An Exploration Of Kiwi Cook’N’ - With Gas Of Course
Christchurch, New Zealand
Cuisine Style: Modern Kiwi Fare
Average Price: $$$
Overall Rating: 4/5
Dined in: August 2014
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
**A full article and index glossary of restaurants, wines, recipes and travel for
Wine Dine and Play are in the pages section above, or by following these links:
Executive Chef:
Bruce Griffith
Cook 'N' With Gas Bistro opened in 1999 and has become a multi-award winning bistro that serves quality modern New Zealand cuisine in an informal 1860s villa setting. They offer drinks from a list of over 200 national beers and wines, and it has become the locals favorite to be rated one of the best places to dine in Christchurch. Accolades include Dineout People’s Choice Award 2010-12, Canterbury’s most outstanding restaurant 2006, top Christchurch destination by TripExperts, and NZ Best Restaurant/Cafe (Beer and brewing magazine) 2011and 2012.
Cook’n’ with Gas is situated opposite the Court Theatre between the Museum and Art Gallery. While waiting for travel to McMurdo Station in Antarctica, where my boss Todd, his friend David and I would be traveling to for work, and being delayed by bad weather, went to dinner at Cook’N’ with the extra night that we had in Christchurch. The city was still rebuilding from the devastating earthquakes in 2010-2011 and is on a 25-year reconstruction plan, so it was good to see bistros like this one that survived.
Menu:
- Breads and olives
- Starters
- Mains
- Sides
- Desserts and Cheeses
- Table d’hote Menu
Todd, David, and I walked from our hotels to the old Government sector of Christchurch where the Cook 'N' With Gas Bistro is located, tucked away in a small building attached to The Astro Lounge. The inside was very casual with tasteful painting and pictures, a small fully stocked bar, that had a very large selection of Aperitifs, house, and premium spirits, 45+ ales from around New Zealand, to include mild, dark, and pale ale styles. The wine list is one of the best ones I’ve seen in New Zealand, not only focusing on what the Islands have to offer but a good selection of old and new world wines as well. I only wish they had a better selection of American and South African wines. The three of us decided on a bottle to share called Black Estate Pinot Noir from Waipara Valley, Canterbury, a Savory and powerful wine with a mineral finish. Here are the tasting notes:
The 2012 Black Estate Pinot Noir has Deep ruby hue. Aromas of Red cherry, tamarillo, fertile earth, and vanilla, with and underlying spice and white mineral note. A Savory and powerful wine with a mineral finishes The pallet is silken with emerging fine grain tannin providing great tension and mouthfeel. The fine acidity gives a persistent mineral line that lingers in the pallet allowing time to explore and contemplate the subtle and elegant nature of the wine. Drink now until 2021.
After reviewing the menu, the three of us all went with a 3-course meal starting with a few appetizers followed by entrées and dessert. For those starters Todd had the marinated local olive assortment plate, for David it was the oxtail soup, with smoked paprika, pearl barley, and a truffle crème fraîche, then for me, some grilled calamari with chorizo served on a bed of cauliflower, beet noodles, chipotle salsa, and gremolata. Other starters on the menu were assorted organic and NON-GMO salads, gold medal mussels, turkey or duck liver parfait, and a monkfish ravioli to name a few.
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| Oxtail soup |
This was a great start and the entrée’s to come was beyond what we expected, just phenomenal. Todd had the New Zealand lamb trio plate consisting of carved short loin, grilled cutlet, and braised osso buco served with crumbed sweetbreads and ‘ba-a-acon’ on parsnip rosti with pickled beet and orange sauce. David enjoyed the beef dish of carved rolled sirloin, corned beef croquette, and brisket steak salad served with grilled tongue over charred greens, onion rings, and a bordelaise sauce, cooked to a perfect medium-rare temperature.
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| New Zealand lamb trio |
Finally, I enjoyed a gamier selection of venison, consisting of fried shiitake gnocchi, smoked courgettes, roasted peppers, beans and a sour cherry jus. A few other entrées on the menu were a duck, flounder, salmon, and pork with the same elaborate setups as our plates, plus vegetarian selections, which means I will have to return to try them again.
