The Tasting Room

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Address

2 Courtenay Place
Wellington
Region: Wellington
Licence: Fully Licensed
Cuisine: New Zealand
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Contact

Phone: 04-384 1159
Fax: 04-384 1160
Email: bravado@xtra.co.nz

Open

Monday - Friday 11am -late
Weekends 10am - late

Overall DineOut Score based on 35 reviews

Total		7.5
Food		7.7
Dessert		7.5
Presentation		7.6
Service		7.3
Environment		7.4
Toilets		7.4
Child Friendly	Kind of

Review by: mh [DineOut VIP] (81) on 23rd August 2010

Total		7.9
Food		8
Dessert		N/A
Presentation		8
Service		8
Environment		8
Toilets		7
Child Friendly	Kind of

Wellington on a plate; Had a really nice cocktail on arrival. Chose their signature dish - beef wellington. Just a minor gripe - the potatoes were ever so slightly underdone, however the portion of the entree [ravioli] and mains were very substantial, and with the glass of wine we couldn't complain. Would definitely recommend.

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Review by: shazzak (16) on 11th August 2010

Total		9.3
Food		10
Dessert		N/A
Presentation		10
Service		8
Environment		8
Toilets		9

We popped into The Tasting Room by chance as the place we were intending on dining at was chokka - what a stroke of luck for us. We went for a light lunch/brunch on a terribly cold and windy Sunday, whiling away time before the movies. The restaurant was very warm and cosy, the waiters friendly and welcoming and the service throughout extremely efficient. The food however was the highlight. I had the seafood chowder and this was the BEST seafood chowder I have ever had - beautiful creaminess with the freshest pieces of salmon floating in it and juicy and tender steamed mussels-in-the-shell resting on top served with warmed crusty french bread and oodles of real butter. Heaven! My hubby had the fish cakes and he was very impressed with those; generous portions, crispy-fried on the outside served with perfectly poached eggs and drizzled in sublime hollandaise sauce. We spent a good hour and half just watching the world go by (feeling very sorry for all those running across the busy intersection to avoid the torrential rain while we were snug inside), drinking excellent coffee, and reading the paper. A perfect Sunday lunch. :)

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Review by: Magzstar [DineOut VIP] (157) on 3rd August 2010

Total		7.3
Food		7
Dessert		N/A
Presentation		8
Service		8
Environment		7
Toilets		7

Came here for late lunch on Sunday before a festival film at The Embassy and enjoyed the food. I had the chowder which was cream based as opposed to fish stock based but tasty and warming with nice bread along side. Glass of pinot gris and I was happy. My partner had the minute steak which was served in a little pile of hand cut chips with a jus, and this was also a very good light lunch.

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Review by: MariaC (28) on 6th July 2010

Total		8.0
Food		8
Dessert		N/A
Presentation		8
Service		7
Environment		9
Toilets		9

Came here for lunch. Had a tasting platter, was great. Really enjoyed the atmosphere and the music was quite decent but not too loud that you couldn't hear yourself think :) The seats are pretty comfy. Check out the wine seller near the door to the toilets. Pretty cool!! Also toilets are funk, I like funky toilets :)

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Review by: Minty Mathews (10) on 5th July 2010

Total		7.5
Food		8
Dessert		N/A
Presentation		8
Service		6
Environment		8
Toilets		7
Child Friendly	Yes

We have dined quite a few times at the Tasting Room over the last few years and have always enjoyed the food. We recently did a dine and dash and the 3 of us ordered the fish and chips.
The fish was very fresh with a lovely light crispy batter and the coleslaw was a refreshing change from salad. Delicious! This would definately be some of the best fish and chips we've had in a long while. Big portions too.
Service tends to be a bit sporadic but being a bar I guess you can't always expect top notch service.
We will certainly be back for the Fish and Chips. Also a great place to pop in for an early drink before it gets too busy.

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Review by: happyfeet (1) on 2nd June 2010

Total		8.3
Food		9
Dessert		N/A
Presentation		8
Service		7
Environment		8
Toilets		N/A

The Beef Wellington was really really nice. It cooked perfectly I really enjoyed it. The place was quite dark maybe because we sat on the down stir and it was very hard to take a picture of us.
Overall everything was excellent!!

