Ehhhh... I've gotta say, as a (now) Dante's devotee, this just wasn't up to scratch. Takeaway only…read more(again) and I didn't even go to collect it, so I'm going solely on food here. Pizza was not that large, but at $18 (or not even) a pop, that's okay. The dough is a little bland, and the sauce... Where is the flavour! Dante's pizza sauce is so rich, so full of tomato and garlic and everything I love, this just went nowhere near that. The cheese was mozarella, but not the beautiful fresh buffalo mozarella I've now come to expect from my Margherita. It's great for a local, and it was ready within 10 minutes. After a couple of wines, it's nice not to have to drive, but... If I hadn't had those two wines, I would be spending my money at Dante's. There's nothing particularly wrong with it, but if you love food with a flavour that packs a punch, I would head elsewhere.

I have a disproportionate level of excitement when an authentic new pizza place opens; I always…read morewant to do a little cheerleading dance for anyone prepared to go up against the big players. Stumpy's was I think a florist (?) and is next to Big Beat Café and just down from Braziers. Its got its branding sorted in a suburb where such things are rare and the place looks mainly spiffy, just a few holes in the floor to fix but I'm sure that's imminent. There's a cool story to match and I won't spoil it for you here but go visit because any takeaway place that can provide a bit of personal urban folklore with your pizza has got to be good. See it IS all about different, big homogenised corporate pizza peeps. We ordered the Fun Guy (yeeeaahhh - NAME!) from the Original Range and the Tom & Cherry from the Buffalo Range (with the fresh stuff, yum). The Fun Guy was fabulous and the Tom & Cherry just needs a little refinement; the cherry tomatoes are too wet which made the pizza soggy and a bit more basil or even pesto would do the trick. But I'm just being picky because Stumpy's is awesome and as a part time vegetarian, I'm hard to please. Gourmet pizzas can be a bit hit and miss but I think overall the epicurian ingredients used at Stumpy's are all good; capers, anchovies, smoked salmon, prosciutto. Not sure about the artichoke hearts; they seem to be the go-to replacement vegetarian ingredient but really the pickled ones are just not that great. And I'll be very happy when sun-dried tomatoes come back in fashion because they're soooo good on pizza. Anyway, prices are super reasonable, Balmoral has a new local character and last but not least - the dough is freakin perfect. Go, try, now!

Excellent pizza (had the Diavolo)! Base is perfect and toppings were done well. Would definitely…read morecome back to try again.

I was happy with my pollo e funghi and my 5 year old liked the carbonara. There was not much…read moreselection on kids menu (no white sauce pasta). Chowder come with 2 small pieces of pizza base style bread but needed alot more, there was very little seafood in it and was cut very tiny, was ok but not the greatest. I would have been very disappointed if i ordered the prawns as my main meal, it only had 6 prawns and was over priced. We never seen the cocktail menu until after we ordered other drinks even though i looked at the drinks menu and said oh no cocktails right in front of waiter.

'The lot' pizza is amazing, minus the olives…read more Reasonably priced and an easy location.

A good Italian restaurant is at Half Moon Bay Marina. Fittingly named Mezza Luna (Half Moon),…read morelocated next to Grangers Taphouse & Kitchen. I love the teal decor booth seats and throws. Shame the booth I booked dampened the beginning of my night by being given to someone else that was said to have 2 more guests than us and ended up being 3 people short but not before I made the very young Manager (seriously looked like he was barely out of nappies) to swap me back to where I had asked for in my booking a month in advance. Don't mess with a lady with a very sore injured back. I read in an earlier article that the produce is all local with things like flour imported and everything is made on site. The Ragu and handkerchief Taglitelle I had was very good and seemed homemade. The pizza my friend had looked good although I like my toppings a little more closer to the edge than they were. I wasn't too chuffed on my scallops. My friend agreed they were lacking something. Too much citrus and not enough crunch or other elements on the plate. The wine list was good and of course there is chianti from Tuscany on the menu. Twice now though I have been there and the staff are very young and I don't think very knowledgeable, different to when they first opened. Finally, dessert finishes on a good note too with a perfectly cooked and gooey Chocolate fondant with banana smear and ice cream. The Tiramisu looked pretty in a glass. Overall I think the food is good and I would consider going back in the summer when I can enjoy the alfresco dining and summer menu also. They always have great mid-week deals on Facebook and all you can eat pizza nights so go and check them out. Buon appetito!