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| Venison dish |
Dessert:
We polished off the bottle of wine with the entrée’s, rested with some coffee and all shared a dessert since we were too full to have one each. The dessert of choice was a Banoffee tart, with banana, rich caramel, and chocolate on a biscuit with a lime cream topping. Other dessert selections offered consisted of the ‘Christchurch Mess,’ named after the earthquake aftermath of the city, crêpe Napoleon, and a sticky date pudding, along with many local kinds of cheese.
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| Banoffee tart |
Please see these guidelines for Tipping in Restaurants and on following proper etiquette, customs, cultures, and avoiding assumptions when you dine out.
Wine regulatory’s for the tastings in this article:
New Zealand:
Other Noteworthy Bistro Articles and Restaurants:
Bistro at Biltmore Classy farm to table eatery in Asheville, North Carolina
Bistrot La Minette Charming French Bistro with movie filmed terrace in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Bridge Street Bistro Third Floor terrace Seafood Centric New American dining, Bradenton Beach, Florida
Fresco’s Waterfront Bistro - Laid-back dockside spot for global eats in St. Petersburg, Florida
Josty Bistro Eatery serving German regional cuisine at the Potsdamer Platz Sony Center in Berlin, Germany
Laurent Tourondel / BLT Swanky French-American Steakhouse chain with 14 restaurants
Le Grand Chancelier Countryside French Bistro in Cheverny, Loire Valley, France
Lobby at Twelve Boutique hotel bistro, New American, and Southern favorites at Atlantic Station, Atlanta
Prato Rustic Italian bistro with modern takes on classic dishes in Winter Park, Florida
Restaurant Le Gabriel Haute Gastronomique French restaurant & bistro in Bordeaux, France
Spinners Rooftop Revoling Bistro Buzzy seafood spot & 360-degree views in St. Pete Beach, Florida
Terroir Seasonal South African cuisine bistro in Stellenbosch, South Africa
The Brasserie at the Café de Paris A Parisian style bistro rendez-vous in Monte-Carlo, Monaco
Tirquaz Bistro and Garden Lounge W. Asian, N. African, & European dishes in Bur Dubai, UAE
Zinc Bistro and Bar Southwestern-inspired New American fare in San Antonio, Texas
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary”
Other Christchurch restaurants and articles on Wine, Dine, and Play:
|
Kiwi “fush n’ chups” takeaway restaurant
Sumner, New Zealand
|
A Re: Start Co. at “Little High Eatery”
Christchurch, New Zealand
|
Eclectic and Innovative Kiwi cuisine
Christchurch, New Zealand
|
|
Artisan cheese & a pastry shop
Christchurch, New Zealand
|
High-end bistro with modern Kiwi cuisine
Christchurch, New Zealand
|
Funky Cargo container mall built after the earthquake
Christchurch, New Zealand
|
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary by country”
Final notes, review basics, observations and more pictures:
Most reviews are subjective, depending on the writer; but they should also be responsible, and respectfully written, upholding the truth, and accurately conveying the experience to the best of the writer's knowledge, even if it includes metaphors the restaurant may not like to read about. My ratings are by the stars I award (from 0 to 5). The rating is calculated on a point accumulation of six separate factors based on individual experience. They include wine and other beverage selections, plate presentation, customer service, restaurant or café ambiance, food quality, and wow factor. To see more details of this rating list, read this article:
Scores are detailed in the factor chart below:
Formula Factor Conclusions and Overall Ratings
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Max Points Possible:
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Total Points Awarded:
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Total Points deducted:
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Ambiance
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9
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9
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0
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Food quality
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10
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10
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0
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Plate presentation
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9
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8
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1
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Customer service
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8
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5
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3
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Alcohol and other beverages
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9
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7
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2
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Total regular points awarded
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45
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39
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6
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Total percentage Before Bonus
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0.866666666666667
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“Wow” factor BONUS
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5
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2
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0
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Total bonus percentage
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0.0444444444444444
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Total percentage with a bonus for the final star rating
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0.911111111111111
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Stars Awarded (see chart below)
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0 - 5
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4
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**A full break down and explanation of the observations and point disbursement is available in the linked article above. To receive a detailed copy of your score, feel free to contact me at any time and I will provide it to you.**
