With its curved facade, contrasting buttermilk and brick-red tones, and detailed motifs, the art deco building at 195 Cuba Street is a Wellington landmark. It’s now home to new Middle Eastern-inspired restaurant Kisa, which opened its doors today.
The latest offering from Dean White’s Dining Room Group (which also owns Ombra, across the road, and Mr Go’s), Kisa started life as an eight-month pop-up in March last year. The name, meaning “short’’ in Turkish, reflects the original’s impermanence. “That went really well and gave us the confidence we could do this and there was a market for it,’’ White tells Broadsheet.
The light-toned, 90-seat space has a patina interior in keeping with the overall vibe of Wellington’s most eclectic inner-city street. “We don’t want it to look perfect. We were even thinking we could rough it up a bit more,” says White. Designed by Buster Caldwell and Abi Phillips of Auckland studio Wonder Group, it has textured tiles and ochre hues. Yellow corduroy booths give you a view of the dining room, while wooden tables and chairs nestled along the other edge are for walk-ins.
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SUBSCRIBE NOWAs soon as you arrive, you’re greeted by fire blazing in the kitchen – a huge Josper Mangal charcoal barbeque (which White says is the only one in New Zealand), along with a custom gas-fired pita-bread oven.
The building itself was restored by the landlord, with new windows redone in heritage style. New plasterboard walls were given a specialist art finish to resemble weathered concrete, and the hexagonal travertine tiles on the floor were custom-made in Peru. Sit around wooden or tiled tables on 1960s French bistro chairs that were imported and restored by Auckland’s Vitrine antique shop. Battered mirror tiles curving above the kitchen and bar reflect the lights of Cuba Street.
On the culinary team, there’s executive chef Jonny Taggart who led the original pop-up, with head chef Chris Morgan also leading the kitchen. The food is sophisticated yet approachable. It’s packed with flavour, with options for vegetarian and gluten-free diners, and uses Middle Eastern techniques but New Zealand produce and suppliers.
There’s a range of meze, such as cavolo nero tabbouli with sour cherry, raspberry vinegar and lemon oil, and a lahmacun (a flatbread and meat dish) made with spiced wild goat mince, pickled green tomato, toum and hot honey.
The dips and spreads are Turkish-inspired and served with pita bread. Hummus comes with red zhoug, crispy chickpeas and parsley oil, and there’s a smoked eggplant moutabel with sumac courgette and puffed wild rice. “We haven’t gone OTT price wise,” says White. “You can come in for a beer on a Friday night and some pita and dips. I like the accessibility and approachability of the menu.”
Of the large plates, White is particularly fond of the slow cooked, shawarma-spiced lamb shoulder, served with crisp cucumber, green tahini sauce, and hot laffa bread. “That may be our signature dish. As a package, it will be a sign of what we are setting out to do here.’’
He won’t talk “regional” or “seasonal”, as he thinks those words are overdone. Instead, he says, “We’re trying to look at things in a different way in terms of sustainability.” The wild game on the menu – wild goat, wild tahr and alpine sheep – is a part of this.
Don’t overlook dessert – a chocolate labneh cheesecake comes with lime-infused olive oil and sea salt, and the pistachio ice cream with orange blossom syrup, toasted walnuts and filo is a deconstructed take on baklava.
Drinks-wise, the wine, beer and spirits selection is almost entirely from New Zealand. Cocktails like the Sumac Mule (vodka, sumac, pomegranate, lime, ginger and beer) are a nod to the Middle East.
Kisa
Phone: 021 449 820
195 Cuba Street, Wellington
Hours:
Tue 4pm–late
Wed to Sun 12pm–late
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