I called in on a Saturday afternoon. It was quiet, with just my table and one other table of four. The decor is what you’d expect from a smokehouse, with a very well stocked bar and plenty of tables for larger groups.
The menu is big and promises lots of smoked meat goodness. I settled on the NZ Wagyu beef short rib ($55). On paper it sounds brilliant: a blend of secret spices, smoked for 12 to 14 hours over native woods.
By the time I ordered I was ravenous, and the service was extremely slow. With only two tables in the room, that wasn’t great. Once the order was in, the wait was fine and the food arrived soon after.
I was underwhelmed when it landed. The rib meat was already off the bone, and the bone looked sorry and dry. The salad was bright and well dressed. The mac and cheese looked like it had been made a few days ago.
The taste test matched. The salad was the high point, with a zingy dressing that cut nicely through the rich meat. The meat was “ok”. The fat was mostly rendered but had turned jellied, and the meat was warm, just. The flavour was fine but not the wow I was hoping for. The mac and cheese was genuinely not great. It was dry, with no gooey, creamy cheese, and it had congealed into what was close to one ball of macaroni.
For me the whole plate was sad, apart from the salad. The headline act and the support act were both severely lacking.
You could argue it was a quiet time. My answer is that if the doors are open, the food should be good. A real shame, because I had high hopes for this one.
Details
Moo Moo Smokehouse
7/1 The Strand, Takapuna
Cuisine: Smokehouse
Tried: NZ Wagyu beef short rib, $55 on the menu
