Mission Bay is littered with restaurants but there’s still plenty of action in the heart of a busy shopping mall that takes dining to another level. As Auckland’s newest food court this bold urban establishment has quickly settled into a pleasing groove. Whilst on one hand it’s unapologetically unrarefied, on the other it’s about as classy as food gets, with the best eateries in Mission Bay.
Expect modern, perky, yet serious dishes courtesy of a lineup of moderately priced eateries that include Malaysian, Japanese, Indian, grill, pizzeria and a speciality desert station. There is also a bar nicely fitted out for pre-dinner drinks.
Temakeria is a fun place to start. The lovechild of restaurateurs Rodrigo and Jenny Maia (Temaki food truck) who keep on reinventing consistent and adventurous food at their new home with an oasis of Japanese, Korean and Brazilian infused dishes. With the attention to detail, ingredients and flavours, some added whimsy, classical technique and lots of generosity served in a modern and hospitable manner, they really have a winning formula.
You can feel the energy with several low-fat dishes designed to appeal. Hand rolled sushi with a choice of fillings, salmon, chicken, pork or prawn served in a cone ($9), softshell crab ($9), gyoza pork and prawn dumplings ($13), fried squid tentacles served with mayo ($12), Korean pancakes ($10), tonkotsu ramen noodles served on a pork broth ($15), spicy sashimi salad with pickles ($22), karaage chicken donburi ($20), spicy pork donburi ($20), grilled salmon donburi ($22), Japanese curry with salad ($22).
And the verdict? Temakeria is perfectly attuned to a suburban lifestyle restaurant. The atmosphere is casual, service is proactive, knowledgeable and engaging. The food is more special than the wine list, but with this value, who’s complaining? Try it and see for yourself—you won’t be disappointed.
Menu 7.5 • Cuisine 8.5 • Wine List 5 • Service 8.5 • Décor 7 • Value for Money 8
