Fresh, sustainable, seasonal produce sets the culinary benchmark for the new winter menu at Bistro Lago at the Hilton Lake Taupo - sourced from lake, land and ocean and presented to your plate! From slow cooked beef cheek to salt and pepper squid with watercress pesto, seared Taupo lamb loin and Gisborne tempura battered Tarakihi fish and chips – there is something to savour and devour for every discerning palate.
The beauty of the historic Terraces Hotel that is home to Bistro Lago at the Hilton Lake Taupo provides the perfect foil for a classic menu with a subtle modern twist. Tuna Niçoise salad is presented with dried egg yolk grated over the top, while a slow cooked beef cheek boasts meltingly tender meat accompanied by a rustic, warming French onion puree.
Sweet tooths receive due attention also – warm apple tart with salted caramel and walnut ice cream is heaven on a plate, while a red wine and anise poached pear with baked croissant pudding and pistachio syrup balances tart overtones with indulgence. And for serious chocolate lovers, the triple layer Whittaker’s dark chocolate tart with hazelnut brittle, berries and cream is a decadent standout.
Designed by Nourish Group Executive Chef Gareth Stewart, the winter menu is helmed by Executive Chef Adrian Walker. With a focus on only the finest local ingredients, dishes are served within Bistro Lago’s sweeping vistas across Lake Taupo and Tongariro National Park.
“We proudly source and supply sustainable, cage free and free range products from local and regional suppliers,” said Walker. “It’s food of the season, it’s fresh, it’s sustainable.”
Walker says subtlety is key to the winter menu at Bistro Lago. “Classic dishes with a modern twist are at the heart of the new winter menu,” he says. The subtlety of arriving at the colder seasons and celebrating with traditional dishes elevated by innovative presentation or different techniques is my passion.”
With a love of food established from a young age, Walker says being surrounded by beautifully fresh, local produce instigated the beginning of his culinary journey.
“The social side of food, having conversation, enjoying life, people sitting down again around the table, paired with the tangible working with your hands and putting something on a plate is what it’s all about."
