Inati

I've often walked past this place thinking I'll give it a try. Finally my partner and I decided to. Now this is a small place and the kitchen is in full view situated behind the bar.
We went for the trust the chef option because, well that was the only option I could choose when booking which has a penalty of $50 if you don't turn up. This have the place an air of exclusivity but it annoyed me. Not a good start but hey.
We also noticed people were ordering what they liked, so not sure if there was a limit on order your own or not. Anyway, ordered some wine by the glass from a snotty waiter. A young guy who clearly needs to eat some humble pie.
The other waiter thankfully was the opposite and real nice.
So the food was below par, the chicken we got was cooked well, moat and tasty. But the rest of the 5 courses other than the dessert were how can I say, like stuff they wanted to get rid of.
I'm short, for what you pay and what you get, which includes the service, the food, the experience, it's not worth the money. It's overpriced and there is much better offerings out there for less money and with more welcoming service.

Despite all the other rave reviews, I thought this place was just ok. We made a reservation but the table was not ready when we arrived. At that time, there was also no space in the lounge, so they directed us to the building lobby to sit down and offered us some water. During this time, I wish they would have given us a drink menu or something because it felt a little strange to just wait outside in this random lobby (also, another party was given a drink menu). Then, when we entered the restaurant, we were directed to these high barstools that overlook the kitchen area. It took until we started awkwardly draping our coats on the barstools for them to offer to take our coats (we also witnessed the hostess take the coats for others before us, so I'm not sure why it was so awkward for us). We did the 'Trust the chef" option. The food was good, but not amazing. Some of the dishes were on the saltier side, and I couldn't finish the main entree, and they don't allow take away of any leftovers. The wine pairing was tasty and definitely showcased some great NZ wines! In the end, it was cool to watch the kitchen, but for the pricepoint, I was expecting a little better service.

My wife and I enjoyed a wonderful dinner at Inati a few weeks ago. We had 7pm reservations and were promptly seated at the kitchen bar with a view of all the delicious dishes being prepared. The restaurant features a sharable menu in which you can either order dishes separately or you can "Trust Us". We had to go with the "Trust Us" menu, which featured six different dishes. We also added the wine pairing featuring local New Zealand wines that went perfectly with each dish. The first dish was the Tua Tua Clam Crudo, Cucumber & Gin. These tender and fresh clams were topped with citrusy crispy cucumbers. This was a light but flavorful dish and a nice way to start dinner. Next came my favorite dish of the night: Duck Trumpets & Blackberry Jam. Rich and creamy duck pate with a hint of sweet jam sat in a crispy waffle cone and was topped with crunchy nuts. This was an addictive balance of flavors and textures. I was on the verge of ordering another pair but the next dish distracted me: Charred Broccoli Root, Smoked Ricotta & Almonds. Inati turned the part of the broccoli that you threw away as a kid into something amazing! The broccoli stalk was super tender with a hint of smokiness and paired with creamy ricotta and crunchy almonds. Next was the Parsnip, Apple & Candied Walnut. I don't think I've ever had a parsnip before but I quickly became a fan! The vegetable was savory with a creamy topping (similar to mashed potatoes), sweet apples, and crisp walnuts. Aged Duck & Scratching was next. A crisp juicy lightly fatty skin surrounded mouthwatering, tender and lightly salty duck meat. An eggroll with even more tender duck meat added more deliciousness. Before our last dish (dessert), I wanted to order one more savory item that wasn't included in the "Trust Us" offering: Venison Bresaola, Seaweed & Pistachio. The venison was tender and gamey with a sweet jam and topped with powdered pistachios. Finally we had the Honey, Brown Butter & Sage for dessert. Airy and lightly sweet and salty custard was topped with creamy sweet sage ice cream and crunchy nuts. When in Christchurch, I highly recommend Inati for a nice date night.

There's a gym in the same building as Inati, on the other side of the elevators on the ground floor. I may as well get a membership to the gym, because I will be in the building, at Inati frequent enough to want to burn that guilt off at said gym. I could go to the gym, then go to Inati... Or just skip the gym all together.

