NEW ADDRESS! One of my best meals in Auckland so fire ramen and beef skewers are the hitters…read moredefinitely hit if you love Japanese you won't regret 5/5

Awesome yakitori joint! Felt transported back to Japan eating at Ken's. I lived in and around Tokyo…read morefor two years and this place took me back. If you want GREAT food late night, hit up Ken's Yakitori. Ken-san is a master at his craft. His movements at the grill are rhythmic, the way he works the skewers from hot spots to low spots, the meats were all cooked perfectly. Tender, moist, lightly charred, and so flavorful. And the sides were just as good! We had the karaage, OMG the best karaage, the ramen, the curry rice, edamame, miso shiru. If you want something delicious to eat late at night, Ken Yakitori is the place to be!

Kura did not disappoint. The sashimi was so fresh and tasty. Presentation was a work of art. Loved…read morethe rainbow roll with a variety of tasty roe on top. Also tried the edamame & a bao bun special that was a squid ink bun with shrimp & spicy mayo. The servers were friendly and attentive. The house sake was perfect to split between two people. Very cool basement spot and can't wait to come back.

In need of a light pre-movie/theatre/comedy dinner? Then Kura is your jam. It's bang-smack in the…read moremiddle of Auckland's Theatre district on Queen Street (near The Classic, Basement, Q Theatre, Aotea, Town Hall etc), the food comes out quick smart and it has a fun atmosphere to boot. If you're going with a group, definitely book one of the large sunken tables but beware you have to take off your shoes so strappy stilettos are a no go. As far as food goes the sashimi is a must and the sushi rolls (spicy tuna and spider roll are my favourites) taste as good as they look. Keep in mind that most of the dishes are quite small and prices quickly add up so not the best for a group of hungry lads.

Great place for gathering! Every thing you have is the most…read moreamazing taste. I love this place so much Superb Thanks Maggie!

Tatsumi is a modern and chic Japanese restaurant found in the heart of Newmarket. I would have to…read moresay its one of the nicer Japanese restaurants in the Auckland precinct with a modern, upmarket interior. Ordering tapas style as per usual we were surprised to an amuse bouche before our meal was served; A small selection of Japanese bites that were all full of flavour. The sushi was rolled beautifully, maybe not as creatively displayed as other Japanese restaurants, but extremely fresh, which is what you are always looking for in sushi. I'm a sucker for soft shell crab, we agreed the tempura was perfectly balanced, with a light and crispy texture - also on the veges too. We love sashimi, but we love salmon more, I would recommend ordering it as its cut to perfection and again very fresh. At the end of the meal we were served a complimentary dessert - mango pudding. Not my cup of tea personally but im not a fan of Asian desserts to be fair. Overall the service was friendly and they go out of their way with personal touches that are unexpected. Rating Food: 9/10 Service: 9/10 Value for Money: Very Good 73 Davis Crescent, Newmarket Opening Hours: Mon-Sat 1130am-230pm, 6pm-10pm

Such a cute hip shop tucked away in Newmarket! Everything from the decor to the food/plating were…read moreall so aesthetically pleasing! Recommended food/drinks (literally everything we got!!) - Healing Power (Smashed avocado, poached egg, butternut squash, beetroot, zucchini, marinated feta, beetroot hummus, rye): DELICIOUS! The colors on this plate were so vibrant and not to mention the taste was amazing! I thought the beetroot hummus was a wonderful idea to make the plate colorful and still taste divine & healthy! The only downside was that the poached egg was unfortunately not runny - that was quite disappointing ... I did get the egg replaced and the chef was kind enough to give us an order of Hotteok (Korean pancakes - includes nuts and honey filling in the pancake) with delicious Ice cream!! I'd still recommend Healing Power - just hoping that the poached egg incident was just an off day! The dish itself was still divine! - Candy Shop Pancakes (buttermilk pancakes, mascarpone, Camper Coffee meringue, Nutella foam, candy floss, pistachio) + add streaky bacon: I must say, another beautiful dish! LOVED THE BACON! They were some real thick strips of bacon for sure! Not super crispy but the saltiness of the bacon helps to balance out the sweetness of everything else on the plate! I'd say definitely get this plate to share unless you really have a sweet tooth! - Latte & Coffee: they have Camper Coffee! I'd definitely recommend checking this place out if you haven't been before! The food, environment, service are all wonderful!

I enjoyed a very relaxed lunch here. My companion and I hadn't booked and we got a table easily…read more The place seems to be spread over two retail spaces, plus the alleyway between. The service is quite slow - we were seated quickly, but then it took a long time between interactions. Slow to come for orders, slow to bring drinks, slow with food and then they seemed to leave us alone completely. They didn't clear plates, offer more drinks or anything. We had to flag them down to order a coffee. Having said all that, the menu is varied and food is nice. My companion had the Dumpling Soup and I had the Omelette. Both served nicely and very good. We had Polenta Chips also. Apart from the slowness, which was only an issue because we were hungry, the place is good. I would come back.

Hidden amongst a few other Asian restaurants, Banzai is lovely. Great space and vibe…read more Food was awesome and reasonably priced.