This place is way off the beaten trail for someone from the shore. Being right next to the marina…read morein Half Moon Bay, I would like to have seen it in the daytime too. The restaurant has a casual beachy feel with a mix of tables and seating arrangements. There's also an adjoining bar for pre-dinner drinks. I ordered the duck ravioli, which really was good, and the chocolate molten pudding for dessert. Great for the locals, and maybe a good day trip if travelling by ferry from the city, but probably too much of a drive for a revisit.

You know, there are some places that stand out for various reasons .. don't get me wrong, I have…read moresome nuggets of badness about La Cantina (their drinks barely wet your mouth before they are gone) but overall I have to say it's a lovely place that serves some really good, really authentic food. The decor is cute, almost like a pub in the plain simple seating and tables, but every picture on the wall tells a story and the license plates make it plain that the focus is not a New Zealand one, this is dedicated to the US TexMex flavouring and the surrounds show it. Service was fast and friendly, they were very concerned that we enjoyed the meal and were super quick with food.. now the food .. We started with simple fries and corn chips, the salsa was something that NZ haven't seen much of, it was smooth, no major chunks and chopped fine .. the corn chips were fresh from the fry machine and hot and delicious, crispy and dusted with a seasoning that made it taste even better. The mains were authentic TexMex fajita and "Mama's chicken" .. let's say if my Mama cooked that well I might not have left home at 13 .. (actually I was kicked out .. but that's a story for another review) So a 5 stars for La Cantina, if you like Authentic food .. come here, if you like mass produced soggy stuff, I have a KFC review that might interest you. Ps. Dr Pepper, Cream Sosa and Root beer ...

I always come to Burgerfuel after uni as it's so convenient and the service is always on point. The…read moreburgers here are also healthier than your other fast food joints, and I always leave full, unlike other places. There's great vege burgers here too !

This Burger Fuel is kinda tucked out of the way, behind the petrol station and next to Pizza Hut…read more There is normally parking outside, which is convenient in Albany. I've been here a few times recently when I've been over on the shore and I'm impressed with the fit-out of this particular Burger Fuel and the friendliness of the staff. The last time we went our order did take quite a while to come out, but then it was super fresh and hot (I burnt my tongue on a fry, trying to eat too fast!!). My favourite burger is the bacon backfire and the fries are crunchy on the outside, fluffy on the inside and delicious dipped in their creamy aioli. If you're after a filling burger this is a great option.

This place has trash everything. Terrible food that taste like cardboard. The Service is worse…read morethan shit, and the Ambinace gives me laxative feelings

This is how good Duck, Duck, Goose is. Since one of my besties took me there, I have been three…read moretimes this month for coffee and brunch. I have even made new converts, as I invited my friends to join me. The service is great and the food is delicious - try the Eggs Benedict! It has Kumara Rosti instead of bread. (It's the best swap and I don't even like Kumara!)Their European/Asian fusion dishes are generous and reasonably priced. The atmosphere is inviting, as the sun keeps everything well lit and vibrant. 10/10 recommend.

So ... Where have I been all my life???!! Relaxing with my people on a Friday night in front of the…read morefire, we decided take-out was the go. Burger Fuel they said! Never having sampled their burgers, what did I have to lose, I asked myself?!! Well - what a surprise - I have just consumed THE best burger. E.V.E.R. I ordered a C N Cheese burger. And a side order of spud fries with aioli. My burger was juicy, tasty, medium rare and more tender than a baby's bottom!!! The Parmesan, lettuce, tomato, onion and pickle was the perfect complement, enrobed in a fresh and gorgeous bun. Juicy and satisfying to the max. This was well, it was - orgasmic! The whole of Milford had a cigarette!!!! The spud fries were perfection and the accompanying aioli didn't hold back ... Suddenly I was in Gilroy, California again, the home of garlic. Bliss!! Why have I never encountered Burger Fuel before? I do not know. But I plan on making this amazing joint a regular take-out staple!!

BF is such a good option when you can't be bothered fronting the stove…read more The current favourites are the CN Cheese and the third pounder with cheese but occasionally there is a walk on the wild side with a xxx For sides - spud fries or kumara who can choose so it is just as well that there are usually some of each in the order. Overall - highly recommended.