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Review by: Sakura59 (19) on 15th May 2010

Total		7.0
Food		7
Dessert		N/A
Presentation		7
Service		8
Environment		6
Toilets		6

Busy Thursday night dinner for two. We shared a delicious garlic bread for a start and both ordered Angus Rib-eye with hand cut fries and a side of vegetables for our mains. The food was very nice with the exception of the steak being much more on the rare side that we ordered. The waitress did offer to get them cooked a bit more which was nice. A nice meal but i think the place is definitely more suited to drinks than a meal

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Review by: Sejie (59) on 11th May 2010

Total		7.9
Food		8
Dessert		N/A
Presentation		7
Service		9
Environment		7
Toilets		N/A

The service was extremely friendly, but not intrusive, from all staff encountered. The place was really busy and it was only Tuesday night! Food was really good....Beef Wellington cooked perfectly and the gnochhi had lots of flavour. Highly recommend.

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Review by: Tony.B (2) on 11th May 2010

Total		7.5
Food		9
Dessert		N/A
Presentation		7
Service		6
Environment		4
Toilets		9
Child Friendly	Not at all

Food was excellent! Best venison i've had in a while. There are a few 'buts' though.
Now it was probably our fault for choosing to go there on a Friday night. The place was filled with drunken businessmen. Seedy, old businessmen chatting up the younger girls.
Would have been nice to sit away from all that nonsense. But to no avail.
Food though was brilliant! I had the Venison and Mushroom risotto, highly recommended. However they should have a smaller size for the Fish & Chips (which my fiance had) as it was HUGE. She only managed to get through a quarter of it.
The young waiter could use a little 'Customer service training' and learn the food better. But good overall.

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Review by: MsL [DineOut VIP] (141) on 23rd April 2010

Total		8.1
Food		8
Dessert		N/A
Presentation		8
Service		9
Environment		7
Toilets		8

Came here prior to going to a show. The service was very friendly and attentive, without being intrusive. There's a nice wine list and the tasting platter was great. Lots of tasty morsels, a generous portion size (there were two of us), and a nice variety. Standouts were the mussel fritters, the pate, and the polenta coated calamari.
Because The Tasting Room is a pub, it tends to get a little noisy, but the noise level was still fine for my friend and I to chat. The decor is cosy - dark leather banquettes, dark wooden furniture, with the schist on the walls lightening the overall atmosphere whilst still in keeping with the rustic theme.
Recommended!

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Review by: Yunene (3) on 5th December 2009

Total		9.1
Food		9
Dessert		9
Presentation		8
Service		10
Environment		9
Toilets		N/A
Child Friendly	Kind of

We got two specials that were on offer - one was oysters as part of a taster menu, and fish of the day (king fish) pan fried for a main. Both of which were to die for. The staff were prompt and friendly.
This would be a good restaurant for a family if you go quite early in the evening, otherwise its more of an adult restaurant. Prices are equal to the value of the meals, however slightly pricey for those looking for bang for buck. Definitely recommended to those looking for a nice evening out.

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Review by: FishTrish (12) on 30th September 2009

Total		9.1
Food		10
Dessert		9
Presentation		9
Service		8
Environment		8
Toilets		9

This is a fantastic resturant, We had the Fish as an entree followed by the beef wellington and venision on a mushroon risotto, Both where delisheous and perfectly cooked, We go back to this resturant often and are always pleased with the specials and regular dishes on the menu. the service is polite and effiecent without being intrusive. The atmous fair is noisey but fun and reminds me of a fancy english pub bistro. after a few wines some great food we finished our meal with the Carmel Crepes which where so tasty I am often tempted to pop back in just to have them.

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Review by: ambd (64) on 21st September 2009

Total		8.6
Food		9
Dessert		N/A
Presentation		8
Service		8
Environment		9
Toilets		N/A

Went for a after work drink and snack. Great atmosphere and service. Venison meatballs small platter and fries with aioli was fantastic and really fill the 2 of us, well worth the value. Great place, great food, great service.

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Review by: mesis (3) on 2nd September 2009

Total		3.7
Food		3
Dessert		N/A
Presentation		4
Service		3
Environment		7
Toilets		N/A
Child Friendly	Not at all

Had dinner tonight at the tasting room. The food was disappointing. The service was generally good, but the waitress did not bother to follow up after the food was served which was again a disappointment. It was a busy night, but the waitress walked right passed us several times.
If you want to have drinks and you are not to concern about your meal, then tasting room is a good place. If you want to have a nice dinner you should consider a different place. The standard of the food has drop significantly in the past year.

