Nearly 18 months after opening, Taylors on Hurstmere is a firmly established presence in the block of shops and restaurants just around the corner from the Bruce Mason Centre.
Owner Steve Taylor and his team have garnered a loyal following for the laid-back yet “grown-up” bar and eatery. It’s a popular place to eat before or after a show at the Bruce Mason Centre, and also for the great food and friendly service, making it a go-to venue for anything from a work lunch to after work drinks or an evening meal.
Steve didn’t exactly plan it like that. When Channel first talked to him about his new venue, he was thinking local wine bar. But he’s found that people come in more for the food, “which is great”.
Steve and chef Antony Blincoe together develop the menus. With a new summer menu launching in October, it’s been their task over the last few weeks to plan what they’ll offer, and adjust serving sizes to suit customer demands, as well as offer something (or several somethings) new and tasty for the new season.
Antony interrupts his prep for the busy lunch service on a beautiful spring afternoon to join the conversation. “We don’t want to get stale,” he says. “The new menu will be more tapas style, with sticky bbq ribs, tequila chicken, soy and ginger pork belly – all more tapas size, so customers can select three or four sharing dishes and enjoy the variety of what we offer.”
The vastly popular arancini are likely to stay on the menu, joined by items such as fish bites, alongside new dishes like chilli prawns, and a squid and chorizo salad, just to name a couple.
“It will all use fresh ingredients and be very clean on the palate,” he says.
Vegetarians are also well catered for: they can enjoy dishes like corn fritters, risotto balls or quinoa and falafel fritters.
All these dishes, and more, are also available for the events and functions for which Taylors is becoming known. Groups from 15-35 can book Taylors for exclusive use for a lunchtime, afternoon or dinner event. To date, families and work groups have enjoyed surprise and/or significant birthdays, wedding anniversaries, and business celebrations and milestones. Smaller groups are welcome too, and can book all the outside tables, for example.
“We make the event or function work the way they want it,” says Steve. “ There's no venue charge, and and iIf they wish, the organisers can come in and decorate the space beforehand, select the music they want to have played, and they either select one of our food and drink packages, or we can cater with food to suit their tastes. Some work groups have opted for drinks and nibbles functions.
“The thing about Taylors,” he adds, “is that it’s private and you can use the whole venue; you’re not sharing the space with anyone else.”
“With Christmas coming up, people are starting to book ahead, so we’d encourage people to ask about the options. Our packages can be tailored to suit any budget, and offer exclusive use of the venue, with food, bubbles, house wine (Duck Point, which has regional wines from around New Zealand) and craft beer on tap.”
You can, of course, enjoy Taylors solo, as a couple, or with a small group of friends. Steve says the $20 “bite plus drink” lunch has proven popular, and the 3-5pm and 9-11pm happy hours are a drawcard for the after-work crowd, or night owls looking for somewhere to round off the evening. And, adds Steve, “We serve coffee and desserts late; perfect for that after-show debrief. And starting in October we're offering bottles of Veuve Clicquot for $65 each from 5pm to 7pm every day."
Taylors on Hurstmere, 168 Hurstmere Road, Takapuna
Reservations and enquiries: taylorsonhurstmere.co.nz or 09 489 9510
Open Tuesday-Sunday 12pm till late. Closed Monday.
