Vangionis Trattoria & Bar, Akaroa

When it gets dark out, Vangionis is one of the few places still open in Akaroa. It is a cozy restaurant and bar serving Mediterranean style dishes. They use only fresh ingredients available in New Zealand, and they have an extensive menu ranging from tapas to large plates to pizza. CK and I stopped in one dark, rainy night and enjoyed a lovely dinner together.

I ordered the rabbit in prunes and bacon. It was New Zealand rabbit slow cooked in a thin red wine, thyme, bacon, and prune sauce. The word 'slow cooked' misled me to believe that it was fall off the bone rabbit meat. Unfortunately, you had to work for it.

Rabbit in Prunes and Bacon

My main didn't come with any sides so I ordered the sauteed beetroot to go with my rabbit. This was fresh beetroot sauteed with horseradish and cream. Although different, I can't say I loved it. I liked the horseradish but I didn't care for the cream.

Beetroot Sauteed in Horseradish and Cream

CK ordered their spinaci pizza with spinach, basil paste, garlic, and mozzarella cheese. I really liked their pizza.

Spinaci Pizza

For dessert, we shared the baked Belgian chocolate pudding cake. This was a chocolate cake with a soft centre in the middle. The cake was served with vanilla ice cream.

Baked Belgian Chocolate Pudding Cake

This was a quaint little restaurant and it was nice to have comfort food on a rainy night.

Vangionis Trattoria & Bar
40F Rue Lavaud
Akaroa, Canterbury, New Zealand
Telephone: 03 304 7714