Forage Kitchen + Bar — Restaurant in North Island

Beautiful, modern interior decor in the Movenpick Hotel restaurant with stunning views of the residential area of Te Aro and Cuban quarter. The restaurant was busy and vibey, but thought the lighting was a bit bright and could've been dimmed to create a more cosy atmosphere.

The food prices were not cheap, but that's to be expected in a hotel restaurant. Great variety of NZ wine and food. My partner had beef cheek, which tasted divine and I had lamb rump. Although I'm not usually a fan of medium rare meat I thought I'd give it a go, however the lamb was not easy to cut and a bit chewy. Also the 'cauliflower and artichoke salad' was not a salad as expected, but more like a small bit of mashed relish on the plate. The portion size was reasonable for the price paid. The mixed vegetable side was a decent portion and the wine was great.

For a restaurant of that quality and standard, I was quite disappointed with the table service. The staff were friendly, but not attentive enough. Not once did anyone come and ask us how our meal was and if we enjoyed our meal. And it would've been a nice touch if our waitress could've introduced herself and let us know about any specials or offer to help with any questions...

We want for meal through first table. Atmosphere was great, many other places put first tables customers in a corner - Forage Kitchen gave J's a window seat with a great view. Constructive rather than critical - Food was good, not amazing, wouldn't pay full price for it. I'd have said 3.5 for food and drink. My cocktail (Mojito) was quite bitter, not sure how long the staff have been making them. Service, staff were really nice but our first waitress hadn't tried any food (and hadn't asked others what was popular) and we were left sitting and waiting for some time. I wonder if they were fairly new and weren't as observant as they thought they might have been, the effort was there - if say more of a knowledge gap. Also noticed it had said online that they offer GF options but that was very unclear on the menu. Front desk, the girl was lovely. Stored my bags and helped us sort parking which made it so much easier! Overall the furtniture, set up and the atmosphere was really, really nice. From the cacso tea and brownies at the front door through to the fire and lavish seating before heading into the restaurant. I hope the rooms...

Forage is a surprise in the Grand Mercure Hotel. Superb interior design instantly reassures the inexperienced hotel diner, with a sleek black bar to welcome you in.

Be warned: the lighting is harsh, and probably intended for the internationals staying upstairs than any local looking for a romantic treat.

Forage's food is on the expensive side with all mains priced above $32, and more likely hovering around $38. The food is worth it though, and the chef has devised a strong menu from Lower North Island ingredients including delicious fish and scallops, succulent pork belly, and mouth-watering lamb. The Caesar salad gets a special mention for being so artful.

Alas, Forage is only let down by its non-food elements. The wine list is not overly complex, a little predictable by NZ region almost. Beers are all stock standard with a dash of hope in the form of Panhead. Service was a bit higgledy-piggledy, with drinks orders taking too long, and plates being cleared before the table had finished.

If you find yourself at Forage, relax and enjoy the food. The highly strung among us will probably end up...