The Euro chic interior and the buzz of its open kitchen deliver on important first impressions but it’s Earl’s fresh local ingredients and striking combinations that really leave you wanting to return for more.

Earl’s Classic Meatballs have won over another couple of fans, smitten by the pork-rich goodness of the balls and the acidic zing of the tomato sugo that coats them. Our eyes were still taking in the Lichfield Street restaurant’s Euro chic interior of wood, steel and glass and the bustle of the open kitchen at its heart but with the arrival of the Share plate of meatballs the focus became firmly front and centre. Earl was buzzing on the busy Thursday evening that we visited. Regardless, we were soon seated and owner and maître d’ Tom had us sorted with menus and a plate of their house-baked sour dough with smoked butter. Earl’s wine list each week features the offerings of a different region of New Zealand and this week it was Central Otago and its Wet Jacket winery, at Lake Hayes. Tom’s recommendation of the Wet Jacket 2017 Chardonnay was just the ticket for one of us, with its very light oak and French style pushing it close to a chablis flavour profile. The 2018 Putangi Pinot Noir hit all the notes expected of a Central Otago pinot, with a syrah-like spiciness adding to the complexity.

Drinks in hand, we turned to the offerings on the menu. Earl’s cuisine takes its inspiration from the coastal communities of Europe, particularly Spain, Portugal and Italy, so fish and seafoods were well represented. With that in mind, we opted for hors d’oeuvres of smoked clams with nduja butter and added a bit of turf to the surf with venison carpaccio with quince and horseradish crème. Other options included croqueta of smoked fish, and tartine of whipped blue cheese, pickled red onion, honey and walnut.

The nduja butter brought with it the smoky spiciness of its Italian cured pork flavouring and combined perfectly with the texture and taste of the clams. Meanwhile the tang of the fresh horseradish and the slight bite of the quince lifted the wafer-thin yet robustly flavoured venison carpaccio to a flavour profile that ticked all the right boxes. Our appetites whetted, we cast another eye around the interior of the restaurant and indulged in a bit more people-watching. The kitchen was the epitome of keeping cool under pressure, with chef Sam and his team prepping and plating up in an air of purposeful panache.

The aforementioned Classic Meatballs with tomato sugo and herb pesto was one of our Share plates. Shared very nearly gave way to Fought Over, so delicious were they, but the Confit Leeks with fromage de chèvre and walnuts helped establish a truce. The combination of the leeks and walnuts referenced the textures of the classic Waldorf salad but with a welcome wintry twist. Other options from the Share menu that will have to await a return visit included mussels and clams, chargrilled fish skewers and a heavenly sounding buffalo mozzarella with rhubarb agrodolce and pickled shallots.

Something else that we will need another visit to sample is the Pasta menu, all house-made. The temptation was strong but in the end we opted for Market Fish and Butchers Steak from the Bistro Classics menu, with sides of winter greens and cauliflower. The fish was groper, fresh and light and served with brussels sprouts cooked to cure anyone still with a childhood aversion to these winter flavour bombs. Pancetta and salsa verde completed the offering.

The medium-rare slice of prime sirloin arrived with charred onion puree, jus and butter sauce. Menu envy turned to joint celebration as forks were swapped and everyone got a taste of everything. The winter greens featured more of the nutty brussels sprouts, along with crisp kale, salsa verde and hazelnuts, and the cauliflower’s Mediterranean spices sat perfectly with a white pesto of lemon, ricotta, onion and herb additions.
Wishing that we had appetite left to sample the Sweets menu – particularly the very tempting Chocolate Rye Tart with salted caramel, mascarpone, hazelnut and cherry – we instead added it to our long “next time” list and headed away with a final nod of thanks to Tom, Sam and the rest of the crew for a night of delightful dining.

Earl, 128 Lichfield Street,
03 365 1147, earl.co.nz