Deciding on a long weekend away on Waiheke Island off Auckland involved the important research into where to eat whilst there.

This was to be the last trip OS for me before the baby is due or I am too pregnant to fly so I wanted to make the most of it.

After considerable research and consultation with natives I settled on a lunch on the Friday we arrived at Mudbrick restaurant.

There is a nice wow factor on arriving at Mudbrick, with lovely gardens make a welcoming view…with produce gardens also on view.

After being seated near a huge open fireplace with additional heating above us we could see what a great view was also outside the large glass doors.

Having perused the  menu we were served with Bread and Olives, a classic way to start any meal and a

personal favourite. Along with the bread came two small shot glasses with gazpacho ( a nice Amuse Bouche )with a capsicum foam ( in this case the foam worked and was not some kind of add on to show how clever the chef is). A cleansing and very fresh tasting start.

We decided against having entree and stuck to a main only, you never know what desserts might be there to tempt you. I ordered the daily special of Gurnard with Cauliflower Puree and Dauphinoise potato, my friend ordering the snapper from the menu.

It is unusual to be so impressed with our meals that I take out my camera to capture the moment but the presentation was so impressive it was a no brainer.

Along with our meals we ordered some truffle mash…..which almost outshone the mains, but not quite. We did our best but were still unable to finish it all off.

No room for dessert I am afraid, we stumbled out into the wild weather fully satisfied but not stuffed….the food is of a very high standard and fresh…leaving you without the feeling of heaviness that can happen with more processed meals.

Highly highly recommended!!