Onslow: Celebrating New Zealand's Provenance

 

Set within a landmark Auckland address, Onslow is a dining destination that celebrates New Zealand’s exceptional provenance, thoughtful service and timeless style. A sophisticated restaurant led by Michelin-starred chef and owner Josh Emett and Helen Emett, Onslow brings together food, wine and hospitality shaped by Josh Emett’s culinary journey from London and New York back to Aotearoa. From attentive table-side moments to the signature salmon and martini trolley service, Onslow's approach is polished yet relaxed, drawing inspiration from the great dining rooms of the old world. Dishes are executed with precision, rooted in classic technique and elevated through exceptional ingredients and balance. Working closely with trusted New Zealand producers, and at the same time looking for rare, premium ingredients that inspire creativity, the chefs bring a distinctly luxurious character to the menu, for a result that is both refined and guided by season and provenance. One of Onslow's signature menu item since day one is Josh Emett’s famous crayfish eclair that has clawed its way onto the Auckland's iconic Top 100 list. Arriving for dinner the evening before boarding our Silversea cruise, we indulged in the restaurant's acclaimed dishes for an evening that was guided by the seasons, shaped by the quality of Onslow's local ingredients, for a delicious and memorable Kiwi culinary journey.

Josh Emett and Helen Emett

Onslow's sophisticated and comfortable interior

Premium ingredients inspire creativity and bring a distinctly luxurious character to Onslow's menu

Digby Fine English Brut 

Digby's Non Vintage Brut is an English sparkling wine made from 

Southern England's best vineyards in Sussex

Chatham Islands Crayfish Éclair has been an Onslow signature menu item since day one,

 and Josh Emett’s famous eclair has clawed its way into Auckland Eats Top 100 

Cloudy Bay Storm Clam topped with creamy béchamel topped with caviar and fresh dil

served on a bed of rock salt

Ruakākā Kingfish Crudo, with cucumber & lime aji verde, green tomato chutney 

and garnished with garden flowers

Onslow's signature Big Glory Bay salmon pastrami theatrical table-side trolley service

New Zealand King Salmon ocean farmed in pristine Big Glory Bay

 Big Glory Bay Salmon paired with savoury canelé, pickled cucumber, 

honey mustard and whipped salmon mousse

Atípico Sundial Grüner Veltliner 2024 from Marlborough, New Zealand

A light and delicious New Zealand white wine

Pan Seared Swordfish with Smoked Marlborough Mussels in Beurre Blanc Sauce, 

with Pickled Carrot and Dill

Cambridge Duck Breast with Juniper Spice, Caramelized Fig, Daikon and Citrus Glaze

The first of the season’s green asparagus from Greenfern Farms in Cambridge,

served with a rich egg yolk sabayon and gremolata crumb garnish with fresh chervil

Oak Lettuce Salad, Cos, Radicchio and Garden Herbs with French Vinaigrette

Carrot Sorbet with with whipped Basque Cheesecake, pistachio filo, and carrot caramel

Onslow's signature ‘Not Tiramisu’ Layer Cake with chocolate mousse and salted caramel 

Onslow's 'Tiramisu' was very sweet with the added salted caramel, and one of their most popular desserts, but I found it too sweet — Im a fan of the original Italian version

www.onslow.nz/about

King Salmon with Dill Gremolata Crust & Crushed New Potatoes

Serves 2

Recipe courtesy of chef Josh Emmet, Onslow

2 portions Big Glory King Salmon, skinned and pin-boned

6 new potatoes

2 tbsp olive oil

Pinch of sea salt

Fresh dill, chopped, plus extra for garnishing

Dijon mustard for brushing

Gremolata:

1 tbsp bread crumbs

1 tbsp pecorino, grated

1 clove of garlic, minced

Lemon zest

Small handful of parsley, chopped

Small handful of dill, chopped

Sea salt

Place the potatoes in salted water and simmer for 20 minutes until cooked through. Strain and add back to pot with olive oil, crush lightly with the back of a fork the season with sea salt to taste and add chopped dill. For the gremolata, combine all of the ingredients together and season with sea salt to taste.

