Overview
There have been several eateries to pass through 7/21 Jellicoe Street, none quite making the grade to stick around in the waterfront location. Restauranteur Dennis Wiley is hopefully the right person to known the formula and break the curse. Since staring his hospitality career in the '70s flipping pizzas in Hawaii, Dennis has opened eight restaurants around the country. The two remaining are Northcote Point's Sausalito Café and Wynyard Quarter's Miss Clawdy.
A few shops down from the Southern American-styled establishment, the Wiley family (Dennis, Belinda, Tom and Jeff) have now opened Kindred: an all-day eatery that hopes to recreate the feeling of dining in someone's lounge. They've manage to capture that vibe perfectly with sinkable booth seating, art supplied from mother and creative director Belinda Wiley's living room and a menu featuring dishes that'd you'd want to make at home—but perhaps don't quite have the culinary finesse to take across the line.
Wholesome food is a focal point and the menu is dotted with countless gluten and dairy free options. Items like coconut chia pudding and a kumara and zucchini rosti appear on the breakfast menu; baby lamb rump with pearl couscous, hummus and chimichurri, and twice-cooked chicken with bok choy and sambal check in on the lunch menu; while hapuka with cauliflower puree, braised fennel, peas and salsa verde is a main contender come dinner time. Staying in line with that homely vibe, portions are generous to say the least. If the sweet cravings kick in, round off your meal with a pavlova the size of your head and one of their house-made shrub sodas that come in inventive flavour combinations like: orange and turmeric, sugar snap pea and mint, raspberry and thyme.
In close proximity to the new ASB Waterfront Theatre, Kindred will serve well as a pre or post-theatre destination. It's open now — Monday - Friday: 7am until late, Saturday - Sunday: 9am until late.