Le Chef

How how how does this place not have more reviews? If you are looking for breakfast — this should be your go to in the CBD.
A quaint little place with a lovely ambience inside, and a very french feel outside… you can’t go wrong! My friend had the french toast, and she loved it (even with her odd pairing of avocado on the side). I had the SWAG — salmon, waouh, avocado and goat cheese. such an amazing combination (although I’m still trying to attempt to figure out what the waouh stands for… besides making me go «woohoo» when the plate arrived). I could’ve used some salt, but that’s likely just me… and always wanting some salt.
So really, the only two things I’d suggest for improvement to the management (and these are patio specific) — would be to make sure the tea pots are hot, hot, hot (and maybe add a tea cozy?!) when they come out on a chilly morning (as our tea got cold suuuuper quick), and consider sprucing up the tables with some spiffy pillows. I think the metal patio sets (while awesome and funky coloured) might be steering folks away due to their «cold» appearance.
Regardless — if you are popping through the area wanting a really lovely breakfast — definitely try this place out (and if you think it looks cold — just go inside… it’s toasty in there).

We are truly spoilt for choice when it comes to dining out in Auckland, in particular the CBD. But I suppose there is one cuisine which is lacking — French. Thanks to Le Chef, that void has now been filled! At Le Chef, they are all about using fresh and seasonal produce and you can sample their delicious food for breakfast, lunch and dinner!
I dined at Le Chef this week for a foodie meetup which was fantastique! We were there to sample dishes from Le Chef’s dinner menu, as well as a few preview dishes from their upcoming Friday event, La Longue Table Du Chef*. Translating to ‘The Chef’s Long Table’, 120 people will dine together at one big outdoor table, devouring three courses of French food and drinking French wine — to me that sounds like a fabulous night!
We all started with a glass of Verve du Vernay — a light French sparkling wine, while the owner, Édouard Le Goff, told us briefly about Le Chef — they opened their first restaurant on Victoria Street about a year ago, but after a space became available on Vulcan Lane, they seized the opportunity. Édouard says Vulcan Lane definitely gets more foot traffic and from my experience, the atmosphere is always buzzing, whether it is during the day or at night. They have only been open for six months, but no doubt they will continue to do well!
We were then introduced to the Head Chef, Grant Kitchen, who has had experience working in restaurants all over New Zealand and last November, he joined the Le Chef team. An amazing array of dishes subsequently followed…
— ‘Champignons a l’ail’ — Garlic mushrooms with truffle crème, pomme de terre (potato) and confit tomatoes
— ‘Saumon’ — Lightly cured salmon with caviar, edamame beans, lime and risotto purée
— ‘Tartare de boeuf’ — Beef tartare with mustard, truffle oil and charred egg yolk
— ‘Le cerf forestier’ — Venison with black forest mushrooms, crispy potato cakes, roasted carrots and… wait for it… a chocolate jus!
— ‘Boeuf nervure court’ — Beef short rib served with petit vegetables, truffled mushrooms, roasted tomatoes, perfectly cooked potatoes and a jus that could of well of been a drink!
— Last but not least, ‘Le Poulet supreme’ — Chicken filled with ratatouille, wrapped in bacon, then covered in pastry, and accompanied by a gooey Camembert croquette — ooh la la!
All the dishes were well presented and smelt heavenly, in particular the venison — my clear favourite of the night and cooked to perfection. Another great dish was the beef short rib, which fell off the bone and I loved its side accompaniments (in particular the roasted tomatoes and potatoes). The salmon was poached perfectly and despite the many elements on the plate, it came together well. I wasn’t too fussed about the steak tartare, however the chicken supreme was a surprise! Cutting through a layer of pastry, then bacon, then chicken with ratatouille reminded me of the young days playing pass the parcel — full of fun and excitement about who would get the last present. The Camembert croquette was the icing on the cake — gooey, cheesy goodness.
We then devoured two of their desserts. First up was the classic French dessert of Crème Brûlée, which was set perfectly. It was not too sweet, but still satisfying nonetheless. But the best part was when Édouard torched the caramel topping at our table! With a side of candied orange and fruity biscotti, it was the perfect end to our lovely meal.
The second dessert was something I was not expecting — Panacotta. Although it is not a typical French dessert, we still all thoroughly enjoyed Le Chef’s coconut panacotta with mango sorbet. I loved the idea of serving the panacotta in small jars — it made eating fun!
*The La Longue Table Du Chef event is sadly sold out… but Édouard mentioned that if the event goes well this Friday night, then they will hold another one in two months’ time. Here’s hoping, because the food, service and atmosphere at Le Chef is très bon!