SCORE: 17.5/20

A luxury lodge where you can book in for a meal is rare, but on this estate nestled beneath the stunning Remutaka Range you can experience the ‘wild, beautiful luxury’ of the surrounds and the menu. Chef Norka Mella Munoz is integral to this approach, using homegrown food plus a community of suppliers to celebrate local cuisine. Despite its aura of exclusivity, a cosy, casual feeling pervades the restaurant. Much of that is down to Chilean-born Norka who takes a genuine interest in each individual guest and knows how to make them feel special. There is no ostentation here, just a really good cook who does things with soul, making diners feel as if they’re eating in someone’s beautiful upmarket home. On our visit, confit kingfish on a sensational brown butter hummus was beautifully presented; crayfish came poached in a vibrant tomato water and perched on a braised bed of fennel; and a perfectly executed lamb Wellington held the flavours of the estate front and centre, surrounded by roasted vege hand-picked from the kitchen garden with a beetroot ice cream that was both unexpected and outstanding. Down-to-earth and gracious, Norka may hail from South America, but she has the art of Kiwi hospitality mastered.