[Ruzzle]

Add your review of Di Mare Restaurant and Cafe and be part of the fun .

Contact Details:
Shop 9, 251 Parnell Road
Parnell
Auckland
Ph. 09 300 3260

Cuisine:
Cafes

[Fat Little Hobbits]

We booked through Time2Dine for a party of 5. We really do like this service - Thanks Mike and Di.

Di Mare is located down a brick walkway and is a tiny, rustic building with a comfortable charm all of it's own.

We were welcomed by Marcia, well looked after and the menu is well thought out and prices reasonable.

We all had different choices so were able to compare dishes. A warning though. If you want to order the seafood chowder don't expect the "traditional" fare as this one is more of a tomato and fish soup that took one of us, an expert fisherman, by surprise! He reckons the mornay would be better suited after trying a morsel. He also stated that the mornay was a wee bit burnt, not that I could tell when I sampled it. Typical fisherman I say!
Notwithstanding the above comments we were all very happy with the quality and quantity of food. For once I trusted the chef and ordered my main, a fillet mignon medium rare and was not disappointed.

We had an very enjoyable night and being a tiny and rather intimate restaurant there was interplay with fellow diners and well as our hosts.

Definitely on the "Return to" list

A challenge?
Guess Marcia's nationality!

[Djinni]

As the Fat Little Hobbits have said - a very quaint charming little restaurant.

Food was good and staff were charming - however on the night we had booked there was a large group of 15 odd.

This ruined the whole quaintness and charm of the setting that is meant for more intimate dining. Having to get up during your meal while someone from the next table wanted to get through was not the most pleasant way to enjoy dinner.

[Volnay]

A lovely busy restaurant on a late summer Friday night, with friendly Brazilian staff serving Italian turf and surf. Partner had the chicken livers and loved them; I had the Paella that was rich and full of a good range of yummy seafood. Neither of us could finish, as the meals as they were so large. Limited wine range but you can BYOW. One draw back for such a busy friendly place is that no one wanted to leave; leading us to wait 45 minutes for an open air table and there is not quite enough window shopping to keep one occupied.

[T2DMan]

Hi Michael aka Volnay

Thanks for your review. I have seen Di Mare full to the brim of customers many times.

Anyone reading this - yes you can certainly trust this guy for an opinion on food and wine - yet to see any wine comments, but I am sure that is to come.

Welcome on board.

[Greedy Guts]

Thoroughly disappointing experience, particularly as we were there in a large group and I felt very sorry for my friend who had organised the event. Waitress surly and unhelpful, we were unable to order an entree as our main and were forced to order a main we didn't want to comply with "policy" (alternatively could have ordered 2 entrees?!!) Pasta dishes were small and very uninspiring - far too much canned tomato and little taste. Menu was small yet descriptions were unhelpful and wait staff offered no additional help or advice. Lamb overcooked and wait staff tried twice to give me a dish I didn’t order, and begrudgingly eventually cooked my original order - and it wasn’t nice when it did arrive. Restaurant was not busy for a Saturday night and now I know why. Definitely don't recommend- particularly with their high prices, appalling attitudes and terrible service.

[pandm]

Dined here on chance. Very impressed. Food wonderful-service good. We'll be bringing our friends!