Atlas

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Reviews

1. Jackie McMillan ★★★★☆

   With a live DJ, Plonk is the perfect place to draw a line between work and play on a Friday night. A block back from Wellington Harbour on a busy city thoroughfare, Plonk directs your attention inward with a darkened interior and colourful lights highlighting the alcohol on their centrally located bar. From the list, wine is the main game, served by glass, carafe and bottle. So I kick off with the 2024 Fromm Spatlese Riesling (NZ$15/glass) from Marlborough which starts with a kiss of residual sugar before the acidity cuts through and it dries up. It’s great against the prettiness of strawberries and the strawberry vinaigrette that sits over kingfish crudo (NZ$24) with verjus gel and torn basil. Pacific oysters (NZ$6.50/each) from the Coromandel Peninsula are noticeably different from their Aussie cousins. Treated with rhubarb and sake mignonette and served over ice, they’re delicate and enjoyable to consume. The 2023 Kenzie Albariño from Hawkes Bay (NZ$17/glass) is lemony and dry with a hint of maritime in the nose and flavour. It’s delicious but it hates the Wapiti salami and roasted tomato toast (NZ$16) I paired it with, turning it sharp and full of acid. The fault of course was my own. Staff were warm and friendly to a solo diner.

   1 year ago
2. Lindsay Harn ★★★★★

   This is a fun new wine and food bar. I am loving the funky, yet sophisticated vibe. The service and staff were lovely and very accommodating. I went with a big group and we got to try a lot of the food and all of it was amazing. We all agreed we would 100% go again. I only took a few pictures of the food we ordered. We ordered and loved it all :The bread with French onion butter, crudites with goat curd, octopus skewer (so delicious and tender), fish tartare, king fish crudo, peas with cured duck, the asparagus, and the plonk chips with the awesome leek emulsion. My only suggestion is to offer a set wine tasting flight of 3 or 4 and/or half glasses of wine.

   almost 2 years ago
3. Olga Palmer ★★★★★

   Very hip new wine bar that also does great cocktails. Food is incredible, maybe because it is prepared in the ex-Atlas kitchen, and the wait staff are very attentive. The DJ and pink lighting all make it a cool new place worth checking out!

   almost 2 years ago

1. lisa akers ★★★★★

   Thanks Ben Carmine for the recommendation. The food is thoughtfully prepared with flavour combinations that are lovely... definately a hidden gem in wellington... The wine list is vast and with some catchy little numbers...

   almost 2 years ago
2. Tim Hogan ★★☆☆☆

   Fine dining requires the complete package: atmosphere, service, food and drinks that matches the price. Quality is measured against expectation and price sets that expectation. Sadly, Atlas has failed the fine dining tick. On entry to a near empty restaurant, we were greeted without a smile and little more than a grunt from the front of house. The menu looked intriguing, with an extensive drinks list of some 54 pages. There were certainly some fine wines and clearly a cellar that has been developed with quality. We selected a wine we knew at a modest $132, certainly on the cheaper side of the list. With such an empty restaurant, its hard to create an atmosphere, but music selection can help. Elton John’s yellow brick road and other early rock failed Atlas on this front as well. The only standout was the sourdough start. Unfortunately, this set another expectation of greatness of what was to follow. The was not to be. One expects smaller portions, but I feel the portions received were smaller than I would have anticipated. The 3rd dish (main) was bigger, but mine was still on the smaller end of the scale. You expect some experimentation from the Chef, and perhaps dishes that have been inspired and created with innovation and care. Presentation was good, but the basics of matching the balance between flavour, texture, acidity, sweetness and seasoning just didn’t hit the mark. The dishes I had were interesting but close to bland. The Wapiti was tougher than I would have expected and lacked seasoning. The Snapper was dry with a strange texture with little to no sauce to counteract. It was not a pleasant dish. The deserts were OK but again the balance and flavour were not quite right. We had a softly spoken waiter, which combined by the music selection, meant many on the table didn’t hear what he was describing. At the end of the night, while presented with a bill close to $700 two things stood out in terms of expectations: 1. A charge of $24 for two bottles of water and 2. a payWave surcharge. With the clearly high margins set, you would think the surcharge was unnecessary. With all combined we left disappointed and largely unsatisfied.

   almost 2 years ago
3. Tehaunui ★★★★★

   Outstanding service and food. Boutique style, refined taste and great for special celebrations. Knowledgeable attendants and delicious food, well balanced ingredients to make ordinary things taste so delicious and fresh. Well presented on the plate. Lovely fish and lamb dishes. Really recommend it.

   almost 3 years ago

1. Richard ★★★★★

   Top restaurant and dining experience. The food was brilliant and the 7 different courses made it a fun experience in itself waiting to see and then explore what each of the unique foods were. The staff are attentive and gave us a quieter table in an alcove as requested ahead of the booking so my lady and I could have more privacy and less background chatter. We will be back for sure.

   almost 4 years ago
2. Jo ★★★★★

   Dined here on recommendation from a friend, and it was really good. The atmosphere was top notch, mostly because we had a great spot at the chefs table. Really impressed by how immaculate, organised and calm the kitchen was. The seasonal three course menu was well presented and tasty (the malt butter should be patented and sold to the highest bidder!) and the FOH staff were attentive and knowledgeable. Mixed feedback on the wine from some of our party but all in all pretty great night.

   almost 5 years ago
3. Sujata Annavarapu ★★★★★

   We went for a celebratory birthday dinner and had the chef's tasting menu. We were very impressed not only with the food and presentation but also with the flow and balance. All the dishes served were precise and refined. Loved the king fish tartare and the fennel salad. The gurnard also is worth mentioning. My husband and son had the lamb saddle and that also deserves a mention for how perfectly cooked it was. The service was impeccable. Ticked all the boxes for us!

   more 6 years ago

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