Eichardt’s new menu includes a new breed of omega 3 lamb.
Featuring sumptuous seafood, locally foraged produce and exclusive new breed of ‘omega-3’ lamb, Te Mana, the new breed of uber-healthy lamb on everyone’s lips at the moment, can now be enjoyed with a Central Otago Pinot Noir and a prime waterside view of Queenstown’s Lake Wakatipu.
The Grille by Eichardt’s is one of only a handful of top New Zealand restaurants to offer Te Mana lamb after the new breed was tested to chef and customer acclaim at luxury lodges and leading restaurants as part of a 2016 trial.
“Some refer to it as the ‘world’s healthiest lamb’ due to its unique fat profile,” says The Grille’s Executive Chef Will Eaglesfield.
Te Mana lambs, bred for the fine dining experience rather than mass produced, are raised in the high country then finished on chicory which produces a marbled meat rich in polyunsaturated and omega-3 fats.
“The texture is also quite different to anything I’ve ever experienced – it’s incredibly tender and juicy,” says Eaglesfield. “Te Mana lamb’s fantastic marbling makes the meat particularly succulent and packs it full of flavour. It’s a spectacular product, and so local that from our dining tables you can see these lambs just across the lake at Walter Peak Station.”
Ever the innovator, Eaglesfield is proud to introduce the Butterflied Lamb Shoulders Two Breeds Tasting Board as part of The Grille’s refreshed menu.
“Rather than abandon the Cardrona Merino, which is a firm favourite and just as delicious, we’ve turned our lamb dish into a duo so guests can compare the two side-by-side. Both breeds are raised on pristine high country grazing land, so the dish is both an expression of our region and a showcase of the differences made by breeding and finishing techniques.”
Designed to share, the two breeds board consists of 600g local lamb shoulders (both Te Mana and Cardrona Merino) which are smoked, chargrilled and served with a divine charred eggplant puree and rosemary salsa verde.
Tom Macaulay, General Manager Food & Beverage, says The Grille (boasting a 150 seat restaurant, lunch bar and cocktail lounge) has truly cemented its place in the hearts (and stomachs) of both Queenstown locals and tourists alike since opening its doors seven months ago.
“Our customers shape our ethos and their eagerness to try new things and celebrate our local flavours has certainly influenced the dishes on our refreshed menu.”
Brace yourselves, foodies. New menu highlights include the moreish Crispy Havoc Pork Belly, served with homemade black pudding, seared scallops and pea puree, and decadent Oysters Baked in Garlic and Speck Breadcrumbs.
The Beetroot Cured Salmon, served with smoked yoghurt and fennel salad, showcases Eaglesfield’s passion for sourcing the best local seasonal produce and experimenting with flavour combinations and cooking methods, although he says The Grille’s classic prime cuts remain as hero dishes.
“Our grass-fed Tomahawk Steak (chargrilled on the bone and served with smoked herb salt) and the mighty Eichardt’s Wagyu Burger (200g grass-fed wagyu rump steak with Havarti cheese, pickles, aioli and smokey tomato sauce) are two of our most renowned dishes, and epitomise The Grille’s commitment to sourcing top ingredients and making them shine.”
And don’t forget the cocktails – The Grille is now serving the aptly named ‘Central Otago Sour’ blend of Rose Rabbit Cherry Liqueur, Gabriel Boudier Crème de Cassis, Pinot Noir, lemon juice and egg white, along with the sweet ‘Rose of Cardrona’ featuring Source Gin, Peychaud’s Bitters and rose water syrup. “Our ‘Bourbon Had a Little Lamb’ is great for cooler nights and the ‘Albert’s Luck’ foraged saffron-infused gin cocktail, complete with gold flakes, is a playful nod to Eichardt’s gold mining history,” Eaglesfield explains. “We like to push the boundaries with our menu and it’s our aim to ensure food, drink, service and setting continually come together in harmony.”
You only have to look at the communal table with its huge ice well to see that The Grille represents a slice of luxury that’s accessible to everyone.
“From tradies enjoying Friday night beers to couples celebrating a special occasion with oysters and champagne – the communal table is always full,” says Macaulay.
“The new outside tables on Marine Parade have also given us some of the most prime waterfront seating in Queenstown, so we’re looking forward to the warmer months when guests can truly make the most of this new space.”
In the meantime, what better way to spend a cold winters evening down south than sinking into a large leather banquette and sampling your way through The Grille’s new range of sumptuous dishes and world class cocktails.
