Dining out in a recession need not mean bad food. Nicky Pellegrino finds there's never been a more affordable time to eat out with fine food on sale at some of the country's top restaurants. We've rounded up some of the best value fixed-price menu deals out there.
Cin Cin on Quay
This iconic Auckland waterfront restaurant is doing an amazing autumn/winter lunch deal of three courses for just $22.50. Dine between 11am and 6pm and start with soup and bread, followed by a choice of eight main courses, which include a pumpkin risotto, beef braised in red wine or poached gurnard and saffron potatoes, then finish with a Spanish classic - churros and chocolate.
Where: Cin Cin on Quay, Auckland Ferry Building, 99 Quay St, Auckland, ph (09) 307 6966, cincin.co.nz
What: Fixed-price lunch available seven days.
Sails
With its sweeping views over Westhaven Marina, Sails is the place for a two-course seafood lunch for $39. Kick off with Clevedon Coast Oysters or citrus-cured salmon, then choose between salt and pepper squid or tarakihi fish and chips with a rocket salad.
Where: Sails, 103 Westhaven Drive, Westhaven Marina, Auckland, (09) 378 9890, sailsrestaurant.co.nz
What: Fixed-price lunch available Monday to Friday.
Tabou
A cosy Kingsland bar and bistro, Tabou offers a two-course fixed price lunch or dinner for $37.
Menus change regularly but typical dishes include soup, Caesar salad, twice-cooked duck and gnocchi.
Where: Tabou, 462 New North Rd, Kingsland, Auckland, (09) 846 3474, tabou.co.nz
What: Fixed-price lunch and dinner available Tuesday to Thursday.
The Grove
Its inner-city location and acclaimed modern New Zealand cuisine make The Grove the ideal spot for a three-course $45 business lunch. Owner Michael Dearth says menus change almost daily but on the day I called, it included a haloumi salad entree, a choice of market fish or eye fillet and a selection of petit fours.
Where: The Grove, St Patricks Square, Wyndham St, Auckland City, (09) 368 4129, thegroverestaurant.co.nz
What: Fixed-price lunch Monday to Friday.
SPQR
The see-and-be-seen crowd still flock to this Ponsonby Rd favourite for a table on the pavement. But grab a seat by the fire and for $35 enjoy a long Italian lunch starting with an appetiser of scallops or carpaccio, moving on to a main of risotto, veal or fillet steak and a glass of beer or wine to wash it down, then finish with a coffee and an Italian chocolate.
Where: SPQR, 150 Ponsonby Rd, Ponsonby, Auckland, (09) 360 1710, spqrnz.co.nz.
What: Fixed-price lunch Monday to Friday.
Kermadec
Perched above the Viaduct Harbour, Kermadec has recently had a refit and chef Peter Thornley is now in charge of the kitchen.
His $35 business lunch includes breads, a main of crispy skinned snapper or braised pork belly with granny smith apple relish, followed by a choice of cheeses or iced nougat parfait.
Diners can also take advantage of $5 pre-paid parking - a real bargain in the city.
Where: Kermadec, Viaduct Harbour, Auckland City, (09) 309 0412, kermadec.co.nz
What: Fixed-price lunch Monday to Friday.
Vinnies
Wednesday nights at Herne Bay's fine-dining restaurant Vinnies are an opportunity for the kitchen to get creative with fresh ingredients bought that morning at market. The results are offered in a mini-degustation menu at $70 for seven courses.
It's a mix of one-off dishes and items from the regular menu and might include anything from poached scampi to confit of duck risotto plus an amuse bouche, entree, cheese and dessert courses. Apparently "no one leaves hungry".
Where: Vinnies, 166 Jervois Rd, Herne Bay, Auckland, (09) 376 5597, vinnies.co.nz
What: Mini-degustation menu on Wednesday nights.
Bracu
Take a drive to the Simunovich Olive Estate in the Bombay Hills and enjoy a selection of fixed-priced offerings in Bracu, a country restaurant in a converted historic kauri villa.
The Italian lunch includes a glass of bubbles with antipasti, a choice of mains such as fish saltimbocca style or Tuscan-style Scotch fillet and a dessert of warm fruits and biscotti. Or on Sunday nights there's a special three-course dinner for $48 that's specially designed each week by the chef.
Where: Bracu, 49 Main Rd, Bombay (09) 236 1030, simuolive.co.nz.
