gusto restaurant

we have been to gusto a few times now and it has become the new favourite. beautiful view, great food for a reasonable price and superlovelyservicestaff who are attentive but not overbearing.
something that i particularly love about tgis restaurant is that the tables aren't all crammed together and the ceiling is higb so you can actually hear those at your table even when the restaurant is busy.
on this occasion we got the scallops with mussel fritters and the beetroot pasta. if we could suggest anything, it would be to add a couple more vege or vegan options - that would make this place absolute perfection!!

i came here with a work colleague. we both had the steak, it was so tender and it just disappeared when it hit the inside of your mouth. the steak was cooked to perfection. we also got to share a platter of breads and dips it was devine. we enjoyed mix matching the oils and dips that they had on the platter for us to taste. a fantastic way to try oils and dips. theservicewas lovely, we enjoyed looking out to the sea between meals.

went to gusto for a brunch - the price was outrageous for an omelette and it was nothing special. let's just say that i waited for a long time for an "average omelette" that should not have cost over $20. ridiculous.servicewas average - a nice view but i think this place needs to step up if they want to charge the prices they are. i don't mind paying for something if it is something i cannot get anywhere else. i don't want to overpay for just average.

beautiful location, average food but really terrible service.
whilst accepting theserviceis usually poor the waitress and manager were particularly appalling when dealing with a steak that was swimming in clear fluid during our last visit. subsequently would never set foot in here again.

went to gusto restaurant as part of a company christmas dinner.servicewas poor, waitresses should have been assigned to our table to take drink orders. food was ok, husband had lamb shanks which were bland, smothered in gravy and the potato mash was not good. my steak was nicely cooked and that was all i have to say about that. my profiteroles were hard and i had to use a fork to hold it still so i could cut it. overall not a good dining experience at all. restaurant was full, understaffed and waitresses were shabby looking and not friendly. there will be no repeat visit!

disappointing dining experience. dined there last thursday night as part of a deal voucher. it was my first time dining at gusto's and i will not be returning as a dining customer.

theserviceitself was fine, but the food was a major let down. i had the pork and my guests had the lamb shanks. the pork was bland, 60% of it was fat if not more. however, this would not be an issue if it were cooked properly where the fat was rendered. the pork was dry and bland. the fat had no colour which suggests it did not get any high heat to render the fat and get any caramalization going.

the portion of the cut was ridiculously large. i prefer quality over quantity. could probably just do with one pork cut balanced with more vegetables and garnish. the two single baby carrots was like a token veg rather than balancing the dish out. which were under done as well. dish was lacking sauce as well.

the other dish of lamb shanks, credit is given in that the meat was moist and tender. they were cooked long enough that the meat pulled away from the bone, as they should. it was a n okay dish.

we had the caramel profiteroles for dessert. the caramel creme was missing which i believe was part of the menu description. if missing, the guest should be told or the menu should be adjusted accordingly.

the creme brulee was good, however the brulee part was rather thick - too much sugar. not much point having praline with the brulee when you've got such a thick sugar coating.

overall, the menu sounded better than the actual delivered product.

i truly love this restaurant. location - excellent, food, wonderful,service- fabulous. we started with an entree was was a perfect starter for the main dish - steak. it was melt in the mouth perfection.

i must admit this is the second time i've been back and already i'm planning my next trip back - the menu is quite extensive and i like to eat (haha).

i can highly recommend the white chocolate creme brulee which to put it bluntly reminded me of angels dancing on the tip of my tongue.

a wonderful dining experience and a great taste of taradise (taranaki)

leigh :)

went to gusto for dinner last night 10th march 2012.....fantastic. the location is the best in town, theservicewas first class...our receipt shows we were served by kimberley so i would like to congratulate her on the bestservicewe have had anywhere....friendly, attentive and smiley......well done.
i could not fault my meal in any way. presentation was nice and the food was cooked to perfection. my entree of raw bluff oysters in the shell was delicious and my main of fish of the day snapper was perfect.
my husband had the entree of garlic prawns...perfect also, and the wakanui steak for his main was the best he had eaten anywhere. it was cooked exactly as he had asked and was presented very nicely....mouthwatering in fact... dessert of tiramisu... what more can i say, was just what we needed to top of a meal that i would say would be the best in town. we would recommend gusto and have to say it was heaven not to have loud music booming out as seems to happen in many restaurants these days.

i just want to say how much i enjoyed my experience at gusto, we sat out on the beautiful deck in the sun with a glass of rose' i had the chiefs special and my sister had the vegetable stack neither of us could find a fault they were both delicious!!!.
i definitely recommend a trip to gusto theservicewas fantastic, the food was brilliant and the location couldn't be better.
thanks gusto, i cant wait to come back :)

gusto - was certainly an experience of two halves. i was in taranaki on business and decided on gusto for dinner. fantastic location on the water with a beautiful outlook, and weird jumping fish in the harbour. started with a nice glass of pinot gris. i ordered the wakanui blue steak with beetroot and kumara, noting the price tag of $39 thinking it must be good. i was asked how well done i wanted the steak by the slightly awkward waitress, and said medium rare (as if there's any other way to have steak!).

the meal came out very quickly, although the presentation was quite odd and not particularly appetising. basically a quartered baked kumara sitting in a pool of beetroot and steak juice with a fairly large steak on top. the steak was very over done, and after i made a couple of cuts, i decided because i was paying $39, i wanted it perfect and sent it back. the second one came out slightly less over done than the previous, but still well over cooked. i must admit i was expecting perfection based on the $39 price tag, so was a little pickier than usual. gusto agreed to reduce the price on the steak down to a more reasonable $25 which i accepted as i was starving by this point.

i somewhat nervously ordered the ginger and vanilla creme brulee for desert. it was a nice textured brulee, although i had to question the chunks of ginger in the bottom, and the homemade chocolate coffee beans and honey walnuts on the side as an odd choice of accompaniment.

all in all, the meal was ok, with the beautiful outlook making up a bit for the poor presentation and quality of the main meal. i left thinking that gusto need to pick a style - local pub serving good honest pub grub at a fair price, or fine dining restaurant with top notch food. theserviceand casual wait staff weren't in keeping with the menu, or the style of restaurant, nor was the food up to scratch for the price tag. i would go back, but only if i thought they could either up the ante or lower the pricing - i sincerely hope they were just having a bad night!

back again for another round at gusto, and it was just as amazing if not better than the last time.

i especially love the chefs special and the fish is always so fresh!

the staff where friendly and the food was served quick which was great for a lunch break.

greatserviceguys, thanks!


----- 12 jul, 2011 -----

i frequently dine at gusto restaurant, and everytime theserviceand food is outstanding. gusto also has an amazing outlook over the port... makes for a fantastic backdrop day or night!

the coffee and hot choccys are good too.

excellent food - nearly everything on the menu looks delicious. have been for lunch a number of times with some large groups and everyone loved what they ordered. can be a little slow onservicebut otherwise a great time had by all.

have eaten here several time for lunch. last night was the first time for dinner. had family over from sydney & thought this was a great setting. the food & setting was very nice.servicewas just a little under standard. very nice young waitress, but too casual, reaching in front of people. made up for only one cold bottle of wine with a free drink, while we waited for the 2nd bottle to chill to have with the main.

a good night.