I am constantly asked where to dine around New Zealand and for me the one restaurant I would recommend above all others in Christchurch is Jonny Schwass's Restaurant Schwass.
2010
Reviews
Restaurant Schwass is a wonderful dining experience and Jonny Schwass is right on top of his game.
Ferry Fare
The name Jonny Schwass is significant when it comes to Christchurch restaurant and culinary circles. Talk in the industry has it that if Jonny Schwass is involved with a project, it has to be good. It has to have something special about it. When we departed on a recent Friday night for this chef's latest venture: Restaurant Schwass, on the city end of Ferry Road, our expectations were high. We were not disappointed.
Chef Jonny Schwass took time out after sezn last year, but it was no holiday, he was refitting a retired Indian restaurant. Now, for the first time, it is his name on the neon.
The address is smack in the middle of car-yard territory so foot traffic is rare, but on the upside, there's plenty of parking. And there is no doubt his loyal following will be willing to make the pligrimage.
Schwass has installed a gleaming beast of a kitchen front-of-house an impressive opening statement and given the decor is minimalist, it suggests this is a place where eating is taken seriously.
Cuisine Magazine, February 2008
You only turn 30 once, if you're a man, so we wanted somewhere special. Restaurant Schwass on Ferry Road provided everything we hoped for: consummate professionalism, passion for food and an eye for detail.
It is situated peculiarly on the town end of Ferry Road, across the road from Harrington's Brewery. The restaurant is modern and somewhat elegant but all that becomes peripheral once the food arrives.
As we left, the gastronomes at the table next door asked us where else in Christchurch we could recommend that was on a par. We struggled to answer them.
The Press - Zest - 20 March 2008
The Press
I am constantly asked where to dine around New Zealand and for me the one restaurant I would recommend above all others in Christchurch is Jonny Schwass's Restaurant Schwass. (Although I do love Saggio di Vino and The Bodhi Tree).
Johnny Schwass is a passionate chef who truly, truly cares about every single thing he puts on your plate. He has a garden where amazing vegetables and herbs are grown, and it's rumoured he may even plant a garden on the restaurant roof. He takes infinite care in sourcing the very best meat, fish and poultry for his diners.
We ate some superbly stylish simple food that was delicious in the best sense of the word. I started with a mushroom risotto (pictured) that would rate a perfect 10. Rich, a slightly creamy texture with more mushroom than rice, it was so good I refused to share with my dining companions! It was topped with a small wild mushroom salad.
The menu is bold; lots of lovely offal dishes including lamb's liver and bacon, cured tongue, and pork belly. The organic chicken was superb and sparkling fresh fish melted in the mouth. Here's a chef with plenty of imagination who manages to produce lovely modern food where the well sourced ingredients speak for themselves.
The restaurant itself is sober and moody, but we were impressed when Earth Hour came and all the lights were turned out and we ate by candlelight. We also loved the wine list that has been as thoughtfully put together as the menu. There was a full page dedicated to Pyramid Valley, so we drank their Pinot Blanc.. perfect for the perfect food.
