Portofino Taupo — Restaurant in North Island

Started off by asking the waiter if me and my partner could share the vegetarian soup. I heard the lady next to us order the same soup. They brought us out two large bowls of soup so we sat and waited as we felt awkward for being served the lady beside us soup. The waiters didn't approach us I just saw them look and say to each other well that's what they ordered. We began eating the soup, it was very plain, unless you like egg and spinach in boiled water with pepper. After they discussed I walked outside while waiting for the main. I came back to the lady next to me asking can I have some bread please. The waiter replied you will have to pay for it, then came back saying if you want the bread you will have to wait for them to cook it for five minutes. Our mains came, mine was rigatoni porto no spinach, sundried tomato, feta, garlic, herbs e panna and my partners lamb cutlets. I love pasta I could eat it anytime but this was the worst I have had very hot hard to eat with a fork. I couldn't eat it all as it was strange combination feta and white sauce. My partners cutlets where in a bed of risotto which was to salty to eat. Another customer asked for the wifi password and the waiter said we don't do wifi here as she walked away. During payment it was obvious the waitresses were aware we were unhappy with our meal, my partner also made it clear. Overall poor food...

Good food, okay portions and mediocre service.

There were only our group and 1 other guest at the time. The restaurant was very quiet around 730pm.

We are a group of 5 Adults and 1 toddler, our first group arrived and seated and then I asked for a table change to the sofa against the wall because it is better for my younger one, they told me no because they have already arranged the seating. Then I said I am not okay with the current table and if you are not okay with the table change, we can leave. The arrogant young waiter went to "check and ask" and then came back saying okay. Of course, with some attitude afterwards.

He came and try to clear the table while obviously we are still eating and have food on the table at 830pm. After we finished our meals, I went to the counter and asked for the bill, I got two words with the attitude tone "all done?"

Yes, Portofino Taupo is "all done" for us.

I mean, why making a fuss out of this? If I offended your seating arrangement, I have already offered to leave but you choose to accept that but serve with that attitude.

It is such a pitty because we all enjoyed the food, but no one...

Went there last time I was in Taupo few years ago and place was great from the atmosphere to food and especially the service. We were back in Taupo for a night and returned. We were the first to come in , (just after 5pm), the waiter was on his phone, yet the table we were sat on didn’t have cutlery. We were also right under a heat pump that was on high which actually made the whole seating uncomfortable and caused as to leave the second we had finished the food. I ordered lasagne. The pomodoro sauce it was served with was actually really nice . That’s where the positives ended unfortunately. There was only a thin layer of Béchamel on the top . The rest was made up of pasta layers and ‘ragu’. Whatever it was though,it was not a ragu. It was a weird meat paste that had a strange metallic taste to it. As there was not pasta sause or cheese sauce in any of the layers and only the paste the whole thing was extremely dry. Service was not great- no one ever came to check if food was ok or whether we wanted another drink. Also did not ask when came to pay the bill- guess they couldn’t have cared less- shame it’s gone downhill in...