Le Garde-Manger — Restaurant in Waitematā

A summary of my top 2 moments at Le Garde-Manger:

Being told "You cant taste the whole wine menu", after asking for a 2nd wine tasting (And enquiring about a $150 bottle) Being told "I dont know. Look on the menu" when asking the price of a bottle of wine

I didn't catch his name, so I've sketched him from memory. Please find attached.

Goodluck with your restaurant. Hope all of your customers follow the "Dont ask any questions" rule. I honestly CANNOT believe the nerve of these customers! Questions, comments, jokes. WHY WONT THEY JUST SIT DOWN AND EAT OUR MEDIOCRE FOOD QUIETLY?

I do have a couple of quick suggestions that may help your customers adhere to these rules closer which should decrease your stress levels:

As customers walk through the door, there are simply too many options for them to choose from! For example, "Where shall I sit?", "What shall I eat? Which 1 type of wine shall I sample and hate and then sit quietly and order it anyway in order to not upset The Great One". We need to do something about these options! Remember, options means questions! Along the same vein of thought, I've been thinking about your extensive menu! I know of some really successful institutions that give their residents only 1 food option during meal times and both the prisoners and the guards are way less stressed than you. Signs! We need new signs for you. Definately! So first, the name of the restaurant. We can change it from "Le Garde-Manger" to "Dont Ask The Manager", its catchy, people will love it. Secondly, I was thinking on the front door we could have some sort of Skull and Crossbones. We want the customers to be scared to enter (We only want the REAL customers coming inside!). Finally, you know those "Open/Closed" signs, I reckon you just leave yours on "Closed". I can GUARANTEE YOU that it will result in less questions. It'll be great, just trust me.

Great well, I think if you can just implement the above 3 points, we should be onto a real winner! I suppose I probably missed off 1 point which would just be generally rude and offputting to all customers, but I have a feeling that this isn't your first rodeo and you're probably aware of that one...

At the top end of Auckland's busy Queen St, nestled in a row of seemingly uninteresting eateries, Le Garde Manger stands out, transporting the diner to a quiet, country inn. Red and white checkered table cloths lay invitingly upon every table, old French posters and images decorate the wall unobtrusively and Yann Tiersen played in the background as the waitress welcomed us with a smile and a 'bonsoir'.

Our party of two sat nearest the window to watch the world pass by in a romantic setting. Water was provided and the specials board brought right to our table. After ordering we took in the atmosphere, the waitress and chefs speaking in French in the background, a welcome change from the usual restaurants we frequent.

The coq au vin and fish special were brought out in good time. Both were cooked to perfection and provided a broad array of flavours for the taste buds. Each morsel of the chicken brought back memories of my youth, the country meals, the flavour, the vigour.

After savoring the mains we were left with just enough room for dessert. Enter creme brulee and a lemon and sugar crepe. Both were mouth watering and by no means overbearing. I felt satisfied. Content and not stuffed.

Coffee and tea were politely offered and we politely declined. Having dodged the traffic we were to proceed home, but not before vowing to write a glowing review of this lovely little French eatery, and its lovely staff, as if plucked from the french countryside and transported to the other side of the world. You said au revoir, I say nous...

Overall, recommended!

Brunch:

Eufs Garde-Manger — 4.5/5 This is one of my favorite brunch dishes. The baguette, brie cheese, and sausage were all great. The fried eggs were also cooked perfectly.

Entrées:

Les Escargots De Bourgogne — 3/5 A simple yet classic appetizer. Seasoned lightly with olive oil, basil, and garlic. The snails were chewy and, paired with the baguette, made for a decent starter.

Mains:

Pavé de rump steak sauce aux champignons — 5/5 I ordered the rump steak medium well, and it was tender with a nice texture. While the potatoes, vegetable salad, and steak were average, the mushroom sauce was absolutely stunning and left a deep impression. The sauce was incredibly creamy, full of the natural aroma of mushrooms, lightly seasoned, and paired wonderfully with the steak. I’d gladly revisit the restaurant just for this mushroom sauce:)

Beef Bourguignon — 2.5/5 This is one of the most classic French dishes, but unfortunately, it wasn’t great overall. The beef was tender and melted in the mouth, but the red wine sauce was too sour for my taste. The acidity overpowered the beef’s flavor, and it also lacked enough salt.

The staff here are friendly and helpful, patiently assisting with the menu and recommendations. However, it’s worth noting that the restaurant can get quite busy on weekend evenings, so you might need to wait...