Next, pan fry the salmon in a non stick fry pan on medium heat for 4-5 minutes on one side until nice and crispy, then turn over for a final minute. Brush the crispy side with gremolata along the top until covered. To serve, place the crushed potato on a serving plate, place the salmon on top then place a few sprigs of dill around the outside. Drizzle with good quality olive oil, and serve.

Tasmania's Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary & Richmond

 

Tasmania is a region of diverse and wild beauty. Sea cliffs, big ocean, rare rock formations, tranquil rivers, glacial tarns and alpine mountains. This is the edge of the world. Framed by the rugged figure of Mount Wellington and the flow of the wide River Derwent, with wilderness lingering nearby, it’s cultural and dining experiences that thrive in Hobart, Australia's second-oldest city, is where most of the Tassie locals live. 

Taking a shore excursion from the Silver Nova, we visited Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary that was established in 1981 as a sanctuary for injured and orphaned wildlife, and where Greg Irons, the director of Bonorong, has put together a new kind of wildlife rescue program dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, and preservation of native Australian animals. Bonorong actively participates in various conservation projects, contributes to breeding programs, research initiatives, and advocacy for the protection of Tasmania's wildlife, and became Tasmania's first veterinary hospital dedicated to taking in animals hit by cars, attacked by other animals or orphaned or sick. With no wildlife rescue service operating out of business hours, Greg set up Friends of Carers Wildlife Program, the first community run wildlife assistance service in the state that arranges free training on basic wildlife rescue, transport and temporary care, and provides Bonorong with a database of willing people on call, and has amazingly enlisted more than 200 volunteers. 

After Bonorong, we visited the charming historic town of Richmond, located half an hour northeast of Hobart. Renowned for its well-preserved 1820s Georgian architecture, Richmond boasts Australia's oldest bridge, and the oldest operating Catholic Church of St John the Evangelist. A popular, scenic spot, known for its bakery, local cafes, and proximity to the Coal River Valley wineries, the town was a former 19th-century convict station and military outpost, offering a glimpse into colonial life through preserved sandstone buildings, heritage walks, and the nearby Coal Mines Historic Site. 

Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary Owner/Ditector Greg Irons

Tassie devils are critically endangered and there are only 10–12 thousand of them left in the world

These devils play an important role in educating visitors about the species and the challenges it faces in the wild, including the devastating facial tumour disease affecting populations across Tasmania

Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary is home to a large mob of free-roaming Forester kangaroos

Visitors can hand-feed and interact with these gentle, rehabilitated kangaroos, 

which also enjoy chest scratches and a snack or two

As a private sanctuary, Bonorong cares for orphaned and injured wildlife,

with many being rescues that cannot be released back into the wild

A rescued baby Pademelon, where roadkill and habitat loss are significant threats 

to these darling little creatures

Bonorong is an active participant in the Tasmanian Quoll Conservation Program, 

providing this cunning little carnivore with hope for the future

 While the Tasmanian emu went extinct around 1865, the emus at Bonorong are mainland emus 

and serve as ambassadors for the species

Emus are generally considered gentle, curious, and intelligent birds that can become quite tame 

and affectionate with human interaction, often following caretakers

The laughing kookaburra native to eastern Australia makes a very familiar call 

sounding like raucous laughter

This wildlife keeper handles the rescued short beaked echidnas, which are often victims of car strikes, and then rehabilitated at the sanctuary

Animals are often cared for by registered wildlife volunteers until they are ready 

to be released back into the wild

Echidnas are found all over Australia, including Tasmania

I spoke with this lovely volunteer who was caring for a rescued baby wombat

that was brought in by a person who found it in their garden, abandoned by its mother

As a private sanctuary, Bonorong cares for orphaned and injured wildlife,

and depends on donations and visitor entries

Rescued as a baby, this wee little wombat is nestled in this fleece pouch 

on her knee, to keep the little one warm and secure

Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary has Tasmania's first veterinary hospital dedicated to wildlife

A vineyard in Tasmania's famous Coal Valley

Richmond Bridge was built in 1823 and is the oldest in Australia 

St John the Evangelist Church is Australia's oldest Catholic church, 

as it was officially opened in 1837

The Tasmanian Lavender Company on Bridge Street

The smell of lavender was intoxicating

We found this old newspaper from 1864 in an Antique Shop in Richmond

The Bridge Inn Mews in Richmond

www.bonorong.com.au