A local gem, Manthana Thai Cuisine is the best Thai food I have ever had! Located in West Harbour,…read moreManthana can be easily missed or ignored due to its location in a suburb but I can assure you that the service and the food is out of this world. I went to Manthana for dinner with my boyfriend on a quiet Wednesday night, we sat at a table with a rose, candles and the restaurant's lighting was dimmed to create a romantic ambiance. I found myself getting in touch with my romantic side and the music in the background heightened those senses! When our meals arrived, the portions of both our meals were big enough for the both of us to share. The ingredients were fresh and I was delighted that the pineapple in my sweet and sour fish was freshly cut and not from a can. Alex is an excellent host and throughout the evening we where made to feel at home, although it was just my boyfriend and I in the restaurant there was no pressure or hurry for us to go home.

The Massey/West Harbour area of Auckland is seriously lacking good restaurants so it was quite…read moreexciting to stumble across Manthana. Nestled within a small block which includes takeaway bars and dairies, the restaurant itself is inviting with a warm ambience. We've had dinner here about three times now and each time we've really enjoyed it. The last time we went we ordered the Green Chicken Curry, Red Duck Curry and Pad Cashew Nuts shared between three. All were generously-sized and delicious. This was followed by an award-winning desert which my partner, who never eat deserts according to him, ate half of. Fortunately for him the mains were sized such that I couldn't have eaten an entire desert on my own anyway. The menu is extensive with the mains modestly priced between $17 and $20. The seafood mains tend to cost a little more. We've never ordered entrees here so I can't comment on these. The only downsides were that the mains were delivered to our table within what seemed like minutes of having our order taken which left little time to linger over our pre-dinner drinks. Also, the wine menu is fairly limited in terms of choice. This restaurant was a great find which I'm definitely going to experience again

Quality food with lots of vegetarian options, authentically made with pleasant service.read more

Went here with friends for a BYO dinner. Firstly, the service was non-existant, and it wasn't even…read morebusy. By the time they bothered to take our order (after having to ask twice) we had been seated over 40 minutes. At about the hour and fifteen minute mark we were finally served our food. I ordered the Lemongrass Prawn Salad, expecting a main sized salad meal. It was literally just a pile of prawns on about 4 leaves. More like an appetizer. At $25 it was just a ripoff and I was still hungry, but I wasn't prepared to pay the same price and wait for another small main. The other dishes ordered by my friends looked OK, but again really small portion sizes. They also don't give you your own rice to help yourself, rather scoop it for you from a big pot they walk around with and you pay per spoonful. I would give this no stars if I could, and I definitely wouldn't dine here again.

Very nice location. The only reason its a 4 star is due to not getting any bread. I have eaten…read moreat many persian restaurants and have been accustomed to receive free bread. Ramesh

Every subsequent meal we had in Auckland paled in comparison to this!…read more Mr. S and I love Persian food - any time we are in a new city, we look for one - and if there is one, we try it. Rumi touts itself as the only Persian restaurant in NZ, not just Auckland, so we had to give it a try. We arrived pretty early on a winter weeknight - we didn't have a reservation, but the place was completely empty. We also had Baby S. who is not quite two years old. They didn't have a high chair for him, but we were able to sit on the banquette that made it a little easier for us to wrangle him. Before I even get into the food, I want to mention that the staff was so so so friendly. We made conversation with a few of them, and one even pulled up a cartoon video on his phone and handed it to our toddler when he started to get fussy. They even brought him his own plate of rice (he's been very picky lately, we figured he'd just eat off our plates). They were very kind and welcoming. The food was AMAZING. We both ordered the Rumi special, a trio of kebabs - joojeh (chicken), koobideh (ground lamb), and soltana (chunks of lamb). Normally there's always one standout - and the rest make you wish you'd just ordered your favorite. Not here. Both of us had a hard time deciding which was our favorite - they were all stellar. I think we finally decided the koobideh was the best, but you can't go wrong with any of them. Plates came with a small salad dressed with lemon and herbs, and basmati with saffron and butter. We didn't even think to ask about the tadig (the crunchy layer at the bottom of the pan that is delicious - oops. Still, the meal was fantastic. We split a pot of persian tea, and I believe they threw in some cardamom pods for me. Wine available, too. The baklava on a stand on the counter was tempting, but we were full. A few outdoor tables for warmer weather, and perhaps 8-10 tables inside, depending on configuration. An inviting space. An easy bus ride from the city centre - we took the Inner Loop, which stopped almost right across the street.

I got high tea during their Christmas season, so the menu had some holiday touches with the food…read more I'll give a review of each dish below for any foodies. Atmosphere and service was good, very attentive and a good view. I also received some Manuka honey as an additional gift. Food review French earl grey tea: Very fragrant, light, and smooth with such a nice aroma. I highly recommend. Cured kingfish in puri: It was alright, not a lot of flavor but I could taste the coconut. Puri was not crisp but slightly chewy and the kingfish had a mild flavor. Prawn toast: One of the best savoury dishes, both buttery and savoury with a delicious touch of sour with the lime pearls that wasn't too overwhelming. Parmesan shortbread: A little dry, the ricotta did not balance the dryness of the toast enough but the pickled onions cut through the grease well. Wagyu sausage roll: Not a hit, the roll was dry and oily. The black garlic purée was nice but I did not like the flavor of the roll as a whole, I tasted a sour undercurrent that was not a good fit. Hoisin smoked chicken sandwich: Nothing spectacular, I could not taste much hoisin flavor and there's was a little too much sesame that it got everywhere as you ate. Christmas ham brioche roll: I was not that wowed, the roll was mediocre and no flavors stood out. The bread reminded me of something I could get at any Asian bakery. Scone: The scone itself was good but the whipped honey butter was too heavy with the dense scone, would have preferred clotted cream or more whip so that it was lighter. Christmas tree: The wafer was too sweet and made the whole dessert overly sweet since the mousse itself was already on the sweet side. Orange almond cupcake: it was alright, not dry and a refreshing fruit flavor. Too much cream though the bee was cute. Mango mousse: Beautiful presentation, mousse was light and I liked the sesame wafer. Cheesecake: My favourite as I liked the shape and the jelly was an interesting addition. Ice cream bon bon: very fun with the smoke Champagne: they offer a non-alcoholic version, which I opted for. Very delicious and bubbly.

