sails restaurant

we've been to sails restaurant about three times prior and each time had been enjoyable experience. writing the review this time based on the voucher deal we got for degustation for two at sails.

as we've never had a degustation dining experience before we weren't sure what to expect, and our biggest concern was regarding the portion size (from reading degustation @ other places). i can say that this is not a worry at sails, the portions end up just right (the angus will fill you up) and the dessert wine we decided to have with the baked lemon creme was something i'm missing now as i'm typing this review. the voucher was worth it ($120 for two) and i'd definitely come back @ full price for aspecialoccasion, and possibly with the paired drinks option!

always amazing. we come here for thespecialstuff, birthdays, anniversaries, and just cos. they are always, always impeccable in food, service, atmosphere, views. sigh
the seafood and lamb is always good. only had one dish i didn't enjoy so much, the duck, mainly cos there was so much of it and i am not such a big fan of game. beautifully presented meals, and you certainly get our money's worth. i'm a huge fan!

i definitely highly recommond sails to my family and friends. we had a wonderful evening, amazing harbour view, large portion and delicious dishes, the matching wines were perfect, good service, reasonble price and easy parking. sails always be the one of my first choice forspecialdays.

“mmmmmmm mmmmm”…

… was the audible sound, along with “delicious” that came out of my darling’s mouth when he took his first bite of the breaded scallops.this is high praise! my darling is not easily impressed but from the moment we were welcomed by the friendly host/owner bart we knew this was going to be an exceptional experience.

highs : glorious city of sails marina location & mmmmmm food – every course was delicious : )lows : the waiter whisking my last drop of wine in my half bottle away : (dog friendly : have some time out from your fur babies and enjoy!

we signed up for zomato gold and it already paid for itself with our entertaining dinner at daikoku. we were really excited to see sails offering a 1+1 food offer, we had not been in years and it was a good excuse to go back as it has such an excellent and reliable reputation.

the team were so helpful and gave some good advice on the chardonnay. they offer half bottles which aren’t found in a lot of establishments, and it was the perfect size for me as my darling doesn’t drink. i went for the 2016 ata rangi craighall chardonnay and was pleasantly surprised when the 2015 was presented - lighter, sweet but slightly oaky (bob campbell awarded it 5 stars!) and quite sublime. 

starters were breaded scallops and prawns, crayfish mayonnaise with potato gnocchi, carrot puree and burnt brussel sprouts. mmmmmmm mmmmm… delicious! i actually ate the prawns with my fingers and scooped up as much of the last dollops of puree i could. but i wish restaurants would leave the coral on scallops.

main for my darling was sirloin, smoked marrow butter and red wine jus with a side of parmesan truffle oil fries and for me – free range chicken breast, mushroom puree, roasted swiss browns, pickled shallots, potato gnocchi, charred kale and a side of charred broccolini. the portions were huge and meant we could linger longer over each divine mouthful.

i was sadly thinking i would have to take half a star away from this review (if me and my darling did give star ratings), when i was shocked just before our dessert was brought out, the last drop in the $66 half bottle (of which i had planned to savour every last decadent drop) was whisked away. we thought maybe the waiter thought i had had enough (my darling did) but i chased him down and let him know i had not. making the half star up again, he apologised profusely and brought me out a glass of the cape kidnappers chardonnay which had a nose of petrol but a lingering buttery finish in contrast.

dessert was doughnut balls in a bed of cinnamon sugar (a little on the dry side though), melted chocolate and caramel ice-cream. the sweetly spicy scent wafting from the bowl of chocolate cremaux, burnt valrhona, sour cherries, pickled raspberry puree and cocoa sponge was heavenly!!!!!!!! omg we were both in a very happy place!!!!

sails is one of those places, like your fine crystal, luxury lingerie or bottle of vintage wine, that is sospecialyou hiding at the back of the cupboard, saving for aspecialoccasion. when what you really should do is bust it out and enjoy much more often. and, that expansive portrait window over the marina which takes in the harbour bridge, rangitoto, north head and the cbd is just draw dropping on a sunny day! you will wonder why you waited so long.

amazing place to come to dinner. highly recommend the duck. staff are lovely and chefs are amazing at what they do.

high recommend this place for aspecialdinner

haven’t been to this restaurant for a few years. the quality of food remains a very high standard. the ceviche was delightful. cured venison was rich but not too much. beef tenderloin was cooked just right. lovely mix of flavors and the meat were very tender.

excellent service and friendly staff. i am very impressed with the restaurant’s agility, i initially booked the signature menu without anyspecialrequests, but the chef was able to make a last minute change to the entree courses as my friend cannot eat raw meat.

sophisticated dining environment. resided by the harbour with a view of the north shore bridge.

highly recommended.

food: 8/10
food presentation: 8/10
service: 10/10
location: 8/10
ambience: 10/10
price $100 per person

i've been eyeing out their summerspeciallunch menu for a very long time and finally had the chance to go with some friends!

the very fitting name "sails" delivers just that - a magnificent horizon of windows that directly looks out onto the harbour and the harbour bridge! we were seated by an open window that let in a gentle breeze in a very hot 27c degree weather.

between the 3 of us, we tried each of their options from the entree, mains and dessert (3 courses for $45!). food arrived very quickly and were all beautifully presented, generously portioned and deliciously executed!

