Fabulous birthday degustation dinner

The Brief

Our client is a very passionate food-lover, and decided to celebrate a significant birthday with great food and wine with 25 friends and family. He wanted a "high impact venue" and for his guests to enjoy a sublime evening with impeccable style and service.

The Result

We recommended the Majestic Suites, 28 floors above Willis Street with panoramic views over the city as a stunning venue.

Deciding a degustation (or tasting) dinner gave maximum opportunity to enjoy food matched with some of the host’s own cellared wines, supplemented with wine from Paul's cellar. Ruth created a menu selection for nine small but perfect courses, following passarounds served on arrival with Champagne.

Guests were seated around one very large square table so they could all see and talk with each other, as well as admire the view.

Each course was "announced” by Ruth as head chef, with comments about the food and wine pairing and about the origin of many of the ingredients. The very best Grand Vin wine glasses helped show off the serious wines.

We provided the table and exceptionally comfortable padded chairs, linen, glassware, crockery and cutlery. For the highest service levels there was a function manager, three food and beverage serving staff and three chefs.

And the host? He and his guests were enthralled by the selection of exquisite small tastes and presentation, and the superb matching of wines with local seasonal food.

We don’t have standard menus or catering packages, as everything is custom-made to suit. Please call us on 06-364 3161 or email events@ruthpretty.co.nz to talk about your event and how we could help you. We can give you indicative prices to help you plan your budget, as well as other practical suggestions to make your event a success.

 

MENU

 

Passarounds with Champagne

Gougeres

Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin

When seated

Chilled Asparagus Soup
with Smoked Salmon and Salmon Caviar

Cloudy Bay 2006 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc

Teaser

Tasting plate: Tuna Tartare with Wasabi Paste and Japanese Seasonings;
Sauteed Whitebait with Zucchini Carpaccio; Scampi Tails with Lime Wasabi Dressing
and Karengo Fronds

Dirler Tokay Pinot Gris Schwarzberg 2003

Amuse Bouche

Seared Coromandel Scallops in Carrot Juice Reduction with Fresh Herbs

Lapeyre Vitage Veilh Jurancon sec 2002

Entrée

Home Smoked Duck and Witlof Salad with Macadamia Dressing

Olssens of Bannockburn Pinot Noir 2001

Sorbet

Pinot Noir and Raspberry Sorbet

Main course

Hawkes Bay Lamb Racks with Tawari Honey, Lavender and Pinot Noir Glaze
with Kumara Miso Mash

Domaine Faurmarie L’ecrit Vin 2002

Cheese Course

Leyden Aged Gouda with Apple
and Apple Syrup Dressing

Dessert

Berry Tasting Plate: Blackcurrant
and White Chocolate Crème Brûlée;
Champagne Jelly with Raspberry Bavarois; Frozen Strawberry Parfait
with Rhubarb Rosemary Syrup

Alpha Domus Leonarda
Late Harvest Semillon 2004

L’Affare Plunger Coffee/Loose leaf tea/Mint tea

Chocolate Tasting Plate:
Chocolate Ice Cream; Marbled Chocolate Mousse; Chocolate Truffle Cone

Andrew Harris ‘Double Vision’
Sparking Shiraz 1998