one tree grill

had lunch with a girlfriend and it was most enjoyable. good consistent friendly service. as a long term onetreegrill customer (nearly 15 years!) i do still enjoy the food and atmosphere but find the prices on the steep side for what/where it is, particularly for lunch. the pork belly was beautifully cooked but needed more moistness and sweetness in the other components. will probably visit again due to location but you can spend the same money on a much better level of experience in other parts of town.

i’ve passed onetreegrill many many times on the way from and to the airport. as solid as a meredith or french café, it’s been standing for years but never with the hype of the other two. needless to say, i was excited when zomato invited me out for a meetup.

upon arrival, i loved the variation of the seating options in the restaurant. yes it is a low-lit white tablecloth restaurant, but well thought out concepts break up the suffocating formality that normally lingers around these restaurants. for one, a large fish tank brightens the friendly booth areas suitable for groups of 4-6. also, below your feet lies an impressive wine cellar that glows through glass ceiling.

while waiting for others to turn up, we were invited to sit on the soft couches next to the fireplace - lifesaver given the recent cold snap in auckland. after the crew all turned up, we were lucky to be seated at the private room around the back with beautiful warm wooden hues. although we were there for a degustation menu, we were given these ipads to play with. onetreegrill is the first restaurant that i’ve been to with ipad menus. perfect for visual people like me who glaze over at words. 

first course: we kicked off with a smoked duck and sweetcorn soup – great for the recent cold snap in auckland. the texture was smooth and velvety with a beautiful fragrance from the duck. i don’t normally like ordering soup for fear it’ll fill me up but not soon after the soup was served, you could hear the scrapping of spoons from everyone trying to get the last drop of deliciousness from the bowl!

second course: the tea dusted seared tuna was done perfectly the way i like it with the outside lightly seared so the middle is nice and pink. my favourite was the beautiful pops of wasabi roe giving it a light and fresh touch. paired with the sweet riesling, it contrasted with the subtle flavours of the tea. 
  
third course: venison carpaccio with pecorino, capers, truffle oil. it was a real flavour hit with the pecorino cheese being quite strong. our conversation turned to the topic of edible flowers and whether you would eat it as part of a dish. would you? personally i don’t mind smaller ones but i only had a nibble of the fuchsia before i wrinkled my nose and forked it aside. there was no real taste, but it was just too big for my liking!  

fourth course: black angus eye fillet with grilled sweet corn and black garlic. my favourite. simply satisfying with the black garlic being the most intriguing part of the dish - caramelised and tangy. the portion was so generous it could have served as a main itself instead of being part of a degustation.

fifth course: strawberry bavarois with meringue, mint gel, strawberry balsamic and pepper sorbet. hello dessert. and hello dessert wine! i loved the pepper in the sorbet – not enough to make you breathe fire but it left a playful tingle on the tongue. 

a special mention goes to the thoughtful wine matches. i should have known how serious they take their wines with the dedicated underground wine cellar but i was so taken back by how the pairings actually made so much sense. i’ve never had wine matched so well that it elevated the food and brought out the contrast in the flavours.

service was never obtrusive and our conversations gelled with the waitress every time she discreetly came in to serve us. 

i would recommend onetreegrill if you want to show off fine taste to business clients or for special occasions. it isn’t too pompous and formal, and the service would never make you feel that way.

it was a real treat to meet up with other bloggers. thanks zomato and onetreegrill for hosting us!

i had dinner here a while ago with my husband! was very impressed with the settings and the electronic tablet menu. the bar is a nice touch too and i'm glad they managed to fit it in next to the dining area. i mean with the price onetreegrill is charging might as well make the dining experience worthwhile.

i've heard a lot of good thing about this place and i can clearly see why. if you don't mind throwing the bucks out for a good fine dinner then i do recommend onetreegrill. it saves the trip to city or ponsonby if you are local in epsom.

visited onetreegrill after meaning to dine here for quite some time.

we were pleasantly greeted and seated in an adequate fashion.

we ordered our entree and main.

whilst we waited a cute little cup of complimentary mushroom soup was provided. this was a nice touch we thought.

5 minutes later, the entree arrived in a timely manner.

thats about where the pleasant experience started to take a turn.

we arrived at 8:15am and the restaurant was not exactly packed to the brim.

