Ima

Food 4.5 service 4 environment 4
I quite like IMA great combination of the mysterious atmosphere, Middle East food and the waitress gives all the Middle East image. Food is obviously very nice. Will definitely come back therefore recommend to anyone wants to try new things.

We were originally intending to eat at a Turkish place across the road, (which had good reviews in yesterdays paper), but two calls didn’t get returned and we arrived just to see if we could get a table, though they didn’t open till 6 (we were there at 5:45). We spotted Ima across the road, already open and since it had been on my list a while we went over to see the menu. Decided it deserved a visit and went here instead. Even at prior to 6pm, they were starting to get busy and we got the last inside table, two of us on a 4 person table. Just as our starters arrived a couple was in the process of being turned away, when with a glance to my wife I indicated to the waiter, we would be happy to share our table, if the potential guests were keen. They were for sure, and our waiter was very enthused as it seems to be the way of the Israeli’s to share tables. It was certainly an interesting experience sharing date night with 2 strangers, but they didn’t stay strangers for long!
We were seated quickly and our friendly waitress explained how the menu worked. They by default served complimentary sparkling water, which was something a little different, though were more than happy to supply my wife flat water instead.
Before I start, I’d like to make clear, this is my first time dining at an Israeli restaurant, so I am unsure about how things are supposed to taste, compared to how they did, or how they were supposed to be served vs how they were.
Our starter, we ordered the Brik, which sounded amazing, pastry with fresh tuna, spices and a soft cooked egg inside. It was delicious, though the egg was a little undercooked (raw) in parts, for my liking. It was very tasty.
For mains we ordered the ¼ Chicken, and the Lamb Shoulder, along with the sides platters ($ 13 per person), which is a tray of a little of each of the side dishes, presented well and very tasty). My wife went crazy over the exceptionally tender lamb and I was lucky to even get a taste.
The chicken was pleasant. Tender and mostly boneless, fairly heavily spiced (as opposed to spicy). I don’t usually order chicken at restaurants, but it sounded interesting and I wanted to try chicken done in a way I’d never tried before. Next time I’d try one of the other dishes. There was nothing wrong with it at all, just wasn’t amazing. Possibly on reflection that the spices were not distinct enough from each other, to give a clear indication of a particular direction. Hard to describe.
We had eaten fairly well and were pretty full, but the dessert menu just looked excellent, and wanting to say we had tried a bit of everything, my wife and I shared the dessert platter, the highlight of which was the filo pastry cigar with Turkish delight inside. It was pretty wow. There was also a custard, which was pleasant but ultimately not that interesting, and Semolina Cakes with an almond on the top, which again was interesting, but not a reason on it’s own to try again.
It was a good night, and an interesting experience. Wait staff were good, and the place is clearly popular (read busy) by 6pm. You’d likely need a reservation if you intended to dine after 6pm. The space is good and it’s quite possible even when it’s busy, to hold a conversation with someone across the table, without shouting.

I haven’t actually eaten at their restaurant but I tried their falafel pita at Street Eats 2015 at Shed 10. Unfortunately I was really disappointed — 2 falafel and covered in a sour cream yoghurt with no flavour. The girls I were with had the lamb shawarma and weren’t impressed either. I want to give them a second chance and try out their restaurant but impressions so far are far from ideal.

Yum Yum Yum!!! Absolutely delicious! My friend and I ate there last night… and if there are a couple of you — eat up on the table by the kitchen — it was nice and private and we enjoyed watching the guys in the kitchen who were friendly and very efficient!
We had the braised lamb… so soft and tender with a most amazing Potato and Chickpea Sabich… accompanied by a nice big plate of different sides to share — defintely a great place to order dishes to share. Lovely wine recommendations and free sparkling water for the table.
We followed with the Turkish Platter with the most amazing custard… and the goats cheese dessert — mmmmmm — it was a real refreshing meal with different flavours and tastes. Highly recommended.

