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Jesse Mulligan Auckland Restaurant Review: Returning To The Grill SkyCity A Year After A ‘Terrible' Meal
Jesse Mulligan Auckland Restaurant Review: Returning To The Grill SkyCity A Year After A ‘Terrible' Meal

NZ Herald

time6 days ago

  • Entertainment
  • NZ Herald

Jesse Mulligan Auckland Restaurant Review: Returning To The Grill SkyCity A Year After A ‘Terrible' Meal

Spoiler alert: If you've been waiting for a sign to visit, Jesse Mulligan is waving you in with bright green flags. It's been almost a year since I took a deep breath and wrote about my terrible meal at SkyCity's The Grill. Publishing a critical restaurant review is an exhilarating experience. Four times as many people as usual read that column and strangers were literally asking about it on the street. The food and beverage manager from SkyCity called me at home for a chat. The person at the Herald whose job it is to sell Viva subscriptions let me know that I should feel free to seek out other terrible restaurants to write about, and soon. The SkyCity guy promised on the phone that they had fixed everything and offered to have me back for free. But it had only been a couple of days since the review had come out – how could they possibly have solved the many, many problems I had listed? What did they do, fire everyone and ship all the boring crockery to landfill? I decided to wait a full 12 months before returning, and this week I did it. I always pay for review meals with my own money and never announce that I am coming, so let's call this a 'check-in'. Below, I have listed my major complaints about The Grill in 2024 and whether or not they have been fixed: The taramasalata and tuna tartlette snacks on the menu at The Grill restaurant in the Horizon Hotel. Photo / Babiche Martens Problem: Service was extremely slow Unsurprisingly, this was not a problem on my return visit, though – full respect to the PR team – the waitress looking after us had not been briefed that I was potentially there to save the restaurant's reputation. I know this because at one stage she looked at me quizzically and asked, 'Where have I seen you before?' before she realised that I was the VIP someone had mentioned to her earlier. She had already proved herself by then – she was fast, knowledgeable, quirky and personal. I bet she gets loads of tips because she has done that rare thing – found a public-facing version of herself that preserves all the best, quirky parts of her personality without sacrificing professionalism. Did they fix it? Yes, they did. Problem: The souffle was terrible and had no puff A twice-baked souffle is a classic dish, so I talked to a couple of chef friends and showed them photos before declaring this one dead last year. I didn't order it this time, but a guy at the table next to me did, and it looked fantastic! It had puff, it had height, and the guy (who was a fan of the old Grill and seemed to have very high standards) pronounced it delicious, mentioning in particular the sweet caramelised onions. Advertisement Advertise with NZME. Did they fix it? Yes, they did. The twice-baked cheese souffle now has puff and height. Photo / Babiche Martens Problem: The cocktails were watery, pretentious and pre-mixed The list is still a bit OTT, but I can see the appeal of cocktails with Māori names and local ingredients when you're trying to sell to tourists. The SkyCity guy had promised to sit me down and 'give a bit more context to our pre-mix offering', but I specifically (and slightly rudely) asked that nobody from the company attend our dinner, so I will instead take his word that it doesn't affect the quality of the drinks. But look, I didn't order a cocktail because none of them appealed. Did they fix it? Sorry, not sure. Problem: Nothing appealing on the menu The Grill has expanded its short and brutal list of dishes to a page-turning culinary adventure. Now it has (great) snacks and starters and a double-page spread of interesting beef choices, plus sashimi, oysters and another full page of mains. There's also a brilliant tarte tatin served with a simple scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert, and a cheese and cognac trolley! They tried it out on New Year's Eve and it went so well they've kept it. I loved everything about that trolley except the prices – $18 per sliver of cheese, but perhaps by that time of night you'll no longer be counting. Did they fix it? Yes, they did. Problem: Everything came on the same boring white plates The plates are still boring, with the odd exception. This might be a future opportunity to lift the experience even further. For now, it's all about the food. Advertisement Advertise with NZME. Did they fix it? No, they didn't. You'll be able to make your carnivorous dreams come true here. Photo / Babiche Martens Problem: Some of the food didn't taste good Most excitingly, the food now tastes very, very good. The starters are exceptional, the oysters and sashimi are wonderful, and the steak? Well, spoiling this glowing review somewhat is that I ordered the three-part 'study of beef' and, while the sirloin and scotch were great, the wagyu rump cap was underdone and unable to be broken down by human teeth alone. What a shame. That cut will need further work, but I feel certain that you'll be able to make your carnivorous dreams come true here: pick anything else, alongside some sauces and sides and gobble it all down with a big glass of Cabernet. Did they fix it? Yes, they mostly did. Problem: The wine service was bad, with typos all through the menu The turnaround here was quite exceptional. The Grill's wine guy these days is fantastic – with a short, interesting, ad-libbed speech for every wine-based question we gave him. There's also now a Coravin menu offering wines by the glass that would be too expensive to open otherwise. We drank some beautiful wines and heard some beautiful stories. Look out for the Plume methode, which I have never found anywhere else, and I reckon is one of the best bubbles options in New Zealand. I can confirm I have audited the wine list and found no spelling mistakes. Did they fix it? Yes, they did. The final verdict Wow, what a turnaround. The staff have a spring in their step and the open kitchen seems to be buzzing. The customers are all happy too – from hotel guests to Auckland foodies, coalescing over precise cooking and great drinks. If you've been waiting for the all clear to visit The Grill, I'm officially waving you in with bright green flags. More restaurant reviews According to dining out editor Jesse Mulligan. Nomiya's Japanese Snack Bites Are Works Of Art. ... And Jesse reckons their oysters are the best you will find in Auckland. Palato In Browns Bay Has The Best Pasta Menu In The City. And their tomato pasta sauce is unrivalled in New Zealand. What Happens If You Ask AI To Create Your Restaurant's New Menu? Luke Dallow did just that for his new Ponsonby Rd bistro, Gigi. But does it work? Birkenhead's Bon Pinard Completes The Set With Duo & Uno. This North Shore wine bar serves up indulgence with a flavour-packed menu. Feeling Blue In Ponsonby. Jesse recommends you head to Blue immediately for the persimmon salad. Food You'll Rarely Come Across, With A Side Of ... Lamps? It was high risk, high reward at this unassuming Georgian-Turkish fusion restaurant.

Bookmarks with composer John Psathas
Bookmarks with composer John Psathas

RNZ News

time25-06-2025

  • Entertainment
  • RNZ News

Bookmarks with composer John Psathas

books music 2:35 pm today Ioannis (John) Psathas is one of Aotearoa's most acclaimed composers. He made a name for himself in 2004 by composing the music for the opening ceremony of the Athens Olympics. From there accolades flowed, including multiple wins at the New Zealand Music awards and an ONZM. He is also an Emeritus Professor at the New Zealand School of Music. John joins Jesse Mulligan to talk about his upcoming "Composer In Residence" role at the Worlds Edge Music Festival, and share his bookmarks picks.

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