Wine Cellar for special nights

Press, 15 September 1976, Page 23

Wine Cellar for special nights

Two important and diversified dinner nights are now the style at the Wine Cellar, and another is on the way. Just beyond the park, out in Ric,carton, at 110 Mandeville street, the Wine Cellar is backed by a very busy Trans Hotel complex from which the residents enthusiasticallj r turn up for meals at this adjacent restaurant. The Wine Cellar is a well-established part of Christchurch eating; the restaurant has its regulars, especially for the special nights.

On Saturday nights the Wine Cellar has an all-inclusive dine and dance arrangement. It costs $8.75 a head, and there is no cover charge. With this goes music, from the Pat Devlin Trio. And patrons have a little floor for their dancing. The menu includes soup, entrees—-such as mayonnaise eggs or shrimp cocktail (cold), or noodle or scallops (hot) —a fish dish, a grill, various hot “specialty” dishes, and dessert.

The Wine Cellar seats 120, and it is full on Saturday nights. It is also full on Sunday nights, when George Balani, of 3ZM fame, comes along to help willing diners through a grand running buffet which is on from 7.30. His disco show then is just as popular as it ever is on radio. The inclusive price is $5.50.

Once a month, however, the Les Toots Ensemble, a 10-piece group, takes charge on a Sunday night. Sunday nights have one other pull. The

Elmwood Players perform occasionally to give a 20min comedy.

The next move towards a regular special night at the Wine Cellar will be on Fridays, when the intention is to introduce Bavarian evenings with music, and dress, and even food to match.

All these special nights do, or will, run late.

On week nights, however, the Wine Cellar is all done in the restaurant by 7.30. Guests then transfer to the Cask Room Bai’, which is suitably decorated, and ' where there is light entertainment by piano or guitar till 11 p.m. This bar has 60 or 70 places on comfortable colonial chairs of the kind which characterise the main restaurant.

Week-night dinners are table d’hote at $5.50. Menus are on a weekly cycle, and offer soup, entree, a main course, and dessert.

Lunch is big at the Wine Cellar; it is strongly patronised.

There are two menus, both inclusive. The first is priced at $3.75 and is of four courses with certain optional dishes—such as roast or steak—at an extra 60c.

The executive luncheon costs $5.25, and has five courses with a considerably enhanced choice.

As would befit its name, the Wine Cellar has a wide range of imported and New Zealand wines.