What: Fixed priced lunch Wednesday to Friday, fixed price dinner Sunday.
O'Connell St Bistro
This tiny jewel-box of a restaurant in a city back street consistently gets great reviews and has a set pre-theatre and supper menu at $32.50 for two courses and $39.50 for three. Choices include crispy fried squid, Jerusalem artichoke soup, braised beef, seared South island salmon and either an affogato (espresso, ice cream and biscotti) or Tahitian vanilla creme brulee to finish.
Where: O'Connell St Bistro, 3 O'Connell St, City (09) 377 1884, oconnellstbistro.com
What: Pre-theatre menu 5pm-7.30pm, supper 9.30pm onwards, closed Sundays
Soul Bar
Wander down to the Viaduct - pre-theatre or after a show - and enjoy two courses and a glass of wine for $49.50 at Soul Bar & Bistro. Or if you're all about the wine you can opt for one course and two glasses instead. There's a choice of five entrees, five mains and four desserts, and although Soul is known for its seafood, there's plenty of choice for non-fish eaters like corn-fed chicken with Puy lentils or creamed celeriac risotto.
There's also a new French-inspired lunch menu with two courses and a glass of wine for $35 with garlic bread, espresso and Guylian choccies thrown in.
Where: Soul Bar & Bistro, Viaduct Harbour, Auckland City, (09) 356 7249, soulbar.co.nz
What: Pre-theatre menu 5pm-7.15pm, after show 9pm onwards. Set lunch daily.
Tables on the River
This award-winning Hamilton restaurant on the banks of the Waikato River promises to serve a $20 designer lunch within an hour so you can be well fed and back at work on time. The set menu includes a glass of wine, beer or juice, a light main such as pork stir fry with udon noodles or fish and chips, with coffee or tea to finish.
Where: Tables on the River, Alma St, Hamilton, (07) 839 6555, tablesontheriver.co.nz
What: Designer lunch, weekdays 11.30am-2.30pm.
Arbitrageur Wine Room and Restaurant
Wellington's Arbitrageur is set in an elegant, high-ceilinged 1950s building in the heart of the city. There are more than 600 local and international wines available and the two-course $34 express lunch includes a glass of Lake Chalice.
Hearty winter dishes include ham hock and riesling terrine, home-made Toulouse sausage with braised Puy lentils and Valrhona chocolate fondant.
Where: Arbitrageur, 125 Featherston St, Wellington, (04) 499 5530, arbitrageur.co.nz
What: Express lunch Monday to Friday
Logan Brown
Honest, full-flavoured food in the stunning surrounds of a restored 1920 banking chamber is what this upmarket Wellington restaurant promises. And right now they're offering a three-course lunch or early evening bistro menu for $39.50. This includes bread, an entree of salmon gravlax or Kikorangi panna cotta, a main of beef sirloin or roasted tarakihi with vegetables and then a dreamy- sounding chocolate and banana steamed pudding or a semifreddo to finish.
Where: Logan Brown, 192 Cuba St, Wellington, (04) 801 5114, loganbrown.co.nz
What: Bistro menu Monday to Friday lunch and dinner, seven days until 7.30pm.
Toto
Mangia bene in one of Auckland's original Italian restaurants with three courses plus a glass of wine for $45. Toto's Metro lunch offers a choice of three entrees, three mains and one dessert (tiramisu and really, how could you want anything else?).
The menu includes a taste of Toto's signature modern Italian cuisine with choices including fried baby calamari, home-made gnocchi with gorgonzola and lamb on a puree of Jerusalem artichokes.
Where: Toto, 53 Nelson St, Auckland City, (09) 302 2665, totorestaurant.co.nz
What: Metro lunch Thursday & Friday
Rocco
Ponsonby's buzzy Spanish-influenced bistro offers a two-course lunch or dinner menu for $55 or three courses for $65. This includes a selection of tapas, crispy fried calamari, bread, dips and olives to start. Then there's a choice of mains for red meat, fish and chicken lovers or vegetarians (plus vegetable/salad side dishes). If you opt for the three-course deal you'll finish up with a dessert platter to share. Rocco say this option works particularly well for big groups.
Where: Rocco, 23 Ponsonby Rd, Ponsonby, Auckland, (09) 360 6262, rocco.co.nz
What: Fixed price lunch Monday to Friday, dinner Monday to Saturday.
