The Metro Peugeot Restaurant of the Year is Cassia!

The judges said: “Walk down the steps and into Cassia and immediately you feel a little special, as if you know something no one else does. It’s a magic cave: an underground haven where wonderful things can happen.

The service is warm and there’s a fine-dining polish to the way they describe each dish and anticipate your needs before you even realise them yourself.

Every dish presents a fascinating exploration of Indian flavours, and while the plating has a formal beauty, that’s not an invitation to hold back: you’re meant to use the naan to mop up the sauce. The textures are consistently surprising, the flavours marvellously balanced.

Sid Sahrawat’s modern Indian restaurant is, says his co-conspirator Chand Sahrawat, the place where Sid gives us his heart. That’s so exciting. This is Auckland’s great dining secret, the one we want to let everyone in on. Cassia. The magic cave.

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The 2016 Restaurant of the Year issue is on sale now.