The Camellia Lounge — Restaurant in North Island

This was a very good experience. The only reason it is not receiving a five star review is that I was looking forward to going to Camelia restaurant and had picked out some items on the menu that I was excited about. I saw that they had a sake pairing, and I called and asked if that was happening the evening of our visit, and they confirmed that it was, but that I could also order off of the regular menu. I told her that I really wanted to order off the regular menu, and really needed her to double check, and she said absolutely I could order off the regular menu even though the sake pairing was happening. So we drove to Camelia‘s, and we were seated, only to find out that they were only serving the sake menu. And I really had my heart set on some of the regular menu items. Also the sake tasting pairing menu was considerably more expensive than the regular menu, but I’m not saying it was not worth it. I absolutely understand paying money for an exquisite experience. Especially any sort of food and drink pairing. But, again, I was caught off guard, because they had said we could have either experience when we called. It also felt a little awkward at the table, because my husband and I had to whisper back-and-forth to decide if we wanted to spend $400 on dinner or not, when we weren’t planning on that in our traveling budget. And we were figuring this out at the table. It would’ve been awkward to walk away and decline, although certainly we had the opportunity to do so. And there was no pressure from the servers, but I felt awkward either way. Ultimately we decided to go with a sake experience, because again, I love sake, and it certainly looked like a special offering, but I hated that awkwardness as we were sitting at the table discussing it. It just started the evening off with a sour taste, and it should’ve been an exquisite evening. So that is why this is four stars instead of five.

All that’s said, let’s get to the review. The sake pairings were wonderful, and the food was exquisitely plated. I love pretty food. The owners of the sake distillery were rotating around the tables discussing their offerings. That was very special. We have offices in Kyoto, and I know sake, but it was interesting to be offered the opportunity to learn about this particular sake producer and to ask questions. The pairings were good as well. I love exquisitely plated food. And this was exquisitely plated. I can only compare it to an experience that we had in Kyoto where each course was paired with a sake and they were all as exquisitely plated as this. And I loved that experience, and I loved this experience as well. No complaints on food or service, only a complaint about the miscommunication before we arrived. p.s. I wear black and white a great deal, and their bathroom decor mirrored my outfit, so I took a selfie photo shoot!...

My daughter celebrated her 21st Birthday on the 12th of April 2025 at the first "The Classic Table" at Camellia Restaurant at Zealong Tea Estate. It was a night to remember for her and myself.

The Classic Table which celebrated Women's History Month, included a four-course meal inspired by French culinary techniques was complemented by a captivating performance from internationally acclaimed violinist Anna Lee and her brother Dominic Lee, an internationally acclaimed cellist. Both have performed at the world-famous Carnegie Hall at different occasions. They were accompanied in the piano by Ray Chan who has international background in the arts as an orchestral conductor trained at the Royal Academy of Music in London.

It was our first time in Camellia Restaurant. We came from Auckland to attend this event. We were seated in the table right in front of the performers. It was the perfect setting. The joy and sparkle in the eyes of my daughter was priceless.

I am ever grateful that this event happened because it was just the perfect setting to celebrate my daughter's 21st birthday. My daughter loves classical music being a trained pianist and cellist. She also loves French cuisine being a university student taking French as one of her dual degrees.

The performance felt like a spiritual and uplifting experience. We were so lucky to be right in front. We saw and felt every movement of the violinist and cellist.

The four-course meal was delicious. My pallet was celebrating every flavour.

Thank you very much to Camellia Restaurant and to management of Zealong Tea Estate specially Gigi Crawford, CEO of Zealong Tea, who was the perfect host of the night. Special mention to Sergio, the sommelier at Camellia Restaurant. He was great in providing information about the wine accompanying each meal. The only regret I had was not being able to finish my drinks because I was still driving.

The staff, performers and fantastic meal made the night a very memorable one making everything worth it. I just wish we were nearer to Hamilton instead of an almost...

Today, I visited another Italian restaurant with my three children, and the service reminded me of the unpleasant experience I had here a few months ago.

When we came to Camellia a few months ago with friends and their children after a long journey, we were initially delighted by the scenery. However, our joy was short-lived as we were immediately scolded by the waiter for where we sat. The children were hurriedly relocated to sit with the adults, and their exuberance was met with complaints about their noise. In contrast, the Italian restaurant we visited today simply cautioned us about potential hazards around the premises and then provided paper and crayons to divert the children's attention.

As the adults began to order, we discovered that Camellia had no children's menu. In contrast, the Italian restaurant not only had a children's menu but also catered thoughtfully to children's tastes, even offering traditional Kiwi children favorited meals alongside Italian dishes (while only serving Italian cuisine to adults).

Since there were no children's options at Camellia and the adult meals were comparatively not cheap, we decided to order two adult meals per two children(5-9YO, two girls two boys) to gauge their reactions. Once again, the waiter openly complained about our low individual spending. PS. Our two families, totaling five adults and four children, ended up spending over $7XX NZD.

Finally, regarding the food, to my surprise, the lamb chops, despite their considerable price, were so tough that the children struggled to even take a bite. As adults, we also found them challenging to chew. Truth be told, the lobster was just passable. However, my wife, who works full-time and still manages to prepare better meals at home for the family, could outdo this restaurant's cooking. I understand this last statement might not sit well with the chef, but our household is up for...