Centre Stage

Tauranga CBD is set for an injection of much-needed action with openings at Thirty Eight Elizabeth. Buzz is building around the residential, dining and retail development (site of the new Farmer’s flagship store), where the much-anticipated restaurant Picnicka is about to welcome crowds.

“We saw that Elizabeth Towers would create a new centre of town. In Europe, that centre would be
a marketplace, a kind of cultural hub — we thought Picnicka could be that place for Tauranga,” says owner, Noel Cimadom. This vision of a central meeting place also guided Noel and Kim Smythe, his wife and business partner, to the name. “We were thinking — Picnicka is in lieu of a central market, and is the place where we would pick up things we’d like to take on a picnic or bring to a barbecue; the kind of food we could graze on,” explains Noel.

“Picnicka needs to be versatile, given where it is,” says Noel. “The crowd will differ throughout the
day, from shoppers and corporate lunches to families and groups of friends.” Kicking things off in the early hours will be freshly baked pastries, excellent coffee and a menu for the brunch crowd. Casual lunches are on offer along with after-work cocktails and snacks, or just a drink after the movies (located across the road).  

Dinner is when Picnicka will really come into its own. The concept’s centerpiece is the Argentinian woodfired barbecue, which will turn out chargrilled hits such as cuts of dry-aged beef to share, spiced lamb belly skewers and a range of house-made sausages sold by the inch. Seafood also
gets its turn on the open fire in a dish of fire-roasted market fish, macadamia, fennel and citrus.

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Another cornerstone of Picnicka is the raw bar, where oysters are presented many ways, think manuka smoked oysters paired with roasted paua XO sauce, and the old classic, Bloody Mary
shots. The kaimoana-strong menu also stars Cloudy Bay clams, and standout crayfish sourced sustainability from Wairarapa’s Tora Collective (tails are cooked on the grill or the crayfish is nestled in a milk bun with lettuce, chipotle mayo, pickled onion and apple).

“The menu, like New Zealand itself, is a real melting pot,” says Noel. There are dishes that draw inspiration from Greece, Spain, Italy and across Asia, but the overarching aim for Picnicka is
“being as sustainable and local as possible,” he explains. “We really want to nail that.”

The compact deli area is still being developed, but the idea is to offer New York-style sammies for lunch (perhaps loaded with succulent pastrami), as well as loaves such as focaccia and sourdough. There’ll also be sausages, charcuterie, preserves and other morsels of deliciousness that you’d want to take away for a picnic or a platter. Oysters will be available to take home too (shucked or live). “We’re playing around with using our smoked cuts in a really good meat pie,” says Noel.

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Noel and Kim’s clever approach to restaurant design is obvious with Clarence and Alpino, and Picnicka promises to be just as exciting. “We’ve used unpolished products throughout — the charred cedar, stone, brick and tiles are all raw,” says Noel. “We really wanted to bring an organic feel to the space and develop real character in something that was essentially a white shell.” The room features rustic handcrafted furniture and arched north-facing windows that give the room a loft-type feel.

The L-shaped bar with a dozen seats will lure you in after work (or post shopping) to enjoy some time out — maybe with a classic whisky sour, a Picnicka creation or a glass of boutique New Zealand wine, along with some sensational small plates for the  perfect end to your day.

@picnicka
38 Elizabeth St, Tauranga (free onsite parking).

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Food photography by ilk. Top photo: artist's impression

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