40 minutes after our entree, the mains finally arrived. by this time the anticipation of waiting for a lovely meal had disappeared.

although the food was really we'll presented and tasted excellent, i feel it was over priced by about $10 per main meal. for what we received anyway.

when paying for the meal we were asked "how were your meals?" by the front of staff. my reply was "very nice, although the mains took 40 minutes". we were then advised that the reason why the meals took so long was all other restaurants microwave their well done steaks, but they cook theirs in the pan. pffffffffff, what sort of an excuse is that! i have eaten at many fine restaurants and have never had to wait that long for a well done steak. i'm sure other restaurants would not like to be thought of, of microwaving their steaks!

all in all, the experience was tainted by the long wait and i won't be thinking of onetreegrill for my next dining out experience nor recommending to friends or family.

my husband chose onetreegrill to surprise me for date night and i have to say that i think it is one of auckland's better kept secrets. situated unassumingly at one of pah road's many intersections, parking was free and easily located in the side streets. we entered the restaurant and we were immediately struck by the cosy ambiance, ideal on a cold autumn night! we did notice the use of bifold windows however, meaning in summer the entire front of the restaurant could be opened to let in the breeze. the most striking architectural feature has to be the glass floor panel showing the extensive wine cellar below.

we sat and were quickly given our menus, surprisingly given through an ipad app. the menu therefore had accompanying pictures and i wondered whether each dish would have similar presentation. we ordered bread for our starter, and found these rolls ever so slightly on the too-crusty side but still definitely edible. better luck was had with the mains, with the pork belly tender and delightful while the salmon was cooked perfectly with a delicious crispy skin. we ordered accompanying sides; the roasted beetroot and the green beans, both were delicious. at this point we were surprisingly full and split a plate of petit fours between us; the truffle being by far the most delicious of the four. to accompany our meals we both selected from their craft beer menu which endeavors, without being extensive, to cover a wide range of beer.

the service for the most part was spot-on, as you'd expect in an establishment of this quality. the maitre d' seemed a little flustered upon our arrival (something we assume was nothing to do with us) but our wait staff were attentive throughout the meal. my one little niggle would be that the waitstaff seemed to disappear after bringing us our dessert - i always like to be asked if i would like a further drink or indeed, the bill.

this restaurant would make a fantastic place to bring that date to make that special impression. while it is kid-friendly (with a children's menu and even high chairs) i'll be waiting a fair few years before i bring our ratbag along!

taste - 4.9/5
service - 5/5
ambience - 4.9/5

i can finally say i've been to onetreegrill after all the rumours of how good this place is!

appetiser we got the 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝘄𝗻 and broooo thr prawns were cooked at perfection with the fresh sweetness lingering around your tongue!

here we have the 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗶𝗼 and 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝘁 𝗹𝗮𝗺𝗯 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗹𝘆 as the entree! the didnt expect the carpaccio was salted at the right degree of saltiness and with that dollop of duck parfait and pickled red onion i cried.
the lamb belly was a ted oily from the layer of fat ;) i love coriander by the way so if you do this is the dish for ya!

that 𝗛𝗮𝘄𝗸𝗲'𝘀 𝗕𝗮𝘆 𝗹𝗮𝗺𝗯 𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗽 though! the dish may look simple but you have no idea how soft and tender that lamb is. it was literally the best lamb rump i had in my past 25 years. the 𝗯𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗔𝗻𝗴𝘂𝘀 𝗿𝗶𝗯 𝗲𝘆𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗻𝗲 was cooked at medium as recommended by the chef and the beefyness taste was definitely there. a side 𝗯𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝘂𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀 would definitely do the trick!

lastly, my heavenly 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗺 𝗳𝗲𝗶𝗷𝗼𝗮 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗳𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘀 f m l. o my. i was so speechless when i took my first bite! the pistachio white chocolte sauce was so light and that feijoa cake with feijoa compote i died. i turn into a beast when it comes to feijoas and i became a hulk when i had this dessert. recommend 999/10. lastly the 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝘂𝗹𝗲𝗲! i have no words after my feiojoa clafoutis so you can try it yourself hahahahha

one of the bests restaurants for fine dining. when we think of good food and best service, onetreegrill is always in my mind. this is my fourth time and i will keep on coming back either for degustation menu, first table or just dining out.

ambiance: classy yet cozy.
service: knowledgeable, professionals, warm & friendly.
food: tasty, good portions & well-presented

review: consistently perfect!

if you are in epsom, you could stop by onetreegrill for dinner. food and services are both really good here. ambience also very warm and perfect for romantic nights with your loves one. 
food 4/5
ambience 4/5
service 4/5

from the underground cellar to the tablet menus, onetreegrill set the scene! we had a fantastic evening, and enjoyed the modern yet relaxing atmosphere. the service was impeccable with food to match; a great place for any occasion. an added bonus of being in close proximity to stardome observatory for date night!

the most amazing experience at onetreegrill a few months ago. greeted with an inviting ambience from the moment you step inside to the warmth of the fire, each detail makes for an effortless experience. the venison tartare was to die for and sets the bar exceedingly high for other eateries, as does the rest of the menu. provided with your own interactive tablet, each on screen selection displays a beautiful depiction of the dish you’re contemplating and is complemented with a recommended beverage pairing - you literally could not ask for more. thank you to the staff and for making this a night to remember.

