The Ambeli Tasting Plate
This year the owners of The Ambeli have come up with something quite unique – a platter for those wanting to dine in style before heading out to the theatres and cinemas of Courtenay Place.

The Ambeli Tasting Plate will be a permanent fixture at the Ambeli. A platter is offered at $15 per person which gives you a taste of some of the delicious dishes on the full menu. Every few weeks the selection will change but you can be assured that it will convey the spirit of the Mediterranean menu.

The platter is unique to The Ambeli and is perfect for groups or individuals. Sit on your own in a window seat and indulge in a spot of people watching, or bring a large group and enjoy multiple platters of the Mediterranean’s most wonderful colours and flavours. Savour the entree-sized portions, with each mouthful capturing your full attention. For anyone who loves the experience of Yum-Cha, welcome to the Mediterranean form of this excellent way to dine.

Sample Menu:
Cauliflower Soup with Sage and a drizzle of Salvagno
Fondant Potato with Salsa Verde and Pecorino
Manchego with Tapenade
Spanish Meatball with Almond Sauce
Haloumi with Crispy Toast, Beetroot Relish & Rocket Pesto
Warmed Olives

The Ambeli
“Mediterranean soul food that hits the spot deep down inside” – what a lovely thought! And that’s exactly what the passionate and knowledgeable young owners of Ambeli are offering you. Elisavet George and Shaebodine Moleta have established their dream on what has become one of Wellington’s best-known restaurant sites. And Ambeli is a more than worthy successor to what came before it.

Sam Pope is the chef – he’s undoubtedly a rising star in Wellington’s pantheon of wonderful kitchen maestros. Despite being from Cyprus and Sicily, Shae and Eli have determined not to tie the menu to any particular ethnicity. Rather the Ambeli has brought together the colours and flavours from right around the Med’. So lime, fennel, pancetta, haloumi, polenta, porcini, sumac, and much more all feature around the chargrilled free range chicken, the beef, the crispy duck – and again, so much more. The potato, caper and anchovy pancake is a favourite with customers and rapidly becoming Ambeli’s signature dish. "All of these dishes are pouring out of Sams' imagination, we change the menu as often as we please! He has such an afinity with flavour and colour." -Shae happily presents a well earned moment in the centre stage to the chef.

The menu and wine list here look like they should be more expensive - the good news, however, is that the food is reasonably priced and so too is the wine. Shae insists, “…it’s great food, and I want our visitors to be able to choose the best wine to match it.” This kind of passion is evident in the warm comfort of the surroundings and in the beautiful and proudly hung pictures of Shae and Elisavet’s family and forebears – just some of the people that Wellington and New Zealand have to thank for such a vibrant and diverse restaurant scene.

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