Ima has been one of my favourite restaurants since the early days when it was located on Shortland Street and we’d trek down from uni for coffee and pastries. Now located in a much bigger space, it’s easily a highlight on the Auckland dining scene. The menu is inspired by traditional Israeli food and you won’t find it anywhere else in the city. You choose a protein and then a huge range of salads come with it. The chicken is amazing but so is the steak. The carrot salad is also a highlight. As far as service goes, it’s fabulous. Ima means mother in Hebrew and it’s like you are in someone’s house for dinner. Last time I was there, my parents spent almost the whole time planning a trip to the Middle East with travel tips from the owner and waitress. It’s definitely suited to groups and the more the merrier because the food is meant to be shared.

This Mediteranean restaurant has two parts, there’s also a deli a couple of doors along. Word has it Gordon Ramsay visited here, and if you look hard you’ll see the photo to prove it — it’s on the wall to the right as you walk in the door. There’s an ordering system here, you choose your meat or vegetarian option which comes separately, then share platters containing a range of salads between you. We tried, lamb, haloumi and chicken. All were great, however the haloumi was the least impressive and I wouldn’t recommend getting that. The wine cupboard was a bit depleted the night we came and we weren’t offered a menu because most of the wines were unavailable. Having said that, we did still have a few choices, but found the wines tasted a bit different to how they were described. I would return here, the salads were indeed delicious and it’s a great casual dining option in the city. Fort Street really is the place to be lately.

I love the vibe at Ima; warm, comforting, homely. I think it’s in part due to the warm tones and soft lighting but also the friendly waitstaff who make you feel like you’re at a friend’s house for dinner.
When I arrived we had already ordered wine from their hilarious and extremely competent sommelier. It was delicious, I wish I could remember the brand but it was a light, fruity pinot noir. Once our whole party had arrived the waiter came over to explain the menu. The food is Mediterranean/​Israeli and is served family style. As other have mentioned, you choose your protein (s) and then for $ 12 per head get a range of salads.
At our end of the table we shared slow-​cooked lamb, sabich (a chickpea & tahini vegetarian number) and roasted chicken. Both meats were deliciously tender. I expected the lamb to be pulled but it was sliced and beautifully-​spiced, melt-​in-​the-​mouth stuff. The chicken had a bit of a kick to it, which I loved but others found to be too much. The Sabich, was the must-​order dish for me — smooth tahini on the bottom and a spiced chickpeas, eggplant, chilli mix heaped on top! The salads were also devine and very generous. Lot’s of fresh herbs, nuts and spices.
Although I have been dying to try their Knafeh (a sweet mozzarella/​pastry dish) ever since I read about in Katherine L’s review, I was so full after our delicious mains that I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Next time…
I’ve got a feeling that Ima is going to be my new go-​to restaurant for group dinners. It’s reasonably priced, the food is delicious and the atmosphere is a winner. The only caveat… you have to book!

Ima like this place. The waiter described the food as middle eastern/​Lebanese. As I was dining as part of group we decided to share a selection of meats and salads, we chose the roasted ¼ chicken, lamb and the Sheikeh (a chickpea dish) with side salads. The salads were fresh and the meats flavourful, although the spice on the chicken tended to over power a bit .
The servers were accomodating and food came out quickly .
This place is good for groups of 3 or more I think then you get to try more of menu.

I’ve been wanting to try the relatively new Ima Deli on Fort St for a while now, and my birthday yesterday provided the perfect occasion when a friend very kindly took me out for lunch.
We were immediately taken with the unusual menu, which features Israeli and Middle Eastern dishes. After a bit of umming and aahing, I chose the Israeli breakfast, which came with labneh, olives, pickles, tahini, free-​range eggs and homemade ciabatta. It was delicious, however not quite enough bread to mop everything up. My friend chose the Malawach, which is like a fried puffy pancake which comes with egg, tomato, sour cream and a mildly spicy sauce (I’m ordering this next time!). Other options include latkes, shakshuka, rotisserie chicken and a cabinet full of colourful salads. The food came out promptly — essential when you’re sneaking out the office for lunch — and the fresh juices we ordered were delicious too.
There is pavement seating outside on the revitalised Fort St which would be perfect on a hot day, although as it was drizzling we sat inside. We were struck by how cavernous the inside area is — they definitely could fit a few more tables in, but as it wasn’t very busy when we were there perhaps they don’t need to. The space would lend itself well to private functions — not sure whether they hire out the space though.
We left very full but decided to come back later in the week to sample some of the sweet treats on offer, and felt pretty happy that we work just 100 metres away.

