Sale St Bistro

The popular brewery bar and restaurant Sale St in Freemans Bay opened its brand new bistro this week, aptly called Sale St Bistro, and Thread headed along to take a look…

The popular brewery bar and restaurant Sale St in Freemans Bay opened its brand new bistro this week, aptly called Sale St Bistro, and Thread headed along to take a look…

The space at the back of the large bar, used to house fittings and was an overflow space for patrons on busy nights.

Now, it has been carfeully curated with designer interior fittings, artworks, and light fixtures, to create an intimate dining area with tables between a bench-lined back wall, and a great view of the chefs at work in the kitchen.

Executive Chef Ben McRae has designed an a la carte menu that makes the most of local New Zealand produce.

Below: the salmon main.

Angela Bloomfield at Sale St Bistro.

The kitchen forms the entire length of the bistro along one side.

Service was polite and helpful.

I had the added bonus of it being my birthday eve, and got such a lovely surprise when the team of waitresses came out and sang me happy birthday with my dessert beetroot cake with a candle in it. So nice.

Here’s the menu, with really reasonable prices.

Entrees
Trio of Scallops – ceviche, cassoulet, black pudding with pancetta & wasabi pea puree $22
Honey & Balsamic Braised Pork Cheeks – puy lentils & rocket (w) (d) $18
Tuna Tartare – slow roasted tomatoes & vanilla balsamic reduction (w) (d) $19
Sugar Cured Kangaroo – poached pear, horseradish & rosella flower (w) $18
Manchego & Corn Fritters – with red pepper jam (v) $16

Mains
Sous Vide Fillet of Salmon – crab & potato cake, fennel & dill pollen salsa, pickled cucumber $33
Confit Duck Leg – wild mushroom risotto with riberry compote & champagne reduction (w) $33
Eye Fillet of Beef – carrot puree, potato & truffle brik pastry roll, pepper berry jus $35
Pancetta & Sage Wrapped Pork Fillet – oven roasted vegetables with an apple, prune & herb butter sauce (w) $33
Papardelle – wild game ragout & parmesan crisps $30
Wild Mushroom Risotto – grana padano and truffle oil (v) $26

Dessert
Flourless Chocolate & Beetroot Cake – with yoghurt sorbet (w) $14
Baked Peaches – lavender honey & saffron Persian candy $14
Ice Cream Sundae – vanilla bean & marshmallow ice cream, hazelnut praline, mix berry compote & chocolate fudge sauce (w) $14
Apple & Rhubarb Crumble – with ginger ice cream $14

Sides
Winter greens with herb butter (w) $8
Roasted kumara, beetroot & orange with dill crème fraiche (w) $8
Zucchini & mozzarella salad with lemon dressing (w) $8
Hand cut chips with aioli (w) $8

Sale St Bistro is located at 7 Sale Street in Freemans Bay, Auckland. Phone 09 307 8148 and is open Mon: 3pm – late; Tue-Sun: 11.30am – late.

Megan Robinson 13 July 2012
Photography Kevin Robinson