I don't even know where to start with this cafe cum restaurant cum pizzeria…read more.. We were out and about on a Saturday morning in Ostend, having perused the markets and looking for somewhere to sit down and eat an early lunch. We should have known when the place looked fairly empty but they had a brunch menu so we thought we could get some stock standard scrambled eggs. Firstly, the service was terrible and everything took forever. The coffee was THE WORST coffee I've ever been served in a cafe, we couldn't even drink it. Then came the food. Rubbery, orange (?!) and cold scrambled eggs that looked like they'd been vomited on the plate. My bread had mould on it. The list goes on. I went and complained to the chef and she seemed fairly nonchalant about it all, offering to remake our coffees (which were still near undrinkable even with 4 sugars) and offered to make us a pizza. We took the pizza option, thinking no one could mess up a pizza. WRONG! A pizza margharita came out, absolutely covered in thick, heavy cheese - congealed and with a few scattered basil leaves. Inedible! Somehow we still actually paid for it all (?! Not sure how they pulled that one on us) and they didn't even seem very sorry. It's probably the worst paid dining experience I've ever had. If you're in Waiheke and Latino is your only option, do yourself a favour and starve instead.

DELICIOUS STEAKS!!! Remarkable and Memorable…read more Food: -Scotch Fillet (Ribeye-medium) comes with a side salad and chimichurri all is Mouthwatering & Delicious! 5/5 -Parrillada (Lamb, Pork Belly & Flank Steak) very good choice. This also comes with The Scotch Fillet was the star of night! Seasoned and cooked perfectly Service: Very Friendly and Helpful! Atmosphere: it's inside a food hall and has a nice sleek interior, cozy feeling! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!! Worth going if you're in the mood for Argentine food! Easy 5/5

They do things properly over charcoal and they've got a great indoor/outdoor space, plus they're…read morequite quick with the good. Yet I have middling feelings, mostly because while I enjoyed my parradilla, I wasn't amazed by it either. The beef was an okay cut, but had to be cut very small less it be too chewy. Pork was probably the best part of the meal and a massive portion, while the lamb was... I really wanted to like it, but it didn't have the wonderful seasoning and flavor I was hoping for. Seemed almost more like it could have been pulled lamb than the lamb chop I was hoping, so maybe it's just my expectations being off? Wine list is solid and the service is pretty good. 3.5 stars seems right.

Meditarrean foreign delights, or perhaps just pure Italian treats, Fig & Olive is a place for those…read morewith good taste. I enjoyed a Salmon dish here with roast potatoes and hollandaise sauce as a garnish. I slurped it up quickly, then wished I'd savoured the flavours more. They are smallish servings if you're comparing them to most American fare, but as gourmet dishes go, it's enough to satisfy most appetites. The restaurant was nicely decorated with paintings of famous cathedrals, woven jackets, a persian rug and other such interesting odds and ends. The staff were lovely and attentive throughout my stay. I'd come again.

Good atmosphere, for a Sunday dinner out, plenty of different choices. Some dishes were either a…read morebit undercooked or over cooked but the steak was spot on

Beautiful ambiance and friendly service, but disappointing value two years ago. Three small pieces…read moreof chicken surrounded by breads for well over $40, with extra charge for tzatziki; flavors tasted not okay but lacked authenticity. Great looks and ambience, but expect pricey breads over meats.

We booked for two and both our meals were below average. I had the prawns, they were nice but came…read moreon a whole bed of mesculin salad, no dressing, just that. No other veges and the excuse was chef is away? I mean hello, we are paying full price for a half meal. The lamb my husband had was salty. The waitress was nice but the overall place was reaklly ordinary.

One of the few places in Auckland that offers a good selection of middle eastern cuisine. Their…read morelahmuajeen is good and they also do a Circassian chicken dish which is unusual to find in a restaurant.

Really good food!!! Was pleasantly surprised about the authenticity of the food. I went to Morocco…read moreand have to say this place is better than most of the places I tried in Morocco. The food portions are very generous. I went for the Moroccan lamb tagine and my wife went for the lamb wrap both were excellent. We did baklava for dessert was a bit too sweet for us but still good.

Came here on a recent visit to Auckland after meeting a fun Australian couple. We scoured the…read moreinternet for Hookah Bars, but couldn't find any, so asked a bike taxi if he knew a spot. He brought us here! To be honest, I was a bit confused, as it just looked like a restaurant (the food did look amazing, but we had just eaten). They have a very wide selection of flavors (see photo) to choose from, and it was only $20-25NZ if memory serves correctly (sorry for the glare in the photo over the price...it might say $23?). We ordered the blueberry, and may have gotten blueberry mint, but it tasted great nonetheless. They gave everyone a mouthpiece without charging, which is not the norm at every place I've been. What sets this place at 5 stars for me is that they had a gentleman coming around every 10 minutes or so to adjust the coals on the shisha and bring new ones if needed. He was super attentive. I wish I would have ordered food, but the hookah experience was 5 stars, hands down.

10's across the board. I finished my whole plate the chicken was grilled perfectly. The salad was…read morefresh. Even the French fries had the right amount of salt on them. This was a good meal after walking around City Centre..

This is a real great discovery for a Sunday Brunch. Everything is really great and the beach is…read morereally nearby. Only the music inside is strange but it's not an important point. I really appreciate the food and the service.

Mediterranean food with vegetarian options.... and soup! I like how they offer halloumi as a side…read more The blue tile floor is cute, decor is overall tasteful, and restaurant is very clean, which I always appreciate.

