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Mapu Test Kitchen: An Enchanting, Ever-Evolving Spell at Gandalf’s Table
Nestled in the heart of Lyttelton and twenty minutes’ drive from Christchurch city, Mapu Test Kitchen is not a restaurant you simply visit; it is a realm you enter, presided over by its solitary architect, Giulio Sturla. For NZD$385 (with non-alcoholic pairing), you secure a place at his six-seat counter for an experience that defies conventional categorization. Giulio is chef, forager, sommelier, and host: a one-man orchestra conducting a deeply personal symphony of place and taste. To call him the Gandalf of the New Zealand food scene is not hyperbole; it is a recognition of the profound, almost mystical understanding he wields over ingredients and their harmonies.
Our recent evening celebrating the first day of summer was a testament to this. It began not with a menu, but with an atmosphere of anticipation, broken by the arrival of two opening spells: a beautiful Ash cracker with Kawakawa tofu, wild plum, purple peach salt, and borage, followed by the comforting warmth of Pan de yuca with two-year-old cheddar. These weren't just snacks; they were statements of intent: a dialogue between wild forage and cultured craft.
What follows is a journey best described as a culinary grimoire, each page turned by Giulio’s hand:
· Asparagus, pine nut, artichoke: A vibrant, textural ode to spring.
· Crayfish banana noodles: A breathtakingly original dish where the delicate sweetness of crayfish met the springy, chewy texture of Auckland green gold finger banana (we couldn’t believe it could be made into such delicious noodles!) in a form that was pure wizardry. The process involves blending the bananas, rolling, steaming for 1.5 hours and letting cool overnight.
· John Dory Fish, pea pod butter, pickled onion, red chicory seaweed: A coastal masterpiece, clean and profoundly satisfying. The pickling vinegar is made of pears and apples and the sauce was so delicious.
· Pecorino, onion, NZ spinach, broad beans, verbena: The essence of a garden transformed into a complex, savoury plate.
· Duck, black pear-garlic, cherry blossom: A dish of deep, autumnal richness, lifted by a whisper of floral blossom.
· Deer, onion, porcini shoyu: The savoury pinnacle: superbly tender deer - a powerful, umami-rich tribute to the forest.
The sweet conclusion of purple peach, Apricot curd, rhubarb, blueberries and sorrel was so beautifully tart and bright that when a fellow diner wistfully expressed a desire for the magic to continue, Giulio, with a twinkle, conjured a final, impromptu incantation: Pine cone and strawberry. This "work-in-progress" add-on: a resinous, fragrant, and utterly captivating dish - epitomized the spirit of Mapu. It was a generous, spontaneous sharing of pure creativity because the room was under his spell, and none of us wished to break it.
The true sorcery, however, lay in the five handcrafted non-alcoholic pairings. This was no mere accompaniment; it was a parallel narrative of equal brilliance. The Purple Shisho was a sweet verdant wake-up call; the Mate a honey-like concoction with some acidity; the Cacao a deep, roasty counterpoint; the Black Tea a savoury, smoky note; and the Saffron & Elderberry a fragrant, crimson elixir. Each drink didn’t just complement a dish: it conversed with it, challenged it, and ultimately revealed its hidden soul. The alcoholic pairing sounded just as delicious judging from our dining neighbours’ commentaries. This is Giulio’s grand power.
In summary: Mapu Test Kitchen is a rare convergence of extreme talent and intimate theatre. The price is an investment in an unrepeatable narrative, woven from foraged finds, culinary courage, and pairings that border on alchemy. You come for the exquisite, ever-evolving food, but you leave forever changed by the experience - the feeling of having been a privileged guest at the workshop of a true culinary wizard, where even the finale is a bespoke gift. It is, quite simply, magical.
