Excellent meal all the way around. Started with a delicious…read moreginger-based Cognac and coffee liqueur cocktail. Not too sweet at all and delicious! Moved on to kingfish Andre/ appetizer which was served with a coconut/ cream and delicate sauce. The fish was raw but a delicious flavor combination Then the lamb !! Wow ! Served with a delicious, reduced glaze and delicious trimmings. The meat fell off the bow and delivered an amazing flavor The mane was venison medallion steak which Was served rare, but just tender as can be and also excellent. We finished with the caramel and cheese based little tart that you can see in the photo, which was really just amazing! We also had good chocolate dessert which was a little bit of a misnomer because it was mostly chocolate shavings and a little puffy sponge type chocolate thing. No heavy chocolate heavy flavor. Very interesting. The decor is plain andofern with a lovely garden outside Servers were knowledgeable and efficient - refined I would say A truly memorable meal

I ate at one of their special 'test' dinners over the weekend. I think they do these once a month…read morewhere it's a community table and they try out new dishes. I had gone to Sidart a few years ago and loved that tasting menu so was looking forward to this meal, even though it would be a completely different experience. I loved this as well - not all the dishes were amazing, but they were interesting and the overall experience at a community table was great.

The only place in Auckland that serves great coffee in the evening. We enjoyed every minute.read more

Delicious dinner and friendly service. We got in at sevenish after a long drive. We got in without…read morea reservation and were seated right away. Everything was lovely. We had two appetizers and split a main course of venison. The anchovy appetizer had three pieces on a crunchy tart. It was great. The chicken liver pate with cornichons was likewise delicious with bread. And the venison main course was cooked perfectly with a tasty sauce and sides. Cocktails were good and the habanero was spicy in the margarita but yummy too. I never eat desert but had to try the chocolate pot au Creme and did not regret it.

Being from Boston and staying at the Hilton nearby, I passed by the Culpeper countless times during…read moremy 12 day stay in Auckland. What really caught my eye was the humorous sidewalk sign that read "I like pig butts and I cannot lie...." followed by "Boston Butt, Pulled Pork". With that alone, I was sold on making that a dinner destination during our trip. Pulled pork is a favorite of mine and having traveled extensively thought the US from the Carolinas to the midwest to the south east and of course Texas I have tasted many varieties. The char of the BBQ is the key and only after that can the various rubs and sauces compliment the meat. Hours of dedicated low and slow cooking will make the meat fall of the bone and tear or shred in a unique preparation of pulled pork. The tomato based (sweet or spicy or a combo) or vinegar based sauce only heighten the experience. I can't say that I haven't had better, but for being half way across the globe, Culpeper represented well. Available via the meat board menu item, the Boston Butt Pulled Pork was the main course. The purple slaw and curly fries added to the feast. The table also enjoyed the Mac N Cheese and roasted cauliflower. Being located on the warf doesn't lend itself to many passers by, but I was lucky enough to see and smell the fine offerings of this establishment during my stay, and I am thankful we tried it. A seat with a view of the harbor was also appreciated and if the sun were out this day, it may have provided a nice sunset as a means to end a wonderful day in Auckland.

Ok, I hope this is the future of dining. This is a good place to go. Fun on a Saturday night…read more Near the reviving viaduct area and Wynyard quarter. Instead of getting a plate of fries, here you can get awesome cauliflower than is slightly burned and then covered in light breeze of Italian cheese. Or an huge mound of spicy cold slaw. We were in a Latin mood and had Mohitos to start. Then the Asian prawn lettuce taco. The cold slaw was generous and spicy but could have used some sesame oil and soy sauce. A bit disorderly so not 5 stars but a darn good place to feed and very fun.

I'm not sure if this place is still in business after covid, but I visited precovid. We decided to…read moresplurge because it was our last night in town and there weren't a ton of options that were open near here. I got the seafood risotto and it was...ok...maybe a bit off..... Well, let's just say I experienced the seafood a second time later that night. Definitely not the way you want to end a trip. I had sent them a message about this right away, because I wouldn't want anyone else to get sick from their food and they offered me another meal, which was nice, but I was leaving in the morning. Anyway, not the best experience, but the location and view were nice.

I've been here for dinner before and it was really good! Great taste, presentation and overall the…read moreexperience was good... So i decided to buy a grabone for these guys when they were available and boy was i disappointed.... a grabone deal does not mean you have to lower your standards... use it to promote your restaurant and get them to come again after... It was a $30 grabone voucher that includes a weekend brunch for two... our meals were SO small and looked horrible AND taste average. We ordered one sausage crepe and one baked eggs. The sausage crepe serving was so small (for an original price of $19) and the crepe was drying out and burnt around the edges... at least there was flavour in this one... the baked eggs was the worst baked eggs i have ever tasted.... it was all sweet capsicums (or sweet peppers) and nothing else. you could hardly taste the eggs. Also nothing to dip into the runny eggs.. no bread ... nothing. it looked plain and boring... and tasted even worse. What is the point of putting yourselves on grabone if the outcome will be to lose customers. Grabone should be an opportunity to introduce yourselves to new customers and convince them to return again.... I know they can do some amazing things with food and service but a grabone voucher does not mean you should eliminate all that to earn more money... We decided to go to another cafe after as we were still hungry...

we decided to try this cute french brunch spot near our hotel in Auckland and I must say that it…read morehas esxceeded my expectation. the place looks really dainty. the staff were welcoming and very warm. the service is quick as well. the best french toast that I ever had. we also ordered the eggs your way with smoked salmon, it was good but the bread is a little too toasted for my liking. overall, I would highly recommend this place. it also turns into a French restaurant called Angeline for dinner. such a gem near Albert park.

