Restaurant month is running for the month of August, so there is still some time to take advantage of this amazing special!
To take part in Auckland’s restaurant month, we headed down to Princes Wharf to try out their 3-course, NZD 40 dining experience offered by Euro Bar and Restaurant. The restaurant is in a great location along the waterfront and the weather was perfect for a night out!
We were offered bread for the table which came with the most decadent, silky smooth burnt butter (be warned, they charge NZD 9 for it), something I would order again given the opportunity. The set menu came with 4 options for starters, 3 for mains and 2 choices of dessert. Our waiter was courteous but to the point, so we quickly got on to ordering our meals.
To start we ordered the Jerusalem artichoke, egg, pecorino and buffalo curd as well as the salt and chilli squid. The artichoke dish was outstanding with an oozing soft yolk, creamy and rich cheesy flavour and a burst of crunch and sweetness – it was not something I have tried before, and was my favourite dish of the evening. Overall the squid, which had quite a bite, was the least exciting dish of the evening but good nonetheless.
For mains we opted for the chicken and the fish of the day. The chicken portion was hearty and the chicken was soft, pink and juicy. It was accompanied by lots of different flavours – roast mushrooms, thinly-sliced fresh mushroom, mushroom puree, rich gravy and roasted, baby onions with the layer of chicken skin in-between to add a hint of salt to the dish. The fish of day was the overall winner for my husband who did not stop raving about the flavour combinations. Crispy skinned fish, thinly-sliced celeriac, a celeriac puree and a pernod butter sauce – divine!
The restaurant is split between a more relaxed outside area and a smarter interior. The kitchen is off to the side but incorporated into the setting of the restaurant, so one can see the head chefs and their team at work.
For dessert we shared a deconstructed cheese cake and a chocolate tart with salted, milk ice-cream. Both dishes were fantastic! The carrot cake tasted different with each bite, as there were so many elements on the plate – dehydrated pineapple for crunch, walnuts, pickled raisins, cream cheese, pineapple sorbet, and a concentrated puree. The brownie was my favourite dessert with a salted-milk ice-cream that was a perfect accompaniment to cut through the sweetness of the chocolate and caramel blobs on the plate.
To say that we indulged, is an understatement. It was fine-dining at its finest!
- food – 5/5
- price – 4/5
- service – 4/5
- atmosphere – 4.5/5
