New Zealand’s best hotel restaurants

Lola Rouge, Naumi Hotel, Wellington

When the quirky Naumi brand took over the old CQ Hotel space at 213 Cuba St, I was fortunate to get to stay in the grand Executive Suite, but at the time, the finishing touches hadn't quite been done on the hotel's Asian-fusion restaurant Lola Rouge.
My husband and I did get a tasting platter and were so blown away by the quality, that once it had officially opened, a date night was soon arranged. This is simple food with an elegant twist.
While the mains are a feast, grab a few of the Lola Bites including the char sui baby pork ribs, popcorn tofu and firecracker chicken bao, and settle in with a decent red and a window seat and watch Wellington go by. - Alan Granville, travel journalist