I surprised my husband with a degustation at Palate.

They seated us in a little vip area elevated from the main restaurant were we could see a bit of the action in the kitchen

There were a total of 5 courses plus a really cute intriguing Amuse-bouche. The courses were delicious, inventive and cutting edge.

One course stood out as a little strange to me and it was a wagu beef dish where the wagu had been turned into a form of gelatinous jerky. I didn't much like this one but I applaude the chefs for being so daring.

My favourite course was the desert which essentially was a tasting of apples prepared in different ways. It was lovely to finish up on and a Hapuka dish (my husband doesn't like fish but this ended up being his absolute favourite)

A note on one of the serving staff. I think perhaps we had a new girl but she forgot what the first course was and stumbled A bit. We didn't see her again for the rest of the night.

Palate is not only a restaurant that serves good food. It's an experience. Be prepared for a bit of a
Journey ;)

It was several years since we had experienced this dining treat. Took our daughter and her husband last week. Mat McLean the owner not there, but his sous chef did not let us down. An amazing fun meal watching a well trained and cooperative team working as a team. Brilliant, as was the food and wine and the service. Well done Palate.

This is a top restaurant and well worth a visit. The setting overlooking the Waikato River is superb.

Brought my darling to our favourite restaurant for the degustation menu on our 28th Anniversary. Had previously enjoyed this culinary feast in 2013. Price has gone up 25 % but still an awesome experience. 7 courses with matching wines for $200 per person. Would not do it every day but worth it for a special occasion. Every course was a visual and taste masterpiece. Lamb ensemble memorable, venison beautiful, cheeses amazing, creme brûlée the best ever. Top end wines just added to the experience. Degustation table right in kitchen so enjoyed watching the team pumping out amazing food all night. It even got a little bit Gordon Ramsay at times. Special occasion table served by owner/head chef personally. Great to be totally separate from the rest of the diners. We will be back for next year.

Consistently fresh tasty food in a comfortable and smart setting. We really enjoyed the smoked butter, the little touches like the tree motifs on the glasses, the view of the trees and the river. Steak, fish and vegetarian options were all very good.