckwheat. Although not quite what I imagined, the pie was one of the most heavenly pieces of baking I have ever had. The crust was light, buttery and well browned, just the way I like my pastry. The lemon curd provided the acidity needed to keep you wanting for more. Yes, please. I could have eaten the whole pie.
Just a few suggestions for management:
- Consider having ‘trim milk’ as an option for coffee for patrons. Although you might not like it, many of us do.
- Be more careful about the menu description – it should match what is served. If it isn’t, the waiter/waitress should explain to the guests when the order is placed.
- Watch the portion size for certain elements and dishes.
I look forward to going back for another meal. Dinner, perhaps?
Top: Summer stone fruit tart
Bottom left: Matterhorn Benny
Bottom right: Confit duck leg hash