Dining Out: Ortega Fish Shack & Bar, Wellington, New Zealand

January 21, 2016

Ortega Fish Shack & Bar
16 Majoribanks Street, Wellington, 6011, New Zealand
+64 4 382 9559

Shack in aesthetics… maybe? But there’s nothing humpy or shanty-esque about the menu. Ortega is fine dining in disguise.

We think we read somewhere that the women of Wellington are so down to earth that they don’t even wear heels. From what we saw stepping out of the many jam packed small bars on Courtenay Place on a Saturday night, we can confirm this rumour isn’t exactly true but we understand why someone might say it.

This is a city that appreciates the finer things in life (be it wine, food, music) but seems happy to revel in it all in a very unostentatious way. Just wouldn’t do too well to blow your own horn too hard in a town where everyone knows each other (some 204,000 food and nature lovers call this windy wonder on New Zealand’s North Island home). So you end up with a very special corner of the world that feels utterly sophisticated but never aloof.

That’s the deal with Ortega Fish Shack and Bar. Even the name is deceptively no-nonsense. If you haven’t done some research you could be forgiven for thinking you’re just heading to the kind of joint that hands you a plastic bib along with your bread basket.

This ain’t that kind of shack.

Ortega might have the casual weatherboard shutters of a beachside bungalow you’d see in the Florida Keys (complete with rope chandeliers and the odd bit of fishing paraphernalia) but don’t let that fool you. The menu here is an impressive and comprehensive tour of flavours from across the globe, with the award-winning talents of Head Chef Mark Limacher given the freedom to reference flavours from Japan (Smoked White Warehou, radish kimchi, slow cooked egg, yuzu mayo), France (Gruyere Soufflé, Roquefort cream, salad of rocket, walnut, pear & pickled cherries) and, of course, celebrate the best that the New Zealand coastline can provie (Roasted Tarakihi, laksa sauce, vermicelli, spring onion, mung beans, deep fried egg, ginger oil).

Adding to the Ortega shine is its seemingly endless wine menu. If you’re lucky enough to have maitre’d Davey McDonald on hand, let him walk you through the options of ‘Voluptuous Whites’ or ‘Juicy Reds’. This kind of descriptive grouping makes ordering a breeze but the team here seem to take great pleasure to take a personal interest something that truly compliments the flavours of your meal. When in Rome, or Wellington, it’s more fun to just go with the flow. If they want to pour you a couple of short glasses to taste, are you really going to say no?

Sherry is also a big thing here. There’s even a special menu dedicated to the sweet stuff with detailed descriptions of flavour influences and best food pairings. Order the dry and lemon infused Oloroso Don Nuno and match it with your tuna sashimi, or the coffee and cocoa flavours of the Palo Cortado Vides and see how it marries with the Marlborough King Salmon. Again, if in doubt, just ask for guided tour.

It’s no mistake that Ortega reportedly has the friendliest staff in the city, that kind of feel-good energy is impossible to bottle and almost always trickles down from the top. Probably due in no small part to McDonald’s leadership (he was awarded Restaurant Personality of the Year in the 2015 NZ Good Food Awards). In that very egalitarian New Zealander style, he’s seemingly almost always mingling, serving and helping the staff so much that he’s one of them. No time for self-importance when you’re full to capacity.

This laid back but attentive vibe emanates across to the customers. Yes, you’re spending upwards of $NZ34 for a main but you’re almost not even aware of it because you’re enjoying yourself too much to mind. That’s a recipe for success every time.