Where have you been celebrating your Valentine's Day and how special is it to you?
As for myself, it was my very first time celebrating it with my partner as we have been in the long distance relationship for a few years before we get together this year. It was also a very special and meaningful day for both of us.
Since it was a special day for both of us, we celebrated it together with my partner's family members; dad (MM), mom (MD), second brother (KM) and wife (SK) which took place at The Grove Restaurant.
There were 3 pairs of couples in total and we were given a round table seating towards the very end of the restaurant. Since it was a Valentine's Day, we booked our seating ahead to ensure there's space for us.
For a start, my partner had ordered Antipodes sparking water and Pommery champagne to go with our meals.
We were then served with one piece of homemade bread each with butter. The bread was very soft and it goes very well with the butter. It's just what we need to fill in our tummy after our coffee earlier at Elliot's Stable.
Three sets of starters had been ordered to share. MM & MD and KM & SK shared the tuna tataki starter which comes with the business lunch that both MM and KM had ordered. Meanwhile, myself and my partner shared the saute of scallop and scampi, encrasse of broad beans, basil and courgette.
Since MM and KM had ordered the business lunch, there were 2 option of mains for them to choose from. MM had ordered the aged beef fillet with bone marrow, endive marmalade and spring alliums, meanwhile KM chosen the market fish with cider smoked clams, fennel fricassee, seaweed butter. SK had ordered her favourite food which was the butter poached crayfish, roasted poussin, young carrots and field mushrooms. As for my partner, he had ordered the best end of spring lamb with tomato, parsley, aubergine and garlic. Myself and MD had ordered the assiette free range pork with new season pea and pistachios.
(Sorry, didn't managed to take the photo of SK, KM & MM mains)
I managed to try some of my partners mains and vice versa. The free range pork comes with the piggy's cheek meat that was specially being braised and served in a little bowl. The piggy's cheek meat was so tender and soft that it melts into your mouth. I got to also taste the sweetness of the piggy's cheek meat. It was my first time trying it and it's so delicious.
Three different sides were being ordered to compliment with our mains, which were vegetable gratin, Parmesan and sourdough crumbs, shoestrings fries with truffle oil, and iceberg, whitlof & radicchio, muscatel vinaigrette. KM and myself enjoyed the fries with truffle oils during our last visit at Jervois Steak House & Salon. Therefore, this time without thinking twice, we ordered the shoestrings fries with truffle oil again.
MD and SK were already full after the mains, meanwhile MM and KM be having homemade petit fours for their desserts from the business lunch menu. Myself had ordered the raspberry souffle with white chocolate ice cream, and my partner ordered the most famously known dessert by The Grove - pressie of new season strawberries hot ricotta doughnuts.
The yummy desserts practically wrapped up the whole luncheon as the end of our Valentine's Day celebration in the year of 2011.
The Grove Restaurant
Saints Patrick Square,
Wyndham Street,
Auckland
Phone: +64 09 368 4129
Website: http://www.thegroverestaurant.co.nz/
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