Meat lover alert! New Zealand meats & Japanese grills at Wakanui

PUBLISHED June 1st, 2014 04:52 pm | UPDATED May 22nd, 2017 04:57 pm

Amidst the plethora of restaurants jostling for attention in Boat Quay is a relatively new player that deserves your attention. And if you are a meat lover, it ABSOLUTELY deserves your attention. We give you Wakanui.

Combining sumptuous cuts of New Zealand beef and lamb, some of which are painstakingly aged to perfection on site in the restaurant’s very own ageing room, with a correspondingly painstaking four-step process of Japanese preparation, it is the marriage of these two aspects which are at the core of Wakanui’s offerings. Having been well honed at their parent establishment in Tokyo, here they are now for us to enjoy.

Hmmm that probably all sounds quite expensive doesn’t it? That’s absolutely what we thought until we saw the prices on the menu and let our wallets breathe a sigh of relief.

While Wakanui prides itself on its meat offerings, before we get onto that, some appreciation is needed for the Hot Smoked Salmon ($22). Flash smoked in a wok over wood chips and finished off in the oven, the whole process takes only 3-4 minutes to mouth-watering effect. Smokey in flavour and beautifully tender within, these six morsels are perfect for sharing and a delicious preamble to the meat escapade that awaits.

The signature Spring Lamb Chop ($6 for one), was cooked to perfection, mildly sweet and without a hint of “that lamb taste” so many seem to angst about. However, being a true blue steak addict, it was when the steaks rolled out I got really excited.

The slight crisp on the outside of the Sirloin ($38 for 350g/$58 for 500g) belied the smooth and tender texture that was revealed inside. With all the juicy flavours sealed within, the 45 minutes it takes to prepare is well justified. However, don’t let that put you off because you can call ahead to ensure your order is served to your table in a timely fashion and in this time-pushed world, that is hugely helpful!

For the ultimate steak experience, be sure to load up on the accompanying roasted shallots, mustard and the Fried Mixed Mushrooms ($9) – all of which are excellent – or opt for the Wasabi which is a surprisingly more-ish companion. For a more robust flavour and texture combination, the Rib Eye ($68 for 500g) will meet your demands with its mouth-watering  ways.

Before we get on to desserts, a quick word on the wines. Aside from being a a win on the meat-loving front, Wakanui also scores again for its impressive selection of New Zealand wines which we were also very pleased to see were also rather reasonable with prices – expect to pay from $14 – $16 for a glass or from $55 for a bottle.

Desserts keep things true to the Kiwi way, with a humble yet fantastically light, airy and made fresh daily Pavlova ($12) as well as a cheeky Hokey Pokey Ice Cream ($12). With the Pavlova’s crisp, melt-in-your-mouth crust and light inside, and the Hokey Pokey’s light honeycomb-toffee flavours, these are a smart move on the sweet endings front because quite frankly, there’s probably not much more you could accommodate at this stage.

Wakanui ticks a lot of boxes: Great quality, flavourful cuts of meat prepared to perfection, a warm and welcoming ambiance, and very good service to boot. If you’re heading down in the evening, be sure to bag a spot on the terrace to enjoy the views over Boat Quay, else seek solace from the sun inside. Their third floor bar is slated to open sometime in June, making it an equally good spot to sip a glass of two of wine and unwind.

Also, look out for Meat with Friends which takes place every Tuesday and Thursday from 5.30pm – 7.30pm when you enjoy can a glass of wine/martini cocktail/beer plus 3 mini gourmet burgers and fries for only $16++.

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Written by Ms Demeanour

On this occasion the meal was compliments of Wakanui

Read more at Pind Balluchi Bar & Grill: Sumptuous grills and exotic flavours and Japanese-French Romance at Lewin Terrace