While LJ’s is certainly not just your average fish and chips store, their brand new restaurant-
style outlet at 500 Ti Rakau Drive takes the brand to a whole new level.
Located in the same block of shops as Kmart, LJ’s Ti Rakau has gone to the next level in their menu, store design and customer experience, with more on offer than ever.
Loyal customers can be assured the classic fish and chip combo is still available, and the popular kids combos haven’t gone anywhere either, but there’s a few fantastic additions in store!
The revamped, expanded menu includes a choice of grilled options presented in a pan,
icecreams and green lipped mussels in a secret sauce.
With a proper coffee machine on site, LJ’s Ti Rakau is your destination for your breakfast meetings, coffees and lunch breaks.
“We wanted to create a classy yet affordable environment for the whole family,” said restaurant managers Mr and Mrs Naidoo. “In New Zealand, there’s no casual seafood restaurant… [and] the place was too big and the position was too great to just keep it as a
fish and chip shop, so we went broad,” said Mrs Naidoo.
LJ’s was the perfect launch pad for this phenomenal concept – new to New Zealand with East
Aucklanders being the first to enjoy it.
“It’s not just a copy and paste – it’s something new.” It’s all about creating an international feel to appeal to the whole community, said Mr Naidoo.
The international concept was mostly influenced by ideas taken from South African food outlets, where the LJ’s head chef is originally from, and along with a few ideas brought back from Malaysia by LJ’s managing director, Ben Frewin, the international concept was created – with a strong focus on including seafood cuisine from different parts of the world.
It’s a store to definitely keep your eye on!
“We want to create an environment where people can come have a meal of seafood, mum having the grilled salmon and salad, dad having the snapper and chips, and the kids also enjoying a kid’s meal of fish nuggets and chips,” said Mr Frewin.
“We will also look to offer a very limited range of beer and wine to the menu – you always need a beer to wash down a snapper, and glass of sav to wash down grilled salmon!”
Mr Frewin knows of two other stores who will be transitioning into the new format sometime
in the next month or two, and is excited about the potential to roll it out in other areas of New Zealand.
“We are moving from a more traditional fish and chip offering, into a fast-casual seafood offering… [and] there is plenty of scope to roll this format out in New Zealand. With New Zealand having the fifth largest Exclusive Economic Zone in the world, we
are an ‘Ocean Superpower’.
“Seafood has traditionally been seen as an expensive meal for eating out on, and what we want to do is celebrate this awesome resource that New Zealand has, and offer it to the New Zealand public for a fair price.”
Since the February 9 opening ceremony, Mr and Mrs Naidoo said the restaurant has been brimming with customers checking out the new design, tagging LJ’s Ti Rakau in Facebook posts and trying out new items on the menu.
It’s exciting to see for the restaurant managers, who believe their hard work has paid off, and can’t wait to show more customers around the new place.
LJ’s Ti Rakau,
500 Ti Rakau Drive
Ph 274 4022
www.ljs.co.nz
