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WHAT'S WRONG WITH TAURANGA RESTAURANTS?

17/6/2014

10 Comments

 
Apparently Tauranga doesn't have any top class restaurants. And, what with all that “Fifth largest city in New Zealand” stuff we keep hearing I'm a bit baffled as to why not.

OK, what am I basing this on? Well Cuisine magazine has just come out with its 2014 Good Food Guide, their annual list of the country's best restaurants. And, once again, Tauranga doesn't feature. Nada. Zilch. Not one restaurant. If you like good food this could be considered a bit depressing.

Just looking at it, this is how the main centres fare:

Whangarei – 1
Auckland – 23
Waiheke Island – 2
Hamilton – 3
Hastings/Napier – 3
Wellington – 9
Nelson – 1
Blenheim - 1
Christchurch – 7
Queenstown – 4
Dunedin – 2

TAURANGA – 0


This is pathetic. Either Cuisine has some sort of vendetta against Tauranga restaurants or our restaurants simply do not live up to the standards you can find in pretty much any other New Zealand city. Given that, it's even more depressing that the restaurants in Tauranga are just as expensive as all those “better” ones elsewhere.

I do note that in the section at the end of the guide, under “Local Faves”, there are seven Tauranga establishments mentioned. For the record they are: Elizabeth Cafe & Larder, Flour & Water Eatery, Harbourside, Macau, Somerset Cottage, Tay St Beach Cafe, and The Drawing Room.

And, in case you think this an unusually bad year for Tauranga - in last year's Good Food Guide Tauranga had... zero, nil, no restaurants (and 5 in the “Best of the Rest” section that time).

And in 2012, Tauranga had... yes, you've guessed it, no restaurants (and only 3 in the “also rans”).

What do you put it down to? Are Tauranga restaurants not up to snuff? Is Cuisine biased against the Bay? Where do you go to get the best food in Tauranga (aside from my place on a Saturday night)?

Answers on the back of a postcard (or in the comments section) – enquiring minds and hungry stomachs need to know.

Derek







10 Comments
Arthur Linmead
17/6/2014 10:42:20 am

I thoroughly agree! Tauranga is totally under-represented on this list. Maybe it's a 'best kept secret' mentality at work in the city. The problem is, who can make a living being a best kept secret! Admittedly it;s a fine line between cultivating a reputation and out and out commercialism. Are we allowed to write to this Cuisne plonkers and set them straight?

Reply
Mr Bob
17/6/2014 10:54:28 am

It's obviously just some Auckland snobs who have probably never left the city. Cuisine can go screw thmselves Tauranga has great restaurants and your wrong Derek - they are good value for money

Reply
Tauranga Foodie
17/6/2014 11:36:18 am

Good places to eat in Tauranga? Well, start with harbourside, macau, Zeytin, volare, Mexica, that thai place in wharf street, comida, phoenix and that's just downtown. Those people have their heads up their asses.

Reply
Arthur Linmead
17/6/2014 12:01:06 pm

I'll resist making the obvious connection between where these people's heads are and their "best of" list.

Reply
Tracey
17/6/2014 02:30:07 pm

Restaurants have to pay to enter the annual Cuisine awards - so only some go through the process. Not done on merit alone unfortunately. Maybe none of the worthy Tauranga candidates choose to put themselves into the running?

On saying that, just checked the DineOut People's Choice award recipients for the past few years and no Tauranga representatives there either.

Reply
Derek
17/6/2014 03:18:12 pm

Are you sure Tracey? There's no mention of it in the guide, but it does say "all restaurants in this guide were visited anonymously and the judges paid for their meals". Which doesn't mean to say that they don't, I guess. Dunno. Being the trusting person I am it hadn't even occurred to me that they might...

Reply
Tracey
18/6/2014 11:34:26 am

Yup, pretty sure - unless it's changed recently. This info is from restaurateurs who have entered (and done well) in the past. Most industry comps are based on active entry and usually with a fee. The judges paying for their own meals is also a bit iffy, because they are generally known by the restaurant owners anyway, and the judging timeframe is well known. Yeah, I'm cynical, I know.

My fave Wellington eatery was on the list this year but so was one I find completely soulless and overated (but has well known names on the door). Basically it all subjective.

I do thoroughly recommend heading to Sidart (Ponsonby) for a Tuesday 'test kitchen' degustation tho. Sublime. You would love it.

Derek
19/6/2014 04:50:09 am

I'm a bit disappointed if that's the case. If that's the case then Cuisine should disclose it. But what you say does seem to make sense, depressingly enough.

But the original post still stands - what is wrong with Tauranga restaurants? I assume that the judging, after you pay to be considered, is fair, in which case Tauranga has never had a restaurant "good enough" to make it from the "also ran" section to the main "winners". Not one. Ever.

BTW, you hit the nail on the head - Sidart is my favourite New Zealand restaurant. I've been there my last three birthdays and am hanging out to get back. (Never been to a "test kitchen" Tuesday though...)

barbara
17/6/2014 02:39:21 pm

Well obviously we have the best fish and chips in NZ at Bobbys Fresh Fish Markets...and I guess we cant win em all...But really...are they Serious? Who buys Cuisinne anyway?

Reply
Kymberlee
29/6/2014 03:25:19 pm

I love Spuntino's. They are 10 times better than Auckland cafe's & restaurants with wonderful staff and great food!

Reply



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    As of this latest website update (July 2018) it is clear that Derek is completely failing in his attempt to write a regular diary/blog/whatever. Everything here is currently really old but he's promised again to have another crack at it. Expect something sometime soon... probably...


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