cazador

cazador is a favourite of my partner's and i went there with apprehension some years ago as i'm not really a fan of game - this places specialty. however if there's a non game lover among your dining group , don't worry , they also do dishes like calamari,chicken and always vegetarian options and we have visited many times now with friends and family. though the menu changes every couple of weeks there will always be duck, venison, and wild pork and usually rabbit hare or pheasant. different cooking methods and sauces keep the menu interesting as chef dariush( son of original owner tony, the hunter) likes to be innovative and there's a middle eastern twist on many of the dishes on our last visit with family our mains ranged from duck with cherries, through pork scotch, venison casserole, to chicken with walnuts. all were pronounced delicious and a couple even managed dessert of berry cheesecake and baklava. the restaurant is quite small and had a revamp a couple of years ago cosy and suburban so easy parking
the prices aren't outrageous for good quality authentic game fare and the service is great, with more family being on the restaurant floor you know they'll be doing their very best for their customers

i loved my evening at cazador. it exceeded my expectations. the staff were very welcoming and helpful, the food was amazing and i can't wait for an excuse to return. the vegetarian meals were just as good as the meat ones and the chocolate sorbet was super delicious. loved the turkish coffee too!

i went there with four hungry colleagues on the recommendation of one of them who is a keen hunter and fisher. we walked in through the tiny entrance and thought "yikes, what's this going to be like?". when we entered the dining area we were greeted by two gorgeous women who seated us in the middle of an empty room. the room is something to behold. a sort of cross between the coen brothers in albuquerque and david lynch's one eyed jacks. i felt excited and hungry. the menu is a wondrous array of game/out-of-the-ordinary fish dishes. whole sole pan fried to perfection with a caper sauce was a highlight. poussin with spanish rice and artichokes, again, right up yours truly's alley. we ordered 2 x duck fat spuds which were a little soft but good, one of each other salad (best beetroot i've ever had) but also tried the bone marrow (stunning), poussin hearts (pretty bloody good) and pheasant terrine (outstanding). the wine list is beautifully complementary and so's the service. we love you cazador. five dudes, blown away, wanting more. x.

cazador is not for the faint-hearted. it's auckland's only game restaurant, and if you don't like meat, its probably not the destination for you. the night we visited, head chef dariush has some delicacies such as lamb sweetbreads, smoked duck and venison starring in the menu. don't be surprised to see various incarnations of offal appear.

the menu changes every couple of weeks, to accommodate the seasonal produce and the fresh game, which is often supplied by dariush's father, and previous chef, tony. if you're a hunter yourself, you can bring your catch along & the chef will prepare it for you with a bit of advance warning. however there are some dishes that must stay on the menu to please the loyal regulars to this place. there are almost always dishes of wild boar, duck and hare to choose from.

the wild boar on the night we visited was absolutely delicious and cooked beautifully. my entree of smoked duck fettucine was also sublime, and one of the members of our party was convinced to try the lamb sweetbreads, served as a ravioli. he found his first venture into the world of offal very pleasing, and really enjoyed the dish.

you couldn't review cazador & not mention the decor. plastered walls adorned with all manner of animal head trophies will watch over you as you eat. this 70's kitsch is not for everyone, but it fits the vibe of this restaurant.

cazador was recently welcomed into metro's top 50 auckland restaurants, and i totally applaud this decision. well deserved.

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i went to cazador this very spring evening with family and experienced a dinner that started and ended on a high note. the thing is, there was no low note.
we liked the eye-catching decor on arrival, and had a lovely welcome and introduction to the food and drinks menu by staff.
choosing some middle-eastern breads to start, we then went straight to the mains (although the entrees looked very tempting). presently the table was filled with a handsome assembly of poussin hearts, spanakopita, venison, and a generous hare loin for two with side dishes of carrot salad, roast beetroot, asparagus and rosemary potato. each dish was ridiculously good, and everyone smugly thought that theirs was the best (but mine clearly was).
for dessert, i ordered a beautifully dark chocolate mousse with orange confit and pistachio. smooth, bitter and sweet with crunchy salty bits - yum!
staff were consistently friendly and on hand with insight and recommendations throughout the evening, which was very helpful.
in short, the whole dinner experience was incredible. we found cazador restaurant to be sincere, full of deliciousness, with a lot of charm, and we will return soonest!

