A little less than a year ago we wrote of the opening of New Zealand born chef Warren Turnbull's new restaurant in Sydney - District Dining. Turnbull is a widely acclaimed chef across the ditch with an avid and loyal following to his two restaurants Assiette and now District Dining, it seemed to us like another case of a great Kiwi being lost to the land of Oz. It was with great anticipation then that several months ago, we learned that the talented Mr Turnbull and his glamourous Maitre d wife Mimi Gilmour would return to our fair shores to set up an Auckland outpost of their popular Surry Hills eatery.
District Dining adds a whole new dimension to the ever-expanding wonderment that is the Britomart precinct. An uber slick interior by Nat Cheshire is complemented by the owners' collection of unique artworks by some of our favourite artists - Scrap Wall and Richard Orjis. District Dining gives off a sophisticated air of inner city elegance. It's the type of restaurant that would feel completely at home on the streets of New York or Melbourne.
Elaborating on the successful formula of their Sydney restaurant, the Auckland outpost has the same emphasis on shared dining. The menu offers a wide selection of dishes from smaller nibbles perfect for accompanying after-work drinks - such as the slightly dodgy sounding - but insanely tasty - crispy pigs' ears with szechuan salt, or the ever popular prawn toast with soy mayonnaise.
Heartier fare spans all tastes; duck confit with yams and pomegranate ras el hanout, or lamp rump with carrot puree cumin salt and olive salsa. With a grand total of 27 dishes on the menu - excluding desserts, you are certain to feel completely satiated.
We have welcomed this new arrival to our neighbourhood with open arms. District Dining is the type of restaurant that makes us insanely proud of our ever-developing cosmopolitan city, and we love it for that.
Open Tuesday to Sunday 12pm -3pm, 6pm to late.
District Dining
50 Customs Street East
Auckland Central
09 368 5315
www.districtdining.co.nz