Welcome!
The view of Christchurch from the Crowne Plaza
Our trip to New Zealand was nearing its final stages. After driving through Hanmer Springs we arrived at Christchurch and checked into the Crowne Plaza Christchurch. We’re given a great room with a welcome plate of goodies including a macaron (how did they know? 
) with the room situated on one of the top floors which means… yes access to the Club Lounge for pre dinner drinks and food and access to the internet. A very nice welcome indeed.
Denheath Custard Slice
I take a moment to scoff down an item that I searched all over the city for, a Denheath custard slice. The lovely Rosa from Cakes by Rosa had taken the time to write out a Christchurch foodie guide for me and she recommended that I try these legendary New Zealand custard slices. I take a bite into the square custard slices topped with sweet dessicated coconut. Wow. The custard is moussey and light but still firm and the whole thing is quickly and rapturously downed by me. And then regret as I know that this square of deliciousness is out of my reach when I get back to Sydney.
Club Lounge
Complimentary nibblies at the Club Lounge
Complimentary nibblies at the Club Lounge
We go downstairs and avail ourselves of the goodies on offer in the Club Lounge. They’re generous in size and range and I can see people having enough here and forgetting any dinner plans. Not us though, we’ve got a booking at The Canterbury Tales downstairs in the hotel, one of Christchurch’s best restaurants and winner of South Island’s restaurant of the year in 2006 amongst numerous other accolades.
Complimentary nibblies at the Club Lounge
We’re handed our menus from Prem our friendly yet polite Mauritian born waiter. He’s eager to ensure that we have a great time tonight and nothing is a problem at all. The menu features New Zealand produce in an innovative fashion with some unusual meats such as Ostrich. We’re excited, it sounds delicious and imaginative.
Amuse Bouche: Smoked salmon and fennel salad, onion
Our first bite of smoked salmon with a fennel and onion salad in a clear glass scoop, is heavenly. New Zealand salmon is divine and we savour this.
Vine ripened tomato consomme, balsamic onion, basil
This intensely flavoured cold consomme is strong in tomato with basil ice with a flavour burst from the balsamic pickled onion on a stick.
Clevedon Coast Oyster organic apple air, seaweed salad
The Clevedon Coast Oyster is indeed beautifully presented with foam which here is called organic apple air, or a delicately perfumed, sweet apple foam. It’s a juicy oyster with a delicate foam head. And apparently Clevedon Coast oysters have the highest hypotaurine levels ever recorded (good for heart disease and cholesterol).
Pomegranate Seared Tuna, date terrine, salted orange, pancetta
The strikingly beautiful Pomegranate Seared Tuna, date terrine, salted orange, pancetta is one of those items that you simply must taste together, for together they meld together beautifully but apart they’re curious bedfellows. I wold have liked a bit more date terrine for the balance though.
Clearwater scallops, saffron cappellini, flying fish roe, candied citrus butter
A most unusual dish where the candied citrus butter is not sweet but as strong as a citrus curd the fat perfectly cooked scallops are paired with slices of grapefruit, pink grapefruit and orange slices. The textures are interesting with the flying fish roe being firm bubbles of saltiness that complement the scallops and the saffron cappellini is gorgeous.
Cleanser:Summer fruit cleanser
The Summer fruit cleanser is deliciously fruity with apple strawberry and mint with a moussey texture with a hint of chervil.
Chai poached ostrich, chargrilled yogurt, melon slaw, raita dust
The Chai poached ostrich was one of those dishes we were highly anticipating. The ostrich is a not a particularly moist meat but it was very tender and sat on top of a rough hewn melon slaw and baby beetroot leaves topped with a thinner than thin yogurt wafer. The green dust to the side is a raita (yogurt and cucumber dip) dust and indeed dipping a pinkie in, it tastes just like raita.
Tarakihi, jersey bennys, avocado, mango smoked prawsns, rum raisin paste
The menu’s choice of Barramundi was not available and was replaced by the New Zealand fish Tarakihi. After chatting to our waiter, he tells us that they’re moving to more local produce in response to demand from diners. The rum and raisin paste works surprisingly well with the minted jersey benny potato layer. The prawn and the mango salsa are great although they could operate as a separate dish on their own and are delicious in their own right.
Refresher: blackcurant sorbet
The spoonful of blackcurrant sorbet is like Ribena for adults flavoured with ground fennel seeds.
