Queen's Ferry Hotel

Queen Ferry's Hotel - probably the oldest pub in NZ as they first served liquor on April 19, 1865. Apparently it was a well-known drinking place for criminals back then. Now they have refurbished the place and have added new furniture and decorative wallpapers. Queen's Ferry is a place full of rich history and is definitely known for their good food and extensive variety of drinks.

The bar - usually pretty crowded at night

Addition of new comfy sofas - good for lunchtimes when they get really busy.

Beef Lasagna ($15)

We had the beef lasagna, which was served with salad (or you can change it to fries) and you have a choice of beef or vegetarian. There were many layers of rich beef and cheese mixed with tomato sauce that tasted fantastic. I would say they receive 5 stars for quality however, the portion is a little too small for my liking. They do give lots of salad though, which is a thumb's up for those who want to cut back on their waistline. Or you could screw the healthier choice and change it to fries instead, which is what I always do. Mmm.

The lasagna came piping hot and it seemed deliciously yummy. Upon having the first bite, my tastebuds swoon with joy.

Queen's Ferry Fish & Chips ($19.50)

Upon first glance, $19.50 for Fish & Chips seems quite expensive especially when it's available all around NZ - but then again, it's their speciality. The first time I tried it, I thought it was one of the best fish & chips I've ever tasted in New Zealand. As taken from the menu, the fish they use is, "Monteith's beer battered catch of the day". Not to worry, the fish they use is always satisfying and the skin is really crispy.

The fish is also served with thick and chunky fries which go extremely well with their delicious tartare sauce (homemade). Just like the lasagna, the fish and chips are served piping hot which adds on to the delight of the person eating it.

I like the presentation of this meal - from the huge squared shaped plates they use to the way the fish is neatly stacked on top of the crispy fries. It certainly builds up an appetite! They also give generous portions; this meal is suitable for 2 small eaters or for 1 big eater, such as myself. They do give quite a lot of salad and fries, which are really tasty. Satisfaction is certainly guaranteed with this meal and for the price they charge, the quality here is consistent and Queen's Ferry has lived up to my expectations.

Since this is one of my all-time favourite meals, I think it deserves to have 4 pictures taken from different angles, with and without flash, don't you think?

Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Chicken Breast ($21)

Our first impression of this dish was that it looked rather miserable as compared to my huge portion of fish and chips. This was chicken breast wrapped in bacon and served on parmesan risotto. Personally this dish did not rate very high up in my list because I could not really taste the bacon that was supposedly wrapped around the chicken breast and the rice tasted rather bland to me. I'm also not a huge fan of chicken breast, I prefer drumstick.

Food King commented that the chicken breast was rather soft and did not have much taste. The cheesy rice (risotto) saved the day instead because it was rather tasty. Overall the portion was a little small and we definitely preferred the fish and chips.

Bacon and Mushroom Fettuccini ($15)

My friend ordered this and she was quite satisfied with the meal. The fettuccini wasn't overdone which made it chewy and it went well with the bacon and mushrooms mixed with the tomato sauce. She preferred the bacon with the pasta but I also liked the mushrooms as they added extra flavour to the meal. A classic dish.

Service was good as the food was promptly served. Orders are placed at the bar and Nick, the friendly bar manager is usually there to assist you and he can answer any queries you have about the food. The waitresses there are also pleasant and they serve the food with a smile, which makes us feel at ease.

Queen's Ferry is one of my favourite places to go to in Auckland City, as every time I dine there I'm not disappointed. They consistently provide good food and good service and they maintain their standard, which is vital for a restaurant's success these days with most places rising their prices and decreasing their portions.

So far the portions have not decreased at Queen's Ferry and I do hope their prices don't rise. Other than that, I really recommend their Fish & Chips and I look forward to dining there again!

Queen's Ferry Hotel

12 Vulcan Lane, Auckland City

Phone: (09) 3771821