Star Cafe

By GRAHAM REID for Viva

Tuesdays tend not to be busy nights in restaurants. When we went for a scoot around you could look through the windows of most places and know you would have the undivided attention of the staff and could park right outside - except near the Star Cafe Seafood Restaurant on Manukau Rd. Because we'd heard it was popular we'd booked - fortunately, because even on a Tuesday the place was packed, and for very good reason.

The "boss" was formerly at the Ding How on Albert St, one of the best and most consistent Chinese restaurants in the city. At the much smaller Star Cafe the menu is diverse and interesting. And the welcome as royal as if the place was empty. It's a noisy, paper-tablecloth place, but the food is excellent.

One of the children was initially unadventurous. In that irritating way kids have, she insisted on spring rolls from an impressive entree list of more than 20 options which included crispy skin roast pork, shiu-mai, prawns in ginger sauce, and variations of chicken feet and duck. Still, the spring rolls were excellent, so we forgave her seemingly mundane choice.

My scallops in ginger sauce were huge and tasty, if a little light on the sauce flavours; and my partner's cold chicken and shredded green bean pasta was a treat in its mix of textures and tastes. We'd recommend it.

With a glass of wine from the modest but adequate list, we cheerfully over-ordered from the extensive choice of mains, which includes vegetarian dishes, casseroles and pork, beef, chicken, duck and fish dishes. And, of course, a lengthy seafood menu of crab, oyster, crayfish, prawn, scallop dishes and squid.

The 14-year-old was steered towards the sizzling venison with black pepper sauce which was cooked to delicate perfection. The Queen of Spring Rolls was taken aback by the mountain of satay chicken she had ordered and couldn't get through it. It was also exceptional. And my partner once again ordered something which makes me think I should listen to her more often: eggplant with spicy minced pork and salt fish.

At $93 for dinner for four - including two glasses of wine and kids' drinks - we had a thoroughly good night. The menu rewards the adventurous and we're definitely going back. And we'll book again: I dropped in there on a Thursday lunchtime and the place was almost full. You just couldn't park anywhere.


Open: Seven days, lunch 11.30am to 2pm, dinner 6pm to 10pm.

Wine: Licensed and BYO wine.

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