Auckland's first InterContinental hotel is gracing the city with a luxury yet casual eatery, Advieh. It's serving up a Middle Eastern fusion of food with a New Zealand twist. Avid diners need not worry, you don't have to be staying at the hotel to sample Advieh's fare, with the restaurant open to the general public as well.

Advieh is the brainchild of UK-born chef Gareth Stewart, who has served his time at various dining hot spots around Auckland, originally making the move to New Zealand to head up Soul Bar and Bistro, before making his way around the kitchens of Jervois Steak House, Euro and Adiamo.

Each dish is designed to be shared with the table, with the dinner menu divided into snacks, starters, mains and desserts. The snacks and starters may be on the smaller side but still pack an intense flavour punch, with Stewart serving up paua-stuffed dolma, crispy hay-like kataifi rolled around fresh seafood and delicate pieces of wagyu fashioned into a shish kebab.

The main course is not just a meal — it is a performance. The talented waitstaff and kitchen team carve tender wagyu off the bone and succulent pieces of duck right in front of you. The dishes are simple yet delicious, with other options including fried market fish, Kawhia Coast flounder, lamb neck served with Advieh's signature pickles and grilled eggplant sprinkled with black tahini and caramelised whey.

Lunch is a pared-back version of the lengthy dinner menu, with a shorter list of mains, including Wapiti deer accompanied by sausage made in-house and a wagyu flank steak served with beetroot molasses and smoked buttermilk sorrel.

For breakfast, Advieh has created its own spin on your classic hotel buffet, offering diners anything from its continental menu as well as one item from its brunch menu. While the breakfast menu may appear like a standard brunch fare, most meals are served with a unique twist. There's avocado on toast, except the toast is swapped for a pretzel, as well as a smoked kahawai omelette and eggs benedict, served with pastrami, mustard hollandaise and pickles.

Advieh Restaurant and Bar