Super nautical theme (in a good way) overlooking the water from the Hilton. We had the fish…read moresliders with fries and they were excellent. The staff was also very friendly and accommodating.

Widely regarded as the best Indian restaurant this side of...well India probably. This place is…read moreregularly voted one of Auckland's best restaurants, and for good reason. Oh Calcutta serves good ol' fashioned curries like nowhere else I've tried. No bright red Tikka Masala's and sloppy Kormas in this joint Everything about this place makes it great. The service is always impeccable, the seats are comfortable and the food consistently delightful. The only bad thing is that I can never choose what on the menu I want to eat. It all looks just too delicious. Recommended dishes include the Sweet Chilli Chicken and the Chicken Sajahani (another way I rate Indian restaurants is by the quality of meat they use and Oh Calcutta always use tender pieces of white meat--never chewy or gristly). Honestly can't rate this place high enough. The semi-high prices are completely worth it to get such a great, unique dining experience.

My husband and I were strolling in Parnell Village and decided to have a late lunch. When we walked…read morepast Oh Calcutta, the rich smells of Indian spices drew us in. This restaurant is a small, elegant jewel that serves extraordinary food. We shared prawn malabari curry and a lamb dish called Punjabi Saag Ghost. Both dishes were filled with exotic flavors. It was served with a delicately flavored rice. We also ordered garlic naan which was fresh and soft. The service was lovely, attentive without being intrusive. The tables were all dressed with white tablecloths. The wine list was appropriate for the food served, and they also had a nice local beer selection. I would recommend Oh Calcutta without reservation.

Came here on the recommendation of a friend. Never been to a New York pizzeria, but I've had plenty…read moreof pizza in other parts of the States. He said to try the wings, actually. The wings weren't that great. They were a bit dry, the dressing was oily and separating in the container and reminded me of nothing more than yesterday's left over butter chicken. The blue cheese sauce was okay, sharp and tangy, but even that wasn't enough to get through all the oil on display. The pizza was a bit better. Large, thin, and floppy, like I always imagined. The slices I got didn't have a great crust, but the toppings were good. Quite greasy, but I didn't really expect any different. As I said, I haven't tried a "genuine" NY pizza, so I couldn't say if it's a decent representation or not, but it was okay. They weren't anything amazing though, and I've definitely tasted better pizza, both here and in the US.

Authentic NY style pizza. Sal's Takapuna has finally added chicken wings and mozzarella sticks to…read moretheir menu which I am very grateful. $5 pizza slices if you don't feel like ordering one of their massive full pizzas and they always have MLB or NBA on their satellite television. It's so refreshing to enjoy pizza without it being smothered in sugar loaded bbq sauce. Cheers Sal's for bringing the REAL DEAL to NZ shores!

Excellent meal. Garlic prawns for first of three courses. Well appointed and artfully so. Main…read morecourse centering on famed )crusted) New Zealand snapper (filet) was heavenly all-around. Apple rhubarb pie crisp w/ vanilla ice cream was the perfect ending. Pleasant staff, great location, and underrated.

Was so looking forward to a nice meal as out of town visitors. Booked for a special occasion, got a…read moreconfirmation email and re confirming email day of reservation for me to confirm. I confirmed and all seemed ok. Then I arrived and it was closed. Why would they allow confirmations to be sent out if you are going to be closed? Ruined a special dinner.

Carrington's is a really cool bar located in the heart of the Auckland Unitec campus. Though…read moreoriginally created for student use, Carrington's has flourished over the years and is now open to the general public too. With a full bar and pretty good range of food available, Carrington's is a great place to sit in the afternoon with friends and have a few drinks and something to eat. The chips are deliciously salty and crisp - I definitely recommend getting a bowl to share. The bar itself is pretty big, with a decent sized dance floor and plenty of seating inside, as well as a separate room which houses pool tables, and a newly renovated outdoor area. This set up of Carrington's makes it the perfect venue for 21st parties and the like; there's enough room to sit, gossip, dance, you can smoke outside, there's two bars (one in the new outdoor area), and the pool tables add a little bit of friendly competition to the party. Plus, it's hilarious watching your friends play when they're drunk! Tip: If you're a student at Unitec there are often deals on the food and drinks, so be sure to ask!

We had our wedding ceremony and reception here on March 8th 2014 and had an absolutely amazing…read moreexperience! The special events team were extremely polished in their service, presence and delivery, we loved every minute of our day with these guys! The venue is well organised to host events such as weddings or big parties and we found the food to be of outstanding quality and very reasonably priced. I recommend Carrington's Pumphouse to anyone considering having a special event 100%!!!