On My Plate – November

Denise Irvine welcomes two fabulous newcomers to her neighbourhood, Hamilton East.

(Amazing) Made: We’ve had our noses pressed up against the window panes of Made during the long years of its refurbishment and now it’s finally here. Meeting all expectations with so many good things to eat and drink at this super-smart urban precinct in Hamilton East.  The vast project was inspired by the Riverside Markets in Christchurch and is the work of Hamilton developer Matt Stark and wife Jaimee, and their team, who’ve turned the dreary old Waikato Regional Council building into a very cool place, home to 43 tenants offering food, drink, fashion and homewares. Well-known Waikato food names on board include Duck Island Ice Cream’s factory, Grey Roasting Co, Volare bread, Mama’s Donuts, Fruney Chocolate, and The Green, an eight-seater chef’s table opened by chef Karl Martin-Boulton. There is also the gorgeous Te Awamutu butcher, Expleo, great produce from Pirongia Mountain Vegetables, artisan store The Larder, Soul Bowl, Oat Bros, Red Kitchen Grab & Go, and more. The Mess Hall has a dollop of food and beverage spots, and there is a big sunny deck overlooking Waikato River, the jewel in the crown.

 Favourite food finds so far have been the excellent lunch-time spanakopita from Turkish Kitchen Mezze & More, Oat Bros porridge with spicy pear topping, passionfruit yo-yos from Red Kitchen, sushi from Omo Omo, and lamb koftas, lamb racks and creamy Mt Eliza Blue Monkey cheese from Expleo.  Coffee at Grey Roasting Co in The Sheds, and a summery early evening glass of wine at Amphora Wine Bar is damn decent too. With plenty more to explore.

Sage Restaurant: Talented chef Lani Lemaua has opened Sage Restaurant above Duck Island Ice Cream’s flagship parlour in Hamilton East. Like its neighbour, Made, it’s been worth the wait. The brief but beautiful menu showcases Lemaua’s signature style of dishes that look simple on the plate but involve multiple techniques, details and bold flavours, and there is a dessert trolley laden with elegant treats by the glass.

There’s a lot to like here: the food, the well-chosen beverages, the service, and the clever fit-out of a gracious space in a building that was a lingerie factory in a previous life (among other things).

Our big table was well looked after on a recent Friday night, we shared a few dishes, and did some individual ordering as well. My stand-outs were a starter plate of sashimi snapper with cucumber, kaffir lime, Sichuan sauce and baked nori, divine flavours and freshness; a larger plate of pan-fried snapper with (the best ever) spicy sambal, papaya, chilli caramel, and a glorious medley of fresh herbs; and a beautiful treatment of duck breast assembled with beetroot, chevre, chicken liver pate and pressed duck leg. 

 

The dessert trolley, wheeled to the table, was a lovely finishing touch. How could you refuse such glasses of deliciousness: chocolate mousse, lemon posset, ambrosia or tiramisu, and a selection of cheese with honey and lavosh for those wanting to go the extra distance.

Sage was previously a pop-up kitchen in Craft Bar, Hood St, in the CBD, Hamilton’s best-kept culinary secret. It’s now out in the open, lots of tables, a swish bar, it’s a real treat.

Open for dinner service from 5pm Tuesday – Saturday, as well as drinks and snacks from 3pm on Fridays and Saturdays: Level 1, 300 Grey St, Hamilton East, entrance off Cook St. sagerestaurant.co.nz