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Review by: gianouts (60) on 26th August 2009

Total		7.5
Food		8
Dessert		N/A
Presentation		7
Service		7
Environment		7
Toilets		7

I went to The Tasting Room last night for the second time. I had Monk Fish on a potato mash for dinner and thoroughly enjoyed it. It is a nice relaxed bar environment which was remarkably busy for a Tuesday night (we were lucky to get a table). The food was also quick to arrive.

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Review by: Ellla (11) on 20th August 2009

Total		8.3
Food		8
Dessert		N/A
Presentation		9
Service		10
Environment		7
Toilets		7

Thanks for a lovely evening Tasting Room! The service was the star last night. It was a busy (Wednesday!) night and we went to the bar while we waited to be seated. The bar staff knew as much about the menu, it seemed, as the waiting staff - we were grilling one of them on the specials as we ordered our wine! No sooner than the glasses had been poured were we being led to our table. Cosy in the corner, we perused our menu where staff were attentive but not in our faces - offering water and suggesting entrees while we waited for my boyfriend's choice the 'award-winning' Beef Wellington which takes 30 mins to cook. The presentation of both our meals was exquisite - I had venison back steak on mushroom risotto and we got a side of creamed spinach to share. The Beef Wellington was worth the wait and apparently, Brava, the cafe/restaurant previously situated on this lively corner, were known for their Beef Wellington - so it's return to the corner is welcomed! The Tasting Room can be a bit on the pricey side, even for a 'gastro-pub' but the portion sizes are substantial and the quality of the food is never compromised. The entertainment book voucher made this a reasonable evening out too!! Last time we were here we had the Chateaubriand and it was incredible...don't be turned off by potatoes in duck fat. Once you've tasted them, you'll be looking for duck fat on every menu you see!!! We'll be back TR..we'll be back.

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Review by: kingkong (5) on 17th August 2009

Total		6.9
Food		7
Dessert		N/A
Presentation		7
Service		6
Environment		8
Toilets		N/A

Went here a while ago with a friend for our weekly catch up dinner. Both of us got the fish of the day and were pleased with the flavours although when I was concerned about the fish being undercooked the waiter made up some speil about how fish doesnt need to be cooked through, which my friend could see right through as she works in hospo. It would have been nice if the fish was taken to the back and just cooked a touch more and my friends fish looked well cooked. The dine in envrionment is weird as i'd always seen it as a bar - the kind of place you would go for after work drinks. A nice place for a work do or catching up with a friend, but probably wouldn't choose to eat there again, maybe just for drinks?

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Review by: websynapse (8) on 1st August 2009

Total		8.6
Food		9
Dessert		N/A
Presentation		8
Service		9
Environment		7
Toilets		N/A

A cosy and friendly pub atmosphere. My chowder was excellent and my partner's shepherd's pie was to die for. We were served promptly by a friendly waiter and although we were seated next to the kitchen door, the atmosphere was still good. Reasonably priced meals too.

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Review by: nz_nikiwi (1) on 22nd July 2009

Total		8.3
Food		9
Dessert		N/A
Presentation		8
Service		8
Environment		7
Toilets		7

We were on our way down to Oriental Parade when weather and hunger stopped us at the top of Courtenay Place - The Tasting Room. The menu and blackboard specials looked appetising so we went straight inside to a warm and cosy setting. It was only 5pm so the place was quiet and the girl on the bar was happy to accommodate an early dinner. Accordingly wait was a little long as we were probably first service of the night but environment was nice and staff were friendly without being intrusive. Food was much better than we'd thought; loads of appealing options to choose from. Salmon on spinach tart with new potatoes and free-range chicken in tomato, mushroom, bacon & tarragon sauce were both presented beautifully, cooked to perfection and tasted amazing. We were impressed.

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Review by: shiva (6) on 25th June 2009

Total		7.1
Food		8
Dessert		6
Presentation		7
Service		7
Environment		7
Toilets		7
Child Friendly	Not at all

we had dinner here with a group of girlfriends, most of us had the fish of the day which was absolutely wonderfull!! service was good & friendly. Desert was baileys pudding, nothing to write home about but still enjoyable. Bit of a pub admosphere but great if your going out with a group of friends, mayb not for a romantic kinda dinner.

