The Hungry Bunny

A must-do when in Marlborough, is a cruise through the Marlborough Sounds. Now, you may be curious as to what a sound actually is (just saying coz I also asked that very same question). It's like a fjord, but different in the way it's created. A fjord is carved by a glacier melting, but a sound is formed by the sea flooding a river valley. For all intents and purposes, both a fjord and a sound appear to look the same, but that little factoid was cool to learn, so there you go...geography 101! There are many cruise options through the Marlborough Sounds but the Seafood Odyssey Cruise with the Marlborough Tour Company , is by far the most luxurious. The cruise, which meanders the Queen Charlotte Sound, the most populated Sound of the three sounds forming the Marlborough Sounds, may also be the priciest (NZ$145 per pax), but I think the slightly-steeper pricetag is totally worth it. You get to luxuriate on a 20 meter power catamaran, with properly clean (and dry!) bathroo...

Cafe Cortado takes the dubious honour of serving our most awful meal in Marlborough. Our dinner was downright dreadful, and suffice to say, we didn't finish any of dishes. We'd relied on the crowd-o-meter as a positive indication of the restaurant's offerings, but wow was that a letdown (aside: just because a restaurant has long snaking lines doesn't mean that there's good food to be had...it could be a case of silly monkey see, silly monkey do). Oh well, at least we got front-seat view of the stunning New Zealand sunset over the Picton waterfront. The Garlic Prawns (NZ$11) appeared to have been drowned in an alkali-treatment so while it was bouncy in texture, any flavour it originally possessed was completely stripped away. The Salmon Florentine (NZ$29) using local King salmon turned out the texture of poached fish than pan-fried as purportedly stated on the menu. The skin on the salmon was limp like a wet fish, and not crisp like paper. Expectation-re...

Picton is the second largest township in Marlborough. Because the seaside town is the main port of call of cruise liners, Picton is buzzier and more lively than landlocked Blenheim (where most of the wineries are situated). And because it's the gateway into the Marlborough Sounds, it's also more picturesque. The Picton waterfront is where the action is, and while many bistros here are bustling with business, many are packed due to their scenic seafront locale rather than the standard of their food. I know, because we had an abysmal meal at one of these bistros, but our time at Picton was salvaged by the superb meals at Escape to Picton , a gourmet restaurant with food that's both hearty and elegant. We returned several times, and sampled most of their offerings, all of which were a slamdunk. The Fisherman's Basket (NZ$32.50) was a platter of scallops, prawns, and squid, all grilled to perfection, and slathered in a robust lemon cream sauce. Hand-cut Agria chips, ro...

When planning our lunches amongst the Marlborough wineries, we were told, repeatedly, to make reservations at Hans Herzog . Their wines were purportedly legendary, and their food was touted as a must-try. But unlike the other restaurants we were at, Hans Herzog wasn't as packed. It turned out a foreshadowing of our blah lunch. The food wasn't bad. Or awful. It was just less than outstanding, and largely forgettable, even if the plating was beautiful in that rustic-chic style. Quite simply, the food failed to impress, especially in light of the exquisite meals we'd enjoyed in Marlborough, and I honestly couldn't tell you that I'd return, either for the food or the wines. We didn't buy any of the wines at Hans Herzog (which is saying A LOT, because we shipped back a grand total of 40 bottles of wine), and the lunch was the most unremarkable of our meals in Blenheim. That said, the winery is worth a visit. Its midsummer's night dream-styled rose garden...

Arbour was our most exquisite meal in Marlborough. Located off Blenheim town center, the largest township in Marlborough, the standalone restaurant is remote and intimate. Summer will find the restaurant opening earlier, at tea-time, to thoroughly relish the warm weather ("warm" may be a stretch, as Summer temps go up to only about 18C). Grab a bottle of NZ finest Sauvignon Blanc, order a few nibbles, then park yourself on the outdoor patio, which is bathed in sunlight, and while the languid afternoon away. Until the sun sets, at least, when you return indoors for the dinner service. Save for Summer tea-time bites, Arbour is a dinner-only restaurant. A seasonal degustation of 3, 5, or 7 courses, locally sourced of course, is the only offering on the menu. I suggest getting the full 7 courses, (NZ$98). Each course is pretty petite, so 7 courses aren't exactly gut-busting, and at just under a hundred bucks, it's about the cheapest degustation ever. Arbour 's f...