***
Overall Star Rating:
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4 of 5 Stars:
91% Rating with a 2 point “wow” bonus
An Outstanding Dining Experience
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Wine List:
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Wine rating:
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5.5 of 10
Old World selections:
France, Spain, Italy, Portugal
New World selections:
Australia, New Zealand, California
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Corkage fee’s:
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This Restaurant does not list any corkage fee’s however, most American restaurants charge
$25.00 per bottle
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Restaurant style:
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Conservative dining
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Cuisine style:
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New Zealand (Kiwi), Seafood
Allergen or dietary accommodations:
Farm to Fork, Gluten Free, Grass Fed, Local, Low Carb, Organic, Pescatarian, Sustainable, Vegetarian options
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Reservations:
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Not Required, But Recommended
Walk-Ins:
Accepted, but not guaranteed
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Dress code:
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Casual or Conservative attire
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Child policy:
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The Restaurants reviewed on this site may have a kids menu or cater to them; however, for full enjoyment of food and wine, it is recommended that kids not to be in attendance, unless they have been trained in proper etiquette.
If not then:
Hire a Babysitter!
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Experiences:
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Place for foodies, Contemporary, Trendy, Business parties, Hot spot, Great bar, Great outdoor dining, Rustic, and a Neighborhood gem.
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Payments:
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Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
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Parking:
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a Public lot or Street meter parking
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Wifi
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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.
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Noise level:
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Medium
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Smoking:
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Nonsmoking restaurant, and nonsmoking patio
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Patio or terrace:
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Yes
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Food Prices
(excludes, alcohol, taxes & 20% gratuity’s)
$£€¥ - Under 50.00 (inexpensive)
$£€¥ x 2 - 51.00- 99.00 (moderate)
$£€¥ x 3 - Over 100.00 (pricey)
$£€¥ x 4 - Over 200.00 (expensive)
$£€¥ x 5 - Over 400.00 (very expensive)
**Currencies reflect the world’s major travelers, restaurant, or wine connoisseur’s**
Currency:
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Price
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Nez Zealand Dollar (NZD)
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$$$
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United States Dollar (USD)
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$$
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Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
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££
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Canadian Dollar (CAN)
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$$$
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Chinese Yuan (CNY)
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¥¥¥¥¥
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European Union (EUR)
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€€
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Alcohol prices:
$75 NZD
Cook'N' With Gas Bistro:
23 Worcester Blvd
Christchurch Central
Christchurch 8013
Contact Information:
Restaurant website:
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Maître d or host:
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+64 3 377 9166
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Online reservations
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Webpage Contact:
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Serving hours:
New Zealand Standard Time
(GMT, Zulu, or UTC + 12:00)
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Dinner: Mon-Sat
5:00 pm - 10:00 pm
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Social Media
&
Accolades:
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Blog
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****
The worlds best restaurants is a subjective list of who is writing it and changes on a regular basis. The Wine Dine and Play best experiences are based on my highest rated stared restaurants, meaning that the visit was an outstanding or extraordinary experience. From cafés, chains, mom + pops, hole in the walls, to fine dining including a few Michelin spots. Visit the Top 100 page to see the entire list.
A few to tease you with…
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Farm-to-Table Southern bites spot Sandy Springs, Georgia, USA
|
Fine-dining waterfront spot for grilled fish and steaks
Indian Shores, Florida, USA
|
Native American Cuisine w/Barbacoa Grilling
Tampa, Florida, USA
|
Other Pictures:
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| Picture courtesy of Cook 'N' With Gas Bistro |
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| Marinated local olives starter |
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| Amuse |
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| Grilled calamari |
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| Rolled sirloin |
Who is John Galt?
TTFN
