Dinner at Two Grey, Review by Lost in Silver Fern
The Hype is Real
I was recently lucky enough to be treated to one of the best (and biggest) dinners I have had in Wellington yet. My friend Hayley Benoit, who is a wonderful photographer in Wellington took some photographs and brought be along to enjoy their menu with her. (the photos in this review are my iphone photos you can find her amazing shots HERE)
I have to say, the food was nothing short of amazing at this mid-range bistro. There is a bit of hype around this place and I am a little late on the bandwagon with it, but having enjoyed the dinner there so much, I thought I should share this little Two Grey review.
Two Grey is technically a hotel bar but it is a lot more than this. You will find it underneath the Intercontinental Hotel right in the centre of Wellington, where Featherstone Street meets Grey. But apart from the TVs and the slightly swish vibe in there, it doesn’t feel like a hotel and it definitely stands on its own as a top place to try out in Wellington.
You can check out the Two Grey Menu Here
Plush Velvet Luxury
The decor is trendy and modern and I am totally in love with the teal velvet upholstery, considering covering my entire house with the stuff. We sat by the window, watching the suited and booted entering the hotel with their large shopping bags and feeling as much like we were in New York or Paris as possible in Wellington.
As with every place that I love, everything on the menu is local, seasonal and free range. This local and good quality produce at Two Grey shines through their simple, accessible menu.
Culture Bomb Starters
We started by sharing the broad bean fritters, served with quinoa and lettuce, this was beautiful, and could well be enjoyed as a main lunch dish in its own right. We also had, because we had to try it, the Paua Bruschetta. My boyfriend sometimes cooks the strange and alien like shellfish, Paua and I haven’t enjoyed it. But, I was won over by this dish at Two Grey. It has got to be tried when in New Zealand and if you want to try it cooked well, try it at Two Grey.
When I head back, I would love to try the salmon rillets with poppy-seed and sour dough bread.
Main Spectacle
Our lovely waiter was very firm with us, when ordering that we should go for the half roast cauliflower, and we did not regret it. This is an absolutely spectacular dish, presented so pretty. I have never seen anything like it.
With Tahini, soft cheese and pomegranate scattered on top, it is literally half a head of cauliflower roasted. It has a very middle-eastern influence and I am sure the chef is a fan of Yottam Ottolenghi. We also tried the steak, which was lovely, served with seasonal chard and potatoes. This was super food, healthy ingredients, indulgence without the guilt.
Not THAT guilty dessert
We finished off our experience by trying half the desert menu. It was too hard not to. We had the blueberry panacotta and the passion fruit tart. Both were amazing and delicious, full of fruit flavour and presented supper beautifully. It didn’t even feel that unhealthy! Worth saving space for if you can. A special shout out to the caramelised bananas, just yum. When I head back, I would love to try the cheese and the brownie too!
The Glug
We needed to pick our food before picking our wine, but having decided on a massive array of things to try, we couldn’t just choose one colour. We opted for a starter accompaniment of Prosecco, and followed up with a couple of NZ reds to go with the dinner. Great wine choices.
Our lovely waiter even remembered Hayley’s wine order from last time, great memory, great waiter! In fact all the service staff were knowledgeable and friendly and helped us out with our struggle in deciding what to order at every stage.
Verdict
All in all, this was a delicious, decadent and beautifully presented meal. Simple European comfort food but with a twist of elegance. Expect beautiful ingredients cooked well and served with a little style and jazz. Oh, and a blooming great cauliflower.
They could lose the TVs, but it is a hotel after all. We will be going back for sure!
TWO GREY
Hotel InterContinental,
2 Grey St, Wellington
Ph: 04 495 7867
Fully licensed
Open Mon-Fri 7.30am-late, Sat 9am-late, Sun 9am-3pm
Price range of mains: $22-$35
Cost: $110 for two (excluding wine)
I hope you enjoyed tis Two Grey Review. Looking for more things going on around Wellington? Check out the following posts:
Wellington Month by Month What to See/Eat/Try/Do
So You Hair The Best Sustainable Hair Salon in Wellington
Staglands – Well worth a visit from Wellington
Thanks for reading and come back soon!
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Josie x