This Cloudy Bay pop-up will give you the moment of escapism you need during a busy week…
46 & York
46 Parnell Road (cnr of York St), Auckland
09 377 9675
www.46andyork.co.nz
Concept
For a limited time only, Cloudy Bay is hosting their Sail Away pop-up at 46 & York. The takeover includes a completely new fitout of the Parnell establishment and a bespoke four course tasting menu using the very best seasonal produce, created by up-and-coming chef and restaurateur, Sam Mannering. The plates are paired with Cloudy Bay wine matches, however there is also an array of Cloudy Bay vintages on offer.
Price
Individual tasting dishes range from $18 for the grilled artichoke to $46 for a full dozen Mahaurangi oysters. The Cloudy Bay Tasting Menu of four courses is $65pp; and with paired Cloudy Bay wines is $100pp.
Initial impression
We paid the pop-up a visit on a Monday night and despite the quieter nature typically associated with the beginning of a working week, there was a nice buzz (and unsurprisingly, even a Real Housewife of Auckland or two milling around). My dining companion, who also happens to be a colleague, commented on the romantic vibe – “perfect for a second or third date” he reckoned. Once we got that minor awkwardness out of the way, we took in our surroundings and noted how impressed we were with the fitout, especially considering the Sail Away concept is only there on a temporary basis.
What was on the menu
The ‘tapas’ style menu has all the crowd pleasers: Mahaurangi oysters, full lobster tail, Confit pork belly and Lamb scottadito along with vegetarian options, including Gnocchi with broccolini and grilled artichoke and mahoe blue.
What we ordered
We went for the full four (non-vege) courses, paired with Cloudy Bay wines, and were not disappointed. The oysters with coriander, shallot and lemon salsa verde were a simple but delicious opener and the accompanying Cloudy Bay Pelorus NV gave us the sparkling zing to kick off proceedings. The full lobster tail grilled with Cloudy Bay Chardonnay creme fraiche, Italian parsley and pecorino was flavourful, and paired with Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2016, was a refreshing second course. Unanimous favourite of the night was course #3: The Confit pork belly. Succulent pork with crispy crackling offset with Granny Smith apple, pickled radish and watercress, with the winning element, celeriac puree. Though Chardonnay is most definitely not my first choice of wine, the pairing worked and I downed the glass with ease, even enjoyment. Rounding out the menu was Lamb scottadito with artichoke pesto and roasted parsnip, paired with Cloudy Bay Pinot Noir.
By the second course, concern was expressed that we might need to stop somewhere on our way home for an additional snack, but by the time we’d tucked into the pork belly and lamb and been presented with a surprise dessert to conclude, all thoughts of a cheeky kebab were banished. Those with heftier appetites may leave wanting though, be warned!
If you’re not in the mood for a full tasting menu, or just want to stop in for a drink and a nibble, you can order individual dishes and share, tapas-style. The best dishes for this in our opinion are the oysters, pork belly and the lamb (you may need two of these). These can be enjoyed alongside the regular 46 & York menu.
What we drank
The Cloudy Bay wine pairings come in half serves and were a great sampling of the best Cloudy Bay has to offer. As particular fans of the Cloudy Bay Pinot Noir, we decided to keep them coming – one glass is simply never enough.
What the service was like
Our food courses flowed as well as our wine and aside from a few check-ins to ensure we were content and had everything we needed, we were happily left to our own devices.
What we paid
The bill totaled around $270 for two people (bearing in mind, that was for a four course tasting menu with accompanying Cloudy Bay wine matches, plus four extra glasses of Pinot Noir).
Final verdict
Originally this pop-up was only going to run until November 16, but due to popularity this run has been extended until Monday 21 November. Says it all, really.
