Bona's Thai Cuisine — Restaurant in Waitematā

You have to dig in to find this hidden gem in the middle of Auckland city.

And be luck enough to find a place to seat in this 4 table only restaurant. (But if you don’t find a table, you can take away)

I’ve came here yesterday and had the Veggie Red Curry and was so amazingly delicious that I’ve came back today again. The red curry was definitely the best one I’ve tasted until today. Don’t know who is gonna beat it! I could feel myself at the countryside on Thailand surrounded by this vivid green grass and taking the vegetables directly from the earth, while smelling all different kinds of spices A hug from Buddha. Eating here is like making a ritual in a temple All this magic comes from the chef - an authentic Thai lady - Rattapon Rabeng - that with the help of his lovely husband make this place even more especial and lovely. Love is the main ingredient of all the dishes, for sure! Today I’ve ordered a Rice Noodles in Thick Gravy and when it arrived the gravy was so hotly boiling that looked like I was eating a food directly taken from the womb of a volcano. All the vegetables flavored with a special seasoning was something I’ve never tasted before. So delicious!!! And for started I’ve ordered some curry puffs and it was crunchy and tasty, definitely this food was sent by the gods to give me such a pleasure in my trip to Auckland.

Notes to the forks and spoons made of bronze and the glass of water that they never let empty, just hydrating you for as long as you stay there. A cute act of caring

And lots of options for the veggies folks like me!

A place to...

GENEROUS PORTIONS & AMAZING TENTATIVE SERVICE

I had the Pad Thai and usually at other restaurants I leave feeling still hungry, but here I left with my stomach full. The Pad Thai here is different to other places, there isn't that dry grilled flavour, but more of a juicy tender taste. There was heaps of vegetables within the pad thai and generous portions of chicken.

The service was top notch and exceeded what I had thought. The owner had a smile and came and filled up glass of water three times for me during my time dining here - this would be a service that I would expect at only a high end dining place!

There clearly were regular customers here, which is usually a great sign!

The atmosphere is a small street food environment. Clean and they change the top sheet after each diner from what I observed.

I would recommend this place and will...

My flight after getting off the cruise ship was not until 11:55 pm so I researched what was nearby Prince's Wharf for dinner. This Thai restaurant had very good reviews but required me to walk 11 minutes each way instead of the CrabShack just a few steps away. I ordered chicken green curry, chicken pad thai, and chicken tom kha gai- coconut milk soup. They were all delicious and authentic! Ordered all chicken because my mom does not like shrimp but shirimp pad thai would have been really good. Since eating delicious pad thai in Thailand for less than $3, I would almost always be disappointed when I ordered Pad thai in the states for $12. But i would gladly pay that here at Bona's and would come here often if I had lived here. The gentleman behind the counter was...