Seafarers Building,
52 Tyler St,
Britomart,
Auckland Central
Auckland,
1010
(09) 302 9888
The ViewAuckland Review
Ostro Restaurant & Bar, Britomart - Restaurant Review
Vibe
Occupying the entire second floor of the restored Seafarers Building, Ostro enjoys brilliant harbour views from the front, and urban, inner city views from the rear City Terrace Bar. The ambience is buzzy with lots of overlapping conversations to the fore in the view-friendly Ostro Brasserie & Bar, so it's probably not the best spot for a romantic dinner for two.
Service
Friendly enough, but slightly confused with our order of oysters being overlooked and then doubled up when we enquired about them. It was also a first to be asked to pay a three figure credit card bill without first being offered the opportunity to check an itemised account.
Drinks List
Excellent wine and cocktail list, but a disappointing beer list focused only on the products of a large multi-national brewing company. A couple of Emerson's brews are on tap, but in Ostro-land it's like the recent New Zealand craft beer revolution never happened. If only their professed commitment to local produce also extended to local brewers. Twelve bucks for a bottle of Little Creatures Pale Ale flag some of Auckland's highest bar prices too.
Feeling Peckish?
Dining off Ostro's smaller City Terrace Bar menu, we enjoyed plump Stewart Island oysters ($6.50 each), served natural and in a delicate tempura batter, and superior bar snacks like the calasparra rice croquettes ($14) and braised beef empanadas ($12). Other options included seared yellowfin tuna ($16) with peas, wasabi mayonnaise, karengo and pea shoots, and a charcuterie platter for $18 per person. Everything was very tasty, but note that serving sizes are very much on the small side.
The Bottom Line
The stellar décor, views and ambience of Josh Emmett's Ostro all add up to a flashy, only-in-Auckland experience, but we were left slightly underwhelmed by a few inconsistencies in service and a ho-hum selection of beer.
A Reason to Return
For stunning harbour views and the full Ostro Brasserie & Bar Menu with dishes like ceviche ($16), a seafood platter for two ($150), pasta with duck or scampi ($21-29) or high-end grills, steaks, burgers and pies.
Ostro Restaurant & Bar has been reviewed by 5 users