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Best dining in New Zealand?

cork

By cork
in Australia & New Zealand: Dining

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Genevieve M.

Genevieve M.

Posted
Posted

Sorry you had a bad experience, I havent heard of that place.

Did you go to the downstairs buffet Fortuna or the Observatory at the top of the tower? Downstairs is quite average but the Obeservatory is excellent IMO and while I have heard the odd grumble, I have never been able to find out what was expected that didn't somehow happen.

The al la carte restaurant Orbit is a waste of time except for the view, I would never recommend it. Undertrained staff with average food for a big price.

Hope you enjoyed your stay here :smile:

  • 6 months later...
MMerrill

MMerrill

Posted
Posted

Okay, we're doing 10 days in Australia followed by 10 in New Zealand and looking for restaurant recommendations that showcase food that's uniquely good for the region - fresh, local foods - or good ethnic foods. We wouldn't exclude Temples of Gastronomy, but that's not our main focus. Where do you go to eat for reliably good food, not necessarily for a special occasion? Or which restaurants feature foods we are not likely to find in the US, or that wouldn't be as good here?

We'll be staying in Auckland, Marlbourough area, Wellington, Napier, Rotorua, Coromandel Peninsula - and visiting places in between. Thanks for any suggestions! :smile:

Taubear

Taubear

Posted
Posted

I lived in Ackland for a few years and some of my favorite place to dine are.

PASHA

http://www.thenourishgroup.co.nz/pasha/intro.htm

THE FRENCH CAFE

http://www.thefrenchcafe.co.nz/

Coromandel

PEPPER TREE RESTAURANT

http://www.coromandeltown.co.nz/peppertree__restaurant.htm

They make amazing mussel fritters. Ask for them as they are not listed on the online menu.

Enjoy

:smile:

Smell and taste are in fact but a single composite sense, whose laboratory is the mouth and its chimney the nose. - Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

Julles

Julles

Posted
Posted

Where are you staying in Auckland? If you are anywhere near Northcote - or near a ferry that will take you across try The Engine Room. It has only been open a couple of months but is very good - also if you do travel by ferry you get a harbour crossing!! Address: 115 Queen St, Northcote Phone: (09) 480 9502

Open: Dinner Tuesday to Saturday from 5.30pm.

The French Cafe is always good, Rocco - Ponsonby Road, - try SPQR on Ponsonby Rd - Mick Jagger had a pizza there last week so if it's good enough for him - plus good for people watching. Still in Ponsonby Rd Bonita is good for a few glasses of wine and some tapas. Actually, there are lots of cafes along Ponsonby Rd, plus some good Japanese/Thai restaurants - you will find something there. O'Connell Street Bistro in the city is great. If you make it out to Waiheke Island The Palm Beach ClubHouse is laid back, but serves good food. Enjoy!

MMerrill

MMerrill

Posted
Posted

Thank you all so much for the good suggestions. We'll only be in Auckland on a Sun. and Monday, so The Engine Room won't work, unfortunately. But I like the idea of taking a ferry - to have that experience and have a good meal too. In Auckland, we're staying in the Ponsonby Rd area, so all those suggestions are great. But we are willing to travel around too. We'll be in New Zealand from May 28th until June 7th and are so looking forward to meeting people, drinking great wines, enjoying the food and getting a brief taste of what the country is like. I know we're going to love it!

MMerrill

MMerrill

Posted
Posted
Pick up the latest Saveur...

I subscribe and my issue just arrived in the mail. Very nice. Matakana is not an area I'd planned to visit, but now I'm tempted!

  • 5 weeks later...
J_elias86

J_elias86

Posted
Posted

Hey all,

I'm an aussie, been to kiwi land three times. I'm coming back again in two weeks.

Last time I was impressed by The french cafe, grove and white (which we usually go to). Also tried Dine at the sky city, thought it was good, not unbelievable. As you can probably tell, I'm lookin for high tier cuisine. But Don't get me wrong. I'm also looking for some good trattoria type fare if its available. (not Cibo, was not impressed) Went to Red last time i was there, also didn't do anything for me.

Is there anything new on the cars in NZ? If not, which of the regularls would be best to revisit.

Are there any restaraunts that take privde in local produce above any of the others? If so, I'd love to hear about it.

Thanks,

Regards

J

Taubear

Taubear

Posted
Posted

I loved Pasha which is located down in the Viaduct just near the Hilton.

Beautiful pork dish there and the cocktails are great as well.

http://www.thenourishgroup.co.nz/pasha/

Enjoy

Smell and taste are in fact but a single composite sense, whose laboratory is the mouth and its chimney the nose. - Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

Julles

Julles

Posted
Posted

Try O'Connell Street Bistro (in the city), Euro (Viaduct), French Cafe (Symonds St) - best food in Auckland, or for more casual try La Zeppa - bar/fireplace/loud/tapas (Drake St behind Victoria Market), it's chilly here at the moment, bring your woolly socks!!

beaker-boils-pots

beaker-boils-pots

Posted
Posted
Come on guys, This time next week will be my first meal!

ok, geoff scott - formerly at white, is now at vinnies - worth a visit. Rocco on pons road is good, great bar too. French cafe named best NZ restaurant this year, and consistantly good. Molten is meant to be good too.

  • 9 months later...
dellis453

dellis453

Posted
Posted

We're attending a wedding on Waiheke island on 21 December and are wondering where best to spend Christmas day and New Year. Where would be best to head for? What should we expect??