Had the grilled lamb. Fair to say the people around me had food envy. Great meal. Very direct service which is great. Took a while to come but that’s ok.

I went there for breakfast last week. The food and service were okay, but not met my expectations. The staff told me they have share course menu, so I still want go back to there again when I m not that busy than now.

Possibly one of the best dinners I have had in a long time. I went with my Mum a few Saturdays ago and we were both very impressed overall by the food, service and ambience.
Ima Bistro serves traditional Israeli/​Mediterranean cuisine and it is really one of a kind because you usually only see Middle Eastern restaurants around the city.
The whole team warmly welcomed us on arrival, including the owner herself (Yael Shochat) who we initially thought was called ‘Ima’ seeing as that was the name of her restaurant, but in fact ‘Ima’ means ‘Mother’ in Hebrew. Yael did not mind us asking because she explained that most of her customers think her name is actually ‘Ima’.
Our waiter (young man) was very friendly and talked us through how the menu works. You first choose your main (lamb, chicken, fish, haloumi, beef or a vegetarian eggplant dish) — we chose the Lebanese Lamb Shoulder, slow braised with Lebanese spice mix ($ 15 per portion) and the Roast Stuffed Free-​Range Chicken, with the stuffing being pine nuts, almonds, dried fruits, herbs and spices ($ 16 for a quarter size). The lamb was extremely tender and had a wonderful flavour. But the chicken was the highlight of the night — the stuffing was absolutely delicious and the chicken was cooked perfectly!
Along with your main, you pay an extra $ 12 and receive five sides to share between you and your dining companions. These include:
— Arab rice with lentils, pine nuts, almonds, pistachios and caramelised onions
— Grilled Tunisian carrot and feta salad
— Crunchy, minty salad
— Slightly spicy tomato salad; and
— Seasonal vegetable dish.
These were all delicious sides and perfectly complemented the chicken and lamb. Our favourite was definitely the Arab rice — the pine nuts really stood out and I believe they were toasted as that gives them a lovely flavour!
As for the drinks, they serve wine, beer and a few non-​alcoholic drinks. Yael came over to our table at the beginning to introduce herself and talk about the restaurant and also gave us good recommendations for the wine. My Mum was particularly interested in the ‘Ima’s Pinot Noir’, which is a blend Yael came up with in association with Kim Crawford Wines who produced the wine for her restaurant. It is a blend of three reds and was delicious. I recommend having this wine with your meal and it is only $ 7 per glass — bargain!
We did not have dessert, because, well, we were very satisfied with the meal. It was that sort of feeling when you are content with how much you have eaten. Of course, I usually like to eat to my heart’s content, so this was quite new to me.
Overall, going to Ima Bistro is the best foodie outing I have had in a long time. The service was fantastic and it was a pleasure seeing Yael helping out with the waitressing and interacting with all the customers. The food was definitely one of a kind and this is what made it a truly special experience.

Tried these guys at Street Eats 2014 and was SOLD on their pitas. Well, the insides of the pita, as I don’t eat grains; the falalel was cooked just right, the lamb was tender, and the slaw mixture was great. Well worth the ten minute wait.
I returned to Ima to get the same thing only to find that they didn’t serve what they had at Street Eats, which was more of a cabbage slaw versus the chopped cucumbers and pepper (capsicum) that they had in the restaurant. I was craving shawarma, and didn’t find it on the menu, so I order the Lebanese chicken pita with falafel (I asked for half and half). There was a side dip that was very tasty: olive oil, garlic, coriander, and chili pepper flakes.
This is more of a 4.5 start rating; the only reason it didn’t get 5 stars is because they didn’t have the salad /​slaw that I was expecting from Street Eats.
Will have to return here for dinner to see what else that have to offer!

