Republic Bar & Kitchen Manukau City

Located in the middle of Manukau Shopping Center complex and surrounded by a few other restaurants and eateries, Republic Bar & Kitchen is a good local place to drop in for a drink or feed. Nice, clean, modern decour with wooden desks and simple black leather chairs. The menu covers a wide range of your standard european choices with an asian influence. We walked up to the bar and placed our orders, a pizza seems like a good choice to go with the cocktails for the night. The waitress was very friendly and told us to grab a seat over in the dining area, and would bring the drinks out to us shortly. The bloody mary I ordered was a pleasent surprise. I can barely taste the alcohol in it (vodka and red wine) and I can just drink this all night long. It's a food and drink in one, like a spicy gazpacho... shame it didn't come with a celery stick though. However, the feijoa martini my friend ordered smelled better than it tasted, we both agreed that it was way too heavy handed and strong, might as well be drinking straight up vodka. Butter chicken pizza, one of those "fusion" dishes that combines our country's love of butter chicken curry, and pizza (no surprises there). It could go horribly wrong, or a brilliant mix of flavours that surprises your palate. I was pleasently surprised with this one, has that "wow" look when the waitress sat it down on the table. Crispy poppadam chips sit atop pieces of tandoori chicken, onions, cashew and peaunuts, coriander, swirl of yoghurt on a thin pizza base with tomato and mozzarella cheese... and the flavour combination works, although it doesn't actually taste like butter chicken though, just taste like a good pizza to me with differing textures. Overall, nice location, ambience and atmosphere with a good menu on offer. However, don't think it's worth the drive for me across town to visit on a regular basis though, as there are similar good places closer to when I live. If you're in the area, do give this place a try for a drink and feed.

I saw someone else's rave describe this place as a "Nice Surprise" and that's exactly what it is! A great looking venue with plenty of seating options. Great bar, or a place to stop with family for a meal. The layout is really successful - if it's empty you won't feel alone, and when it's full you don't feel cramed in.