Progress Around the City Centre

We can be creatures of habit, haunting our favourite cafes and restaurants, sometimes even knowing what we are going to eat before we get out of the car. In my case the carbonara at Caffe Centrale, the aglio at Scotts and the pork belly hawker roll at +91 Cafe.

I recently worked with Vanessa and Vicky at Love the Centre on Love Bites. This saw over 30 eateries in the central city put a new bite-sized item on their menu for the month of August. The idea being to encourage people to try something or somewhere new in our city.

Before it even started, it worked for me! With a preview to all the dishes, I discovered a few more favourite spots, like Le Rendez-Vous on Alexandra Street, who are open late on Thursday and Friday nights, perfect for that end of week family meal, and their galettes suit the whole family, even the fussy one.

I was impressed by Keystone’s innovative dish and now have this on my radar for our next girl’s night out. While the Novotel, a spot I had not stepped inside since working there in 1999, impressed with their hangi roll, and I am keen to head back for lunch on the balcony.

Julia Clarke from Dine with Jules has been putting on the annual Love the Centre Progressive Dinner for five years. This annual night out sells out each year because it’s just such a fun night out. As the name suggests, guests progress around the city centre, dining at four different eateries.

Each year it amazes me how many people I chat to who will say, “Oh, I have never been here.” And while I encourage you to join in the fun of the Progressive Dinner (if you can get your hands on tickets, that is), there is nothing stopping you creating your own mini progressive dinner and sharing the love for our Hamilton city eateries.

With this in mind, I asked a few people what their idea of the perfect progressive dinner would be.

Food writer Denise Irvine said, “Palate’s world-famous-in-Hamilton oyster happy hour is the perfect start.” At $3 for a plump and creamy Te Kouma oyster (Thursdays–Saturdays, 5pm–6pm, bar only), Denise says, “Treat yourself to half-a-dozen, and they taste even better with a glass of bubbly to hand.” (Palate Restaurant, 346 Victoria Street)

She’d then head to Dumpling House – CBD Express (44 Bryce Street) for one of my favourite dishes, saying, “This friendly eatery feeds my craving for eggplant with its generous special of light, crispy-fried eggplant tossed with garlic and coriander in sweet and sour sauce.”

Then to end, Denise says she is heading to “Caffe Centrale. It’s a short walk for dessert, either a fruity sorbet, the affogato, or a classic Italian tiramisu with lovely layers of egg-mascarpone cream, coffee-liqueur-soaked ladyfingers and cocoa.” (Caffe Centrale, 10 Alma Street)

Julie Ashby from Wintec says she’d start at “Gothenburg, enjoying a table outside (weather permitting) beneath the beautiful spring foliage overlooking our river”. And her picks – “the duck liver pâté or the beef tataki”. (Gothenburg, 17 Grantham Street)

From there, Julie says, “Take an easy stroll to Chim Choo Ree. From their refined menu, I’d be torn between the snapper with leek and vermouth cream sauce, crispy herb potatoes, crunchy pancetta and peas, or, for the meat lover, the perfectly cooked lamb rack with chargrilled eggplant and that unforgettable capsicum chutney. It’s a truly classic fine dining experience.” (Chim Choo Ree, 14 Anzac Parade)

And to finish, “I’d wander back into the heart of the city to Palate, where the dessert menu is impossible to resist”.

Jeremy Mayall from Creative Waikato is a vegetarian so has a different lens on the eateries’ menus. For Jeremy the Hamilton Hotel Public Bar (170 Victoria Street) “is a nice, relaxed spot to start – always good vibes. Get yourself a drink (both the house cocktails and mocktails are a good time) and an order of the corn ribs and the onion rings. A delicious blend of flavours and textures.”

Then for a change of scene, Jeremy is off to The Chilli House (237 Victoria Street). “This place is always a reliable, tasty spot to visit. Grab some of the pan-fried veggie dumplings and the spring onion pancakes. Tasty if you don’t like spice, but you can also add some of that delicious Sichuan chilli crisp to bring it to life!”

To wrap up the evening Jeremy says it has to be “a call into the crew at Little Honey (217 Victoria Street). They do a broad range of shared plates with a number of different vegetarian options – including some delicious desserts.”

Camille Guzzwell from The Breeze has recently moved into the central city and admits she is loving discovering new places to eat, so on her list are some of her new spots she is loving. El Mexicano Zapata Cantina (211 Victoria Street) is first up, with a frozen margarita and some corn chips with avocado, followed by a share platter of fajitas. “It’s a really fun way to start your mini progressive dinner and enjoy some fresh Mexican food served by the happiest staff. Oh, and you MUST go there for your birthday because they celebrate like nobody else does!”

Ducky Chinese Restaurant (242 Victoria Street) is next. “I love the vibes and family warmth here and YES, they do more than duck! Loved their fried chicken but make sure to pre order their Peking duck ’cos it is amazing.”

Her final stop is Nami (10 Hood Street). “I cannot believe we have not been here until now – their sashimi was PHENOMENAL.”

I have to agree with all the recommendations above but often have a fussy 11 year old in tow. So, for a family night out, moving around the city we would start at Bowl Social at Sky City for a bite and a bowl. Next we’d head to Tatsuta (161A Victoria Street) for some of the best and most pretty Japanese food in town. Then for dessert we are heading to Kori Dessert (33 Ward Streer) or Snowtown (104 Alexandra Street) to try something new.

This year’s Love the Centre Progressive Dinner is on 12 November. Tickets are $180pp and available by emailing withjulesnz@gmail.com.