Our Samoan inspired Dinner at Tala

This year we were delighted dine at Tala for our NZSFW Team Christmas dinner. Located down an alley off Parnell Road, Chef Henry Onesemo and his team at Tala sharing a unique culinary journey,  re-inventing Samoan foods in a contemporary light. Tala means story in Samoan.

Snacks included:

Quail egg, Taco chip

Palolo: Taro focaccia with whitebait, Coconut reduction, dusting of sea weed.

Pisupo explores the Samoan heritage dish of tinned corned beef. Here Chef Henry has transformed this into Beef tartare from 55 aged sirloin, with a cashing of charcoal glass.

Panikeke or Pancake is combined with a bowl of daikon, shitake mushrooms, Kafir line, Scallop

Oka is ceviche of Kingfish, Leak ash

Roadside BBQ harks back to a Samoan favorite prepared 2 ways: braised Pork belly and Hot honey-coated Pork rib. With this dish there was a cup of Umu Chicken broth

Panipopo is a banana and coconut inspired dessert, dominated by wholesome ripe bananas that we seem to have forgotten about…

Koko Samoa features local Chocolate, Macadema mousse, Whisky honey caramel sauce

Copra is dramatically presented in a smoking coconut shell with a frozen ice of dried coconut flesh.