Wine Dine and Play: September 2014

Regatta on Avon



Christchurch, New Zealand
A Cozy Pub
Dined in August 2014
It was my first night arriving in Christchurch and I went out to eat with some co-workers. We were on our way down to Antarctica, and had a weather-delayed stopover in Christchurch. The City was still rebuilding from the earthquakes in 2010-2011, and though the buildings were destroyed, the spirit, people, and food flourished. My co-workers and I were staying at assorted hotels downtown, and were looking for restaurants within walking distance. There were several to choose from, and Regatta on Avon was the first on our list.

Scroll down to read the main review

World’s Top 100:
Alinea, Chicago                         

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Star ratings chart:
5 stars
Extraordinary  
4 stars
Outstanding 
3 stars
Exceeded expectations    
2 stars
Above average                         
1 star
Average
No star rating
Basic, poor, or appalling


Review basics:
Overall Star rating by Wine, Dine, & Play:
3 of 5
Quality of food:
7 of 10
Presentation:
6 of 10
Wine selections by region:
Scroll below the main review section to see the tasting notes of the wines chosen.
4 of 10
The score is low because of the lack of variety. Yes this is New Zealand, and they showcase a good selection of New Zealand wines, but there are not any other selections from any other part of the world besides an Australian selection.
New World:
1.        New Zealand: Hawke's Bay, Marlborough, Waipara, Otago, & Central Otago
Australia: Victoria, & Barossa
Customer service:
6 of 10
Ambiance:
7 of 10
Corkage fee’s:
standard is NZ $25.00 per bottle
Restaurant style:
Casual
Dress code:
Smart casual, Casual, or Conservative attire
Reservations:
Recommended
Walk-ins:
Accepted,  but not guaranteed
Child policy:
 
The Restaurants reviewed on this site may have a child’s menu or cater to them; however for full enjoyment of food and wine, it is recommended for children not to be in attendance. Hire a Babysitter. See Alinea Baby Gate, god I love Alinea.
Cuisine style:
Contemporary, Bistro, New Zealand (Kiwi), European, & Vegetarian
Music styles:
No music
Experiences:
Place for foodies, Lounge, Business parties, Great outdoor dining, Good for special occasions, Beautiful décor, Rustic, and a Neighborhood gem.
Gratuities:
Industry standard is 18-20% added to parties of 6 or more
 
Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, Diner’s,
Parking:
None because of Earthquake damage
Transport options:
Bus, taxi, limousine, and walking
The restaurants reviewed on this site may have Wi-Fi, but do not require you to go online, because the excitement of the food and wine alone will keep you too entertained instead of checking your social media and emails.
Noise level:
Low, to Medium
Smoking:
Nonsmoking restaurant, smoking patio
Patio:
Yes

Food price per person
(Excluding tax & gratuity)

Price chart:
$£€¥ -                Under 50.00
$£€¥ x 2 -          Under 75.00
$£€¥ x 3 -          Over 100.00
$£€¥ x 4 -          Over 200.00
$£€¥ x 5 -          Over 400.00

Currencies chosen reflect the world’s major travelers and restaurant connoisseur's

My food bill:
Currency:
Country :
Price chart:
$23.50
New Zealand Dollar (NZD)
$
$19.45
United States Dollar (USD)
 
$
£12.06
Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
 
£
€15.07
European Union (EUR)
 
$21.31
Canadian Dollar (CAN)

 
$
$20.99
Australian Dollar (AUS)
 
$
¥119.65
Chinese Yuan (CNY) 
 
¥¥¥

Visit these sites to get up to date currency rates:    
 www.xe.com
Alternatively, visit:


Scroll down below the main review to see cost of wines and tasting notes.