Very open to suggestions on North or South Island.

Danielle Ellis

Edinburgh Scotland

www.edinburghfoody.com

  • 1 month later...
offcentre

offcentre

Posted
Posted

lots of questions for you good folk in new zealand...

I love foraging - whats it like in NZ? Do you have similar species of mushroom and fungi as us over here?

Organic vegetables - is there much supply in NZ? Is it mostly from supermarkets or do you have farmers markets? Can you buy direct from farms ie farm shops?

Availability of things like italian cured meats and french cheeses - do you have them and are they prohibitively expensive.

I am expecting fantastic fresh fish at low price, will I be disappointed?

Whats the quality and availability of meat like, preferably organic? Can I pick up the occassional rabbit, pigeon, wild boar etc? Can this be bought direct from the producer?

I am moving to the Auckland region btw...probably Waitakere area.

Any info, related to above or not, will be gratefully received.

Ross

Julles

Julles

Posted
Posted

[We have pretty much everything here, NZ is a foodie's paradise. It might take you a while to find the right supplier or website, but with a bit of planning you can get anything. There are good deli/butchers - have a look at the Sabato.co.nz site, and also there are french outlets - butchers, wine suppliers, who have great cheese. Plus there are new larger suppliers, like Nosh who have a great range of cheese. Organic fruit and vegetables are plentiful, plus there are organic butchers. I am not sure what it is like out where you are planning on settling, as I live in Devonport, but with a bit of driving you can find anything. Don't expect it to be a bargain though.....

Julles

Julles

Posted
Posted

How long are you in the country for? Most NZers tend to stay close to the beach over the Christmas period, and hope for decent weather. Waiheke has some great beaches - Onetangi and Palm Beach, you cld always rent a house near one for a while. Or head down to the South Island - gorgeous scenery. NZ isn't that big, so quite easy to get from one end to the other flying in a couple of hours. Where is the wedding? Mudbrick??

Michael Symons

Michael Symons

Posted
Posted
lots of questions for you good folk in new zealand...

I love foraging - whats it like in NZ? Do you have similar species of mushroom and fungi as us over here?

Organic vegetables - is there much supply in NZ? Is it mostly from supermarkets or do you have farmers markets? Can you buy direct from farms ie farm shops?

Availability of things like italian cured meats and french cheeses - do you have them and are they prohibitively expensive.

I am expecting fantastic fresh fish at low price, will I be disappointed?

Whats the quality and availability of meat like, preferably organic? Can I pick up the occassional rabbit, pigeon, wild boar etc? Can this be bought direct from the producer?

I am moving to the Auckland region btw...probably Waitakere area.

Any info, related to above or not, will be gratefully received.

Ross

Michael Symons

Michael Symons

Posted
Posted
lots of questions for you good folk in new zealand...

I love foraging - whats it like in NZ? Do you have similar species of mushroom and fungi as us over here?

Organic vegetables - is there much supply in NZ? Is it mostly from supermarkets or do you have farmers markets? Can you buy direct from farms ie farm shops?

Availability of things like italian cured meats and french cheeses - do you have them and are they prohibitively expensive.

I am expecting fantastic fresh fish at low price, will I be disappointed?

Whats the quality and availability of meat like, preferably organic? Can I pick up the occassional rabbit, pigeon, wild boar etc? Can this be bought direct from the producer?

I am moving to the Auckland region btw...probably Waitakere area.

Any info, related to above or not, will be gratefully received.

Ross

Michael Symons

Michael Symons

Posted
Posted

Second the comments about looking about, which happens when a person shifts locations anywhere. Coming from Australia (to Wellington, so not Auckland), I took surprisingly long to discover Moore Wilson's (can't have been listening). But I quickly discovered the coffee (flat whites) - seriously good coffee. Funny little things, such as the blackberries have virtually no taste, nor the pumpkins. Yet I found wonderful turnips. Lots of game. Fish not always fresh enough, and butter surprisingly poor in the supermarkets given the dairying (so we get it posted from Christchurch!). Yet I wasn't used to cream being widely available in two litres. Margaret Brooker has done useful buying guides. Cuisine magazine is worth keeping an eye on, at least until you find your own way around.

offcentre

offcentre

Posted
Posted

thank you Julles and Michael - that is reassuring. "NZ is a foodies paradise"...I like the sound of that.

I have an allotment here in the UK and can't wait to get to grips with some of the more exotic things I may be able to grow in NZ. I also have these fantasies at the moment of being able to go diving for lobster and collecting bugs from the rivers.

thanks

dellis453

dellis453

Posted
Posted

Hi there! The wedding is on Waiheke. We are now booked to go on a short Abel Tasman trip over Christmas, so just working on New Year - probably either Christchurch or Wellington I think. We are in the country from 17th Dec to 3 January (wedding on 21st). Suggestions welcome particularly of eating places, in no particular order(yet!), we are visiting Auckland, Waiheke, Rotorua, Wellington, Christchurch, Fox Glacier, Abel Tasman - phew! And Doubtful sound if we can manage it

How long are you in the country for? Most NZers tend to stay close to the beach over the Christmas period, and hope for decent weather. Waiheke has some great beaches - Onetangi and Palm Beach, you cld always rent a house near one for a while. Or head down to the South Island - gorgeous scenery. NZ isn't that big, so quite easy to get from one end to the other flying in a couple of hours. Where is the wedding? Mudbrick??

Danielle Ellis

Edinburgh Scotland

www.edinburghfoody.com

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