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Review by: flaymz (9) on 24th June 2009

Total		9.3
Food		10
Dessert		N/A
Presentation		10
Service		9
Environment		8
Toilets		7

Dined out on Tuesday night and had never been there before - but had heard good things about the place. Husband had the Venison and I had the Beef Wellington and both were beautiful. The sides were a bit pricey for what they were, but with the main being exceptional it is hard to complain about the price of the food. The Wine was far too expensive for the bottle though - we expect a significant mark up but the wine prices were outrageous.
The place did get a bit too noisy - but hey - it is a jazzed up pub, so come expecting that.
We will definitely go back - refreshing to find a place where your money gets you great food these days

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Review by: kristenr (24) on 23rd June 2009

Total		6.5
Food		6
Dessert		N/A
Presentation		7
Service		7
Environment		7
Toilets		N/A

We stopped by for a quick brunch on Sunday morning. We chose our seats and the waitress brought over water, half filled our glasses and took our coffee orders. While we read the menu another waiter filled up the glasses and asked if we were being looked after. The first waitress came back and we ordered 2x bacon and egg butty (one without the egg) and a bowl of fries. I thought the fries were a little over priced at $7.00 for a small bowl. The buttys were nice and they doubled the bacon on the one that was minus the egg - the food was good - no complaints not amazing though.

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Review by: rbrWLG (14) on 30th April 2009

Total		7.9
Food		8
Dessert		N/A
Presentation		8
Service		8
Environment		7
Toilets		N/A

My partner and I ate at The Tasting Room last night. Upon walking in, it's immediately apparent that it is a pub atmosphere, with a centre bar area dominating the floor space and lots of small raised tables with stools for people to sit around having drinks. There are also a number of proper dining tables around the edge, though. We were immediately greeted and seated at a nice corner table upon walking in, and despite the pub atmosphere, I didn't find it too loud to have a normal conversation during the evening.
I noted that the wine list was fairly pricey. The bottle we ordered turned out to have a Gold award on it from Air New Zealand, though, and it was wonderful. Given the quality compared to the price of the bottle, it was probably reasonably priced and we weren't being gouged with something like a 2x markup. However, it still would be nice to see a few more moderately priced bottles as available selections.
Shortly after ordering, a server came by with a sampler tray of fried spinach and mushroom risotto balls that she offered to patrons at the dining tables. Those were yummy and a nice touch. We had a starter of polenta coated calamari. It was good, but not exceptional. Having just eaten an exceptional starter of calamari the week before (at another restaurant), the flavour and cooking of TTR's calamari didn't measure up. The dipping sauce of some rather basic sweet and sour sauce was a bit uninspiring, as well.
Our mains were the lamb and venison. We ordered medium rare, but I would say both were closer to the rare side. Now, this could have been a result of my partner asking our server to be sure hers wasn't overcooked when she asked for medium rare. So they might have been wanting to err on the rarer side. Regardless of whether it was prompted by our comment or if this was their normal medium rare preparation, both meats were wonderful. (I would much rather have meat on the rare side than overcooked to medium.) The flavours with the other components on the plate were very good. The lamb chops actually came arranged on the plate in a leaning circular stack, somewhat resembling a crown rack, so that was attractive and imaginatively done. The lamb also had a potato gratin on the plate that was very tasty and well cooked.
We found the service to be very attentive and professional, which stood out a bit (in a good way, obviously) given the general pub atmosphere, so good marks there.
(As a bit of second-hand reviewing, the table next to us had salmon and the Beef Wellington as mains. The salmon was a beautiful cut of fish and looked perfectly cooked. The Wellington was cooked and plated in an original format. Rather than the typical pastry surrounding, there was a lattice-work of of pastry covering the meat; it looked pretty neat, but wouldn't have provided as much pastry as the normal preparation. I noted that the meat was cooked at least to medium if not beyond, and surmised that the diner must have ordered it that way. He seemed very happy with it and told us it was delicious.)

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Review by: food_is_great! (5) on 22nd April 2009

Total		7.5
Food		7
Dessert		N/A
Presentation		8
Service		8
Environment		8
Toilets		N/A

Lovely place to go for lunch, it was very quiet when we went which was great. The food was served promptly, the mussels were nice, and so was my partner's pasta although that was on the (very) small side. The waitress was friendly and professional. Overall a great experience and would recommend the place. We were also able to use the entertainment book special (one main free when another purchased) for the $20.00 lunch special (a main and a beer/wine) which was EXCELLENT value.

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