Style NOV (05.11.16)

local fare
Vanessa Ortynsky tastes some delights at a Christchurch classic.
PHOTOGRAPHY Charlie JaCkson
The Cashmere Club is situated at the
southern end of the city between
Colombo Street and the meandering
Heathcote/Ōpāwaho River. Riverview
Restaurant provides a cheerful and familyfriendly
atmosphere with the option of
al fresco dining on the spacious covered
deck. The local community club is also
home to a sports bar, beer gardens and a
conference room that caters to weddings
and corporate functions.
The à la carte menu includes a range of
hearty traditional fare, from lamb shanks
to chicken stacks. We took advantage of
the diverse range of meat options and
chose to create our own surf and turf meal
– beginning with green-lipped mussels,
followed by ribeye and salmon fillet for
the mains. The dozen or so mussels were
perfect for sharing being half-shell topped
with tomato salsa and finished with a
parmesan crust. Shortly after we tucked
into the main courses: chargrilled ribeye
steak, and pan-seared salmon fillet served
with mash and a side of vegetables.
I’ve always been delighted at the
prospect of combining land and sea in a
meal. Living in New Zealand, it’s easy to
take for granted the abundance of fresh
and delicious produce available at our
fingertips. We are so fortunate to have an
extensive range of meat and seafood in the
South Island. While you can find surf and
turf at just about any mid-range restaurant
in North America, nothing compares to
Canterbury’s beef and lamb, Marlborough’s
mussels and thick salmon steaks. It’s
comforting to see a menu that echoes the
bountiful offerings of this region. Whenever
I’m in the mood for quality dishes that
incorporate local produce, I’ll be sure to
pop into Riverview Restaurant.
The Cashmere Club • Riverview Restaurant
88 Hunter Tce Cashmere • 03 332 0092 • www.cashmereclub.co.nz