This place is incredible. World class fare, new style, eclectic takes on classic and modern cuisines. Butcher's "scrapes" honoring the whole beast. Using familiar, natural and curious (in a good way!) flavors, all rolled together and discovered in a single plate. With local organic ingredients.

Small plates concept, with a couple larger plates available - I dined alone, so I opted to stick with the smaller plates (be warned larger plates. Your time will come to be inside me, too...)

Tonight was my first time dining at Inati, and the food was very possibly the best I've had in all my years visiting Christchurch (about 9 years now). Possibly the best meal I've had in the whole of New Zealand.

Service was professional, courteous and friendly (albeit the server was a little slow - Which is fine, as I recognized that there seemed to only be 2 front of the house staff, working the room. Maybe three? There was a guy who greeted me, but I couldn't tell his actual position. Sommelier/Host maybe?) But, I was fortunate enough to sit in front of whom I presume was the Chef - Who helped with front of the house duties for his single diner guest.

2 notes of disappointment that I experienced:
The drink selections seemed somewhat limited with only beer and wine options. I personally prefer a small, limited cocktail program as an apertif. As well as coffee and/or espresso with dessert - But the restaurant is small, so it's forgivable that they may not have the room for a bar/hot drinks area. Or I just didn't notice them on the menu, which is entirely possible, too.

Secondly, the Chef's Table/Bar seats are too high for my stubby frame and I kind of struggled to get in and out. No suggestions, just an observation. It certainly won't deter me from dining at the same seat again.

Just. Plain. Delicious.

A tapas style restaurant with creative takes on local materials. You can sit at bar and chat with the sous chefs. Wines were excellent choices for the dishes. Of 5 dishes and dessert 4 were excellent and the only slight disappointment was dessert.

Service was near excellent (forgot to pour the red to accompany the lamb) but made up for it with apology and a stiff pour of the red.

Highly recommended

This is an amazing new restaurant to hit the city of Christchurch. It is Inati to share food and experience unlike any other. The food is simple and so full of flavour. It is a place to visit when you are in Christchurch and a must. Food and wine is all local fare and matches are amazing. An amazing experience to have especially if you are into food and wine- a foodies dream!!! Keep going Christchurch we need more place a like this in the city

This place is really something special. I feel one can tell whether chef is just cooking well or whether they really know what they are doing, and in my opinion, this place has it. I've been to "starred" restaurants around the world, and live in LA (which has the most exciting restaurant scene in the world right now) and I feel Inati ranks right up there as a place of note. The duck trumpets (mini ice cream cones with duck mousse) , boeuf-nuts (donut holes with perfect beef) were excellent, but the charred broccoli was just spectacular. These all showed imagination and mastery. The next table couldn't stop raving about the mutton. Not to be missed, when in Christchurch!

Inati has amazing food ! The monk fish was spectacular ! Beets were unlike any I've ever had ! It is a little pricey but definitely worth the money for a great date night.

Fabulous! Easily topped the small plates we've had in the USA. We shared a bottle of wine (thank you to our server for recommending something based on our preferences rather than the priciest option), the curried cauliflower, seaweed braised potatoes (our least favorite), heritage tomatoes, soft cheese with walnuts and cucumber, smoked fish, and creamed corn with salted caramel ice cream. In hindsight, we probably should have ordered the 6 plates "Trust Us" chef's choice. All plates were meticulously presented, service was excellent and we loved the unusual combinations that complemented each other perfectly.

We are definitely people who "live to eat" so finding inspiring meals is always a priority when we travel. As a result we have had the good fortune to encounter many new and memorable foods, cooking techniques, and dining experiences. Inati was a one of our most recent gems. I have sent pictures and descriptions to friends & relatives stating that the evening we spent with Simon, Lisa and their staff was easily within one of the top 20 meals we've encountered in our 68 years. To describe the food would take many pages. I'll just say that everything is prepared by very highly skilled and motivated people who clearly love what they do. This alone is ample reason for all foodies to make this restaurant a priority. However, what really sets them apart is that the entire staff goes out of their way to make you feel that you are an important part of their evening and that they want you to feel as excited about what they are doing as they are. We are so glad that we get to return to Christchurch and re-visit Inati before we head back home from our vacation. The memories will stay with us for many years to come.