Armazem Restaurante & Bar
305 Maunganui Rd (Rata St roundabout), Mount Maunganui
7 days from 10.30am until late
Ph: (07) 574 7773
info@armazem.co.nz
I was there when Armazem at the Mount first opened, I think it was about five years ago, and it's been one of my favourite local restaurants ever since.
The reasons I like it so much is that it is unpretentious, the atmosphere is great, and the hospitality shown by Alex and the team is second to none. I also like that the prices are so reasonable. The most expensive thing on the menu is File Maracana ($29) which is a 250g sirloin steak.
Armazem has just launched a new menu so, of course, I had to go and try it out. The first thing I noticed is that there were a lot more choices than before. Some of the old favourites, like Chicken Hearts and PF, which the menu says is Brazil's most famous and most popular dish, are still available. I'm not a beans-and-rice kind of girl and the thought of eating chicken hearts puts me off, but I'm sure it will be great for those more so inclined.
I brought along a friend and my children, who adore Alex, and it was a balmy evening so we took a seat at one of the wooden tables outside. The kids were given colouring-in placemats and a cute little bag of pencils. They sure had fun with that.