If I were a journalist

Mangawhai was really very cool. Award for most awesome restaurants per capita, outside of Auckland. 

Quality was high, competition tough, but the most highly regarded meal of the trip (and possibly the year, if I’m honest) was at Bennetts. I was blown away by their beef shin, slow cooked in a tomatoey sauce. However, even the shin paled in comparison to the outstanding gnocchi it was served with.

I had gnocchi once at The French Cafe, which if New Zealand did Mitchelin stars, this place would probably have one.

Regardless, Bennetts gnocchi absolutely blew the socks off any other gnocchi that I’ve ever had and probably that has ever been made. Smooth, creamy, yet firm and tasty - it was beautiful. Tiny nuggets of potato heaven. 

Just to top it off, the meal was served with a healthy layer of parsley and good quality parmesan, just to set off all those flavours. Bloody unbelievable meal, if you ask me.

The other two dinners we enjoyed in Mangawhai were definitely notable;

• Smashed Pipi - Delicious homemade pizza dough, topped with good quality ingredients and then baked in a stone oven. I gorged myself on a ‘Hot Head’, Tex-mex beef, choritzo sausage, capsicum, jalapenos, topped with avocado and sour cream. Just what you need after a hard day on the dune
• Frog and Kiwi - No website sadly, too busy cooking probably. Incredible (and legit) french onion soup as a starter, followed by a juicy hunk of rabbit in a rich sauce with fancy vegetables that didn’t look like vegetables. Delish! 
• Sail Rock Cafe - Hyped up their mention in the NZ Lonely Planet for their salt and pepper squid. C decided to try it, just to see, and it was admittedly the best squid I have ever had. I was astounded to find myself saying “This could not be cooked better if they tried” - a hard feat if you know how difficult it is to cook squid correctly.