Cervena, confit kumara, gorgonzola, radicchio, sultana, sangiovese
Our last savoury plate is one that they’re obviously proud of. It’s artistically presented with the very tender cervena (venison) sliced thinly and seared lightly on the outside but undoubtedly pink on the inside. The sultanas are crusted in egg white and sugar but aren’t overpoweringly sweet but I don’t know if I quite understand how they work with the rest of the dish. The gorgonzola and raddichio poached in sangiovese are a great pairing with the gamey venison matching it with richness.
Kapiti tuteremoana, poached baby fig, blackcurrant jelly, cumin lavosh
Our cheese plate comes with a bit of everything with the Kapiti tuteremoana, a 4 year aged cheddar from Kapiti in the North Island. It goes well with the soft poached baby fig and cumin lavosh with a touch of sweetness from the blackcurrant jelly.
Candied hazelnut and raspberry nougat glace on a sweet white wine and quince jelly, vanilla sauce.
The final course of candied hazelnut and raspberry nougat glace on a sweet white wine and quince jelly, vanilla sauce is a mouth watering end to our meal. The flavours meld wonderfully and harmouiously and despite the fac tthat we’ve eaten 11 courses prior to this, we finish it.
The Christchurch born and bred Sous chef Anthony Page comes out top talk to us and he tells us of the upcoming menu changes, for example, in late April there will be more game featured on the menu. He cites some difficulties with the seasonality with some products being available for only 3 weeks at a time and having to create menus that last for a season but says that cooking for such an innovative restaurant with the resources of Canterbury Tales is exciting. Certainly, perhaps, but eating there is much more exciting.
The Canterbury Tales
Crowne Plaza, Christchurch
Corner Kilmore & Durham Streets, Christchurch, New Zealand
Tel: +64 (03) 365-7799
NQN and Mr NQN stayed and ate as guests of the Crowne Plaza Christchurch
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32 Comments | Add your own
I love anything custard. Egg custard pies and boiled custard(you drink)are a big part of southern cuisine here in states. That looked heavenly.
OMG! Such gorgeous presentation and lovely range of dishes you ate! Great review
Hazelnut and raspberry nougat – be still my heart!!
That custard slice looks delicious, must be a local thing because I don’t recall seeing them in my North Island childhood… raspberry buns are my personal NZ bakery favourite.
The chai ostrich sounds really intriguing, I’ve never tried ostrich before. And that custard slice looks so good, I wonder if there’s a recipe anywhere for it…
Wow. That place looks incredible, or maybe it’s just their presentation!
That custard cake looks divine. How do you only eat one piece? That’s a lovely meal there. Can’t believe the complimentary nibbles are so luxurious!
Such gorgeously presented plates…sounds lovely!
Oooh, you tempt me so! I have had dessert at Canterbury Tales (the beautiful hazelnut and raspberry nougat, and I can vouch for its deliciousness!) but now am longing for a proper meal there.
For any interested readers in New Zealand, the Denheath custard squares are made in Timaru and available by mail order from the Denheath website (I can also vouch for this!). I can’t imagine the magic they use on the custard filling, for it is utterly divine…
this looks like a very lavish meal…and 11courses! Wow…how you managed to fit it all in is beyond me
sweet jeebus that looks AMAZING!
i was so taken with that custard slice that my eyes read the words “death by custard” underneath by mistake! haha!
That custard slice looks heavenly mmmm and loving the presentation of the food esp the teardrop dish of the amuse bouche! Hee hee was there an actual oyster underneath all that foam XD
do they call vanilla squares snot blocks in new zealand?
how do you get such amazing pics? I find most of these restaurants really dark, and the pictures come out dark and horrible!
ostrich meat? very very interesting…
Gosh it all looks amazing! That venison dish with the sultanas it looks like sheet music…in an abstract way
gorgeous place!…Very nice food presentation.
Everything looks amazing, but I especially love the sound of that custard slice.
can we talk about that custard slice? it’s more like a custard brick, and it looks AMAZING.
The custard slice looks really good, Lorraine. Could you describe the flavor and texture? Is it like vanilla custard trapped between two crunchy, flaky layers of puff pastry — sort of like a millefeuille?
Hi Bethie-Me too! Custard is my kind of thing, such delicious comfort food
Hi Anita -thankyou so much!
yes their presentation was top notch!
