A sleek interior and excellent design complement a menu bursting with flavour and dietary options at Montreal Street’s The Dish.

Choices, choices – the extensive menu at The Dish boasts so many Asian-flavoured delights that we were going to have to do some serious study before ordering. Would it be the fresh oysters with chilli jam and crispy shallots? The Peking duck roti sliders with plum sauce, pickled cucumber and iceberg lettuce? Grilled salmon salad with chilli jam sauce, mango salsa, lemongrass and mint? Or roasted half duck with house-made sauce, spinach and pumpkin puree?

Choosing was going to be thirsty work, so we ordered a drink each from the extensive selection of wines, craft beers, ciders, cocktails and non-alcoholic choices. We opted for a glass of the Rongopai Chardonnay, from Hawke’s Bay, and a bottle of Boneface Brewing’s Hoptron APA. As it should, the beer arrived with some poured into a chilled 250ml glass and the rest still in the bottle, keeping it lively and also guaranteeing provenance.

The Dish identifies itself as Asian Fusion. More specifically, the predominant influence is Japanese and this is reinforced by the interior design, which rocks an unmistakeable Tokyo chic with minimalist black walls and clean, uncluttered finishes. The smooth jazz coming through the sound system added to the air of sophistication.

That we could hear and appreciate the music was testament to the restaurant’s excellent acoustic design. Hard walls and a polished aggregate floor could have made conversation difficult but acoustic ceiling treatments that perfectly match the Japanese aesthetic ameliorated this. Even when the restaurant filled up, including two long tables of chatty workmates enjoying a festive celebration, we could still easily converse over the top of it.

Back to the menu. The wide selection of vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free dishes is supplemented by many other offerings with a vegan or gluten-free alternative. From the ‘Small Plate’ section, we opted for deep-fried chilli squid with The Dish sweet chilli sauce, and steamed bao bun, tempura eggplant, black fungus, sesame oil and Vietnamese pickles. Our waiter, Amy, followed up with some sharing plates so we could both sample the deliciousness. The sweet chilli sauce that accompanied the deep-fried squid was a rich well of flavours, with earthy ginger notes tempering the sweetness – if they put it in a bottle we would have some at home, for sure. The Vietnamese pickles lifted the steamed bao bun and tempura eggplant to sublime.

Choosing our mains was equally fraught. We finally chose the wok-fried scallops and fish, lemongrass, spinach and green beans from the ‘In the Ocean’ section of the menu, and beef cheek Massaman curry with kumara mash and roti chips from the ‘Beef & Lamb Lover’ section. The scallops and fish were superbly complemented by the sweet and spicy liquor from the wok. For us, though, the piece de resistance was the beef cheeks Massaman – meltingly tender beef cheeks in a rich curry sauce, topped with crunchy, irresistible roti chips.

Time for another drink. This time we opted for the Babich Irongate Chardonnay, also from Hawke’s Bay. Oakier than the Rongopai, it had enough muscle to cope with the strong flavours of the scallops and the Massaman curry. Our other choice was a glass of the Te Mata Estate Syrah, an excellent example of what has become one of New Zealand’s signature wine styles.

Quite sated after our mains, we paused before considering the dessert menu. By now the restaurant was buzzing and most tables were full but the service didn’t skip a beat. When Amy returned for our dessert choice, we opted to share the matcha crème brulee with mochi ice cream, fruit salad and dried raspberries. It arrived with a suitably crunchy top of caramelised sugar, which when cracked revealed the soft green of the custard, made with finely powdered green tea leaves.

This matcha delivered the requisite sharp bite followed by lingering sweetness. So many amazing flavours, so many dishes not sampled – we are already planning our return visit. The dilemma will be between plumping again for the beef cheeks or diving deeper into the other options. Choices, choices!

The Dish, 376 Montreal Street,
03 925 9787

thedish.co.nz