It’s hard to find great staff, harder still out of town. And here they are in Kāpiti, happy as hell under the umbrella of chef-owner Helen Turnbull. And it’s the diner who benefits from all this kitchen congeniality. The menu is creative – surprising at times – but also comforting and familiar. It’s filled with locally foraged ingredients, both fresh and preserved, that ring so true to taste you feel they belong here alone. Helen’s love for food radiates from within, and to have the open kitchen with her bustling away (sometimes solo) is part of the experience. The menu changes monthly and you see this reflected in its deep seasonality, but it also creates deep FOMO for menus missed. Helen is the cornerstone here, but it’s not solely her show. 50-50’s front-of-house staff are 100 per cent knowledgeable about both menu and wines. There’s even terrific teen promise in the kitchen.