BEST DRINKS LIST
BEST METROPOLITAN RESTAURANT
WINNER
ADDRESS:Â Â Level 2, Commercial Bay, 7 Queen St, Auckland
CBD CHECK WEBSITE FOR OPENING HOURS
MAINS:Â Â $26 – $45
WEBSITE: Â ahirestaurant.co.nz
CONTACT:Â Â 022 524 4255
SCORE:Â Â 18.5 / 20
Location, location, location: Ahi has it cornered. The Commercial Bay setting with its well-spaced tables brilliantly captures unfettered views of the Auckland waterfront. And then, in keeping with star chef Ben Bayly’s promise, the regional origin of the primary ingredient in each main dish is given due prominence. The quail is from Pukekohe, the tahr from high country South Island and it’s Canterbury wagyu served here. Bayly – a master at his game – gilds his reputation at Ahi. His dishes, built around expert technique, look good and eat well. Take the tahr as an illustration: it’s given the tartare treatment and registers as phenomenal on our delight scale. Both the kitchen and front-of-house teams deliver a performance that perfectly partners the expertise of their chef. If that’s not enough to persuade you, the world-class bar is another reason to pay a visit.
IN BRIEF: Ben Bayly’s bright star a stellar success
