Solid choice for unusual brunch fare. I wasn't expecting the Asian twist, but was quite pleased…read morewith the results. I went for the vegetarian Bhan Mi with a poached egg on top. No disappointment here, except I would have liked the roll to be a bit more crispy on the outside. Otherwise, it was bursting with flavor - a nice mix of smoky sweet sauce and fresh crunchy carrot, sprouts, and coriander. It tasted just as it should, and I was very pleased that a vegetarian option was available. My husband had the geisha, cold soba noodles with sprouts, veggies, a nice dressing and warm tofu. A huge helping of delicious pickled ginger on top - my dream as a ginger lover though he thought it was a bit too much. I grabbed a taste and found it to be nice and flavorful if a bit less adventurous than other offerings. Our friend got the nest, sunflower crumbed soft boiled eggs in a nest over salad with blood sausage added. It was a vision to behold but I sensed he didn't love it as much as he has hoped. He noted the nest was a bit difficult to eat with a fork and knife. Everything was beautifully presented, and the coffee was lovely. Double shot on the espresso drinks standard, as it should be! The atmosphere was very nice. Couple of tables out front perfect for a sunny day and plenty of tables indoors. It's a small place but it's a bit out of the way and we didn't have to wait more than a few minutes to sit. So many interesting options to choose from - I can't wait to go back and try the banana rice with salted coconut cream and lychees! Sounds incredible!! Bit of a splurge at $17 average price per item, but felt like good value for the artistry and interesting flavors you get. Bravo!

HUGE fan! What a great addition to an otherwise relatively quiet neighbourhood…read more What I love about L'oeuf is that it's a little bit different, without trying too hard. For example, the menu has all the usual brunch items - eggs, mushroom, salmon etc- but they are served with a creative twist and presented beautifully. 'The Russian', which I ordered, was essentially salmon and cream cheese w toast but they served the salmon as a tartare with dill and the cream cheese was full of herbs. Combine this on the lightly seeded toast with a squeeze of lemon juice and some avo and I was in heaven. The décor is a little bit different. They've used dark wood and loads of dark, leafy greenery and with a big Persian rug taking centre stage in the middle of the floor. I loved it but I will admit, it did was rather dark inside despite being gloriously sunny out! I'm normally more of a savoury kid at breakfast but having seen some of the sweet dishes come out of the kitchen i'm already looking for an excuse to head back here ASAP!

I've been to Geeks On Sainsbury twice now and I'm definitely keen to go back again!…read more Where are they? Their location, 1/55 Sainsbury Road, gives them enough privacy that they aren't packed with people, but enough exposure that you don't feel like you are hidden away. Both times I ate here, I happened to be in the area. They are right beside this little park which has a few seats in it, so you could easily get takeaways on a nice sunny day and have a picnic! They are also just down the road from St Luke's Mall, so if you want some nice food that isn't from a food court, then this should be your go-to place! My sister used to live across the road and it would have been such a joy to have Geeks On Sainsbury as a local. So what's their service like? They come up to you relatively straight away when you arrive and ask where you'd like to sit. The second time I went I was on crutches and that didn't seem to bother them, which was nice. They were fast on taking our orders, although didn't mind coming back to let us spend a few more minutes deciding what to get. All of the staff I have interacted with have been super friendly and the ones who see you leave say 'Thank you' and/or 'Goodbye', which is always a nice touch. It's a cute location with delicious food and friendly staff. I would recommend it to anyone in the area! And their food? Delightful! Below are a few shots - Eggs Bene, Pork Salad, Bibimbap and a drink. I would recommend their 'Yellow' smoothie and anything with a side of their potato stack... because it is absolutely divine. There a quite a few gluten-free options, which is great and overall they have a relatively wide selection of food to choose from. They also have a cabinet with sweet treats and a few sandwiches, if that's more your style. Cost? I believe they would be considered an average café cost - around $20-$30 for a cooked meal and a drink. Not super cheap but not crazy expensive either. Totally worth what you get!

