Bowery Lane

It was a Thursday lunch time, and the suits and ties were out in force when I wandered into Bowery Lane looking for a midday feed. If you can count on anyone to locate a great place to eat in this area, it’s the suits. On entering, I felt as though I had joined an office space, with dozens of business meetings taking place on their own tables - I took it as a ringing endorsement.

Relatively new on the CBD food scene, you’ll find Bowery Lane a short walk from Wynyard Station. You’d be forgiven for not realising it’s a restaurant, as from street level you can only really see the downstairs coffee bar. Up the stairs behind that, you’ll find a good-sized seating area with the kitchen at the back. The decor manages to remain sophisticated and minimalist, but still perfectly comfortable for a quick bite to eat.

We started with a couple of drinks while we pored over the menu and it’s many tempting choices. I don’t claim to be a coffee-connoisseur, but I know the difference between a good cup and a bad one. This, thankfully was the former. A smooth and hot flat white; not too milky and no hint of bitterness.

My partner was somewhat more adventurous and opted for the Green Power Juice. A visually impressive concoction, consisting of spinach, kale, apple, pineapple and mint. The combination was refreshing and not at all ‘bitty’ like some healthy juices tend to turn out.

After an extended period of indecision, which I can only attribute to the ‘extended lunch’ atmosphere of Bowery Lane, we finally settled on a starter to share and put our mains order in also. On recommendation, we settled on the Yamba Prawn Sliders to begin with. They were great to start the meal, not too large and perfect to share. Prawns were delicious char-grilled, and not overcooked - as many places tend to treat seafood - but was a bit disappointed that the sliders, overall, were a little dry.

Our mains arrived, and in spite of an oversight (double seafood burgers), they were equally enticing. The pick of the meal was the Sherry Marinated Globe Artichokes and a close second going to the Tempura Soft Shell Crab. While the crab burger looked incredible - namely because the legs protruding out of the buns made it appear as if it would walk itself off the plate - I can’t say I’m a fan of a double breaded burger. The tempura crab only added to the dryness, and alone it might have been delicious, but the proportion of bread to crab was a bit off.

The artichokes on the other hand were terrific - roasted to give them those wonderful crispy edges and full of flavour. From the carrots and beets to the goats curd, it was the plate I kept coming back to. It’s rare that a primarily vegetable dish can be so hearty, but this is one of those exceptions.

I thought I would be too full to continue once the mains were cleared away, but one look at the dessert menu compelled me to continue. To clarify, if I had the time or stomach capacity I might have tried to order everything on the dessert menu - we settled on two. While not technically on the dessert menu, I ordered the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Milkshake as I’ve a soft spot for peanut butter and chocolate.

Firstly, the milkshake is simply presented in a glass milk bottle - a great idea actually - and came with a piece of Reese’s peanut butter chocolate on top. As an American candy enthusiast, I have to be a stickler and point out that it wasn’t actually a peanut butter cup, but I can live with that. It was a great shake, though for personal preference I would have preferred it a bit thicker.

We ended our Bowery Lane experience with the real dessert order, the Jar of Cookies and Cream, which was delicious and unexpected. Large chunks of honey comb and berries over a layer of some kind of vanilla custard with dark chocolate, all amassed to a great end to a great meal.

In retrospect, I would likely order differently the next time I visit - mostly. Bowery Lane is a welcome addition to CBD dining though, and their astounding popularity this early is a testament to their attention to detail, both in the experience and the food.