Aug 18, 2012 Restaurants
210 Symonds St, Eden Terrace. Ph 377-1911.thefrenchcafe.co.nz
Lunch Friday; dinner Tuesday-Saturday.
There is no more impeccable dining experience in Auckland than at The French Café when the place is full and the ninja waitstaff do their speedy, super-efficient silent gliding around the room. This is the restaurant where you can look up and catch a waiter’s eye and they will come straight over — why is that so hard elsewhere? And where the concept for every dish has been finely honed and the execution is sublime: chef Simon Wright is the senior chef in Auckland kitchens and it shows on the plate; he’s got his own classics, such as the astonishingly delicious duck, but his menu keeps evolving, keeps freshening itself. And where not only the wine list is superb but so, too, is the line-up of aperitifs, digestifs, cocktails and beer. We almost love them for that alone.
A favourite dish: Vacherin of figs with honey, vanilla cream, lavender and fig syrup.
$$$$$ | D | V | FR | PR | C | G | B | CL | GB what’s this?
WINNER
Best Service
WINNER
Best Drinks List
RUNNER-UP
Best Fine-Dining Restaurant
FINALIST
Restaurant Personality of the Year: Michelle Moore
