Auckland Fine Dining: Hectors Restaurant

Hectors Restaurant, Auckland, NZ

As I’ve mentioned before, being vegan in Auckland is proving to be not that difficult. The community of like-minded people here is so warm & inviting, and the number of vegan-friendly restaurants is amazing. Eating at Hectors Restaurant only furthers this point.

After a long, hot day on the beach, followed by a fun afternoon up the SkyTower, Chris, Drew, Mac & I headed down the street to The Heritage Hotel in which Hectors Restaurant is located. I had heard great things about the vegan offerings prior to coming here, but I was truly impressed with the quality & quantity of the dishes available! The menu clearly marks gluten-free, vegetarian, & vegan dishes and even which dishes are their “signatures”. For appetizers, the four of us split two items: Charred Eggplant with Chilli, Mint & Tahini, w/ Kumara Wafers; and Pumpkin and Almond Cheese Tempura w/ Date Puree, Kale, & Apple Salad.

The tempura was delicious! Delightfully crispy & creamy at the same time, and packed full of flavour. The eggplant dip was also delicious and something that I’d love to try to recreate at home!

In the Mains category, I was extremely giddy to see that 4 of the 6 offerings were vegan (and each option comes with its own wine pairing suggestion). I don’t think I’ve ever seen this much variety or this many options on a traditional non-vegan menu before! After tough deliberation, I opted for one of their signature dishes: Organic Tofu & Pea Stuffed Potato (with Roasted Red Peppers & Onions, Karengo, Caper & Golden Raisin Sauce), and Mac ordered the Mushroom Tartlet (with Cumin & Parsnip Puree, Black Garlic, Tatsoi, Cruiton & Hazelnut Salad).

I loved the caper & golden raisin sauce on my dish – it was a great touch of tang to pair with the potatoes & peas. Mac really enjoyed the tart, but especially loved the cumin & parsnip puree (and wished that there could have been a bit more!). Christ ordered the chicken, and Drew ordered the pork belly. Both of them really enjoyed their meals as well.

For dessert (with so many vegan options, we couldn’t skip dessert!!), we ordered Summer Berries (a “signature” dish), w/ Cassis Sorbet, Elderflower Apple Syrup, & Strawberry Macarons. It was tough to choose between this option and the chocolate option, but since this meal was just after our holiday feast, we opted for the lighter dish. It was fruity & sweet without feeling overly rich or indulgent!

Verdict: I’m sure it’s clear to see that I absolutely LOVED Hectors. Their mission statement which appears at the top of each of their menus is something that I truly admire:

“Our food philosophy is based on the ‘Eco Gastronomy’ concept, which has strong connections between what and how we eat and our planet. Where possible we source fresh, seasonal and local ingredients. Our menus offer a wide range of light and healthy options. We believe eating is for the mind, body and soul.”

The Executive Chef, Jinu Abraham is a culinary genius (in my humble opinion!) and I truly appreciate the hard work & effort he has put into this delicious menu. Seeing a restaurant like this in the middle of Auckland’s downtown core makes me so happy and incredibly hopeful that places like this will become the norm in the future. Vegan dishes don’t have to just be boring salads, and Abraham has proved that again and again with his dishes.

If you’re in Auckland, I would highly recommend going to Hectors Restaurant for a dining experience that won’t disappoint!

Practical Information

Executive Chef:Jinu Abraham

Breakfast: Mon – Fri: 6.00am – 10.30am; Sat – Sun: 6.30am – 11.00am

Lunch: 12.00pm – 3.00pm

Dinner: 5.00pm – 10.30pm

Contact: Call 09 979 7434 for information or reservations.

Address: 35 Hobson St (inside the Heritage Hotel), Auckland CBD

(Hectors logo image source)