New Zealand’s cuisine draws inspiration from various regions and countries such as Europe, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Polynesia, Japan and Vietnam. As such, there is also a wide variety of international food available in the country. The main centers support a few elegant, silver-service restaurants but the trend is shifting towards a more relaxed café-bar dining. Dishes that have distinctly New Zealand style include lamb, pork and venison, salmon, crayfish, bluff oysters, paua or abalone, mussels and scallops, kumara or sweet potato, kiwi fruit and tamarillo. Pavlova is considered the national dessert which is made of meringue and lashings of fresh whipped cream topped with kiwi fruit. Choices of cuisines and restaurants are quite extensive.
The Barossa Restaurant in Titirangi, Auckland is a fine example of restaurants in its particular category. It featured cuisines are local New Zealand as well as Asian. The view over Titirangi’s bush from the restaurant’s glass covered outdoor area can be very hard to resist.
The Shahi Cafe in Milford, Auckland is definitely a winner in terms of Indian cuisine. It was established in 1989 and has been serving sumptuous curries ever since. The tastes are varied since India has 26 different states and 24 different styles of food with each style being distinct from the other. The food served is predominantly Northern Indian food with a twist. Dishes from Northern India are considered milder (chili) compared to its Southern counterparts.
Di Mare Restaurant offers food and steaks and has been judged one of the best surf and turf restaurants in Parnell, Auckland. Its modern take on paella is said to be well-worth the effort in finding it. It caters to intimate dining, serving candle lit dinners amidst its backdrop of fishnets draped across part of the roofline and Mediterranean seaside murals.
The Pompino Restaurant has basically two elements: POM represents the English influence while PINO makes up the Filipino element. It serves steak, seafood, pasta and Filipino dishes. It is located on the new Britomart site, opposite the ferry building and a stones throw away from the AMEX viaduct harbour. The two owners of the restaurants both have graphics arts background which explains the totally different over all décor of the restaurant.
The Bodrum Café and Restaurant offers Turkish and Mediterranean cuisine. It has an established reputation for good service and authentic Turkish dining experience including having belly dancers during Friday and Saturday nights. The culinary skills were imported into New Zealand to create extraordinary culinary delights for the locals and visitors alike.
The Mutiara Restaurant brings Malaysian food to New Zealand. Malaysian cuisine has been greatly influenced by three nationalities residing together in harmony namely the Malay, the Indians and the Chinese. It has been referred to as one of many enjoyable ethnic restaurants that have made New Zealand a far more exciting place to eat in recent years.
The list goes on with some discovering their own favorites in their travels to New Zealand. The presence of so many different restaurants assures travelers that they will not have a difficult time in finding preferred food choices. It also offers the chance to be more adventurous, at least on the culinary aspect of the travel.