White House Te Puna is set in stunning gardens. Photo: Patrick Neale.
White House Te Puna is set in stunning gardens. Photo: Patrick Neale.
Sponsored Content As we made our way to Te Puna on a Friday evening to enjoy dinner with friends at White House, I knew we'd be in for a treat as this is Jo and Penny's new restaurant. If you haven't yet had the pleasure to experience their extraordinary approach to hospitality, you are missing out. Trust me, it's next level.
The professionalism, attention to detail, and personal touch in all that Jo O'Keeffe and Penny Oxnam have presented over the years has been second to none. They are a tight team and experts at creating a warm, welcoming environment for everyone which they pair with scrumptious food and a superb selection of beverages.
Jo and Penny have lived and worked together for 29 years, been married for two, and together they have owned and managed several fantastic restaurants.
Diners will remember them as managers of Phil's Place at Tauranga Bridge Marina, which was sold in May last year and has since rebranded.
The pair had been looking for a place to set up a new restaurant in the Te Puna area for a while, and when driving home one Sunday after a shift at Phil's Place, they spotted it. They went up to have a closer look and found out it was a show home.
White House Te Puna's head chef Max Rozenstark. Photo: Patrick Neale.
"We met the owner Paul Williams that day, as he happened to be in his office. He really liked the idea of turning it into a restaurant," Penny says.
"He suggested we'd put in resource consent to turn the rural house into a restaurant, and it all developed from there. A commercial kitchen was put in, the wardrobe became the bar, and we turned one of the bedrooms into a private dining area. Paul is really passionate about White House and we're all so happy with how it turned out."
Most of the fabulous staff from Phil's Place have joined Jo and Penny at White House. With a long lease, a great landlord and an easy drive from their own Minden home, this is where Jo and Penny want to stay.
At just a few minutes from Tauranga off State Highway 2, the location of the restaurant is not only convenient, it is also stunning. White House sits on the hill away from the busy road, there is plenty of parking, and the restaurant is surrounded by beautiful gardens. You feel the love as soon as you enter the venue.
The private courtyard is a perfect and stylish setting to enjoy drinks and each other's company. You'd easily imagine yourself in France or Italy for a moment when you're surrounded by white roses and herb gardens.
White House Te Puna's head chef Max Rozenstark. Photo: Patrick Neale.
A glass of Rive Della Chiesa Prosecco awaits me as we sit down and greet our friends. I called Jo to tell her we were on our way, and she knows exactly what I like to drink.
My friends were already enjoying a glass of beautiful Misty Cove Marlborough Pinot Gris and and a cold Peroni beer. Penny brought out a selection of appetisers, which included the homemade chicken liver pate served with toasted ciabatta, Dijon mustard, caramelised onions, gherkins and walnuts. The presentation was amazing, but it was off the plate and thoroughly enjoyed by us all in no time.
We also shared a pizza generously topped with chicken, camembert, red onion, spinach and cranberry sauce and we enjoyed a special delicacy from the restaurant's vegan menu. It was a lovely bruschetta with coriander cashew pesto, avocado, rocket, spring onions and sunflower seeds.
White House Te Puna's head chef Max Rozenstark. Photo: Patrick Neale.
White House caters for everyone and all dietary requirements are looked after. The vegetarian and vegan options are certainly not an afterthought. There's a vegan pizza, a gorgeous lentil moussaka with eggplant, potatoes, capsicum and courgettes baked in a tomato sauce with dairy free cheese, and a sweet potato coconut buckwheat risotto with fresh seasonal vegetables.
Vegan or not, what's not to love with options like that?
For winter, Jo and Penny are looking at adding some more spicy flavours to the menu, as they say dishes such as chilli prawn curry and Thai flavours are the perfect winter warmers. We can't wait to come back and enjoy it all by the open fireplace when the days get darker.
What got me warmer on this balmy Friday evening was the cocktail that Jo served next. The purple drink called Minden Tonic is made with Empress 1908 gin, Cointreau and a splash of tonic. Penny says they have plenty more special cocktails and mentions the margaritas always go down a treat.
Another favourite is a mix of elderflower liqueur, gin and dried blueberries. No matter how delightful that all sounds, I decided to stick with the Minden Tonic on this occasion to keep things on the safe side. When paired with such delicious food, a cocktail or two are totally acceptable when not driving, so I indulge in another one.
I'm a big seafood fan and I thoroughly enjoyed the bouillabaisse served with mussels, prawns, scallops and fish in a tomato and fennel broth. Penny explains the staples and best sellers such as these will remain on the menu in winter.
Head chef Max Rozenstark cooks the most amazing pork belly, fish of the day, lamb, and ora king salmon. We try it all, as well as the fish and chips, and warm Thai chicken salad. Sharing with friends is something we love doing, and Penny says there will be more share options introduced.
White House Te Puna's head chef Max Rozenstark. Photo: Patrick Neale.
Jo and Penny don't just own this restaurant, they work in it together and love nothing more than serving their customers. Old friends, people they've met over the years, or new people just getting to know them, Jo and Penny are delighted to welcome them in this wonderful new setting.
The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner, and group bookings are most welcome. Romantic meals for two, birthday celebrations, business meetings, or drinks and nibbles in the courtyard, the amazing team at White House can organise it all and make it super special.
The details White House Restaurant 15E Minden Rd, Te Puna web: whitehousetepuna.com phone: 07 552 4443 Normally open Tuesday to Sunday 12.00pm – 10.30pm (kitchen closes at 8.30pm). NB because of Covid-19 the restaurant is currently closed
