Semola Restaurant & Bar — Restaurant in Hibiscus and Bays

This restaurant has all the makings of being exactly what Orewa and the broader Hibiscus Coast need, a whimsical yet sophisticated, upmarket Italian fusion restaurant. But unfortunately, the restaurant still rides like a rusty bicycle and needs some tuning.

The staff appear to be broadly untrained for a busy restaurant. Our waiter (whilst a lovely young man) doesn’t know how to operate a corkscrew and has some challenges with the pepper grinder too. Wait staff are fumbling over each other, not sticking to their stations and they are led by a maître de who isn’t orchestrating or providing guidance resulting in an experience that does not match the opulent ambience. All this will sort itself out over time. The team don’t seem to know what the floor mapping is and what’s in the system doesn’t appear to match what’s on the floor tonight. Maiden voyage issues.

Of the 5 dishes we ordered, 1 was superb, 2 were okay and 2 were sub par.

The veal carpaccio is overly fussy. The lashings of sauce, rocket and parmesan detract from the gorgeous veal and restraint here would elevate the dish. It is under-seasoned and could be a fantastic dish.

The fish crudo is decent. We don’t get told what fish it is (I’m assuming kingfish) and whilst the mascarpone should be smoky, it’s not and that’s a pity as it would add the required oomph to the dish. The orange and pistachio add good texture, but it is under seasoned which means it just doesn’t come together as I’d hoped.

The braised duck gnocchi with mushrooms is a knockout. Rustic yet fluffy gnocchi, Perfectly seasoned mushrooms, delicate duck, and great sauce. It’s a 10/10 and I’d go back for this dish.

The 2 disappointments for the night start with the Squid ink tagliolini. The seafood is sparse and whilst the pasta is well cooked, it is smothered in an overly sweet tomato sauce, rather than the spicy tomatoes on the menu and it really is quite overwhelming and kills the dish in its steps. Could be great. It wasn’t though.

Lastly is the olive oil cake. Almond olive oil cake is usually somewhat dense, and deeply moist, but this one is light and fluffy which makes it crumbly and dry. The figs offer no reprieve as they are flavourless. Even a slight caramelisation on the figs would make a difference. The only saving grace is the quenelle of lemon sorbet, but alas, it’s not enough to save the dish.

What’s a little frustrating as no one asks us how our meals are until we’re done with a dish and any attempt to flag down the chaotic wait staff is futile when I do want to offer my thoughts.

Overall Semola has the promise to become a Coast institution if they’re able to pull the basics together. Trained wait staff, a charismatic maître de who checks on guests and lends a hand where needed and a chef who is relentless in checking taste and food quality on the pass would make every difference needed.

We’ll be back once the bike’s been...

Ah, where does one even begin with such a transcendent dining experience? From the moment we graced the establishment with our presence, we were met with a masterclass in professional avoidance. Our 80th birthday reservation, complete with a celebratory cake, was seemingly a fun little suggestion that our server had decided to ignore. Why bother with such trivial details when there's an entire table of bewildered people to ignore? We were even asked, if we wanted to eat the cake that we had just brought in. Of course we did. Our birthday guest had not simply wanted to take their birthday cake on a scenic car ride for its own enjoyment. It's the little things. The pièce de résistance of the evening, however, was the service. Or, rather, the lack thereof. The birthday guest was served last for drinks, as one does, and not served at all for mains. The main course was a ghost in the culinary machine, a dish that was ordered but never arrived. A keen-eyed waitress noticed this, a moment of hope we all naively clung to. She then sauntered off with a Gallic shrug, leaving us to our collective bewilderment. Our main server was a true artist in the field of chaos. He treated our drinks like a game of chance, doling them out at random, and had absolutely no idea what the side dishes were. He seemed genuinely surprised that we wanted sides with our mains, as if it were a novel concept. We were not asked if we wanted coffee, a thoughtful gesture that spared us from any further disappointment. The food itself was a symphony of contradictions. A meager $35 steak, served cold and gristly, was accompanied by what appeared to be a teaspoon of chimichurri and a single, lonely lettuce leaf. It's a bold choice to charge fine-dining prices for food that wouldn't pass muster at a truck stop. And, of course, the Italian restaurant with a distinct lack of Italian dishes on its lunch menu was a delightful twist. It was a culinary riddle that we were not prepared to solve. The only saving grace was a passable risotto. The decor was pleasant, and the green velvet chairs were a nice touch, a verdant oasis in a desert of culinary disappointment. To be fair, if your expectations are low enough, you'll be fine. Just don't book for a special occasion or expect anything resembling competent service. The food was a decent concept, but at these prices, the service should match. Sadly, the service was truly...

It was a superb experience, all round the best we've had in a very long time. This place is a really special addition to the Orewa dining culture. Atmosphere & ambiance were comfortable, warm & classy, & such a pleasure to have soft pleasant background music to enjoy whilst still being able to hold a conversation without having to compete with the music. Loads of well trained, knowledgeable and friendly staff, they even waited till we'd finished our meal then asked if they could clear our table, so rare, I've lost count of the amount of resturants that just don't get this concept. It's a real bug bear of mine. I was in a place in the city the other week (it will remain unnamed), and whilst my friend sitting opposite me was taking a bite from her taco the server, without even asking, leaned right across infront of her and began clearing empty plates, she very nearly knocked the food out of her hands, grrrrrrrr!! The food was prepared & delivered in a good amount of time, it was all delicious & very well priced for the quality, we can't wait to go back time & again to work our way through the menu. After our evenings entertainment we went back in around 9.30 to a very warm welcome & went into their Whiskey bar where we had dessert & another drink, again another superb experience. My only complaint is the toilet situation, a personal thing but I really do not like unisex lavs, yukk!! Sorry but there are some guys who just can't aim into the pan & it ends up all over the floor, which is what I experienced even in Semola's loos last night, not pleasant at all. I hope the local community really support this establishment & it gets many regulars & a reputation that has patrons coming from far & wide for many years to...