ADDRESS: Cnr Albert & Quay Sts, CBD, Auckland
CONTACT: 09 884 4200
WEBSITE: commercialbay.co.nz/dine/lodge-bar
Check website for opening hours
MAINS: $36 – $190

SCORE: 18/20

Executive chef Matt Lambert packed his Michelin-star status into his suitcase when he returned home from New York City’s Musket Room and those kitchen credentials still cut a dash. That doesn’t mean it’s all earnest and serious: Lambert’s light, playful approach to food sees dishes that taste as sublime as they look. This is more than a bar – the kitchen serves well-conceived dishes that range from some spectacular snacks through to an impressive offering of dry-aged steaks, accompanied by a drinks list that includes original cocktails and some seriously good wines. Whatever your leanings, start at the raw bar, do. And if you can’t decide between the rich à la carte pickings, you could always take Lambert’s steer and settle in for his five-course ‘Here and Now’ set menu. A slick team of experienced staff bolster the experience.

IN BRIEF: A place that touches all bases

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