Rotherhams - Fine Dining in Christchurch

Some things remain constant. Amid the ever changing urban landscape that  is Christchurch today there is a place to which gastronomes  can go to raise their  glasses in unconditional gratitude to fine food, classically excellent service and understated elegance.

Rotherhams  has delivered consistently exquisite fare to lucky Cantabrians for twelve years and there appears to be no waning of  public interest in a la carte and degustation options from owners   Martin  & Cindy Weiss.  Successful pairings of food and wine make one’s dining experience that much more memorable and serve to enhance flavours and essential tastes, so important to those of us always on the lookout for a sense of beautiful delicacy and  elevated ethereality.

Of course, the connoisseurs amongst you may decide to dine a la carte and match wines of your choosing  rather than degust. The menu is exciting and interesting, the wine list comprehensive enough to cater to everyones’ needs and the prices, in my view, entirely reasonable for a restaurant of this standing.

A glass of the Nautilus Cuvee Marlborough Brut heralded a start to the evening at our table of three, a pleasant local accompaniment to the twelve au naturel Bluff Oysters, so indisputably omnipotent, so deliciously  decadent, each blessed with such wonders as wasabi infused caviar and lime dressing.  The  euphoria continued unabated amidst our own stimulating conversation , the  considerately timed table attention from the Wait staff and the arrival of my main course, a duo of lamb:  “Lamb Cutlets coated with mustard & herb crust, tomato Provencale, mint & garlic butter...plus...Braised lamb shank, Boulangere potato and lamb sauce. “

A smooth Hawkes Bay merlot cab, Craggy Range Te Kahu, provided a creditable match with these lamb dishes, splashing its muted lustrousness across the gambit of earthy ovine flavours, gambolling playfully with the sauces, butter and herbs to capture and keep the essential pleasures of the moment. The world is a better place!

Dessert-lovers will cherish their time at this restaurant too as there are some bijou, melt in your mouth bites that would tempt even the most die-hard non dessert eater. To wit, Strawberry & white chocolate cheesecake with a brandy snap basket, vanilla ice cream, Baileys Anglaise and a chocolate wafer – a luxurious profusion of richness, colour and striking flavours to sweetly assuage any guilt you may be harbouring or resistance you may have.

Follow up with a glass of Lake Hayes Noble Pinot Gris, from Central Otago of course, or lash out on a bottle of Tempus Two Pewter Botrytis Semillion 2005 from the Hunter Valley. Either way, by the time you are ready to head for home you will most assuredly be replete.