Manee Thai Restaurant — Restaurant in Albert-Eden

BUGS and an owner with zero compassion!

I have held off on posting this review and images for some time now, as I had left this matter with the local Council/Food Safety department to handle.

Visit 1 - End of 2019 Half way through our dinner service, we had bugs bouncing around the table with some jumping onto our plates. When we informed staff, the manager, Skye, was quick to blame it on us and said we left a window/shutter open that had left the bugs in... What she didn't realize was that the bugs were actually living in the light fixture above the dining table - see attached video. Dinner ended, and now it was time to settle the bill. Skye as well as Manee (owner) showed zero care for the bug encounter, offered ZERO compensation until we questioned it. I vaguely recall we did not pay for one main, and a bowl/plate of rice.

Visit 2 - 21/03/2021 I was invited to a family dinner with 14 others at Manee Thai lastnight. I did not raise any of the matters above, as it was some time ago and with councils intervening I was relatively confident things would be fine, what would be the odds of that happening again? VERY high apparently.

We had a set course menu @ #35 p.p, which was discussed with Skye over an email. The confirmed menu (which clearly stated no beef meals) was NOT passed onto staff on service that night which raised a quantum of errors/confusion with food that arrived at our table. When questioned, one staff said it was beef whilst the other said it wasn't. As you can imagine this was not handled well by the family. In addition to this, the soup (Tom Kai Gar) had a bug in it.... They offered to replace this but we declined and decided to cut our dinner short. Note that fried rice mains were not served (part of the set menu).

Upon settling the bill, Manee (owner) said she would remove the soups and fried rice from the bill - fair. However, she decided to break away from the set menu and charge us on a plate by plate basis which was actually very cunning - we had no time for more dramas so we paid and left. We were disappointed in the professionalism of the owners - the waitressing staff were actually much better to deal - - and we left on a negative note. Mannee was cheeky enough to say "Manee Thai #1 Restaurant do try us again!" as we walked out.

Absolutely DO...

A Mixed Bag at Manee Thai Restaurant

Tucked away on Dominion Road in Mt. Eden, Manee Thai Restaurant promises an authentic culinary experience. Unfortunately, our recent visit fell short of expectations, with inconsistent dishes and flavors that failed to impress.

We began with the Gao Lao Nuea Hot Pot, which, despite its promising description, arrived with overcooked beef, tough meatballs, and a broth lacking in both aroma and depth. The dish's advertised "kick" was notably absent.

The Beef Sizzling Hot Plate, ordered with high hopes, arrived at the table sans sizzle. Only after prompting the staff did they rectify the issue, heating the plate to achieve the desired sizzle. While the dish was satisfying, the initial oversight was a misstep.

Subsequent dishes, including the Chicken Khao Pad, Khao Pad Prik, and Goong Pad Prik, all suffered from a similar affliction: the absence of wok hay, that elusive, smoky flavor that elevates a dish from ordinary to extraordinary. Each of these plates was, at best, "okayish" – a far cry from the bold, aromatic flavors one expects from Thai cuisine.

A lone bright spot emerged in the form of the Chicken Schnitzel, which boasted a beautifully cooked chicken breast paired with a truly exceptional mashed potato – a masterclass in balance and flavor structure.

Our meal concluded with the Med Mamuang, a dish that, much like its predecessors, lacked the wok hay flavor that would have elevated it to greatness.

Regrettably, our experience was further marred by service issues. The staff, while friendly, seemed to lack experience in explaining the menu, leading to confusion and miscommunication. A simple request for chilli on the side required two attempts to fulfill, highlighting the need for improved communication and attention to detail.

In conclusion, while Manee Thai Restaurant shows flashes of brilliance, inconsistencies in flavor and execution, coupled with service shortcomings, hold it back from true excellence. With refinement and attention to detail, this establishment has the potential to become a top-tier Thai restaurant. Until then, diners may find themselves, like us, experiencing...

I am looking for a Christmas party venue for my work. We went to Manee Thai. The waitress advised us about their portion size which is fairly large and 2 dishes will be sufficient for 3 people. Being a vegetarian we ordered 2 dishes with Tofu. When the food arrived we tasted the Tofu which was off. We advised the waitress. She took the one dish. 5 mins later another lady which appeared to be the manager came back to us and agreed that when she tried Tofu it seemed to be sour and she was not sure why. She advised that the Tofu is not expired, however; they are using this particular brand of tofu for the first time. She could not offer us any dish with Tofu as there is no other kind of tofu apart from what we had. However, she offered a dish without tofu. I advised her that been vegetarian Tofu is the only source of protein in the meal; she could not give us any other alternative. We did not want to create any scene so we agreed to have the dish without Tofu. She was reluctant to take the second dish back but she did take it back. When she arrived with the new dishes, we requested to give us fresh plates. She did not like this request but she did go back and brought out only 1 plate. Once we went to pay, they charged us full price. I said to the waitress that the dishes were not up to standard, tofu was off and that the second time the missing ingredient was Tofu from the dishes. They are charging us full price, the waitress checked with another staff and offered 15% off. As we paid, the manager came back running to the counter and told us the tofu was not off and we have to pay the full price. I was trying their food for my Office Christmas Party but we will never go back there. She said that is fine. I paid the remaining 15% and told her social media is very strong. She said that she does not care, “Good night”. We then parted from the restaurant. What an unpleasant appalling experience that we had...