A pasta March

It seems that Christchurch has a similar love for twirling both spoon and fork as I do. With a bounty of establishments for long luscious pasta here in Ōtautahi, I’ve made it a mission to seek out the twirliest of them all. Loose pants are compulsory.

The Birdwood Pizzeria

Outside of the city is the humble Birdwood Pizzeria. A bustling café in the day (you need to try their cheese scone) and a restaurantpizzeria at night (Tuesday–Saturday). Safe to say they know how to do pizza incredibly well, but trust me, you’ll want to add pasta the next time you dine here. Any restaurant with casserecce and gnocchi is a no brainer for me. We had the slow-cooked beef cheek gnocchi and the casarecce, which was swimming in a puttanesca style sauce of tomato, capers, anchovies, olives, chilli, parsley and served with fresh fennel and cured salmon and a margarita pizza (of course) on the ‘side’. I love this restaurant as they open early for families; it’s a stretched-out dining room with a beautiful fit-out of booths and tables to watch the team working the 350ºC woodfired pizza oven. Hospo watching at its finest. Buon appetito!

MEDITERRANEAN FOOD CO.

Open Monday to Saturday for lunch and Friday night for dinner, the Mediterranean Food Co. is a big bowl of Italy in the midst of industrial Christchurch. Tuam Street is brought to life by this institution. A cemented corso of sorts fitted out with tables to dine alfresco in the garden (while it’s still warm) and stare out to the Vespa and pasta-lined windows of the retail space. Alternatively, you can sit inside this bustling trattoria for a true European experience. You won’t leave disappointed with the food – from spaghetti to fettuccine, penne to gnocchi. A showcase of the abundance of hand-selected and curated ingredients Mediterranean Food Co. is known for. We paired the spaghetti alle vongole with NZ clams, garlic, white wine, and parsley with a penne all’amatriciana with pancetta, garlic, chilli, tomato, and pecorino. I was in heaven and will be back again and again. Bellissimo!

One of the best-kept secrets of Christchurch, this humble establishment is based in the Boxed Quarter and is open for dinner Monday–Saturday with nostalgic red and white checked tables, nonna-style bowls, and house-made egg and semolina pasta of all shapes and sizes! These guys have a pasta offering with a difference, whereby flavours stretch to Thai, Japanese, and Korean fusion (I need to go back and try the green curry risotto). From classic tomato-based pasta to comforting cream-based and fragrant oil-based recipes, there’s an option for everyone, even those after gluten-free. But for pasta lovers, you can’t go wrong with the classics for a Friday night dinner by the window (think Lady and the Tramp vibes). We had the chicken rosé fettuccini and the cheesy leek and bacon marfaldini. There were zero regrets at the table, and the bowls were licked clean. Ci vediamo stasera!

Top Pick

Earl

128 Lichfield Street, Central City | @earl_bistro |

Entering through Earl’s gorgeous velvet blue draped door is a site for the senses. An open kitchen with the smells of freshly baked bread fills the air, with sounds of sizzling hot pans and ice-filling goblets at the bar – and we haven’t even eaten anything yet. This is a restaurant to fill your cup for great hospitality and see you ordering three sides of the fluffiest house-made focaccia. With a cult following for Tuesday night pasta night and a constantly rotating pasta on the Wednesday–Saturday menu, it’s a nobrainer for me where to head for pasta in the city. The team at Earl know just how many elements to layer into a plate, and their attention to the details is undeniable. Always gloriously coating their pasta in the good stuff, sauce, and not skipping on seasoning and texture – their rigatoni alla vodka with pomodoro sauce, fresh mozzarella, and golden pangrattato should be given a gold medal. Also pictured are the broccoli pesto and preserved lemon mafaldini. The passion for their food reaches far beyond the pans to the floor and management of the restaurant. To them, it all comes down to plates of deliciousness and ensuring the diner leaves content and full of the good stuff. Five years and counting, safe to say we’re all happy to eat like earls here in Christchurch.

Chef Cameron Woodhouse is the head chef at Greystone’s cellar door, famed for its special ‘Long Lunch’ menu with four courses that change weekly – all paired with wine – focusing on what is in season and local produce and producers.

Originally from Aberdeen, Cam has worked at the acclaimed Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland and here in New Zealand, at Amisfield restaurant, Inati, and worked as the Head Chef at Eliza’s Manor before moving to Greystone in 2021.

The flavours of this dish pair well with WashCreek organic lamb. Keeping it local, both the watercress and horseradish are sourced from within 100 metres of the kitchen.

WashCreek lamb tartare, HORSERADISH AND WATERCRESS EMULSION

SERVES 4

Watercress emulsion

Two egg yolks

250g rapeseed oil

20g Dijon mustard

20g water

80g raw watercress chopped

A pinch of salt

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

Tartare

200g WashCreek lamb topside

30g shallot

20g capers

30g gherkin

2 tbsp good cider vinegar

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp mushroom ketchup/ tomato ketchup

Salt and black pepper

Potato chips greystonewines.co.nz

2 agria potatoes

A pinch of salt

Watercress emulsion In a blender, blend all ingredients apart from the oil until smooth. Slowly pour oil into the blender on medium speed until it forms an emulsion. Taste for seasoning, adding a little more salt or vinegar if needed. Store in the fridge until ready to plate.

Tartare Remove any sinew or silverskin from the lamb and dice in 1cm cubes. Finely dice shallots, capers, and gherkins. Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Check to season.

Potato chips Using a knife or mandolin, thinly slice two agria potatoes and wash them in cold water to remove any starch. Drain and pat dry the potato slices prior to cooking. Heat 4cm of canola oil in a deep pot until it reaches 170°C. Add half the potato slices one by one and fry until golden. Remove and place on a paper towel or wire rack over a tray. Repeat with the remainder of the chips. Season with a little salt.

To assemble, smooth the tartare mix onto a plate. Either use a squeezy bottle or a spoon to dot some emulsion on top of the tartare. Grate some fresh horseradish over the top and place a few watercress leaves to garnish. Using chips, scoop the tartare to eat.