Style: November 01, 2019

96 STYLE | travel
Image: Bruce Munro, Otago Daily Times
The waterfront Duke of Marlborough Hotel, in Russell, has been hosting Bay of Islands holidaymakers since before the Treaty of Waitangi.
The Duke wears its years with a jaunty pride and a knowing
smile, typified by the quirky history-bending artwork of Lester
Hall that adorns the walls of rooms, hallways and the classic
colonial-style restaurant complete with enticing open fireplace.
It was here we enjoyed fresh pan-fried hapuka, Romaine
hearts salad with Matakana blue cheese and poached
mandarin with white chocolate mousse. But dinner climaxed
with the entrée; tempura-battered Waikare Inlet oysters. The
appreciative noises my wife made with each crisp, soft, tasty
mouthful said it all. The only words she uttered were as she
finished the last one: “I think we need another half-dozen.’’
We spent our days in a leisurely way. Unwinding, enjoying
the beauty of the area, engaging with its Maori, English and
French history. The skies weren’t always clear; if it wasn’t
drizzling then rain wasn’t too far away. But it was reliably
warmer than home and everywhere we looked there seemed
to be a rainbow.
One afternoon, we turned up at the Paihia Beach Resort &
Spa for a couple’s massage. It isn’t difficult to be relaxed when
lying in a warm, low-lit, nicely decorated room having fragrant
oils rubbed deep into skin and tissue.
Another evening saw us back in Paihia, at Charlotte’s
Kitchen, set over the water and beneath the stars at the end
of the local wharf. Notwithstanding the delicious toasted goat
feta salad and pork and prawn sui mai entrées and double
chocolate mousse and orange ginger catalana desserts,
Charlotte’s triumph was the slow-roasted free range pork
knuckle with red cabbage kraut, mustard seed potatoes and
jus. Enormous, tender, flavoursome, with ample crackle, it is
no wonder this has become the restaurant’s signature dish.
The Ake Ake 2018 Chambourcin at its Vineyard Restaurant
was a tasty complement to the goat’s cheese croquette entrée.
Image: Bruce Munro, Otago Daily Times