Gigi Ponsonby — Restaurant in Waitematā

Really folks, I suggest you book now as here is a spot of pure unpretentious greatness, a true and truly wonderful Bistro

As your local Real Estate professional would say 'as rare as hens' teeth' in this suburb...honest yet fantastic fare, sublime service in a chic, comfortable setting that you could seduce a first date on or treat your mother out.

If you are looking for dry ice/foams and a confit of overwrought chefs' ego then go elsewhere my friends for here lies fabulous and 'proper' bistro fare. It seems such a difficult thing to achieve but my meal at the bistro hit the high notes like a well-tuned orchestra. Fabulous produce cooked with skill and served by (all too rare in New Zealand) true professionals that are as knowledgeable as they are warm and welcoming.

The food does what it says on the 'can', bistro fare with flair, good food done well. Your meal will not arrive swathed under a smoking cloche or balanced on a bloody Zen Garden/ paving slab, no, I received a bloody and bloody good steak, on a plate. On that steak a punchy herb butter, accompanied by crisp fries and the silken cooking juices to ease its passage. The liver parfait to start was a richer than a Russian oligarch and the creme brulee to follow was as comforting as a mother's arm around your shoulders

Everything here, after a number of visits makes you feel like the world hasn't gone mad and all will be well, it's that kind of place.... reassuring and...

Great atmosphere, good service. The bench seating along the wall is too short for the tables if that kind of thing gets on your wick. This was my first time here after driving past often. I really like the aesthetic so was expecting great bistro food. As it happens I had a mean hankering for spaghetti aglio olio e peperoncino with prawns - and guess what the special was! I was pretty excited...

But disappointed when it arrived. This dish is simple but famous for a reason. When matched with perfect pasta it's delectable - and hard to make as good at home. When served topped with (deep fried??) whole prawns, not even partially peeled, and no finger bowl or side plate I was irritated. I'll eat a whole prawn - skin and all - if it's properly deep fried (think good Japanese). This wasn't one of those times. I grumbled to myself as I tried to de-shell the b*stards without dripping fried prawn brain or crumbling legs into the dish, while burning my fingers. And the only option I had was to shove prawns body parts in around my plate. Yuck. I actually turned it around so I wouldn't brush against the mess while I ate.

Then to taste it after all that. It was covered in spring onions. Enough said. Won't be back unless I've got a group of friends going (and guess what... they don't appear...

Having read Jesse Mulligan’s rave review, we returned after some years to Ponsonby Road Bistro for a birthday celebration. It’s been our go to restaurant in the past as the vegan and vegetarian options are typically tasty and tantalising. Tuesday was not such a night. Our wait person was enthusiastic and attentive but somehow things didn’t get communicated clearly between table and kitchen and two of us ended up with the wrong meals. We finally received the ordered meals after an awkward conversation with the maître d but the meals for two of us were fairly average in flavour though exquisitely attractive in presentation. The aubergine side and mains were very oily and heavy. The pesto on my meal was a deconstructed version but not enough of it to counteract a mush of white beans. I couldn’t get through it all. On the plus side the marscapone tart with peach and berries was superb. Maybe we were just expecting too much but no birthday acknowledgment at all despite deliberately including the info in my online booking. For me it felt like catching up with an old friend then realising perhaps you no longer have enough in common to repeat the experience. We’ll hang in to memories of past visits and hope we...