Mills Reef: Friday lunch is fine beyond the Reef

Mills Reef
143 Moffat Rd, Bethlehem, Tauranga 3110
Ph (07) 576 8800

With a new lunch menu ready for the summer, Samantha Dowling and Dayna Comesky were keen to check out Mills Reef's Friday lunch.

Starters:
Duck liver pate, pickled orange with thyme crostini to share ($9.50).

Mains:
Samantha had Vietnamese baked salmon salad with toasted coconut, shaved cucumber, ginger, shrimp, mango, basil, coriander, peanuts, fried shallots, crispy golden kumara and sweet-and-sour chilli dressing ($24.50). Dayna had pan-seared scallops, home-cured crispy duck bacon on an artichoke risotto ($22.50).

Desserts:
Samantha enjoyed banana spring rolls with lychee, pineapple salsa and coconut icecream ($14.50). Dayna had an orange quartet of orange creme brulee, blood-orange sorbet, fresh orange salsa and petit orange madeleine ($14.50).

The verdict:
Samantha says: "I'm a big fan of pate so was delighted to find the starter flavoursome and smooth with a mousse consistency. The accompanying pickled orange took the dish to the next level.

The salmon melted in the mouth. Though I wasn't expecting the dish to be spicy it packed punch; luckily I enjoy spicy food and enjoyed the strong flavours. The crispy, golden kumara topping was a fun and yummy addition to the dish.

A perfect accompaniment to the main, the Asian-style dessert was a perfect balance of sweetness and fresh fruit.

Dayna says: "Chicken pate is not something I am ever tempted to eat, however, I loved this one. It was so light and the flavour is now one I crave.

"I wasn't as sure about my choice of main - it was a beautiful summer's day and I sometimes find risotto too heavy. However, the artichoke risotto was perfectly light and moist, and the duck bacon was a new indulgence and well worth trying. The blood-orange sorbet dessert was a refreshing end to the meal.''

The wine:
Sampling four different wines with lunch was an affordable treat, thanks to the wine paddle selection. It is always a struggle to decide what wine to choose, so we enjoyed the delectable selection.

We will be back for the pate and wine paddle!

Atmosphere:
We recommend a sunny day to sample the Mills Reef lunch menu as the picturesque outdoor dining is peaceful and relaxing. A great place for a Saturday girly catch-up.

Service:
Friendly and attentive.

Value for money:
Mills Reef is a top-class venue, and this menu offers a well-priced lunch in a beautiful setting.

Tasting room renovation:
Atmosphere Mills Reef has added two large windows to its tasting room so you can see into the packing and production areas of the business. This look behind the scenes adds another interesting element to the already large and appealing tasting room.

Wine tasting:
At the tasting room we got to try Mills Reef's The Littles range, which is only sold at the cellar door. It's worth a visit just to try these two sweet summer wines _ the Little Rosie would be perfect for Christmas Day. If sweet wines aren't to your taste, try Mills Reef's pinot gris; a bright, fresh summer barbecue wine.

We recommend dropping in on the weekend for a complimentary tasting (a fee may apply for large groups, so be sure to ring to book beforehand).