Fiddlesticks Restaurant

1 Reviews on “Fiddlesticks Restaurant”

• Janice Lester

  Service 5/5Food 5/5Ambience 5/5I think this is the first 5 star review I’ve given. This was an exceptional dining experience. We were here as a matter of serendipity–the restaurant we came out to lunch at was closed for a private function, so we headed vaguely in the direction of Cathedral Square. The first cafe we passed along the way had just stopped serving lunch, the next two appeared to lack wheelchair access. And then there was Fiiddlesticks! A staff member greeted us, asked if we’d prefer to sit inside and whether I needed the second door open to fit my wheelchair through. They were due to stop serving lunch in ten minutes but took us anyway.The interior of the restaurant is stylish without being flashy, and on this occasion the music was pleasant but unobtrusive–just how I like it.The waitress described the specials for us without being asked, including the kind of texture we could expect from the market fish fo the day (gurnard) in case we hadn’t had it before. Nice touch, especially in a touristy area. The staff displayed great teamwork. I had JUST ordered the pie when another waitress communicated to ours that they’d just sold out. (Absolutely cannot fault them for being out of pies literally ten minutes before the switch to their grazing menu. Sounds like good planning to me.) So I had the market fish, and Mum had a coffee, the lamb croquettes, and a heaping bowl of duck-fat roast potatoes.The market fish was a generous but not overwhelming portion, perfectly cooked throughout. It came in the most delicious mushroom broth (a generous amount of it too), with whole mushrooms, bak choi (hadn’t had this before–will definitely try again), pickled ginger (not for me), and nori-crusted tempura cauliflower. I wish I was eating another bowl of this dish right now!Mum really enjoyed the lamb shoulder croquettes and their accompaniments–a very smooth, lightly-spiced carrot puree and a minted gravy. She said this was the first mint sauce she’s ever truly enjoyed.Together we worked our way through the splendidly golden, crispy roast potatoes. Yummmo. Also yummmo dipped in mushroom broth!She rates the coffee at Fiddlesticks as the second-best coffee she’s had since we moved to Christchurch 3-ish years ago.Definitely high on my list for a revisit. ETA: Additional photos from subsequent visits.

  April 5, 2020, 8:43 am

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