When I visited Bali several years ago, every Balinese person asked me if i had been to Ubud. This time visiting Queenstown, New Zealand, the question I was asked by everyone was "Have you been to the Botswana Butchery?" Thankfully we had a booking, and it was lucky we did as it was booked the 2 nights before, despite being able to seat up to 200 people. Executive Chef and Owner Leungo Lippe (pronounced Luno Lippy) is from Botswana and being a Butchery, well I don't need to tell you what their speciality is. It's meat, meat and more meat. If you were under any misunderstanding the numerous cleavers that dot the place starting with the logo to the front door handle stress the point.
It's a stunning looking restaurant rich in black and whites. Our Canadian born waiter is seamless and friendly and he is happy to give us recommendations. We know we want the 450g Prime Whole Rib which at $36NZD is the most expensive item on the menu aside from the lobster claws. The prices are surprisingly reasonable with most mains under $30NZD. The Fine cuts, i.e. the meat are slightly more. You can choose a sauce to go with your meat and sides which range from $5NZD to $9NZD. Our waiter asks whether we'd like it cooked pan fried or wood fired and we take the chef's preference of wood firing.
After taking our order the waiter invites us to browse it upstairs where there are private dining rooms, the wine cellar and the bar area. I go upstairs and am surprised to find 2 private dining rooms for 2 (which I recommend booking, more reasons for wanting to book that later) and a room for 4 and a large room for 20. All can be booked at no extra charge and some have fireplaces.
Our food arrives, my husband and I are sharing and I start on the 450g prime whole rib with confit garlic aioli. It's succulent and delicious, a fantastic cut of meat and despite there being a large serve of it, we have no trouble finishing it at all. The garlic aioli is admittedly not quite as superb. Usually I love garlic aioli but I leave most of this behind. It's not garlicky enough and too liquid. But back to the recommendation to book a private dining room. It comes down to my desire to pick up the rib bone and gnaw every piece of delicious meat off it. I don't, after all this is a very nice looking restaurant but I fight my way with a fork and knife risking a Pretty Woman "Slippery Little Suckers" Snail moment, wishing the whole time we were in a private dining room so that I could gnaw away to my heart's content without attracting any stares.
The Waikanui Sirloin is a lovely thick piece of beef, grain fed so that it has more flavour and the wood firing produces a lovely, distinct smoky flavour. My husband is a big fan of the wood firing as am I. It's ordered with a thyme and pinot noir sauce but as I don't like thyme I don't partake of this.
The spinach, rocket salad with beetroot is dressed with a sweet balsamic and oil dressing and is simple but good with the freshly roasted beetroot.
The confit garlic mash is beautifully creamy and garnished with deep fried garlic shreds.
We're too full for dessert, so we forego this in favour of ending on a delicious note. And I have a permanent mental note to book a private room for when we come back.
Botswana Butchery
Archers Cottage
17 Marine Parade, Queenstown, New Zealand
Tel: +64 (02) 442 6994
www.goodbars.co.nz
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