Style: July 06, 2017

STYLE | promotion 65
IN A WORLD
OF ITS OWN
If you’re looking for a casual, family-friendly place
to go for dinner, look no further than Embers.
Words Bridget Rutherford Photography Charlie Jackson
have to admit, when I heard the restaurant was part of The
I Papanui Club, I wasn’t sure what to expect. But upon arrival, it
was hard to miss the modern two-storey building, lit up with an
impressive large glass lighting display inside that can be seen from
Sawyers Arms Road.
It opened just over a year ago and sits alongside the club’s
other facilities, including bars, a carvery and a fitness centre. But
you wouldn’t know it when visiting Embers – it seemed to be in
a world of its own.
When we were seated, we opened our menus to an
impressive array of Argentinian-inspired options. And while there
were vegetarian dishes, meat really took centre stage. For the
entrée, I went with the prosciutto and manchego filled pastry
empanadas, with wood-fired capsicum romesco.
As we waited for our entrée to arrive, we were able to watch
the chefs work their magic in the open-plan kitchen. From
looking at the menu, it was difficult to decide what main to
choose, given the options.
The friendly waitress informed us the most popular choices
were ‘From the Pit’, where you could choose from beef, pork
or lamb cooked over the fire, served with duck fat roasted
potatoes, vegetable medley, with house salad, chimichurri and
red wine jus.
But we couldn’t go past the mains. I opted for the venison
with smoked garlic kumara whip, fava beans, candied bacon with
blueberry and shiitake mushroom jus.
The venison was tender and paired well with the kumara
whip. The candied bacon was a nice touch, and added a bit of
sweetness.
My dining partner ordered the grain-fed Wakanui ribeye, with
duck fat roasted potatoes, chorizo, chickpeas, wilted spinach,
smoked tomato chutney and onion rings.
As we ate, more patrons from the club’s bar filtered through
to have dinner in the restaurant creating a vibrant atmosphere.
When it came to dessert, we couldn’t look past the affogato.
It was Embers’ take on the dessert, which featured coffee and
vanilla bean ice cream, served with a Kahlua shot, espresso and
honeycomb.
Its presentation was excellent, served in a cocktail glass with a
shot of Kahlua and espresso to pour over the ice cream.
It was a nice way to top off a pleasant dining experience.
All in all, Embers had a nice, social atmosphere, and was a
good place to go for a laid-back meal out. The meals are on
the larger side, however, so make sure you’re hungry. Embers is
open from Wednesday to Sunday each week.
Embers • The Papanui Club • 310 Sawyers Arms Road,
Bishopdale • 359 9586 • Wed-Sat from 5pm, Sunday from noon