White Restaurant

White is located within the Hilton Hotel in Auckland, on the waterfront at Prince's Wharf. The restaurant is on the second floor of the hotel. White marble stairs lead from the hotel lobby up to the restaurant -- which is also all done in white and very minimalistic. It has stunning views from near floor to ceiling windows that look out on the wharf and the bay.

White has an excellent menu and wine list and, of course, prominently features New Zealand seafood, lamb and game and local wines.

On my last visit to White, I had a wonderful cream of asparagus soup with shrimp tartar for my starter (starters are called "entrees" in NZ!). For my main, I had a New Zealand seafood medley consisting of a huge prawn in the shell, John Dory (a local mild white fish), salmon and three types of clams. It was finished with a Pernod sauce that was light and very tasty. Sides were served family style for my group -- new potatoes, green beans and squash. For dessert, I had a tasting of three different creme brulees, a passionfruit, a lemon grass and a boysenberry. All were really wonderful and rank right up there as number 2, 3 and 4 on my top ten list on my hunt for the perfect creme brulee! My wine selections were a Voignier for the entree, a chardonnay for the main and a port for dessert. All were New Zealand wines and were excellent.

White is an elegant restaurant in an amazing setting. If you are fortunate enough to be there at sunset, the view is even more spectacular.