so here we are, the crowning jewel in auckland suburban dining in epsom.

it’s a midweek dinner in what is known to be one of auckland’s finer dining experiences, this is not the norm for us, nor is it a special occasion. a work colleague was heading overseas on holiday and had a $50 voucher to onetreegrill and didn’t want to see it go to waste, thanks karen!

onetreegrill is constantly brought up in conversation and magazine articles as one of the top 10 restaurants in auckland, i can tell you from one glimpse of the menu that they’re prices are certainly in the top 10, now, let’s see if the experience can match …

their entrees are priced from $26+ and the mains are $42+. this pricing immediately puts them in the same company as the french café, the grove, clooney and  sidart.

at this price point, there are two main types of service you can experience while dining out,  warm, smiling, almost loving service that makes you feel like you could never overstay your welcome. or the accommodating professional, to the point, no fuss, efficient and stealth like, ensuring the evening flows flawlessly without you really ever knowing they’re there. and just sometimes on those rare occasions, you get the perfect mixture of the 2. onetreegrill this night provided us with neither, plane waiters going about their plane jobs, no fuss, certainly not a complaint, just nothing that was memorable.

the menu’s arrive in the form of ipad’s ….. not a review or conversation goes by on onetreegrill where this does not get mentioned, quite the talking point, and i take it they like it that way. for me, this schtick emphasises the confusion in this restaurant. it doesn’t match the ambience or the style of the place. if people are talking more about the medium that the menu’s are delivered rather than the food/service, that’s a concern for me.

lastly, the food.

the seared scallops were roll your eyes to the back of your head yummy, blissful eating.
  the lamb belly entrée has a lovely sear and with the garden peas to accompany, made for the perfect winter entree. 

it is once in a blue moon i order steak at a restaurant. the black angus rib eye was cooked to perfection, for $48, i would expect nothing less …. but …. i would expect a little bit more, as that’s all my $48 got me, a 450g piece of meat cooked mr.

the other main was the duck, with celeriac, baby beets, mandarin and pine nuts, all condiments gelled superbly, really well balanced, the let down here being that the fat under the duck skin hadn’t been rendered down properly, a slimy, chewy layer of fat with every bite.

i have eaten at clooney, the grove and sidart and am booked into the french café in a couple of weeks, before sid gets his hands on it.
  i don’t say this to gloat, no, i say it so i can legitimately compare onetreegrill to similarly priced restaurants. and my conclusion is that it doesn’t stand up next to the other power players of the auckland food scene. after eating at those other establishments i felt like i had just been treated, i felt spoiled, at some point during the meal, there was a wow factor.  walking away from onetreegrill i kind of felt like i’d been had, like they saw me coming. 

maybe i’m missing something about this place … maybe i don’t get it? am i missing the wow factor?

the lamb is cooked to perfection.
generous portion with a great mix of flavours.
the ambience of the place is lovely, warm and cozy.
this is my second time to onetreegrill and it did not disappoint.

onetreegrill has a lovely cosy feel. food is high end and tasty, although for the price our expectations were a little higher. our waitress was quite short with us throughout the night, and initially and didn’t explain the use of the ipads to us (they are just a menu, not for ordering on). to be perfectly honest, for a similar price we would much prefer to dine at cibo or french cafe.

had the 6 course degustation for my boyfriend and i’s anniversary and it was so good! we’ve come to onetreegrill a few times already over the years and never been disappointed. friendly staff, amazing food. it’s a wonderful restaurant and i highly recommend. my favourites were definitely the salmon and the scallops.

came here last night to celebrate my birthday with my partner. onetreegrill is such a beautiful place. it's modern but also professional. we were greeted and then asked for our jackets. something not all top restaurants do which was a surprise to me. but i really liked it.
the atmosphere was romantic and calm. our menu's were on ipads which i really liked as you could see a picture of each meal in the menu. we were offered some complimentary bread bun with butter and then our entrees has arrived.
entree: i had the seared scallops and my partner had the raukumara venison tartare. both meals were delicious. everything was cooked beautifully and the flavours in both dishes complimented each other.
mains: my partber had tge gameford bodge duck breast and i had the freedom farms pork belly. yet again we were wowed by our meals. both were very delicious, cooked beautifully and all things in the dishes worked well togther.
sides: we also got the sides, which were the agria potato chips(thyme flavour) and roasted beetroot, with pickled carrot and seeds. these side dishes were delicious as well. i really enjoyed the roasted beetroot with the pickled carrot. that was something different but delicious!
dessert: we had the rubard and custard. mmm another delicious dish. everything was perfect me and my partner ate this in probably less than a minute of it arriving.
overall me and my partner loved coming here. we were so pleased with everything we are planning to come again. it's worth the try. such a beautiful place with such professional and nice people.