Rascal — Restaurant in Christchurch

Best meal in our entire lives – 133 years in total – 42 years together!! We arrived early one evening without a booking but there was a spare table so we sat down and perused the menu. We selected 5 dishes to share and noticed that the chef numbered these choices. Each plate arrived in the order the chef had decreed and at a pace that was matched exactly to our eating. We were sitting adjacent to the chef’s station – was she timing things deliberately? It was early and still quiet but it seemed to us that we were the only ones there. Wait staff were attentive but not over bearing – just the right amount of service. The first dish was astonishing – we could not believe the perfected flavours and textures - each dish raised the bar and our mouths were agape at the phenomenal quality of the food we were being served (it is hard to eat with your mouth agape!) Once finished, the experience continued to sear into our being – and then the realisation hit. This was the best meal we had ever had in our entire lives – across four continents – and we found it here in Christchurch. You must visit Rascal but do guarantee your place by booking – Rascal must take off soon – the word...

It was an amazing dinner!! We ordered 3 small plates- Today's croquettes($23), candied port bites($23), fried chcken($23) 1 medium plate - King prawn($40)

It was so nice to see the chef cooking right in front of you! Croquette was sooo good, i think it was cream cheese and hawaiian jello? But my favorite was the pork. 😋

Presentation was so cool, felt like I am eating in the woods right after I hunt the wild boar. And surprisingly the candy floss really goes well with the pork! You just have to try!

The fried chicken was also reallyyy tasty. Crunchy, hot, and maple sriracha sauce is just 🫶🏻 We loved it so much.

Although there were only four king prawns, I loved the flavor of tomyum sauce. We just didn't know how to eat or handle those friend noodles on top though🤣

Dessert - Today's layer cake. My husband told me it was the most delicious cake he had for long time. We could taste every layers in the cake, it was like fireworks in my mouth! No joke, can't believe that a single chef can cook and bake this amazing cake at the same time. Must be a very talented chef!

Anyway, we are very much willing to visit again soon....

"It's a restaurant, not a bar." That's what the staff said, and they refused to serve more drinks (unless we ordered more food.) We went for drinks after dinner, the staff asked us to order more food because it takes time to cook, but we told them it's for the drinks and we had food already. He looked a bit annoyed, but he took our order. But when we ordered 2nd drinks, he refused them. Their menu design is to share small plates. We ordered 2 dishes and only half were eaten and left coz of that, which cost $79. It was nice food, but I don't think I will return. It was a pity, Thurs evening, there were no customers and we were the first customers and a family of 4 Travellers came in when we were having food. They looked a bit unsure about having dinner because it was too quiet, I guess. I assure them its nice food and try it and travellers appreciated my comments. I want local businesses to be doing well. But not sure about this restaurant with this...