Metita — Restaurant in Waitematā

I traveled far from Miami to venture off to New Zealand and try delicious Pacific cuisine along the way. I've always been curious about the islands as we know very little about them and their food. Fortunately, I was able to come across restaurant Metita by Chef Michael here in Auckland. First off, when I arrived for dinner, the restaurant was busy, crowded and packed. It was hard to find a seat so we sat in the bar area. It was ideal, as we were able to see all of the chefs including Michael cook all of our meals. We noticed that the ingredients used were fresh and of very high quality. The chefs worked in coordination as a team and chef Michael prepared the most exquisite plates ever with the most upmost care and devotion. You can tell that he is truly skilled and passionate for what he does. We truly caught a glimpse of it all while waiting in the bar stools. After looking at the menus, we decided to get some delicious mocktails. Mine was a Fiji inspired iced masala chai while my friend ordered a savory Samoan "Vailafa" which contained coconut, condensed milk and pineapple. Both drinks were refreshing and exquisite. For our plates, we ordered seared tuna, cassava, two different types of sashimi, roasted carrots and a Samoan panikeke. All of the plates were delicious, appetizing, tasty and full of flavor. More importantly, the plates were made carefully and nicely done. We had a brief chat with one of the chefs, Charlie, he was very kind and knowledgeable about the cuisine. He explained the dishes and told us about the concept. We also briefly spoke to Chef Michael and he is an amazing chef and remarkable human being. Despite the busy evening, he made time to awknowledged us and thank us for stopping by. What I've learned is that Samoan food is very similar to my native Puerto Rican food. Many of the ingredients used are familiar and remind me of back home. It's beautiful to see that despite the distance, we are all one and united through such exquisite food. Overall, my first experience of Samoan cuisine was truly excellent and memorable. I would like to thank Chef Michael, Chef Charlie and the rest of the staff for their hard work and effort as they have truly created a masterpiece here in Auckland. Samoan fine dining, an ideal location and the best chefs ever, what more could anyone ask for? Thank you Metita for such a magnificent experience ❤ 🇼🇸...

Came in with a group of 4 friends on a Saturday night for an early sitting at 6pm. Was greeted at the door by a lovely lady who quickly swept us to our table. The restaurant was beautiful, and had a pacific island resort theme, I felt like I was in Fiji. The light wooden interior with woven hanging lamp shades and birds of paradise plants made you feel as though you were on holiday. They had gorgeous intimate booth seats which we thought we were going to be sat at, alas no, instead we were seated on a huge spacious wide table where our small group felt spaced out and separated. We settled in to wait for our waiter. We were given the drinks menu to look at. After a few minutes no one came to serve us. The restaurant wasn’t busy in fact it was an early sitting so the place was pretty empty. After twenty minutes and a prompt signal from another customer who was dining at a table behind us, waved down a waitress on our behave. Finally, we got to order our drinks. We had 4 different servers the whole night who were sweet and came across rather shy. We ordered our food which came out in instalments, one dish which a friend ordered (the taro) arrived when everyone had finished eating their mains. We had to send the trevally back because it was drowning in tamarind and could hardly taste the fish. We weren’t given a rundown on the menu, so we were left to our own devices to figure it all out. We asked a gentleman who we presumed was the manager (dressed in a dapper white linen suit) to explain what the dishes were to which he replied “oh um, she’s going to tell you” pointing at the waitress who in fact didn’t. It would’ve been nice if we were told what went with what because we would’ve ordered more sides and more dishes and shared them. Some dishes were delicious like the chicken but unfortunately the rest felt underwhelming and lacked generosity in portion sizes ( we all know island feasts are all about generous servings). Two friends ordered cooked and raw oysters, they brought out two batches of cooked when we only ordered one, then when we settled the bill the extra batch of cooked oysters were still on the tab. Overall, I think metita is a stunning restaurant and has a wonderful menu. But I felt the service lacked in some parts and price point is quite expensive for the amount you get...

My family (husband and two children) visited Metita all the way from Melbourne, this restaurant has been on our wish list since they first opened. The mere fact that Metita is Polynesian inspired is what drawed us here. Prior to writing this review I've noticed some mixed reviews, so I hope to provide a comprehensive perspective.

The ambiance at Metita is done superbly. Cozy lighting, tasteful decor that takes you to the islands in class, creating a welcoming atmosphere. The service was impeccable; from both the guest host and our waitress -both were attentive and knowledgeable about the menu, and if they didn't know they were honest and found out for us. The food was outstanding! The menu has been curated so well, Metita has definitely lived up to what they have set themselves to do which is - refine and reimagine traditional Pacific flavours. If you're looking for a culinary experience like never before, look no further. Unlike many Polynesian restaurants or takeaway places this isn't your typical quantity over quality restaurant, however you will be transported to true fine dining with respect to traditional authentic island flavours and ingredients. We ordered the Umala Sourdough; Corned Beef Steam Bun; Panikeke; Ota Povi; Geoduck Clam Oka; Crispy Skin Pork Hock; Slow Braised Lamb Shanks; Handpicked Beef Scotch and the Fa'alifu Taro. We really were pleasantly pleased with the detail, imagination and the flavours that were well put together.

There has been some previous reviews regarding the lack of service however our experience was quite the opposite, from the time we arrived to the time we finished we were well looked after. It feels like Metita has taken on feedback and turned things around. As mentioned earlier, if budget friendly is what you're after Metita will most likely not tick that box but if you're after fine dining with flavours that you won't find anywhere else (palusami puree) then please enjoy the amazing flavours, while you're at Metita enjoy the array of cocktails that are fun and reflective of the Polynesian Islands.

Overall, my experience at Metita was beyond what I expected - delicious food and excellent service. Thank you Chef Michael Meredith - you truly have showcased the Polynesian Cuisine like...