The Wellington institution is a traditional steakhouse, but is thrilling in the way it executes every last detail.
The role of the restaurant critic is a contentious position. At its best, it can create a space through which to communicate the rich journey of kai, a story that shines a light on the producers and artisans working at every stage. At its worst, it is a man bloviating about how he didn’t like his dinner.
Aotearoa now has only one remaining named print restaurant critic, Jesse Mulligan. His reviews can put chefs and dining rooms on the national radar. So when he turns his focus to a Wellington restaurant, it always catches my attention.
Praise be then that he visited Charley Noble, a steakhouse housed in a historic building that focuses on live-fire cookery, fresh produce and an award-winning drinks list. Time for a bit of love for the capital in these trying times. His headline? “Why I didn’t have a great time at Wellington’s Charley Noble.”
Mulligan concedes that steak restaurants are not his favourite – to him “it’s like having a restaurant offering six cuts of roast chicken”. To start he orders the ceviche, which he describes as “a lot of nothing… for some lime juice and a piece of trevally they could have bought for a gold coin donation”. The steak tartare has “little to indicate they had put much thought into it” (although it’s important to note he doesn’t actually try the dish). He worries that “oysters are $7.50 each, which is marginally more expensive than even the flashest places in Auckland”, but again doesn’t get round to trying them. Confusingly, he goes on to write that he had “no complaints about the service, and the cooking… which was excellent”. So what exactly was the problem?
As a proud Wellington resident, I went along to Charley Noble to find out and offer my own notes.
The room is a vast, open dining hall, bustling with life and energy. High ceilings and huge windows flood the space with natural light.
I, too, order the ceviche. The market fish has been prepared in-house and is about as fresh as it is possible to be. Cut thick, it has bounce and firmness, marinated in a tiger’s milk with the tropicality of lime and coconut – wholly present but in no way dominating the natural sweetness of the trevally. For texture and balance, red capsicum, cucumber and fresh chilli course through the whole thing, and crispy fried onions and microherbs add pops of salt and verdancy. It is a generous, picture-perfect ceviche that any restaurant would be proud to serve.
The oysters from Marlborough, delivered live three times a week, are shucked fresh to order. They are incredible. Truly. The perfect balance of cream, butter and brine – plump without being offensive. A little slice of brown bread and butter to refresh your palate after each one is a gorgeous little touch. For a while, I actually thought I had stopped enjoying oysters, but these reminded me of how majestic they can be.
Which brings us to the Southern Station wagyu ribeye on the bone. So as to not bury the lede, I will tell you now; it is truly one of the most impressive steaks I have ever eaten. Dry-aged in-house for 55 days before being cooked over wood fire, the trademark eye of fat that runs through a ribeye and the marbling of wagyu here is tempered expertly – it becomes like butter that ribbons throughout the perfectly blush meat. The exterior is charred, but not in that obnoxious bro kind of way. Rather, it is subtle and adds texture. It is flawless in its execution – a steak even Auckland would be proud of.
The wine list is as exciting as any you are likely to see; one that seeks to represent the myriad ways wine is being made today, both in Aotearoa and around the world. The Huntress Waikoa, a riesling-sav blend from Martinborough that has spent some time on the skin, is a perfect thing to drink with the oysters and fish, while the Thousand Gods Love Letters Rosé, a dark and jammy pinot noir rosé, is ideal to cut through that fatty steak.
All this is to say, I had an exceptional time at Wellington’s Charley Noble. Of course it is a steakhouse, and the menu reflects that tradition, but it is thrilling in the way it executes every last detail. It is a restaurant that meticulously sources its ingredients and brings the very best this country has to offer to your plate, all by expertly trained staff operating at their absolute peak. Charley Noble turned 12 years old last week, and I hope it is around for many more.