Really really enjoyed Scarecrow! Extensive menu with incredible food and drinks, including a good…read moreamount of vegan options and ways to customize (nondairy milk). The inside of the cafe is so cozy and ambiance is chill and serene. Friendly servers and helpful for providing menu recommendations! Can order to carry out or eat in. Quite a few tables inside as well as some outside the cafe. Would definitely recommend for brunch, a bite to eat for lunch, or just grabbing a coffee and pastry. I'll definitely be back!

The weekend before our Friday flight to AKL, we made reservations for dinner at Orbit 360, Sky…read moreTowers revolving restaurant. We didn't even bother with booking tickets to the observation deck since the restaurant was going to take care of that for us while we sit and dine. Our first dinner in AKL and we weren't going to miss this opportunity. We got to the Sky Tower via the hop on off bus that stops right in front of the building. We got there 1 1/2 hour earlier so we could walk around, check out the casino, just look at the equipment of the adventurous activities they provide and browse the gift shop. Our reservation was for 5:30 pm but they allowed us to go up at 5 as the popular time for dinner is 6-7. And there was plenty of seating. We were told not to leave our belongings near the window because that part doesn't revolve and it would take 45-mins to get back to that spot. Where we sat initially faced the harbor. And for what was supposed to be a cloudy day, it was nice that we could actually see across the harbor. We were also able to see the back of our hotel that only had slivers of windows as all rooms have harbor views. As far as I know, dinner at Orbit 360 offers a 3-course pre-fixe menu. Each course has at least 5 items to choose from. And on weekends it is $129 NZD pp. That converts to approximately $77 per person. Additionally tipping is an option in New Zealand. However, we enjoyed our dining experience that we ended up tipping our waiter. Everything that we had was really good. And although the portions look small, we were full that I couldn't finish steak. I don't normally eat steak, but I wanted to try things that NZ was known for. Unfortunately, lamb wasn't on the menu for this specific evening. Venison was on the menu and I was willing to try it, but the waiter recommended the angus steak. Because we were in the City of Sails, we wanted to try the local fish in the area, and I still don't know what that is. However, my sister's snapper was also really good. Before dessert came, they gave us a mini cupcake to celebrate Easter. Although we were full, there's always room for dessert. I can't remember what we ordered other than it was really pretty and very good. And lastly, we got to enjoy the sunset. What a way to end our first day in this lovely city.

Orbit 360 was a nice experience. I booked it waaayyyyy in advance and was surprised how easy it was…read moreto go to. We stayed near the quay because we were cruising out of Auckland and Orbit was a quick walk. The entrance is inside the hotel/casino behind it. Food was pretty good. Drinks were great. Views were magical. Service was okay. It's a pre fix menu and they pretty much only have 2 reservations per table per night so they are just pumping out orders of the same stuff. Felt fancy enough to celebrate an occasion. Elevator was fast. Exit through the gift shop. I would recommend for the experience.

BREAKFAST REVIEW ONLY - the continental breakfast option which includes the buffet items as well as…read moreone menu item has a plethora of gluten-free breads, cereals, fruits, sandwiches, vegetables, jucies, milk and more. They had four different gluten free bread options ranging from sweet donuts to savory pumpkin seed bread. They had alternative milks and different Museli options for those who are vegan and vegetarian or gluten-free. The amount of fruit they had was astonishing and the range from kiwis to mangoes to the dried and poached fruit was endless. The service for breakfast was super fast and staff is very sweet and so accommodating to anything that you need or want. This hotel restaurant serves one of the best breakfasts and compares to some of the best breakfasts I've had in Beverly Hills or other parts of the world. Their a la cart menu items are mostly egg dishes but done to perfection. Their spicy Spanish omelet was a great addition to the buffet of items. The potato hash is also tasty and reminds me of a cleaner and tastier version of a hash brown. The ambience of this place is very upscale and casual at the same time without the fussiness. The open kitchen is great to view with the restaurant split into three dining areas, you get a different feel by where you chose to sit in the restaurant. The views of marina are beautiful and recommend sitting where you can look out to the boats and ships that are docked.

From the 'Bonjour' greeting to the quiet elegance of the Sofitel dining at the Lava Restaurant is a…read morerewarding experience. The kitchen closed at 10pm and we arrived at 9:30pm for dinner. Our order was promptly taken both of us ordering the three course set dinner menu. From the first mouthful of the entree we were sold the slices of salmon in a delicate coconut cream Sauce was a taste sensation. I chose the steak and my son the rack of lamb, both meals a feast of the senses from visual through to taste. The handcut fries are a must. To finish it was the New York baked cheesecake again divine. The food is both fulfilling and a pleasure for the senses. I will return.

Christine is AMAZING! She made both of my times dining here epic. To start I got the steak tartare,…read moreoysters, and duck liver parfait. All of them were amazing but the steak tartare stood out due to its fresh and intense flavor. The tartare is prepared tableside and it's the best appetizer on the menu. The duck liver parfait is also amazing, and tastes similar to foie gras! For my main dish I go for the Kagoshima A5 wagyu, medium rare. It's literally like butter and will be the most heavenly steak you'll ever have. Please ask for Christine, she's the most amazing, humorous, and friendly waitress you'll ever have!

Was able to walk in without a reservation! The Caesar salad was big enough to share between the 4…read moreof us. We also ordered a small filet and a large wagu filet. Both came out hot and were very tasty! The presentation was nice also! We ordered veggies and potatoes as our sides, which I would have liked them to be warmer. Also, the server needed some help, the managers kept assisting with our table, so he might have been new or something but we asked him a few questions regarding the menu and he had no clue the answers and had to go ask.