Pull up a chair (one of only eight) at this chef’s table overlooking the Waikato River and prepare to be amazed by Karl Martin-Boulton’s celebration of the people, produce and seasons of this taste-forward region. Karl and restaurant manager/sommelier Drew Cohen have nowhere to hide as they prepare each course while guests watch and interact. The menu may change daily but there’s an enduring commitment to sustainability and premium products. The bite-sized chef’s snacks, including a miso-and-yeast pie, paired with a vintage brut cuvée, were gone in an instant. A cauliflower course, finely shaved and curried with pickled onions and goat’s cheese, met a similar fate. The gentle flavours worked perfectly with a gewürztraminer. Snapper came with smoked eel and Jerusalem artichoke, kawakawa and crispy kale alongside a stunning Hawke’s Bay chardonnay. After six courses, there was just enough room for a finale of feijoa sorbet and blackened feijoa flavoured with herbaceous sorrel with textures of apple, plum and bayleaf – a stunning tribute to a local apple orchard. Check website for opening hours. MAINS: Dégustation $175