Last year you may remember that The Old Church was closed most Friday’s and Saturdays over summer for Private Functions and weddings. The good news is that this Summer they have spread these functions out so that they still have availability for a la carte diners on some Fridays and Saturdays.  ”We plan to open for lunches until 3pm every day.” says Mel.  It’s great to hear this consideration for those of us who enjoy dining in the sunny conservatory or courtyard year round. Call in advance when booking just in case, as the opening hours can vary.

Burlesque at The Old Church

Burlesque Evening – September 12th 

“This is the first of a series of events that the Burlesque girls from Elevate Studios will do for us.” says Mel. The Burlesque stage show running order is in three parts. The first sees the girls get amongst the guests as they arrive. Platters are then served before the stage show gets underway. After the show, everyone is welcome to stay and those booked for the meal enjoy their dinner. For those guys and gals that fancy giving Burlesque a go themselves, there is an opportunity to try Burlesque alongside the girls later in the evening. “The whole experience is around 3 hours if you’re coming for dinner.” says Mel. Starting at 6:30pm, tickets must be purchased in advance to guarantee a place. If you haven’t been yet, these events are a fun opportunity for a bit of escapism for a night. Tickets can be booked the Burlesque show and are $35 for platter and the show and $75 for the platter, main and dessert.

Man O War Winemakers Dinner – 10th October

Man O War Vineyard on Waiheke Island from the sky. Picture courtesy of Bob Campbell

The Winemakers Dinner is a feature of The Old Church calendar and the next one on 10th October features wine from Man O War Vineyards on Waiheke Island. Both Damian and Mel have visited the vineyard and retells the story of 150 acre vineyard on the island. “It’s a journey to get there, starting with the ferry from the mainland, then drive and drive before getting to a gravel road then keep driving. It’s 40 minute before you reach this beautifully picturesque bay filled with boats, their own little jetty and a sandy beach strip nestled between rolling hills. The vineyard is a gorgeous location, where you have your wine tasting under the umbrellas on the lawn.”

Chef Richard Highnam is deciding on the dishes to pair with the wines, and there’s a few courses to think about. The Man O War Winemakers dinner covers five courses with two whites, two red and interestingly a Pinot Gris matched with dessert. Lindsey Holcombe and Matt Allen will make the journey from Waiheke Island to Hawke’s Bay for the dinner and share their story about this family owned vineyard with guests on the evening. “The varietals are similar to Te Mata Peak, and have a strong structure. Richard is looking at pairing one wine with eel.” says Mel. For regular customers and wine enthusiasts alike, this is the ideal opportunity to get together a group around a table, share stories and enjoy the experience.

The Old Church Team

There’s a couple of new additions to The Old Church team that you may recognise. Robert Scholes from Elephant Hill fame joins the Old Church and Matt Kerr joins as sous chef from Bracu in Auckland. Richard continues to head up the kitchen and continues to build on the quality coming out of the kitchen. Our last visit there for the mid winter degustation dinner

can confirm that. There are plans to import a couple more flamboyant French staff to the team for the summer season joining Damian, the resident Frenchman and mixologist.

If that’s not enough to whet your appetite, there are even more events to choose from on The Old Church events page.

Summary

• The Man-O-War Winemakers Dinner @theoldchurch1 is on 10th October. Tweet
• Fridays and Saturday nights available for locals during spring and summer. Tweet
• Robert Scholes from @elephanthill fame joins @theoldchurch1. Tweet

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