Hog Heaven is a fairly new restaurant that has opened up in Newmarket. They are a 'traditional…read moreLouisiana smokehouse' serving up smoked meats, seafood and freshly made pizzas.
Three of us went to Hog Heaven a few weeks ago on a Tuesday night after seeing a 'cheap Tuesday' movie across the road at Event Cinemas. We had bought a Grabone voucher for Hog Heaven and and looking forward to dinner.
Upon walking in, we first noticed the decor and really liked it. Although the lighting was dim, the wall decor really made up for it - think American wall prints, drink posters, plus fresh flowers on picnic style wooden tables, and condiments served in glass coca cola bottles. Hog Heaven immediately reminded us of the diner in the True Blood series - it had a similar feel to it.
Another cool aspect was the open kitchen at the back - you could only see some of the food preparation and cooking, but it was nice that it was all open plan. All the chefs were women, which we thought was unusual compared to most restaurants in Auckland.
We first started with an entree of 'Corn Bread Loaf' stuffed with corn and jalapeños ($6.50) which we shared between three of us. We all agreed that it was extremely sweet, almost like pound cake. We also could not taste any corn or jalapeños. It definitely tasted more like a dessert rather than an entree.
We then ordered mains - 'Smoked Sausage and Chicken Gumbo' with celery, okra pepper, bacon, onion and white rice on the side ($15). I have never tried gumbo, so was unsure what it was meant to taste like. It was quite a small portion, but the meat was very tender. However, it was far too rich for me and I almost couldn't finish it. I would not order it again.
My other friends ordered the 'Pulled Pork Sandwich' served with fries ($12) which was average and the fries were overcooked. Lastly, the 'Smoked Beef Cheeks' ($21.50), which were the highlight of the night. They were cooked well, the meat tender and had a nice flavour.
We were all too full for dessert, but were okay with that. Usually, I am excited about dessert, but nothing really stood out. We were hoping for some Pumpkin Pie or something similar, but they only serve 'American' brownie and ice cream...
On a higher note, the service was good. We did not have to wait long for our meals, our water glasses were always topped up and asked if we were enjoying our meals. These simple things lifted my rating up for Hog Heaven.
Overall, a few hits and misses. Personally, not my style of food, but a certain type of person would enjoy it. I am unsure yet whether I would dine at Hog Heaven again, but in the meantime I will continue to try out other new restaurants that are opening up in Auckland...