Hi Megan-I know! You can’t go wrong with those ingredients can you?
I only really saw them in Christchurch so maybe they’re only in certain areas? I missed out on raspberry buns. Maybe next time! 
Hi Steph-This was my first time and it was rather good indeed. I’ve searched and searched for a recipe. It is some seriously delicious stuff but to no avail *Sigh*
Hi anna-it was great tasting too but yes their presentation is really fantastic
Hi The Duo Dishes -I only had one piece on me
I would have bought another if I had known! I know, they were so generous and there was plenty there!
Hi Reemski-they were! Rivals what we have here too!
Hi Rosa-Ahh well you must try the rest! It’s very innovative and delicious! Do you think they’d ship them to Australia? I’d love to have some more!
Hi Alexandra-I know, 11 courses, a Denheath custard slice and room petit fours and lounge nibblies. It’s amazing how much you can fit when it’s scrumptious!
Hi the projectivist-It was indeed! haha that’s how I’d like to go
Hi FFichiban-it was practical too, it acted like a spoon! Yep it was air don’t forget, air!
Hi reddoorread -I don’t know! I didn’t ask for one by calling it a snot block!
Hi Sophia-We were really lucky, they put us under a light and they lit it up a bit stronger which was wonderful of them
Hi Esz-It was soooo good! You know you’re right, it does!
Hi Love Gifts-It was fantastic!
Hi Sara-hehe I really would love that recipe. It would be a dream recipe! although problem is that I would make them all the time…
Hi grace-Haha sure! All I can say is that it was a square slice of heaven and you must get on a plane to NZ and buy a dozen and eat them. Which is what I feel like doing now
Hi Leela-It’s similar but different. the key is the filling. It’s not quite like a custard, more like a fluffy but still firm mousse. I don’t know how they do it but it’s seriously good
I have always wanted to visit New Zealand, now I know why—the food! Joking
There are other reasons as well…
What great pictures! It was kind of like going on your trip.
I’ve never been there, but it looks amazing!
11 courses??? AND nibbles beforehand – and desert! You’re a machine! Haha
I miss New Zealand’s wonderfully imaginative food, even their $3 pies are incredible…I remember having a duck, brie and cranberry pie in Ward, just north of Christchurch, and every pie I’ve eaten since pales in comparison…*sigh*…
Lorraine, I have been lusting after a custard square so much since I saw your post yesterday I went to the website to order some, and it implies that if you ask nicely they might ship internationally. If you order within NZ they send them frozen in a perfectly-dimensioned polystyrene cool box with a chiller pad, and they arrive still frozen – so it probably wouldn’t be too much of a problem to get them to you intact, customs permitting.
http://www.denheath.co.nz/page/44/Shipping.boss
Hi Sandie-Haha no seriosuly, you should for the food!
Hi Jenn-Thanks! That’s exactly how I’d like readers to feel
It’s so lovely there!
Hi Tiffany-Haha I try! $3 pies? I missed out on the pies I’m afraid. I went to the Arrowtown bakery to try and
get one of their famous venison pies but they didn’t have any
Duck, brie and cranberry sounds like an
incredible combination!
Hi Rosa -I wonder how much it would be? I might get some for my birthday coming up. I emailed them-let’s see what they say. You’re much luckier being closer so you can access them easier!
This dinner is just fabulous! I wish we could afford to dine in these restaurants when we were in NZ and we had a few nice meals for sure but we were not quite on this level 10 years ago yet
Hi 5 Star Foodie-Ah yes these sorts of restaurants are a dream come true!
Macarons. Yum. How were they?
My gosh! Is that truffles!? Yummy!!!
The custard slice would drive Pascal crazy. He loves those, and the sorbet looks to die for,
The food looks all wonderful!
Hi Julia-they were really good, great in fact!
Hi ArtemisIII-Everything was so lovely! NZ is great for foodies!
MMMMMM….Lorraine! It looks that you had a wonderful time there!
The food looks exquisit & excellent in my book! Lovely, tasty & appetizing pictures!!!
Thank you for a wonderful website!! Is there any chance of receiving a copy of Rosa’s Christchurch Foodie Guide? I will be hunting down a Denheath Custard Slice when I am in NZ next week after reading this !!
yes I would also love a copy of Rosa’s Christchurch recommendations! heading to NZ soon and need to zero in on foodie hotspots!
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