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:
The Test Kitchen, Cape Town, South Africa
The Tasting room at Le Quartier Français, Franschhoek, South
Africa
Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud, Dublin, Ireland
Follow Wine, dine, and Play:
Star
ratings chart:
5 stars
|
Extraordinary
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4 stars
|
Outstanding
|
3 stars
|
Exceeded
expectations
|
2 stars
|
Above average
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1 star
|
Average
|
No star rating
|
Basic,
poor, or appalling
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Review basics:
Overall Star rating by
Wine, Dine, & Play:
|
3 of 5
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Quality of food:
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7 of 10
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Presentation:
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6 of 10
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Wine selections by
region:
Scroll below the main review section to see the tasting
notes of the wines chosen.
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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
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Customer service:
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6 of 10
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Ambiance:
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7 of 10
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Corkage fee’s:
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standard is NZ $25.00 per bottle
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Restaurant style:
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Casual
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Dress code:
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Smart casual, Casual, or Conservative
attire
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Reservations:
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Recommended
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Walk-ins:
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Accepted, but not
guaranteed
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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.
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Cuisine style:
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Contemporary, Bistro, New Zealand (Kiwi), European, &
Vegetarian
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Music styles:
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No music
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Experiences:
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Place for foodies, Lounge, Business parties, Great outdoor
dining, Good for special occasions, Beautiful décor, Rustic, and a
Neighborhood gem.
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Gratuities:
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Industry standard is 18-20% added to parties of 6 or more
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Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, Diner’s,
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Parking:
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None because of Earthquake damage
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Transport options:
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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:
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Low, to Medium
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Smoking:
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Nonsmoking restaurant, smoking patio
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Patio:
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Yes
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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:
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$23.50
|
New Zealand Dollar (NZD)
|
 |
$
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$19.45
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United States Dollar (USD)
|
 |
$
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£12.06
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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:
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:
Cost of wines and other
alcoholic beverages in New Zealand dollars:
$59.00
Tasting Notes:
Wine & Grape:
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Nose (Bouquet):
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Palette Experience:
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Roaring Meg
pinot noir
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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.
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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.
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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
Neighborhood:
downtown
Cross streets:
Lichfield Street & Durham Street
GPS Coordinates:
Latitude: -43.534013
Longitude: 172.632938
Contact Information:
Maître d, reservations:
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+64 3-379 1350
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Website:
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Email:
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Social Media:
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Hours:
Monday
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10:00 am – 12:00 pm
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Tuesday
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10:00 am – 12:00 pm
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Wednesday
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10:00 am – 12:00 pm
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Thursday
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10:00 am – 12:00 pm
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Friday
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10:00 am – 12:00 pm
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Saturday
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10:00 am – 12:00 pm
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Sunday
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10:00 am – 12:00 pm
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Standard Time (GMT +11:00)
Review by:
Chef Sean Overpeck (CFE)
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Chef Sean cooks for soldiers in Afghanistan, 2012:
"Culinary perfection
consists not in doing extraordinary things, but in doing ordinary things
extraordinarily well."
TTFN
