Paddock to Plate Waikato

Table for 3 early on a Wednesday evening. Exceptional wait service by a delightful young man who made me an absolutely delicious gimlet 😋. My starter of soft cheese and beetroot salad was delicious - I'd have roasted the beetroot longer to intensify the flavour - but to be fair, I am a fan if intense. Husband and son enjoyed the sourdough and garlic butter served with some grassy olive oil. Husband got his Fred Flinstone on with the, beautifully cooked and presented, tomahawk steak with handcut twice-cooked fries and roasted garlic and herb sauce. To his credit, he ate every bite of the half kg, even a sneaky nibble on the bone! A mix up with Mr 9's meal was quickly corrected, but sadly wasn't what he expected and wasn't to his taste. Absolutely not Paddock to Plate's fault and they did their utmost to accomodate him. It was certainly a good teaching moment to learn to be gracious. My order of lamb rack, with roasted carrots, mushroom and truffle sauce was utterly divine. A massive portion of meat - that we were craving - I could only eat half! A takeaway box was provided and that's my lunch today! Husband's dessert of rhubarb and apple crumble was huge and reported as delicious - topped with quality ice cream. The same lovely ice cream was in our child's sundae, which he enjoyed. My sago and caramalised pineapple dessert was dense, heavy and overly sweetened - again a huge portion. There was toasted coconut chips sprinkled on top, but these were soft rather than crisp to compliment the softness. I found myself craving a barely sweet burnt-butter cremé bruleé (hint, menu suggestion). It was a cold winter's night and the restaurant wasn't warm enough. Other guests also kept their jackets on. Rather than linger for coffee or congac, we left to go and get warm. I am strictly gluten free, but there are so many options and care and attention shown to be reassuring. Our waiter was wonderful and made for a lovely dining experience and we'll most definately return.

We went for a casual work dinner for 5 on Valentine's day. It was our first time at the restaurant which we selected as one of our guests required a celiac gluten-free meal and their menu is clearly written to cater for special diets. The previous restaurant across the road looked nicer in terms of decor. But the staff was very professional and overall we had a good night. We had a few dishes, some the 3 course-set menu and a few drinks and wine. We all enjoyed our meals and the portions are very generous that some of us could barely finish or skipped dessert. We will definitely be back to try more of the menu.