boulcott street bistro

this is our favourite restaurant in wellington, if not the world - which is a big statement we know. however, we have been here for lunches and for dinner. most recently we had family over from ireland and decided to try all the top restaurants in wellington. this was our favourite by far - others were either too stuffy/formal, too pretentious, too cold, too expensive for what was served, too boring or lacked atmosphere. also they lacked consistency. however, having now been to boulcott street bistro severals times in the last few months, we love the atmosphere, the layout and ambience and the food is divine! we love the fact that you can have a nice relaxed drink at the bar before the meal. the staff are all professional but warm and friendly. it is also great to see the same staff - a sign of good management, who are all very appropriate and know how to "read the customer". the menu varies and is always offering something fun, challenging or comforting. this weekend, we tried garlic snails (which were lovely - not something we thought we would ever try) but the black pudding was out of this world. the bread and butter is so delicious too - it's the little touches that make the difference. the noise level is just right - no scraping furniture on the floor, everything arrives in a timely manner and nothing is an issue for the staff. well done to boulcott st bistro and the staff - we will pick you every time. do not change a thing - you are just perfect on every level!

i've been going to the boulcott for years. the reason i'm such a regular is because of the consistently fine level of food and service.
we had the classic fillet bearnaise and the pork belly, both of which were cooked to perfection. the maitre d', a very charming young man named haydn, matched our mains to fantastic wines and engaged in some light chit chat much to our amusement. the prices seem very reasonable when considering the excellent quality.
i highly recommend it.

we were in a celebratory mood. i received my first paycheck ever in new zealand, and we were rollin' in the dough.

well, not really, but one can dream, right? 45% of my paycheck went straight back into the pockets of the government, but i digress.

mr. kiwi and i had some drinks after work and got hungry. i've been thinking about steak for a while so he suggested the boulcott street bistro.

it's a cute, two-story converted victorian home. the bar is spacious for a friday night with a very knowledgable bartender and average selection of wine. we got in around 7:00pm, and waited about an hour before being seated.

the menu is meat-centric, with classic french-nz fare. i ordered the plat du jour, which was a grilled aged sirloin on top of more tasty meat, some dauphinoised potatoes and soft herbed butter. the thought of meat served on top of more meat made my heart skip a beat.

i was starving so we shared the gremolata crumbed calamari entree and mr. kiwi ordered the ox cheeks for the main.

the calamari was a disappointment. although the crumb was very flavorful with a gorgeous tartar sauce on the side, the calamari itself was completely overcooked. i felt like i was chewing on a car tire. mr. kiwi wanted to send it back to the kitchen, but i was hungry so i told him not to bother.

however, the night was redeemed when my main arrived and i made my first slice into the meat. if you happen to go and they're serving this dish, you must order it. the sirloin was grilled to medium-rare perfection. the potatoes were heavenly, with a crunchy crusty bite melding into a creamy melt-in-your-mouth interior. the braised meat under my sirloin added a smoky, hearty texture.

mr. kiwi was equally infatuated with his meal and we took our time enjoying our dinner.

the service was good, and we ended up having a great time overall.

a bottle of wine, one entree, two mains and a glass of whiskey set us back about $170-ish. it was well worth it, and i highly recommend this restaurant.

if you don't want to wait, get there just after it opens. arrive at 7pm - 8pm and make the mistake that your gonna be eating late! as it is sooo popular. you will be standing at the bar waiting what feels like an eternity, and i must admit...i was starving! they don't take bookings for dinner, so if you are going to a show, concert etc get there early!

the service however is great.

given a small roll and a very small cup of cold something to start which tasted like bitter bland apricot onion jelly (not sweet at all), so discusting i tried to wipe this into my bread to get it over and done with, where the waitress said i should have just taken the whole small cup down as if a was taking a "shot". probly fast down the hatch would have been better to just get it out of the way. (just like ripping of a plaster, it hurts, but its quick!)

i ordered the shanks, and it wasn't amazing! had peas on the side, which wasn't fancied up in anyway. literally just peas. had to order extras if you wanted more, as i did, from such a long wait.

glad to have been, but wouldn't be a regular thing.

would rate logan brown in higher esteem, with tastier meals and starters (love the nz virgin olive oil selection with local breads), and the desserts always a pleaser!

i dined there recently, i waited at the bar for a long time the place was full no one else seemed to mind except me i was starving i was suggested a double calamari with chardonnay, wow best anniversary ever they do it well.

as a small group boulcott street bistro is a great choice. it is intimate but still has a fun atmosphere.
all the dishes look and taste amazing.we shared bluff oysters to begin with, and ordered our choice of main course. i loved the shank and tasted the ox cheek which was a really interesting dish, delicious.
there were lots of 'mmmmm's and 'yum's all round!
i'll definitely dine there again.

when you walk in all the noise of the busy city surroundings disappear and it feels really personal and comfortable. the staff are friendly and knowledgable without the snobbery you might expect. the menu has a good variety of the bistro classics and i guess the difference between bistros is how these classics are prepared and cooked. the food here never fails to impress, it's cooked and prepared perfectly.
highly recommended.

i had a really enjoyable evening here. the food was fresh and perfectly cooked. the service wasn't as formal as i had expected but was very efficient and friendly.
i would recommend this to anyone looking for a quality dining experience.

amazing place, i went there for the first time the other night and it is going to become a regular!
it has a really unique and lively atmosphere with a menu to die for. despite the restaurant being very busy the service was top notch. i highly recommend it to anyone wanting a great evening out.

have eaten at the boulcott a number of times over the space of many years when visiting wellington. apart from reiterating that the food and service is very very good the big thing i find is that it is consistent. the prices i think for what you are presented with and the way it is presented is i believe reasonable. i've paid more at other wellington establishments and haven't received the same level of food and service. would recommend to anyone and would happily take friends and guests there.

quite pricey but supurb food and service, you pay for what you get and it is 5*. is in the entertainment book (buy 1 main get one free) so ourbill was under $100 including drink. they don't take bookings but we have never had to wait long at the bar. they served up fresh bread which was the best i have had in a long time. we didnt get starters but they brought us out a wee cup of soup. lamb shanks and steak mains were divine. desserts was even better, i had the creme brulee. great place to go, friendly staff too.