A BOIL UP

Well not really. Hosted by the BOIL actually. Yeah it's an in joke.

Today was the stuff of legends. The great long lunch. Started at 1pm - we left at five. Our mates are still going strong and its 6pm. Fuck the recession.

We were at Ortega Fish Shack and Bar.
Great people, great wine and great food.
What more can we say? It was fantastic. We were waited on by Davey who is the son in law of the legendary Mark Limacher of Roxborough Bistro fame. Food at its finest.

The starters were pacific oysters fresh and battered. We normally wouldn't touch them ( for us its Bluff first and last) but they were plump fresh and tasty.

Then it was to entrees - we had a lovely squid and chorizo sausage dish , a hint of chilli and a sweet potato salad. Everything sparkled up everything else. The dish had texture, taste and eye appeal.We also had a taste of the pate. It had an old world feel but there was something fresh about it that we cant remember in the elegant spreads of old.

We had a Hawkes Bay fizz to start - Doldel 2006 then we moved onto a lovely Murdoch James Pinot Gris
We then had a stunning steak and fries with a big salad. Dessert was a lovely posset - sort of a custardy mousse with sherbet overtone topped with fat strawberries Now we didn't take much notice of what the cheese platter was but it was a Camembert and a blue that oozed sexily over the plate. Dam fine they were - dam fine.

We were there with a group of friends who often gather together on a Friday. media, politics, PR and generally good people. Today BOIL's bro was there - the visitor from Papua New Guinea.

So we recommend Ortegas. We will be back. Its good, its kinda out of the way - which is great if you want to be loud and have fun without the Lambton Quay spies lurking. The decor is great the service and the food are up there with the best Wellington offers.

It was a day layered with memories -all good.