Banzai has been one of our family favourites ever since it opened quite a few years ago. Small but…read moreperfectly formed, it's best to book as it gets busy, although every time we've turned up they've managed to shift things around to give us a table. They go out of their way to make kids welcome and will supply books. pens, paper and often lollypops - they even ask the parents first if the lollypops are ok. The drinks list is basic but the few wines are well chosen and affordably priced, as is the incredible food. They do the usual Japanese favourites but I would recommend going for the Yakisoba or my favourite, especially in Winter, the Soup Noodles. The Lemon Chilli is the best and comes with your choice of Udon or Soba noodles. I get my Vegetarian version without the tempura batter and easy on the tofu. Indeed I am a person who struggles to order off the menu (I want it my way y'know?) and Banzai is another of my favourite establishments that has no problem with this. The salads are also delicious, particularly the not-very-Japanese-sounding Feta and Sundried Tomato. New visitors should definitely try the Korokke (potato cakes with sweet dipping sauce) and the creamy Potato Salad. The staff are absolutely lovely and never complain about us customising our dishes in a myriad of ways. You can phone ahead for takeaways or ask for a doggy bag if you over-order and they even have a small library of truly classy coffee table books to read while you wait for your takeaway. We always leave to a chorus of "thank you very much" from the entire staff. Me and mine have a lot of love for Banzai, so much so, we have even learned to copy the correct cultural protocol when paying at the end of the evening. Banzai makes me very ureshii.

I had the chicken bowl and it was very flavorful. The service was quick too. It was comfort food…read morewhen getting off the plane.

I don't think I have the right words to describe how amazing this food is. Cheeseburger bao, just…read moreto start, is amazing. The beef brisket ramen was otherworldly. Note if you go: it's down that hall on the right side, not directly on the street.

I've had some gua baos from other Auckland eateries that serve fusion food. The reality is that…read morethey stuff the open-styled Chinese buns with something made in the kitchen and call it a gua bao. No. The trick to the tasty authentic guao bao is that fatty pork must be used - the pork belly type where you can count the layers. Juiced up with a beautiful sweet sauce and a touch of peanuts, it is literally heaven in the mouth. This is where the gua bao at Chinoiserie wins. The bun was surprisingly soft and fluffy, both to have there and takeaway. This is interesting because this type of bun usually dries and hardens when it cools. Think of the buns you have at yumcha when no one wants to eat it, and the peer pressured one is then faced with a cold hard white Chinese bun. The first time I tried Chinoiserie, I embarrassingly made friends take it away because I was stuck in glorious Auckland traffic. Them coming all the way from Christchurch to taste this, I was lucky the taste wasn't compromised! The second time I went with friends who had the authentic gua baos in Taiwan, and it was a unanimous thumbs up. The only difference is that the ones there are usually made with pickled veggies instead of the colourful Western slaw. Unless you have a reason to: - don't order the tofu gua bao. The taste really paled in comparison to others. EAT SOME MEAT! - opt out for the fries. They are really just fries with a wasabi dip. Plus they were the skinny kind and I like the manly chunky ones. - opt out for the coconut crusted squid rings. They were a bit bland and there was no sign of coconut taste. - go somewhere else for dessert. The black sticky rice dessert seemed to be just a sliced assortment of ingredients scattered. Instead - order the pork gua bao. I normally don't even like pork but they are traditionally made with pork and once you taste it you'll know why. - in fact order 2. Because if you have a normal appetite, one gua bao won't totally fill you up. You'll need sides. - try Erk's Sticky Chicken Nibbles. A touch of spicyness - so good. - get the fresh coconut. You'll also get a spoon to scrap the sides for coconut flesh! I can happily say Owairaka Ave is turning into quite a trendy place to eat out thanks to Chinoiserie and L'oeuf. The menu is simple and you order at the till. No table service or waiters there to pick up white serviettes that drop when you stand up. Just satisfyingly tasty food.

As a Mt Albert resident I am proud to say that we have one of Auckland's coolest bars. Not in a…read morefancy, trendy way but more like a bar/restaurant that became the legendary place of the neighborhood as soon as it opened it's doors. The whole concept is in my opinion quite humorous - turning a cheap local Chinese takeaway into this effortlessly awesome bar. Interior decor - Chinoiserie is a very cozy, friendly place with a unique, hip look. Just like L'Oeuf it is somewhere in between modern and retro with a very cool dragon graffiti on the wall and the usual gorgeous plants just popping out on every shelf and hanging from the ceiling. Paper umbrellas were used in place of lamp shades to emphasize the oriental look. Staff - lovely as always they are very helpful and organized, happy to have a chat and make you feel like at home. Menu - very simple with 4 options for gua bao (steamed buns), some slaw, chicken nibbles, squid rings and 2 dessert options. So easy to order and yet so tasty and delicious. As for drinks they have a few beers and this summer's favourite - Coco Loco! Food - ordered at the counter just like a standard takeaway but then you get this great quality and high standard food full of flavours that reminds you that these guys are serious when it comes to serving gourmet food. Price - very affordable and good value for money. The real beauty of this place is it's unique atmosphere - very chilled out and relaxing. You can walk into Chinoiserie and forget about the outside world. Flavours take you on a journey and when it's time to leave you feel like you are going back home from a vacation.

The sushi is artfully presented and sublimely fresh and tasty at Yaruki…read more The last time we ate at Yaruki was with a large group and yet another fantastic meal was had in an ambient setting. I suggest you order a Japanese set meal like Tensin platter for two which gives you a good variety of items off the menu including sushi, sashimi, chicken teri, and gyoza, tempura and daily special. The dinner box meal has additions of tonkatsu and choice of beef, chicken or fish teriyaki. Many of the customers are locals and will tell you that, hands down, this is THE best Japanese in town. Not just me but every member in our large party agreed.

As always the food at Yaruki is astounding! Nice to have a…read moremenu that isn't the traditional "NZ Japanese fare" This is one of those restaurants frequented by locals so can be difficult to get into. however on our most recent visit it was no problem, Interestingly I felt the experience on my last visit last week was not up to the previous standard hence the 4/5 rating, but this restaurant is always worth every cent you pay and more! The seafood here is always top notch, you are unlikely to go away disappointed in the Sashimi or prawns! Most definitely a recommended restaurant!