Mile High at Peter Gordon’s Sugar Club

Tags

Auckland, Dining Out, New Zealand, Peter Gordon, Restaurant, Sky City, SkyTower, The Sugar Club

The Sugar Club
(Image from here)

So. Last week I did something impulsive. Quite impulsive, really. I was very generously offered a late invitation to join a party for dinner at the newly opened Sugar Club at the top of the Sky Tower in Auckland. Private dining room, no less.

Yes – that’s the Auckland in New Zealand. And yes, I live in Sydney which is in Australia. But really, what’s 2,160 kilometres between friends? As it happens, LM and the teenager were off to Melbourne to check out universities for the weekend and I was at a loose end. I looked online and webjet offered me a reasonably budget flight. I figured it was meant to be…

I’ve written before about my longstanding crush on Peter Gordon. So it was extra-special to have the chance to dine at his newly launched Sugar Club just 7 days after it opened. If you’re not familiar with the restaurant’s history, here’s a blurb from Peter’s website:

The Sugar Club has an iconic history in New Zealand, opening in central Wellington in 1986 with Peter as head chef – and being the first Kiwi chef to bring an Asian and Middle Eastern-infused menu to a New Zealand restaurant. Since then, The Sugar Club opened branches in Notting Hill and Soho in London, again with Peter as Head Chef. During this time, Peter also wrote his first of seven cookbooks, The Sugar Club Cookbook.

Peter Gordon is credited as being the ‘godfather’ of fusion cuisine. He is known for pushing boundaries – where one national cuisine starts and another stops. For him fusion is “fun and it’s playful. It’s simply one of many cuisines, and it happily sits amongst them like a magpie, borrowing from them all.”

Clevedon Valley Buffalo Mozarella, tomato tamarind relish, pickled Medjool dates, macadamia nuts, lemon oil
Seriously bad lighting!
(Image by TSL)

Beef Pesto
Peter Gordon’s signature dish
We had sides of duck fat roasties; endive, radicchio and parmesan; AND steamed greens
(Image by TSL)

Yuzu Avocado Sorbet with coconut tapioca, passionfruit, and mango, but without the macadamia wafer (for the gluten-free girl)
Another Peter Gordon signature and it is SO good…
(Image by TSL)

That was MY meal. Here are a couple of the dishes…

Grilled Cinnamon Quail with roast ginger carrots, plum tapioca
Apparently superb!
(Image by TSL)

Pumpkin Coconut Curry with tofu, spinach, ginger rice
For the vegetarian-inclined
(Image by TSL)

Chocolate Star Anise Mousse Cake with poached tamarillo, honey yoghurt cream
It was a close run thing, but I’m not mad about tamarillo
(Image by TSL)

Our party of 12 was very well looked after by the very charming and efficient Edward. We had a super evening. The food was superb and the wines delicious. I suspect we were treated particularly well given our ‘private dining room’ status organised by our lovely host. My only complaint is that my images aren’t as good as they would be if LM had been the photographer. Apologies!

Peter Gordon is cooking at the Sugar Club for the next month before he hands over the reins to Head Chef, Neil Brazier. I reckon’ it’s definitely worth a visit!

 

I Have a Crush on Peter Gordon…

Tags

Book, Cookbook, Cooking, food, Gift, Kiwi, kiwi hospitality, London, Marylebone High Street, michael mcgrath, New Zealand, Peter Gordon, Recipe, restaurants, Shopping

Image of Peter Gordon taken by Jonathon Gregson
(Image from here)

When I last lived in London, a million years ago now, I could often be found at The Providores and Tapa Room on Marylebone High Street. I loved it for its laid back Kiwi hospitality. I loved it for its most excellent flat whites. I loved it for its amazing cocktails. And, most of all, I loved it for the seriously great brunch menu.

When LM and I were in London earlier this year, I think we visited the Tapa Room four times for breakfast. It is still as good as I remember. If you are visiting London, a visit to Peter Gordon and Michael McGrath’s institution (it has been around since 2001), is well worth a look-see.

If you have not yet come across the understated and talented Mr Gordon, you should know that he is widely credited as being the ‘godfather’ of fusion cuisine. He is famous for his unique culinary philosophy where he mixes cuisines, flavours and styles of cookery. I think his food is also very clean on the palate. And, of course, the fact that he happens to hail from New Zealand, makes him just a wee bit special.

So, when I was out doing some last-minute Christmas shopping yesterday, I was very pleased to see Peter has come out with a new book. Better still, it is called ‘Everyday’ and is all about how one can create fusion-style food at home. Of course, I bought it (duh!). I have yet to cook from it but after spending a happy hour reading through it, I can tell you there are several recipes I want to try toot sweet…

Peter Gordon ‘Everyday’ (Australasia Edition)

Five Spice Steamed Pork with Noodles and Broccoli, anyone…?

You can pick up a copy of Peter Gordon’s Everyday here. I think he’s fab’…