April 1, 2016
When evening came, we had a final hike to do: the climb back up through Punga Cove Resort to its main restaurant.
The restaurant building is like the rest of the resort: older, a faded yellow color, with some cute, funky murals along the walkway below it. We were expecting homey backpacker-style dining area inside.
Thus, it was quite a shock to open the front door and find a beautiful, somewhat elegant-looking dining room. It felt like we’d gone through a wormhole to another restaurant! Lanterns hung from the ceiling, and the tables were bathed in candlelight. The sliding glass doors opening to a wrap-around deck made the astonishing view the main feature. We chose a table next to a glass wall and spent our first few minutes gaping at the view, then taking turns going outside on the deck for photos.
The setting and scenery were so incredible that we no longer cared about the quality of the food. But as it turned out, the food was as amazing as the scenery. The green-lipped mussels and blue cod were delicious, and the steak was as good as it gets. Then there was the baked cheesecake, which we had to agree had bested our favorites in America. The service was also top notch.
I know I’m gushing on and on about this restaurant, but it was such a surprise. It seems they have a new chef; so maybe they don’t have a following yet. This was not only one of our best dining experiences in New Zealand, it was one of our best dining experiences ever.
Above, a gallery of photos from the Punga Fern Restaurant (click to enlarge and scroll) and below a panorama taken from the deck. –Cyndi
