La Vie en Rose — Restaurant in Bay of Plenty

Probably the worst food we’ve ever had anywhere in the world. In our lives. Garlic bread was microwaved. The $15 garlic bread, I should add. We then watched the bar lady microwave our nachos (also $15). We had the meatballs and potato gratin too - same price, same terrible quality. We were left shocked that this place could serve such horrible food with a smile and charge such outrageous prices. Also shocked at the star rating - clearly those people either know NOT to eat the food or just go there to drink. Thinking back, although the place was filled with locals, none of them were eating. A couple of days later, we can’t stop laughing that this place has a ‘French’ menu, claim to serve tapas, and have called themselves La Vie en Rose. Totally deluded is an...

Atmosphere and staff were alright, but the tapas were the worst. I don't say this lightly, it was the most disappointing meal I've paid for in a long time. Dumplings were supposed to be pork and chives but when my partner bit into them it was shrimp or prawn - I'm allergic to both so I'm lucky I didn't take the first bite. The "Patatas bravas" is actually just soggy potato wedges, the "Argentinian BBQ" is chopped up sausage and a chopped up well done steak with no seasoning. The meatballs tasted like nothing. From the nuclear heat of the plates and the splatters covering everything, it's clear this was all microwaved from frozen. Youd be better off not offering food at all frankly. Really disappointing, tbh we probably wouldn't even go...

This is what is euphemistically called a Sports Bar. Quart bottles of beer and not much else. Some cock and bull story about the house Chardonnay. The barman and his mate the bar fly were obnoxious and the place was seedy, dirty and uninviting with a poor selection and an attitude about Aucklanders (missed your mark there, guys). You’d be brave to try the ‘tapas’ given the state of the place. And mine host was pretty reluctant to serve it up anyway. And, ah, tapas are Spanish, not French….? It gets the second star for its proximity to a really good Indian place across the road. The first star is a...