Address: 138 Hurstmere Rd, Takapuna
Rating:
First drinks: We took a seat in the outdoor area and were instantly greeted by a waitress wearing an Hawaiian shirt. We started with refreshing drinks: a strawberry-lime Rekorderlig for my friend and a rosebud cocktail for myself. The strong concoction boasted Absolut Citron, Cointreau, lime and grapefruit juice. We also ordered a plate of prawns at the same time, which were delivered to our table in less than four minutes, with the drinks arriving mere seconds later. The service was extremely efficient considering they'd hosted a Christmas party only hours earlier, which explained the balloons decorating our table.
The vibe is: Typically cruisy Sunday afternoon in the sun. Most people look like they've just walked up from Takapuna Beach, sporting jandals, singlets and a few sandy, bare feet.
It smells of: Nothing in particular. We chose to sit outside, where you get the occasional whiff of salty sea air.
On the stereo: There was a DJ manning some decks facing out into the outdoor area. The beats were a poppy mix of Michael Jackson remixes, Bruno Mars and other recent hits. It was probably a tad too loud for a casual Sunday afternoon, leaving us shouting at each other across the table.
Room for improvement: The service was great considering the busy day they'd had but our waitress didn't seem impressed when we removed the balloons from our table because they kept hitting our faces. We were initially shocked at the price of our drinks and small plate of prawns, but really, it's pretty averagely priced for Takapuna.
The rosebud cocktail and strawberry-lime Rekorderlig at The Elephant Wrestler. Photo / Liana Thaggard
The perfect spot for: Afternoon drinks in the indoor-outdoor area or for something a tad quieter, head inside to grab a table and sample some of the bigger, tasty-sounding meals on offer.
Most redeeming feature: The outdoor area's decor is a mish-mash of styles that somehow worked. Lots of plants and flowers, fairy lights, carnival lights, Moroccan-style lamps, hanging planters and a living wall - a lot to look at during the day but at night this place would really glow, literally.
- TimeOut