myself and a group of friends booked a table at cazador at late notice recently and had an excellent experience. the wait staff took extra good care to make sure we were happy with starters and drinks in the bar while we waited for our table. the food was well cooked, well presented and delicious. the sides, unlike so often when they are bland additions to the main affair, were well thought out and super tasty also. desserts are definitely worth saving room for, even if you share. all in all a lovely, relaxed but special evening. thanks for squeezing us in last minute, we'll definitely be back again soon.

my husband and a group of friends dined here on one of cazador's wine and food matching nights.
such a great experience! the atmosphere was warm and welcoming, the food interesting, perfectly cooked and absolutely delicious, i would have licked my plate if there weren't so many people there! will be returning in the nearest future

myself and two friends popped in to cazador on short notice. we were treated exceptionally well by the staff who obviously knew a lot about the wines and food they serve.

we started with a very nice boutique beer that they had in, then took their wine recommendation. a fantastic pinot noir.

my partner had a meal of hare liver, kidney and hearts, was one of the nicest tasting meals i have tried in ages, and i was jealous that i hadn't ordered it myself.
i had braised hare legs, which were delicious and gamey tasting.

if you like more familiar meats like beef, pork and chicken then that is fine, you have those options at cazador, but i can have those items at home, so i like to try something i can't experience elsewhere.

if you do go, and want to be adventurous and this is your first time with wild food, then ask for help from the staff.

an absolutely deceiving and appalling experience.

came into the place impressed by the trophies and animal carcasses stuffed into the place and the claim of a "game restaurant". i at once imagined something hearty and impressive akin to the claims they were making and was looking forwards to being impressed by the food.

unfortunately when the meals turned up, it seemed they were intending to feed a hunter closer to the size of a housecat - and even then i am almost certain my cat would eat a portion larger than that i received.

half of the meat was essentially raw and cold, there was little to no accompanying vegetables, even with the addition of a side dish. i would have found the situation hilarious if i hadn't of been paying such ridiculous money for such an average meal and experience.

if cazador feel they want to play at being a "fine dining" establishment, then they need to up the decor, which is at best tacky and state "fine dining" instead of "game restaurant" - and even then the food wouldn't be up to standard.

perhaps "an entire menu of overpriced starters and appetizers" would be more suitable.

overall an absolute joke of a restaurant. be prepared to waste a lot of money - factoring in the additional meal you will require post "dining".

will not return, or recommend to anyone.

we returned after last dining here a couple of years ago and because of the wide variety of dishes on offer. our party of 4 was disapointed over the relatively narrow range of dishes on the menu.two of our party ordered the special main wild boar only to find, the last portion had been sold and we ordered at 7pm-not good enough i believe. the entree poussin hearts was small and served on a tiny dish. small portions of side vegetables for a group of 4 better suited to two persons and an extra $6.50 for each of the three dishes too expensive. prices are now quite expensive and mark up on wine and beer very high-$65 for a bottle of sparkling wine far too high.did not order desserts given narrow range and lack of satisfaction up to that point.
very disappointing evening given our previous experiences and high expectations. overall portions small but prices high and not good value for money -will not be returning which is unfortunate given our previous enjoyment of this restaurant.

this is it. if your a hunter gatherer this is world class. unpretentious, casual and cozy, its about game food that the owner has a passion to hunt. that's why the food here is so good. there is heart and soul behind this. try it, worth every cent.

this is the kind of place one would go to if you are looking for a real change to the mundane atmosphere, choice of cuisine to spend a quite relaxed evening. very nice and close to the place where i live and that's very comforting. tad on the expensive side though but well worth it.

we had a lovely time here on friday night. took all our own game and a good bunch of friends. the food was beautiful and the chef did it more justice than we could have hoped to do it at home - what a banquet!some great wind choices too. the decor is that old spanish style with game mounted all over the walls. warm and comfortable and casual which we enjoy. the staff include the owners and you really get that personal touch. the chef/owner came to the table to chat as we were about to leave.. this is our second visit and we will be back for more.

very much enjoyed our meal at cazador, the service was great, friendly staff and the food was excellent. a lovely wild game bird terrine and venison to follow for me. a cosy atmosphere, decor is dated but works with the theme, almost spanish is style. nice wines also. we will be back.

i enjoyed this place, cazador, it was easy for me to get to. the decor is cool, for me, a little oldish, even a little spanish.,the game mounted on the walls set the stage for what was to come. both of our meals where superb and for me plenty of food, good wine menu, and the service discrete.