We decided to go to Geeks and Sainsbury on a whim. It had been on the back of my mind and the name…read morereminds me of the Big Bang Theory! I could just imagine the waitors in lab coats measuring out the amount of coffee beans with a test tube. Not quite! There's much to boast about their coffee lineup though. They serve coffee from Wellington boutique roasters Red Rabbit Co, famous for their labyrinth of flavours in a cup. The first choice on the All Day Breakfast menu was Granola. It sounded delicious with white quinoa, glazed strawberries, roasted almond with pumpkin seeds. Nothing like the chew-til-your-temples-hurt type that I have in a box at home. That set the tone of being healthy over geeky. The eggs benedict had the option of pan fried tofu with poached eggs. Heck, even the Waffles had granola in the ingredients list. The pork salad obviously was no normal salad, beautifully plated and garnished on top. The sunflower encrusted shell the a standout element. Light but full of crunch, the house made chutney and shredded apple was tantalising to my sweet side. The eggs benedict comes in the option of Petit and Regular so you can easily satisfy your brunch craving after a round of gym. Again keeping it light, layered agria potato takes the normal place of a hash brown. With an open bright space spilling out into the sunny outdoor setting, it's an attractive place to be all year round. The decor is determinedly geek chic. A blackboard diagram details how seriously they take their coffee extraction method, and shelves look like they belong on Pinterest. They show the same dedication to their food. Presentation is exact, pairings are purposeful. It's a shame to hear that the Shore could have boasted this cafe gem. While it reminds me of Little King, it could easily take out the backsliding quality of the food there. Service was a bit unsure - there were moments where I got excited by food coming my way, only to have the waiters step on their brakes. That however, was minor and played no part in the rest of the experience. Geeks on Sainsbury, you are doing great things for Sandringham, looking forward to hearing more from you!

Solid place to grab some grub. Has various kinds of chicken dishes. I had the Korean fried chicken…read morebowl which did not disappoint. Would eat here again.

The menu selection is average, and a little over priced. The…read moretables are sticky to touch, like a rag wiped over with no cleaner. Its quieter sitting in, rather than in the main food hall. But otherwise only ok.

Our first time to purchase takeaway from this restaurant. We were so pleased with everything we…read moreordered. The food was delicious. All of our taste buds were happy! The website was easy to use as well. That is a plus when one is visiting from another country! A+++

Boy and Bird 09/09/20140 Comments…read more Boy and Bird is the great new venture from NZ Chef Michael Van De Elzen. I thought it was brave to open an eatery with a similar concept as Bird on Wire since, also just being down the road, its up against some strong competition. I was actually pleasantly surprised of the 'chicken kitchen'. Between two of us we shared everything, but the menu is versatile for sharing or individual portions. Boy and Bird is known for serving free range chicken which has been citrus brined, spice rubbed and rotisseried. The meal options are served with slaw and chunkies, with choice of a whole, half or quarter of a chicken. What I admire is the length that is taken to offer healthier options. Whether you want white or brown meat for quarter birds and no skin can be asked upon request. Everything we had was full of flavour, very light and grease-free. Oh except the Beef Krokets ha. Although you dont leave feeling stuffed or bloated. The salad was fresh and vibrant. Its a great portion size, and although its $14 and vegetarian, the ingredients in the salad are expensive such as halloumi and quinoa, so it all adds up to its value. The Chicken brioche roll was nice but to be honest the bun itself didn't taste anything special. If we hadn't been told their purple (they use a purple potato in the dough) and steamed, I would think its a pretty ordinary roll. The beef krokets are great, as the meat is pulled which we didn't expect so they were really tender, although they looked a bit overcooked from the fryer. I was really pleased by the great waiter, he was efficient and meal checked. So tick tick. Good Job Boy and Bird - keep up the good work. Rating Food: 7.5/10 Service: 8.5/10 Value for Money: Very Good 222 Ponsonby road, Ponsonby Opening Hours: Mon-Sun 11am-Late

I was a bit suspicious because of the name. Federal? I eventually realized that is the name of the…read morestreet they are located on. It was open at the time I was in the area and it did look inviting. I perused the menu and decided to give it a try. Walking in I saw the old-fashioned furnishings, metal chairs, display cases, wall shelves, big bar in the middle all in a long and narrow room. Yessss, this looks lie something out of the 50s and I like it. After a long hard look at the menu I opted for the Salami platter... Strangely enough there wasn't salami, but more like a smoked ham, prosciutto like meat. It tasted great, so what's in a name. Delicious heirloom tomatoes, capers, salami impersonator, cream cheese, capers, pickles and your choice of bread. I had chosen crumpets and regretted that . Not because they weren't delicious, because they were so yummy, but they were also so buttery that I couldn't get the cream cheese to stick and everything I tried to put on the crumpet just slid right off them. I got the bottomless cup of coffee and I must say, this is really good coffee and the refills kept coming also. I love the atmosphere in here and there are so many great choices on the menu. If I ever come back tot Auckland, I will definitely stop by this place again.

Busy place with a lot of indoor seating and limited outdoor tables. Service was good, never had to…read morewait. It's a popular place and they were crowded but we didn't have to wait for a table. There was plenty of food for each order. My wife had a street dog and fries and I had a Ruben. They were pretty decent. I wasn't as happy with the fries. They were like the bottom of a pile and mostly little pieces with very few full length slices. Prices were extremely reasonable. I would definitely eat there again.

