Dining: Local seafood

It would make sense that Queenstown has some of the best seafood around. I’m not even necessarily referring to the big gorgeous lake that dominates the views here. We’re close enough to the seas that we get access to some of the freshest shellfish and seafood I think I’ve ever tasted. And that’s saying a lot, considering I lived in coastal city for the last 11 years.

One of my all-time favorite dishes is mussels. They were definitely an acquired taste – it was not an instant love affair, by any means – but these grotesque little bivalves are actually quite yummy. And here in NZ, we get the giant green guys, not the miniature-looking black shells that we are used to in the US.

For a special treat, we went out to dinner at a seafood hotspot called Fishbone. Anecdotal reviews were pretty good, so I knew I wouldn’t be too disappointed!  And I was *so* glad that mussels were on the menu here. I hadn’t had any since I arrived, and I really really felt like I was missing out. Paired with classic “frites” and a crisp Albarino, and I was a really really happy girl.

You may remember my paua and squid lunch from Pier 19, during my first 2 weeks in town. While I do like abalone and its gorgeous shell, I love me some squid. A really simple salt and pepper preparation is fairly prevalent here, for which I’m very grateful.

On a beautiful, sunny day, sitting outside with a new friend, enjoying some local Gibbston Valley rose, the food from Botswana Butchery was the perfect accompaniment. Some Thai-styled squid, duck-fat potatoes, and roasted whole carrots?  Yes, please. We were meaning to have just a snack, something to hold us over until dinnertime, but we ordered all of these. And I don’t regret it for a single second!  I’ll definitely be back for more of that deliciousness.