Ascot Sportshouse & Eatery is a bar and grill at 4A Washdyke Flat Road in Washdyke, on Timaru's northern edge, rated 3.9 from 418 Google reviews, with more at ascotsportshouse.co.nz. A good bar and grill earns its keep on the basics: grills cooked as ordered, hearty sides, and a room set up so the big match is easy to follow. In a working, highway-side suburb like Washdyke, the trade tends towards early, filling dinners for tradies and travellers rather than leisurely dining. Regulars usually settle on the few dishes a kitchen does best and stick with them, and the shrewd ones book ahead when a big test match is on. Heading through Washdyke on the way into or out of Timaru, Ascot Sportshouse & Eatery is a natural stop for exactly that.