Over the weekend, two friends and I were invited to dine at Bodrum Market in Westfield Newmarket's…read morenew rooftop dining precinct. It was a fantastic lunch, thanks to the lovely food, cocktails, ambience and service. Bodrum Market is run by one of my favourite hospitality companies - Nazar Group. Founded by Alex Isik and Nigar Ivgen, they own restaurants all over Auckland, including Feriza's, Miss Istanbul, Ottoman Mezze Lounge, NOA Chargrill + Burger, Devon on the Wharf, Mozaik Caffe, Deco Eatery, Casablanca and Bodrum Kitchen. All of their restaurants bring a slice of the Mediterranean to the table - featuring Turkish, Greek, Moroccan and Middle Eastern dishes... so we were really excited to check it out! Walking in, we absolutely loved the interior of Bodrum Market, which is inspired by Istanbul's Grand Bazaar and the streets of Bodrum City. While I have not yet been to Istanbul (it is on the list!), I immediately felt transported to an exotic city! We were seated in one of their booths, which overlooks the dining area and bar. If you dine at Bodrum Market, you must order a cocktail! We tried three which were all refreshing and delicious. My top picks are the Bombay Masala Talkies - Gin infused with masala tea, butterfly pea flower syrup, lemon juice and Mediterranean tonic water; the Sultan Treat with Russian vodka, rose petal water, fresh pomegranate, lime juice and pomegranate molasses; and the Aam Pana Cooler with Tequila, orange liqueur, raw mango puree, roasted cumin powder, lemon juice and lemonade. (Seriously, typing this now makes my mouth water!!!) And now for the most important part, the food! Bodrum Market is offering diners an authentic experience by serving four different cuisines - Indian, Italian, Turkish and Latin American Asado, just like the traditional food markets of the Mediterranean. Their aim is to showcase unique flavours from each of their teams' homelands. We were lucky enough to get a sneak peak through their kitchen and admired their Wood-Fired Pizza Oven, Asado Grill and Doner Kebab machine. There are many options on the menu to suit a range of palates, and I recommend sharing if possible so you can try a few dishes. We trusted the team to bring us a few of their favourites from each of the four cuisines to try, including Olives and Feta with almonds and dates, Chicken Lollipops with chili sauce, Grilled Octopus with new potatoes, paprika butter, garlic aioli and parsley, Beef Short Ribs with Chimichurri sauce and Prosciutto Pizza with fresh rocket, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella and Parmesan. We loved that everything was super fresh, flavourful and tasty, plus every dish was full of colour. Our favourites were the Beef Short Rib - lathered in a beautiful Chimichurri sauce and the meat was melting off the bone! The Chicken Lollipops were also a highlight, and we surprisingly enjoyed the Grilled Octopus... must admit those tentacles freaked us out a bit! For dessert, we tried their Loukoumades - light and fluffy Greek honey puffs, drizzled in chocolate sauce and served with pink fairy floss, ice cream and pistachios. You will definitely want to save room for this dessert! For a further sweet treat, head outside to the entrance of Bodrum Market to admire the displays of Baklava, Chocolate Baklava and Turkish Delight - definitely recommend buying a few pieces for the ride home. Thank you Bodrum Market for a FAB dining experience - we cannot wait to come back! x

I love the food here it's great for Sherie I love bills that you can share always good food is…read morealways good value great specials with a variety every time we go there

This place is an established business and on a busy spot as far as Puke…read more Night life is concerned we often stop here for a light small family meal I would recommend this place to people who appreciate gourmet food They do a great job

Went there for dinner during weekday/public holiday. Great atmosphere and semi-dark yellow lighting…read moremade the place feel more cozy and candle-light vibe. Clean layout, great staff and prompt service. I ordered crisph pork belly from the main and it was delicious. Great portion, very crispy skin and tender/tasty pork. Perfectly cooked. My friends have spaghetti bolognese as main and the portion size is very substantial and meaty. Recommend this if you are craving for simple italian tomato based spaghetti. Main size was so substantial and delicious, forgot to leave some space for dessert. Waiter also mentioned, every monday, they do $10 pasta special, so you can get main size pasta for $10. If you are after bargain and same time decent meal, check this place as trial on monday~

My family and I visited Amphora for my mother's birthday. Located in Botany Junction, it neighbours…read morea few other local restaurants and bars and is easy to find if you're travelling from out of East Auckland. While it was a Saturday night, it was much busier than I'd expected it to be and the wait for our waitress to take our order was long. After being seated and having our drinks order taken, it was a good 20 minutes before anyone approached us to ask if we were ready to order. Luckily, the mains were pretty good. I tried their spaghetti carbonara and for its price of $19.50, it was quite a generous serving. I also got a taste of their Parmigiana, probably my favourite dish of the night- although I think I just have a soft side for spinach and cheese together. Their Fettuccine Al Pollo also came in a lovely tomato sauce, it was pleasantly different to anything I'd tasted recently and definitely made the dish. The wait for our dessert was almost half an hour. Their dessert menu is written up on a big blackboard along with the day's specials, which could mean they change their desserts often. We all decided to try the apple crumble and it was a good end to our meal- and piping hot when they got to the table! Amphora may be a better dinner location on a quieter night when the staff have time to give you 100% service, if thats the sort of dinner experience you prefer. The pasta menu is reasonably priced and as a whole they do pretty good Italian food.