MELBA Manukau — Restaurant in Ōtara-Papatoetoe

Food was good, however service was off on the day we visited, I submit the following feedback in November but didn’t receive any response.

Good morning, I’d like to share that our dining experience on Saturday 25th November was quite disappointing. I’ve dined on previous occasions and had wonderful experiences. I’d also like to note the food was good as always however service was poor.

We had booked a table at 10am and were seated at number 34 as a party of 4 (3) adults and a toddler. Our server took our order at around 10.20, we waited patiently and didn’t want to assume there was a problem until other people who arrived after us started receiving their food, I approached our waiter at 11 and asked if there was a holdup in the kitchen, she checked the screen and advised there was and our food would be out shortly. I’m upset at this as there was obviously no holdup and an error on her side not putting it through to the kitchen, however she failed to take accountability which is all we wanted and chose to lie instead. By the time our food came my toddler was restless as they do making my dining experience horrible, had our food come out on time we would’ve eaten and been gone before he got to this stage.

Finally we had to cancel an item off our order as it wasn’t brought out from the kitchen with the rest of our food and had gone cold by the second time we asked about it. Initially we told the server who brought out our main meals if it was coming separately to which he advised it would. Once we finished with our mains and could waive down the server again she checked the kitchen and said they were now cold and if we want it cancelled off the order. No other apologies or options were offered to make up for the poor service. The cancelled item was Parmesan fries.

Please offer more training to this...

I popped in to celebrate a milestone for my son...first day at intermediate school. 😂 So I started with a glass of the Veuve de Vernay. As a meal I had a protein smoothie with the three egg omelette. Pretty impressed with the omelette. I got the chorizo which is extra. There was the right balance of cheese and chorizo that it wasn't a mouthful of salt with every bite. I would rate this as one of the best omelettes I've ever had. This surpasses five star hotel omelettes made in their restaurants. The seasoning was perfect and the texture was light. As for the smoothie, it was definitely something I'd have again. Made with protein powder, almond milk, cashews and dates it was very refreshing. The layout it an open airy modern take on a diner. We happened to be there on a day of a heatwave. Unfortunately one of the shades was inoperable. We sat in stifling heat. Coupled with the spicy 🌶🌶🌶 Harissa chicken pizza, which I had, it was a recipe for overheating. Service was quite good considering we arrived right on midday. The staff were attentive and got to us when they could. The mix of staff to customers was on the money. They were polite and happy to answer any questions offering to grab more water when we had run out. All in all, this is a great cafe with a great vibe. The food is sublime and is made with utmost skill and craft. The chef uses fresh quality ingredients and I would definitely come back to Cafe Melba over any other...

Disappointing and Humiliating Experience – 1st June at Melba Manukau

On 1st June, I visited Melba Manukau and ordered the mash salmon, assuming it would be a slice of salmon with mashed potatoes on the side. When it arrived, it was mashed potato mixed with salmon—not what I expected. There was nothing wrong with the dish, it just wasn’t to my taste.

I explained this politely and light-heartedly to the waitress and asked if she could please pack it for takeaway so I could order something else. She was kind and understanding, and even offered—on her own initiative—to check with the duty manager if the meal could be replaced, since I had barely touched it. I appreciated her thoughtful gesture.

Unfortunately, the duty manager approached our table in a condescending and disrespectful tone. He kept interrupting and repeatedly said, “You have to pay, you have to pay,” in a way that felt humiliating and dismissive, as if we were trying to avoid payment—which we clearly were not. I had never refused to pay and was simply following the staff’s suggestion.

When we gave feedback at the counter, the staff member said it had been a very busy day and the duty manager was probably overworked. My response: restaurants are meant to be busy—that’s no excuse to treat another human being with disrespect. Basic manners, accountability, and the ability to receive feedback are essential in any...