Main review:
We began by ordering a few beers from the bar, where they had a wide selection of New Zealand, a few Australian, and other international beers from Europe and the United States. Some of the local beers were Crafty Beggars, Brew Moon, Mac’s Hop, & Gold, and the one beer I tried called Speight’s, nice well rounder but lighter ale then some I had tried in the past. We then walked outside to the patio and sat down. There was a view of the Hagley Park in the distance, and the patio was right next to the Ōtākaro / Avon River, with the Bridge of Remembrance, a world War One Memorial Bridge in the background. The Bridge like so many other parts of the city was damaged in the Earthquakes, and was now closed and under repair. We had arrived in Christchurch in August which was their winter time, and the temperature outside was about 45°f, so we were able to survive drinking on beer, and ordering our food before we had to go back inside and take a table so that we could warm up.
There were five of us in our group, my boss and I bought a bottle of wine for the entrees, while the other guys stuck to drinking the beer. I order a nice Pinot Noir from the Central Otago region called Roaring Meg, a label from Mt Difficulty Winery, a very light pinot noir compared to America’s Willamette Valley Pinot’s, but a high texture of fruit with mild tannins, making it very enjoyable with the meal. (Scroll down below the main review to see wine tasting notes)
 
For entrée’s, most of us chose the $20.00 special entrée menu, I had the Roast of the Day, served with roast vegetables and greens, and my boss had the New Zealand Lamb Shank, with potato mash and seasonal vegetables, finished with rosemary and onion gravy.
 
The other members of our group enjoyed the Fish and Chips dish, Beer battered and served with chips (French fries), a petite salad and tartare sauce, and under the main entrée’s, a person had the Market Fish, which I can’t remember the name of, but was served with potato and leek Rösti, which are Swiss hash browns, glazed parsnip, crushed peas, wilted greens and beurre blanc sauce. One person also ordered the onion rings to try as well.
 

This Restaurant reminds me of:
Regatta on Avon is a nice little pub, and a great location in a town trying to rebuild and redefine itself after a major tragedy. Traveling around the world, I would refer to Regatta as “Pub Grub” but with more class and taste, going above and beyond to bring you a down home effort in cuisine style. I would compare this restaurant to a few others I’ve visited in the world such as The Lobby Bar and Bistro in Atlanta, Georgia, and the Plantation Restaurant and Lounge in Dubai, UAE.
Cheesecake
Other Christchurch favorites:
Cook’n’ with Gas
Fiddlesticks
Pegasus Arms
The Red Snapper
Winnie Bagoes
The Brewers Arms
The Canterbury Cheesemongers

Other trending restaurants on Wine, Dine, and Play:
Grill 225 Charleston
Frevo Restaurant Dubai           

Cost of wines and other alcoholic beverages in New Zealand dollars:
$59.00

Tasting Notes:
Wine & Grape:
Nose (Bouquet):
Palette Experience:
Roaring Meg pinot noir
This wine highlights the slightly cooler season with lovely perfumed dark red forest berries and cherry fruits along with a hint of dried herb, adding complexity.
The wine has a sweet berry entry which displays these same characters in abundance. Lovely ripe textural tannins rise gracefully out of the mid-palate to finish the wine. These are balanced by the wine’s acidity and fruit, to produce a long fruit-driven finish. Roaring Meg Pinot Noir will improve for 3-5 years given optimal vintage and cellaring conditions.

Wine Regulatory:
COWA: The Central Otago Winegrowers Association                  

Other trending wines on Wine, Dine, and Play:


Restaurant address: 
Tudor House
95 Oxford Terrace,
Christchurch Central,
Christchurch 8011,
New Zealand
   
  https://www.google.com/maps/place/Regatta+on+Avon/@-43.534013,172.632938,18z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x6d318a3df0455a1d:0x1f84794be0845a89                                      

Neighborhood:
downtown

Cross streets:
Lichfield Street & Durham Street

GPS Coordinates:
Latitude: -43.534013
Longitude: 172.632938
Contact Information:

Maître d, reservations:
+64 3-379 1350
Website:
Email:
Social Media:


Facebook Link               
https://www.facebook.com/RegattaonAvon

Hours:

Monday
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Tuesday
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Wednesday
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Thursday
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Friday
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Saturday
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Sunday
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
  
Standard Time (GMT +11:00)


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https://www.facebook.com/WineDineAndPlay

Review by:
Chef Sean Overpeck (CFE)





Chef Sean cooks for soldiers in Afghanistan, 2012:





"Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things, but in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well."

TTFN
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