Paekakariki's Beach Road Deli co-owner Rebecca Robati-Busby is excited to be among three Kapiti restaurants involved in this year's biggest regional foody festival, Visa Wellington on a Plate.
The event, running until Sunday, August 27, saw Beach Road Deli secure a spot in last year's finals, thanks to the popularity of its well-remembered Pizza Burger, Burger Pizza.
Involved in the event for its second consecutive year, Beach Road Deli's 2017 addition has a strong focus on local seasonal produce and could be described as the epitome of traditional Kiwi cuisine.
Kapiti News spoke to Rebecca about the restaurant's innovative and warming creation, the Hangi Burger.
Why did Beach Road Deli want to get on board with WOAP?
It is the kind of event that gets people in our doors to sample the food we have conjured up for a limited time. It is fun for us to think up new ideas and then put it to the people to get behind and vote, and hopefully put Paekakariki on the food map.
Can you please tell me about the Hangi Burger and why you chose this creation?
The Hangi burger is a fried bread bun, with hangi cooked lamb, kumara, deli ciabatta stuffing and fresh watercress, which is served up with garlic potatoes. After the finals last year, my husband Adam immediately thought up this burger and knew it could have potential to be a hit. The Hangi is a time honoured method of cooking and has distinct flavour throughout. It's pretty special as this is traditionally how our tipuna cooked.
Where did you source the ingredients for the burger?
The watercress is locally picked, the fried bread recipe is from local whanau of the Deli, the ciabatta is made on site at the Deli and we have a house-made creaming soda to go with it. The rest of the ingredients are from our local food suppliers.
What has the feedback been like so far?
The response online has gone viral, and reached well beyond the parameters of Kapiti, with people from other parts of the world messaging us wanting to try it. The first photo we put up reached over 75,000 people. Also the response in store has been amazing with people travelling from all over the lower north Island to come and try the Hangi Burger. We are hoping that people love it so much we get the votes to go to the final again.
