District Dining

50 Customs St East, Britomart. Ph 368-5315.
districtdining.co.nz
Lunch & dinner Monday-Saturday.

Part of the rush of posh new places in the Britomart precinct, District Dining is an offshoot of a Sydney operation brought to New Zealand by chef Warren Turnbull and partner Mimi Gilmour. With an expensive fitout and smart wine list, it serves a confident assortment of cosmopolitan dishes: there’s Russian salad, tongue and other French-style offal, strong Middle Eastern and Asian influences, and it’s all done with nice attention to flavour. Specials can include some wonderful big meat options, served on a board, and if you go that way there are also dishes such as Asian cucumber salad that offer a deliciously refreshing counterpoint. As for the starter of twisty, crispy, slightly chewy pigs’ ears served with Szechuan salt, once you’ve tried these you may never be happy with ordinary nibbles again.

A favourite dish: Slow-cooked brisket with marrow and creamy mash.
$$$$$  |  V  |  C  |  G  |  B  |  BM  |  GB             (what’s this?)

FINALIST
Restaurant Personality of the Year: Mimi Gilmour

FINALIST
Best Short Drinks List