A meal in the mountains
Fine dining has reached new heights in the Central Plateau with Whakapapa repurposing part of its restaurant into a high-end experience.
By Dan Hutchinson
The Taupō & Tūrangi News team dabbled in a bit of sledding in Happy Valley before jumping on the gondala and heading up to New Zealand’s highest restaurant Ngā Tohu at 2020 metres.
The end of Knoll Ridge Chelet has been screened off with barn door sliders to create an intimate dining experience, with floor to ceiling windows taking in the spectacular view.
The menu is now being redeveloped for summer, but when we sat down in September, it was a three-course, full table-service dining experience, with a seasonal menu, wine pairing recommendations and panoramic views from the Knoll Ridge Chalet.
Three courses, bonus entrée and a trip up the mountain on the Sky Waka are being offered for just $99 per person and is an all-year-round experience.
There were two options for each course and I opted for the paua dumplings over the venison carrapaccio. Luckily, everyone was in a sharing mood so we got to taste it all.
We are about as far from the ocean as it gets in New Zealand but combining two of my favourite things – paua and dumplings was a match made in heaven.
Next up was the confit duck – thigh and leg with beetroot, goat’s cheese ravioli, asparagus and a hazelnut burnt butter.
I ate all of mine without sharing and then started casting my eye over the other choice – an eye fillet, beef cheek croquette, cauliflower puree, broccolini, shitake and port jus.
Last up was a choice between a vanilla panna cotta with chocolate dome, thyme icecream and honey whisky or a crème brulee; murut lime and coconut with pistachio biscotti.
Although we were invited up to try the menu free of charge, the $99 price tag seems like exceptional value, given the unique alpine venue, the ride up the mountain in the enclosed gondola and the three course with bonus sampler at the start.
For those looking for a one-of-a-kind dining experience it would be hard to go past this meal on the mountain.
Full details can be found at whakapapa.cpm
