Sunday brunch time and Buttercup wanted to go somewhere. We really had no idea until she picked me up and started driving. We thought we would go to Spruce Goose and then thought why not Centennial and then I remembered about Parrotdog opening up their bar and serving food. So we ended up driving into Kingsford Smith Street and trying to get into the Bar from the street and after two failed attempts managed to get in through the side entrance next to their takeaway beer shop. The bar has a real retro 70’s look with brown colours, booths and high tables. Also has a window that opens to the brewery which is really cool. The menu is pretty basic with toasted sandwiches, salads and deep fried items and it was exactly what we were looking for.
Rueben
Slow Cooked Corn Beef with Sauerkraut, Swiss Cheese, Russian Dressing on Wild Rye & a small side of Pickle
A nice looking Rueben sandwich, with toasted rye and cheese that had melted on the inside. A nice little salad/coleslaw, however, it did look a bit too rustic for me and looked more like food scraps. The pickles were nice, but I also wondered why they were sliced. The Rueben itself was really nice and I loved the crunch from the toasted bread. The dressing was the right amount and I loved the sauerkraut inside. The corn beef was good and the provolone cheese was great. I did want more meat and have not really seen a Ruben with only one slice of beef in it.
Fries
with a Garlic Aioli
Great to see another place that makes/cuts their own fries. They were nicely seasoned and the garlic aioli was really good. I loved the softness of the potato but also liked how there were also crispy crips in there with a great crunch.
Nitro Coffee
I was surprised to see Nitro Coffee on the menu. This is the first time, I have seen it in an eatery that is not a coffee roaster. They use Kokako coffee here and also their nitro. I was also surprised to be asked if I wanted milk with my nitro, which I never thought of adding it into the Nitro. The Nitro without milk was really nice and had a nice subtle coffee flavour but overall a very light and smooth drink. I then added some milk and it changed the flavour of the coffee completely and bought it some really nice chocolate flavours. A really nice drink.
Although I am not a drinker, this place is pretty cool, but it is pretty hipster. The setup is cool and the decor is nice and open and there are tables where you can sit outside. The sandwiches are nice and will go back and try other things they offer. I would happily go back for lunch, afternoon snack or a pre-dinner drink, but I wouldn’t eat dinner unless they beef up the menu more. Overall, a good place to socialise with friends but also kid friendly. I can also see a lot of Dad’s having a cheeky drink before or after stopping at Bunnings.
Address: 60/66 Kingsford Smith St, Lyall Bay, Wellington
Website: Parrotdog
Trencherman's Travels 