I was a little wary going to ima, I didn’t really know what I was in for, and to be honest I didn’t always know what I was eating, but it was brilliant! We had a large group of about 12 of us and 3 were vegetarian and 2 were vegan and it wasn’t a problem. Our waitress sorted out our entire meal and was very informative, and the food was great. Loved it would absolutely go back

I can’t believe I haven’t been to this place sooner. It is everything I want in a restaurant. Staff that don’t take themselves too seriously but do an excellent job, cosy atmosphere, shared plates and beyond delicious food. Seriously, the dinner we had was the best I’ve had at a restaurant for aaages.
I’m forever wary of people using the fact something tasted like it was ‘home cooked’ as a positive adjective. I go out for dinner to avoid the home-​cooked taste! I think with Ima I actually get it though. Everything was so fresh and the flavours were just incredible, particularly in the salads. They judge the portion sizes really well also: we followed the waitress’s advice on how much to order for four people, and all left feeling satisfied but not like we needed a lie down to recover.
A new favourite. I am a big, big fan.

Now THIS place is the definition of a hidden gem. I’d never heard of this place until a friend decided to have her birthday dinner here. The atmosphere is great, think comfortable and homey that can either accommodate an intimate date or in our case a larger gathering. Because there was a pretty large number of us I think we pretty much ordered everything on the menu. for starters we had some Turkish bread with an assortment of dips and falafel which was delicious, and then for mains we had haloumi, snapper, lamb, chicken (all to share) as well as the numerous shared bowls which included a variety of seriously good Mediterranean salads and a spiced cinnamon-​y rice which I still dream about.
The menu is designed to encourage communal dining rather than eating individually so it’s good to come with a group where you have the chance to sample more dishes. I can’t even tell you how good everything tastes when it’s all combined on your plate, all the flavors just compliment each other.
We also ordered all of the desserts and the absolute stand-​out of the evening with the knafe dessert, which is essentially dessert mozzarella. I’ve never tasted anything like that before and it’s probably one of the best desserts I’ve ever had. I’d recommend making a booking as the place got packed really fast. While this area of the city is not exactly ahem wholesome after dark, it’s worth braving just to come here. The place was full of chatter and laughter and I don’t think you can ask for much more from a dining experience. LOVE Ima’s!

Where do I start? This is probably my favourite restaurant in Auckland. I loved it before they started doing the new shared style menu, and I still like it now. The mezze platter — I don’t know what they do to the cauliflower but it is MAGICAL (I have a few anti-​cauliflower friends who have been converted). Yael is fantastic — always. She is so helpful and interested and invested and hilarious. I have come here for date nights for two and with a group of 12 for my birthday, and it is never a problem. Delicious. It really doesn’t get better than this for me.

I feel like Ima’s doesn’t get as much cred as it should. It’s middle eastern-​esque food done really, really well. The place is nice and the food is delicious and the staff are really great. The lunch burger is good, as is the haloumi at dinner time. The hot chocolate there is made with I don’t know what, some kind of bloody magic powder because it’s one of the best I’ve ever had. I used to work in town and go there for a hot chocolate nearly every day, that’s how good it is.
The location isn’t too great. I feel like that part of town is a bit off to the side with some scummy, skeezy joints populating it. Parking down there can also be a giant mission. Beware of that Wilson Carpark just down the road. The pricing there is insane. Do not park there unless you’re next level desperate — ie. it’s a thunderstorm outside and you can’t park within a 500m radius.

What’s great about Ima’s is that it’s strongly influenced by the personality of its owner, Yael. She’s warm and inviting and actually really cares about people having a good time. It seems like a place where they really want you to eat, drink, and be merry, and know that food is only a part of this. Yael is always happy to talk with you, and talk about the food, and her place, and anything else really! I’ve had mixed experiences with the food here: some of it has been fantastic, some of it has been fine but not outstanding, but I’ve always felt very welcome and leave in a better mood than when I arrived. That’s not so usual so it’s worth a thumbs up I reckon!
The falefels here are my favourite, and if you’re an egg fan, I have a friend that raves about the shashuka.