The Duke of Marlborough Hotel

That spot is still amazing, and the bar and wait staff are super friendly and fun. I’ve visited the restaurant a few times over the years and used to love its New Zealand menu, especially the Paua risotto. Last night’s meal was a letdown. The seafood platter was especially disappointing, with prawns that seemed old and freezer-burnt. I’m sure the chef wouldn’t have sent them out if he’d tried them. I couldn’t tell what on the platter was fresh, and the waiter didn’t explain what we were getting. The risotto and pipis were tasteless, like butter, with poor seasoning and balance. Service was friendly, but the wait staff didn’t know much about the dishes and had to check even simple questions. They’re usually on point, so hopefully this was just a bad night and not the new normal.

The food looked nicely presented, but it was average and most dishes didn’t have much flavour or seasoning. It’s a great spot with plenty of potential, though there’s work to do. Service was friendly but painfully slow. We waited more than 30 minutes just to place a drinks order, then longer for the drinks to arrive, and nobody came back to offer another. Our starters were still on the table when the mains arrived, so we ended up passing the dirty plates around ourselves. There were also some booking problems, and the maitre’d came across as very passive aggressive, as if she had to have the last word.

We booked on the day, and Judika took care of all our requests. Sophia was our waiter and looked after us very professionally. All three of us had a great evening at Duke of Malborough, with live music and sunset too. We chose a main and dessert, and everything was cooked perfectly. The team did a great job, and we’d definitely recommend the place.

The kitchen did a solid job, and the food itself was genuinely great. Service was more of a mixed bag. The online menu was a little outdated, so a dish I’d been looking forward to wasn’t available. When I arrived, one staff member kindly seated me, then another came over soon after to check whether I’d actually been seated. It was a bit odd. Nobody checked in during the meal, so I missed the chance to order a side I wanted. When I mentioned it at the end, the staff apologised. I also brought up the difference with the online menu and was told I should ask beforehand.