the brewers arms

if i lived in christchurch, this would be my regular haunt.  it's quiet enough for conversation, it has a cosy feel, and if you're there during the day it's lovely to watch the ducks in the duckpond literally right outside.

the stone grill options here are wonderful, i've tried ostrich and kangaroo and settled on venison as my favourite.  the sides are great, though i'm not really drawn to any of thesauces(wish they had a red wine jus or a blue cheese).  but it's not like the venison needs a sauce!

i've also tried the lamb shanks, which are wonderfully tender.  the demi glaze overpowers the lamb a little until you get down closer to the bone, but it's yummy so who cares.  

guest was not overly impressed by the hoki burger special.

wheelchair-access-wise, most of the tables are the inconvenient kind with the legs that spread out to either side and can prevent you getting close enough to your plate, but i seem to recall seeing some standard tables here and there, and there's also the option of getting two tables pushed together and sliding into the centre spot in between the legs of each.  entry thresholds are a bit of a problem, but do-able with skill, strength, or (in my case), assistance.

we had the beef fillet on the stone which was great and tasteful, better without thesauceswhich aren't anything special (plum, barbecue and english mustard) apart from the garlic butter which adds a nice touch.the staff was super super rude! not a single smile, rough words when taking our order and we never heard the words thank you, not even upon payment when he took the money and just turned his back.

this tired, merivale staple is a great spot for locals to hang out after work for a beer and watch the rugby. there are plenty of beers on tap and a pretty nice selection of wines, though it's a limited list. this whole spot needs a facelift and most importantly, fresh carpeting. you'll be hard pressed to find a clean table on a clean patch of carpet here. fortunately, this mal-up keep is no bearing on how the food tastes. i am a big fan of the stone grills as it's a fun experience to cook my food but also because there are lots of exotic options to try out. i love to have the wild stonegrill or choose my own and pick lamb, kangaroo, beef and ostrich. their chips are thick cut and delicious and their seasonal vege and salads are great healthy options. the stone grills come with your choice ofsaucesas well and i recommend the garlic butter and aioli, but truly they all sound delicious. try their pavlova for dessert, too, if you have space. i would love to see the brewers arms incorporate a quiz night or some event during the week and i'd be more inclined to come more often. this is primo real estate and i feel like it's not living up to its potential.