When planning a night out at a concert, it is important to consider not only your transport options, but your eating options too. Especially when you are a Hungry Mum.
I’d been really excited about two upcoming concerts this summer – Adam Lambert & Queen (so amazing I didn’t ever want it to end), and Elton John (he was too sick to perform but I wasn’t giving up a dinner reservation.) Both were to be held at Mt Smart Stadium, a behemoth of a multi purpose venue smack in the middle of an industrial zone. Dining options are limited to say the least. Luckily I’d been given a solid recommendation to try Little Jimmy, a bar and eatery in Epsom, just a quick Uber ride from the stadium.
Little Jimmy is a casual bar and eatery from the owners of the fine dining One Tree Grill. And, as I found out, their USP is they source all of their food and beverages from small kiwi businesses trying to make their mark. I should have read the menu more carefully before ordering my Aperol Spritz, but a very nice Cardrona Distilleries ‘The Reid’ vodka made up for it. An added bonus is they take reservations (!!) which is brilliant for anyone who has a finite time in which to eat dinner, i.e. Hungry Mums.
The menu is designed with small and large plates, and amazing sourdough pizza. Over two visits I ordered the same dish twice because it was that good, while other Hungry Mums found their way to other parts of the menu.
West Coast Trevally was perfect on a humid and hot summers night – cool, super fresh and zingy thanks to the generous lime and chilli, and a plate of chargrilled eggplant and courgette salad was a cool and welcome side to our mains.
The dish I thought was worth repeating? The potato gnocchi – soft pillowy mounds of perfectly cooked gnocchi with nearly all of my daily servings of veg – peas, broad beans, spinach and courgette. Another Hungry Mum enjoyed the Mahy Farms grass fed beef burger; juicy, flavoursome and served with curly fries that she didn’t have to share with anyone.
Side note: when I was a child my mother cooked a courgette slice so revolting it put me off the vegetable for about 35 years. And now look at me, eating it twice in one meal.
When you don’t have a concert to rush off to, you can linger over dessert. The dulce de leche cheesecake was a hit; rich, creamy and so decadent. although the kiwifruit sorbet it was served with was a little mismatched. Sticky date pudding is not something I would normally order because, ew dates, but in the name of research I took one for the team. It was light and fluffy with a not overly sweet butterscotch sauce and perfect cardamon ice-cream.
Don’t let a no show halt your dinner plans. Consider Little Jimmy for your next pre-concert dinner, or any dinner for that matter. You can book!
Little Jimmy.
557 Manukau Road, Epsom.
