The French Café reopens in new space alongside Sid Sahrawat’s new venture, Anise
Meanwhile, The French Café has moved to a dining room on the opposite side of the courtyard at the Symonds Street premises.
The opening of Anise adds versatility to what is now a mini dining precinct, housing the two restaurants wrapped around a gorgeous courtyard reminiscent of an old French quarter, complete with a fireplace, herb garden and al fresco dining.
A brand-new concept for the Sahrawats, Anise is a casual 70-seat modern pan Asian eatery with a menu curated by executive chef Sid and head chef Tommy Hope.
The restaurant has a reception and bar area, as well as two dining areas – the front room and back dining room, the latter overlooking the gorgeous internal courtyard.
A wall in the front dining room greets guests with a Japanese inspired decal which depicts cherry blossoms from the Meguro riverside in Tokyo. New mahogany finished tables, plants and dusky pink cushions complete the transformation of the rooms.
Sid is a big fan of modern Asian cuisine, having started his chef career working in a pan Asian restaurant in Oman. He says he’s had great fun testing dishes on the family during the summer break and working with head chef Tommy and the team on this menu.
The a la carte menu will change with the seasons, is designed for sharing, and is divided into snacks, entrées, mains and dessert, offering up the chefs’ take on modern Asian cuisine with glimpses of flavours from Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Korea, Cambodia and China.
For those who prefer to “Trust the Chef”, a set menu is available which includes a selection of dishes from each of the aforementioned categories - all designed to share.
Sid says he has wanted to put more Asian flavours on the table for a while now.
“While you may have often seen Asian influences on my menus, Anise gives me the opportunity to really dive into and showcase bold flavours of Asian cuisines from Indonesian to Cantonese, Thai to Japanese”, he says.
“Our kitchen team has always been diverse, and the Anise menu will be a true collaboration of different cultures.”
Guests are invited to Indulge in Anise's array of beverages, featuring an artfully crafted cocktail list by bar manager, Rob Chacon. Infused with fresh, tropical, and Asian ingredients, these cocktails are thoughtfully designed to complement the diverse culinary offering.
The wine selection, curated by sommelier and restaurant manager Aleksandr (Alex) Shchepetkin, is a journey through the modern wine movement highlighting exquisite offerings from countries such as Japan, Syria, Lebanon, and China.
Anise is open Tuesday to Saturday for dinner and lunch on Saturdays. For more information and to view the sample menu see anise.co.nz or email info@anise.co.nz.
The French Café is open Thursday to Saturday for dinner. For more information see thefrenchcafe.co.nz. All dietaries can be catered for as long as they are advised in advance at the time of booking.
Anise and The French Café are just two of the four restaurants in Sid and Chand Sahrawat’s impressive stable of Auckland establishments – they also own and operate modern Indian restaurant Cassia at SkyCity and a tandoor inspired bar and restaurant, KOL, in Ponsonby.
Photography: Babiche Martens
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Published: March 2024