- ceviche (10/10). amongst one of the best ceviches i have had in auckland! subtle yet creamy coconut dressing, fresh fish and amazing flavours! this was the highlight of the 3 dishes for me! i wish i can write more about it but i was so indulged in each mouthful and my taste buds and stomach were so happy that i forgot to let my brain think.

- liver partait (9/10). beautifully presented, smooth and rocking the earthy flavours. the crisps that came with it were so appealing too; golden, chunky and looks full of crunch!

- steak fillet (8/10). they didn't ask for how i liked it cooked, i'm guessing they cook it rare by default? it was a bit too chewy for my personal preference, so the seasoning got a bit lost amongst it. the potato mash and mushroom sauce was well done though, i just wished there was more because i am a fan of sauce!

- prawn with spinach risotto (9/10). i had a taste of my friends' and wow! kind of wish i got this instead. it was creamy, flavoursome and hearty! prawns were cooked perfectly and the risotto melts in the mouth. i would highly recommend this!

- creme brulee (9/10). delicate and summery, this creme brulee blossomed with pretty pinks and purples. the creme brulee was thick without being overly rich; it doesn't come inside a cup, yet they managed to perfect the sugar coating smoothly on the edges. the berry sorbet was refreshing and complimented the creaminess of the brulee perfectly! the other condiments such as yoghurt further enhanced the tartness and textures. 

- passionfruit pavlova (10/10). my friend had this and what a stunner. it's by far a usual 'pavlova' - as your spoon slices through, a golden passionfruit custard oozes out, only to reveal a fluffy marshmallow core! the meringue parts itself was not too sweet and the subtle acidity of the custard balanced it out. it has honestly changed the way i perceive pavlovas but i'm still only counting on the one at sail's to be this different. 

service was excellent all-round, our water was filled frequently and everything was done sharply. beautiful location and beautiful decor with beautiful food! i would highly recommend this place for any occassion! 

food: 10/10
price: 10/10
service: 10/10
ambience: 10/10

free car-parking very close to the front door. you need to climb one flight of stairs to reach the restaurant. the first thing you notice is the auckland harbour bridge in the distance. so if you have a window seat which we were lucky enough to have you can get a beautiful view of the harbour and boats. its important not to arrive early as they are busy in the morning setting everything up. they open at 12:00 sharp. there is a fully stocked bar so if you are keen to have a few drinks before starting your meal you might like to do so there. we received and appreciated the fine service our waiter delivered. we had ordered a lunchspecialthat we had seen advertised for $35 pp. the quality of the food was good. however for me personally i felt the portion size was quite small. i will be back to try other items from their menu in the future.

setting is sensational as ever a beautiful day looking out at the marina . my partner and i had the soft shell crab , nice but a little short of taste , the prawn laksa which was really great full of flavour . then the snapperspecialwhich was nicely done with a mixture of sides to go with it. service wise it was pretty good but the constant trying to upsell things did get to be a little much , we really do know when we are full .

good afternoon
bart (and team)

 

on behalf of
my work colleagues and friends, a huge thank you for a wonderful evening.
the food was absolutely amazing, the atmosphere was fantastic and the service
was second to none. all the comments from my colleagues and their partners have
been very positive, they all enjoyed the evening very much, and our host looked
after us with extraspecialattention.  the set menu worked really well for the group of 18, and we all thought it was good value for money too. we would all be happy to recommend sails for any function and look forward to our next visit. thank you again jjj

so far the best seafood restaurant in auckland i've been to. more formal dining and more of a date nightspecialoccasion than a family night out. crayfish n oysters are delicious

we had a table by the window which gave us lovely views of the marina and bridge. the food was delicious and beautifully presented, and the staff were excellent. i could highly recommend this restaurant especially for aspecialoccasion.

very classy place. food is elegant , pricey but well worth it. drf would come back to this place, forspecialoccasions. fine dining at its best. loved it and the staff were awsome and would hand out free taste tests of different meats etc.

i went here for my birthday dinner as this place is so fancy i needed aspecialoccasion excuse to come. i'm a big seafood lover too, so it was hard for me to choose from the menu but i choose king salmon, yellow fin tuna and beef carpaccio and for dessert the warn chocolate fondant. due to this place being right on the waterfront the view is amazing. service was fine, nothing that special. would definitely go back for anotherspecialoccasion in the future.

we went to sails for pre-christmas dinner on a wednesday night. it's a very classic, reserved place with stunning views to the ocean, a nice atmosphere and a romantic environment.

the services on this place are world class with very friendly and well-trained people. 

to start, we had sea scallops and king prawns with chili sauce. the prawns were very crunchy, firm, crisp and with a pleasant texture. the scallops were very fresh, shaped and very well cooked. to follow we had john dory with parsnip puree, broccolini, pea shoot salad, quinoa and lemon gel, saveur duck breast with sweet potato, plum, cavolo nero, radicchio and a side of potato dauphinoise. the mains were divine, perfectly cooked, tasteful and very well presented. to finish, we had warmed chocolate fondant with vanilla ice cream and coffee, little treats (macaroon, creme brulee, milk chocolate, passion fruits tart) and pavlova passion fruit curd, cream. all desserts were also very well done, light with a good presentation and an amazing flavor. 

we absolutely loved sails and we strongly recommend to anyone looking for a reserved and quiet place to have great meals on aspecialoccasion.