Sunday 10 July 2011

The Kingslander, Kingsland

The Kingslander is a really hip bar/restaurant located in Kingsland. Some of you may have heard about their deals on daily deal websites such as GrabOne and Daily Do. I've had the chance to dine here a couple of times because of those deals and I must say I really like it.

This bar/restaurant is very big and split into sections. It has a huge flat screen on one side for those sport lovers to come in and watch the game complete with high tables, couches and fireplaces. On the other side is a higher platform with tables and chairs for dining. I really like the set up of the place. The kitchen closes at 9pm after which time most people spend the night drinking and listening to the band play.

The upstairs of the Kingslander used to be an extension of the place where they would have more tables and seating. However it has now changed into a more separate area for men to bring their dates so they can impress them with their awesome-ness (this is what the waiter told me... lol).

Now down to the important stuff. I am never disappointed by the food here. Well almost never. Josh and I came by last week, him ordering a steak and fries and me ordering a stuffed chicken breast with gourmet potatoes. Their portions are always MASSIVE so I think their pricing of say $25 for each dish is reasonable.




I can't say that the dishes are always perfect because my chicken was a little dry and one other time when I ordered pasta, it was way too creamy and almost sickening though tasty (I didn't finish the dish though). However having never left unsatisfied despite these little setbacks, we would definitely come back many times. The Kingslander is the type of place you would want to take your overseas guests who want to experience the typical Kiwi lifestyle.

I can say it's very casual yet classy because of the way it's been decorated and laid out. The Kingslander is definitely impressive. The service is also always very good and professional. They are happy to recommend a dish if you're unsure and apologize if the food is late.

The biggest downer to the place is parking. Because it is situated on a main road, you usually have to drive around hoping you would spot an empty park on the road side. However I have been incredibly fortunate in the last 2 visits where we were able to find parking right in front of The Kingslander.

So yes, if you're keen to enjoy a night out with good food and be amongst loud noises and heaps of people (though not necessarily during the weekdays), the Kingslander is for you. It's always good fun and people and you'll find yourself soon joining in with the rest of the crowd screaming 'TRY!!!' at the TV screen.

Overall rating: 4/5

The Kingslander address and phone number:



470 New North Road
Auckland 1021
(09) 849 5777

Vietnam Cafe, Otahuhu

Hey everyone, sorry about the lag in blog posts. I lost my phone cable and still need to buy a new one therefore things have just been really slow. Anehoos I found a new way of saving photos to my computer which is by sending them to Facebook and then downloading them from Facebook to my computer. Hoorah for smart phones!

Today's blog post is about Vietnam Cafe in Otahuhu. This place is by far Josh and my absolute most favourite restaurant in Auckland... okay, okay, one of! There is nothing fancy about the place, no decor, music or flowing curtains. All it possesses is a huge room with loads of tables and amazing food! Josh and I love rice noodle soup, the vietnamese ones in particular. We have been to plenty of vietnamese restaurants and they can never compare with the Vietnam Cafe.

I first heard about this restaurant from Josh in fact. He was always raving about it so one day I decided to trust his taste buds and give it a go. I never turned back since.

These days, rice noodle soup from Vietnam Cafe is our medicine for a cold and stormy day. We eat there almost every week even though it takes us about a 20 minute drive. It is that worth it. We are there so often that even the patrons know us and knows what I will order (Chicken rice noodle soup).

The portion of the dish is always generous and the food comes out very speedily. What's also great is if you're very hungry, you can order an extra bowl of noodles for just $2 (I THINK) and leave with a happy tummy. Cost wise they are very reasonable with just $10 per bowl.

They recently also added fortune cookies to their counter and you can get 3 cookies for $1. Josh and I always get a handful (like 10 of them), sit at the table or in the car on the way home and have so much fun opening the cookie up and reading the fortunes. We always have so much laughs and at the same time get to snack on the deliciousness that is the cookie. Nom nom!

Vietnam Cafe also has lots of parking at the back of the restaurant so you can invite your whole family and extended family and their extended family. Only downside is the restaurant isn't very pretty and could use a clean up but the food makes up for it.

I highly recommend this restaurant, you won't regret it. Great food, great service and great pricing, that's hard to find! Get ready for some good old fashion, simple, home remedy, hot, tasty noodles! oh and yes they do have many other dishes on the menu but I wouldn't know since I always order the same thing. But Josh has tried many of their dishes and love them all!

Overall rating: 5/5 Excellent service, food, convenience, great value for price

Vietnam Cafe address and phone number:



38 Atkinson Ave
Otahuhu
Auckland City
09-276 9014