Favourite restaurants in New Zealand

"Wellington’s own slice of Buenos Aires. The ambiance, the delicious wine, the tapas and, of course, the ungodly amount of meat available on the Parrillada (a meat sharing platter featuring no less than 6 different cuts of meat) make this restaurant one of my very favourites in the city. Fear not, however, if you’re not the carnivorous to the point of bursting type, as el Matador has one of the most exciting and unique tapas menus on offer. The vegetarian Empanadas are an absolute must, and who wouldn’t like the sound of broad beans with prosciutto, cos lettuce and cream?"

"There is fierce competition when it comes to Thai restaurants in the capital. Off the top of my head I can think of 5 restaurants squabbling for own hard earned within 5 minutes walk in my particular part of town. Having frequented most of these, Phu Thai is the one I return to most often. Their Pad Thai is to die for, whilst the spring rolls are fresh, light and flavoursome. Housemates regularly come back with a takeaway, whilst BYO is also available. Perhaps more suitable for a group booking, as evidenced by the large groups dining away on weekends, yet weekdays are more intimate. Would definitely recommend taking your own plonk, however, as their drinks list is nothing to write home about."