Settle in for the theatre of dining with a prime view of the pass from almost every seat in this flagship hotel restaurant at the InterContinental. The culinary production, featuring an engaged and enthusiastic team, is directed by executive chef Gareth Stewart who is fully involved, carving wagyu and duck dishes at the table when he’s not overseeing activities in the kitchen. The menu is Middle Eastern made modern and yet manages to champion some of Aotearoa’s finest produce. You’ll be transported to exotic climes with his confident Kiwi take on classics – think pāua and black-rice stuffed dolma with a buttermilk tzatziki. A chicken-liver baklava uses crispy baked filo as a vessel for a silky parfait spliced with the tart sweetness of a sticky cherry sauce, and the super-fresh kingfish is well-dressed with slivers of rhubarb and drizzled with pomegranate, black lime and citrus oil. Desserts are practically compulsory when they’re as interesting as a black-sesame pannacotta with razor-thin shavings of persimmon alongside a vibrant mandarin ice cream – you won’t want to share. Half-pours of wine and small ‘minute’ cocktails (so you can sample more than one of the innovative flavour combinations guiltlessly) are a genius touch. Check website for opening hours MAINS: $37-$128