The Tapestry! What a grand little set up for the Pullman Hotel! Fine white linen table cloth dining with comfortable cushion seating too. Fancy with it's subtle and geometric decor everywhere; Especially with the set of wine bottles lining the wall in the rear of the restaurant. It's a fairly vibrant place to dine I'd say.
Now, you're probably wondering why this place didn't nearly earn my fourth or fifth star. Well, here's the breakdown:
~ Something they offer from the Omni Bar (a bar in the hotel lounge area with the same small bites menu), is what they call "The Classics". They consider this their all-day, all-night, type of menu. Here you can choose the Pullman Signature hot dog, Wagyu burger, Fish and Chips, a Margherita pizza, Fries and truffle mayo, and the Kumara wedges.
~ First, we started with the Cheese Plate ($23 nzd). Not bad not bad, but nothing spectacular. I mean, it's a cheese plate. These were cheeses from New Zealand and elsewhere, as well as slices of fruit pate, crackers, and a croissant-like little twisted bread sticks. Perfect with our wine they recommended.
~ Second we ordered the Kumara Wedges ($9.50 nzd). These were basically sweet potato wedges that I just wasn't a fan of. We were told they were good, but I just didn't care for them. Too healthy for me I guess. But I can see how others would love them.
~ On a different night, we ordered the Fish & Chips ($24 nzd) which had a nice thick crispy batter. And as for the fish itself, fresh and meaty! Decent for fish & chips. There were only four fish pieces, but biting into them with a glass of sauvignon blanc just made for a fabulous combo.
For the main, in which we shared, we ordered the Sticky pressed Waikato Pork, with sour herbs and a chili-lime dressing ($18 nzd). Now when this was first presented, it looked tender and scrumptious. Only with that first bite, my mouth cringed with salt. One bite after the next, salty. Ate some of the herb salad, salty again. I had to keep drinking water just to dilute the taste.
As for the service, we liked our waitress as she was cordial and pleasant, but she forgot a few minor things. Not a huge deal to me, but I would partly blame her slowness due to lack of help. She was the only one managing five tables, until the second shift arrived. Then other waitresses help her out and attended to our table.
Overall, the place is acceptable, but the portion/price ratio was a bit above the average. Maybe if I met the master chef I'd think differently, but for now it's just not a place I find myself jumping up and down to want to eat at again at. read more