Whenever we used to go to the Video Ezy in Mt Albert shops I would look at this little kebab van in…read morewonder. Was the food there actually nice? It wasn't until last year that I actually found out the answer to my question. YES. The food from this weird van in the middle of the Video Ezy carpark is delicious. Like most kebab stops, Delicious Turkish Style Foods offers lamb, beef, chicken and falafel kebabs, as well as rice dishes, salads, burgers and an array of sides including chips and Turkish garlic bread. Unlike most kebab stores however, this van also has pieces of fish, onion rings, and milkshakes available. All the food prepared in the Delicious Turkish Style Foods van is Halal and all the salads always look fresh, crisp and delicious. If you're in the mood for something Turkish, stop by the little icon of a van in Mt Albert and try some food from Delicious Turkish Style Foods, you won't be disappointed!

I have this preconception, and I'm guessing I'm not the only one, that any food sold out of a…read morecaravan is inevitably greasy, stodgy, and riddled with diarrhoea-inducing germs. I don't know why I have this idea - probably from British television, where everything sold out of a cart is grey and comes with peas. It's not fair though, because in real life my experiences have all been positive. White Lady is fine if a little overpriced, and this place is actually pretty good. If you ignore the fact that it's a caravan this could be any Turkish takeaway, and it'd be quite a bit better than a few I've tried. And once you accept that the food isn't full of botulism the fact that it is a caravan gives the place a certain roguish charm. I haven't tried their burgers (call me a traditionalist) but you can't go past a kebab and chips on your way home from the video shop.

Ultimate in fresh and delicious food - excellent vege/protein combinations with oomphy flavour…read more Sweets choice superb. Enthusiastic service, with a smile.

Ripe is all about wraps and salads and all that malarky. People seems to love the place but I…read morereckon it's only a three star establishment. Something about Ripe does not 'ring true' for me. Not even sure why. I just get a kind of bad vibe out of the place. Maybe I should go their with an open mind and try a bunch more of their foods, like all the salads and stuff. I dunno, I'm just not into beetroot. This place seems like a serious beetroot place to me. I do like their brioche though. Three stars.

I've been here delightfully several times. The atmosphere is ambient, the staff are helpful and…read morefriendly. The food is gorgeous though!! Alittle pricey however, in the end it balances. A great selection of western fused Asian foods. I'll definitely return.

We took the family for a special occasion dinner at this relatively new South East Asian cuisine…read morerestaurant and everyone just loved the meal. A few of us chose Phad Thai rice noodles, very tasty and quite big portions. Mr chose the Crying Tiger marinated Thai style sirloin steak which was indeed grilled to perfection. My favourite was the Thai stir fry Cashewnut, and for the eldest son it was a Green Curry. The interiors are modern, I think they have tried to bring a bit of Ponsonby chic into New Lynn. We thought it all worked and are recommending Mix Moon.

Mezze is a very charming space, that gives indulgent traditional vibes. It came up in a search of…read morerestaurants near my hotel and I was able to walk there. I didn't get the ordering situation right off the bat. You get a menu from the bar then sit, decide what to order, then place your order at the bar. You also pay when you place your order. I went with the lamb burger and a cider. The fries with the lamb burger were amazing as was the cider. The burger was well prepared but not seasoned the way I prefer. I'd totally return to Mezze and try something else. It's a very cool spot, worth the visit.

Mezze bar is a great place to go to if you want some small plates to share for the table. This was…read moreour first restaurant that my family and I had the time to sit down and eat while on holiday. We didn't make a reservation and was still able to be seated which is nice since there's five of us. The food was all pretty good. We all felt satisfied and enjoyed it. My favorites were the Parmesan polenta chips and mushroom risotto. All the food on their menu looks great to try and it's hustling and hustling inside as well. They also have sangrias to go with the tapas as well.

After our hike on Mount Eden, we went to the Garden Shed for lunch as they offered gluten free…read moreoptions. I had the "creamy mushrooms" (garlic butter mushrooms, cream, toasted sourdough) and my sister and husband had burgers. My mushrooms on toast were delicious, but my sister and husband didn't think the burger was anything special, especially not for nearly $30. (The food was very expensive!) I did love the decor and ambiance though. The restaurant had a covered seating area that was bright and full of plants, and made you feel as if you were in a plant nursery, or, a garden shed. [Yelp collections: NZ/Fiji 2023; New Zealand 2023]

@thegardenshednz is the most perfect place to celebrate all your important moments and events we…read morecelebrated a family engagement here this past month and this place is just WOW the atmosphere makes you literally feel like you're in a garden the staff is the sweetest, and go above and beyond food was absolutely stunning it is a closed space, so rain or shine , the location is perfect definitely a place to check out in the future for your events or just for some drinks and dinner with your friends #gardenshed #engagementparties #cocktails #mocktails #drinksdrinksdrinks #nztravel #nzfood #aucklandeats #aucklandcity #newzealandfinds #newzealandguide #aucklandfoodie #foodandtravel #travelingtheworld #travelinggram #foodstagram