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Overall DineOut Score based on 22 reviews
Review by: Bing57 [DineOut VIP] (46) on
Mrs Bing and I had a lovely day in Timaru satisfying a small retail itch but the highlight was definitely lunch at Ginger and Garlic. The restaurant is across Stafford Street from Ballantynes and up a flight of stairs. Decor is modern and subdued - probably better suited to dinner lighting than lunch. We were greeted warmly and taken to a table overlooking Caroline Bay. Water soon followed as did the menus and wine list. The menu had a good range of a la carte choices but we were taken by the Express Lunch option - "3 courses, 1 plate, 15 minutes, $20". What was delivered was exactly as stated. On a long oblong plate at the left was a small nest of fine noodles in a light mayonnaise with two grilled prawns on top - simple, tasty. In the middle was one of a choice of 3 mains - for Mrs Bing the monkfish and for me the lamb. Both were superbly done, the lamb tender, juicy and tasty; the fish firm but perfectly cooked. In both cases they were assembled across a small stack of roasted potato quarters. On the right was a good sized portion of crème brulee with a spoon of raspberry sorbet on the side. The brulee was at just under room temperature which allowed the texture and flavour to come through - the top even and crisp, the sorbet sharp, concentrated and refreshing. To complement the meal we were able to choose from a well thought out wine list with a good range of wines by the glass - the bottle of Cottage Block Syrah 2006 was opened at the table for us for our glass ($14 but a really good glassful) each. Coffee to finish was very good. Service throughout was friendly, attentive but not intrusive and a chat at the end of the meal about wine lists and dinner menus was very encouraging of a return. All up just under $80 for the pair of us - great value, very good food, excellent environment and good service. Highly recommended - and I will now have to think of a reason to overnight in Timaru to try the evening offering. Review by: swedishchef (4) on
We hear that there is a new chef but the food is excellent with the beef fillet wonderful and the scallops and eel was delicous Review by: AnniePinot [DineOut VIP] (102) on
A great experience again this year at Ginger and Garlic. Review by: Corinne Johnston (8) on
Visited here on night 1 and night 14 of our 2 week holiday in the south of the South Island. First visit was on a drizzling rainy night, so we didn't get to see much of the beautiful outlook of the bay, but pre-dinner drinks in the bar were very enjoyable. I started with Bluff oysters kilpatrick which were beautiful and fresh, but somewhat overwhelmed by too much heavy vinegar (balsamic?) though my husband's tempura calamari and prawn cutlets with a mandarin cocktail sauce were spo on. a lime and giner sorbet palate freshner were welcome additions before the main course. Clearwater lobster with parmesan melted thermidore and wonderfully good manuka smoked potatoe mash was great, complemented by Wooing Tree Pinot Noir. Husband's Angus beef ribeye was perfectly cooked, and great with a buttery mash. no room for dessert this visit. we asked about the heritage of the room and building but the waitress only went back as far as previous restaurant or two. After a circular drive west and south we ended up back in Timaru on our last night of our holiday, so visited Giner and Garlic again. we were luckier this time with service and info - found out the history of this beautiful building. we thought it would be good if many of the lovely old premises in NZ mentioned in their menus the history of the site, such as this - old tea rooms in the early 20th century. Foodwise-my Aoraki salmon salad with soft boiled egg was great, just perfect in execution; husbands potato and sweet corn fritter had right amount of crunch and softness. I had the special of the day, Monk fish on spuds with a very lemony beurre blanc sauce, enjoyable but not spectacular; husbanfd had sesame chicken breast with ribbon veg - great. we had a taste of a few different wines, thanks to a chatty wine waiter (owner/manager) and then an enjoyable dessert wine to accompany banana toffee tart with fudge infused ice cream and caramelised orange brulee. all in all a well recommended place to visit, with typical Kiwi service - not top notch, but very very friendly! Review Feedback by: corker [DineOut VIP] (50) 1st Jul 2011It sounds really delicious! We had a great meal there some years ago- glad to see current owners are keeping the standards high. Review by: Maurice Butler (2) on
First visit of the New Year, after trying the fine dining establishments of Auckland, Whangarei and Napier over the Christmas break I was looking forward to see how my bench mark measured up.
Fodors This classy spot is considered one of Timaru's best eateries, and owner Jason Cleverly hopes that every visitor here will get to feel a real touch of New Zealand. In winter there's a nice big fire to warm up by, and in summer there are fabulous sunsets to watch from a window table. The view also overlooks Caroline Bay and the port -- where the chef gets her seafood fresh each day. The seared lamb with roasted kumara, served with a walnut and spinach salad, is a menu standout. AE, DC, MC, V. Wine Dine Service Exceptional – knowledgeable, urbane, witty and unobtrusive. We were served by the maitre d’, Jonathon. The man is a treasure and an asset to the business. He would be at home in any 5-star restaurant anywhere and I do hope the owners know how lucky they are to have him. He’d be poached away in a second in any of the larger cities Presentation Wine List Value for Money Ambience The feel good factor
Timaru Herald - Meridian Business Excelence Awards
Winner of the hospitality award at the Meridian Energy Business Award Recognising business excellence in the hospitality industry has seen Ginger & Garlic tip the scales when it comes to providing top quality service and top customer care in South Canterbury at the recent Meridian Energy Business Excellence Awards. Taking out the hospitality section, Jason Cleverley is thrilled with the outcome that shows Ginger & Garlic is on the ball when it comes to top quality food and service. It’s an accomplishment which he holds proud and insist that it would never have been attainable without the continued hard work of his fantastic team. “We also must thank all of our suppliers, we have built our business up relying on the knowledge and support, the high quality service and product from these key business’” Jason admits, “The only reason we have come this far in just two and a half years is because of the over-whelming support of the local community.” Jason bought the Ginger & Garlic Restaurant almost three years ago after searching for hospitality opportunities throughout the South Island. The restaurant itself had been running as Ginger & Garlic for nine years prior and had already obtained a reputation as one of South Canterbury’s top dining destinations. “We have customers coming from all over the country that haven’t been to Timaru for years, but insist on every visit; they must return to Ginger & Garlic. It’s easy to make a difference to a poorly run business, but it’s not so easy to make an impact on an already successful enterprise. We are thrilled with local, national, and international customer response; stating that Ginger & Garlic is now a dining experience that “must be tried.” As well as offering Timaru’s premier views accompanying stunning ambiance, G & G are trying to add that little bit more to your night out. Whether refreshing sorbet between courses, live background music on the ‘Baby Grand’ on weekends; or just a chat with their friendly knowledgeable team. The goal is to cater and adapt to the customers needs. Of course the base to any good restaurant is the food… The ethos throughout Ginger & Garlic is “patron perceived perfection.” “We believe that if we introduce passion into every aspect of our business, surround our self with a fantastic team, and of course strive for patron perceived perfection; then we’ll have a winning combination.” “The secret to doing well in any business, whether working for yourself, or someone else, is loving what you do. We have a passion for hospitality, a passion for our restaurant, and passion for Timaru. We can’t go wrong.” Good work guys.
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