Auckland Restaurant Review: Five Years Later, Lilian Is Still Worth The Wait

Five years on, this neighbourhood favourite is still packing out – and still earning every seat.

As a resident of leafy Grey Lynn (I’m actually in cramped Arch Hill – but it says Grey Lynn on our postcode) it was fascinating to observe the arrival of Lilian in 2020, the year of 1pm briefings, Megxit and Tiger King.

In between lockdowns, Lilian was properly heaving. They wouldn’t take bookings so you had to show up at 4.30pm to guarantee they’d have room for you. The resourceful mums of the inner west came up with their own strategies – one would arrive early to nab a table and slowly drink a single glass of chardonnay, giving the others extra time to get dressed and put the kids to bed. I remember the day one of the local parent community got hold of the owner Hugo’s phone number; within half an hour it was saved to every iPhone in Sackville St. Friends of Hugo, acquaintances of Hugo, those forced by court order to stay a specific distance from Hugo … all of them would shamelessly text him in the middle of service, asking if he could possibly save some space.

Five years on, Lilian is still very busy. Though the boys have launched other projects (notably Honeybones and Hotel Ponsonby, with a new all-day offering due to open across the road from Lilian towards the end of winter), they’ve stayed very focused on West Lynn’s favourite restaurant. Some owners just seem to have a knack for finding good staff but of course the best staff seek out and rise to the level of great owners. The consistency of service at all their eateries is up there with the glory days of The Hip Group, and it makes you feel good about your meal before the food has even shown up.

Some of the no-bookings restaurants gave in during the post-Covid slump but Lilian has held strong, and I was too embarrassed to text Hugo for special treatment so we showed up just after 6pm to try our luck. Half an hour later would have been pushing it but they found us two seats in the window and got to work on some cocktails. The bar takes mixology very seriously here and while Victoria enjoyed a blood orange margarita, I had the “Smoked Shitake Mezcal Martini”, which is a seriously incredible drink.

It was developed by recently departed bar manager Michael Hanna as a new take on the “dirty” martini, and it is deeply savoury: no sweetness, no sourness, just big smoky flavours and a little fat visible on the surface of the drink (reminiscent of Georgia Van Prehn’s olive oil martini at Alta, RIP). It won’t be for everyone but if you’re interested in trying a liquid umami bomb, this is the cocktail for you.

The food menu isn’t as experimental, but it is unique. The list of pizzas and general dish selection tends towards Mediterranean but nothing is hard or fast. A handful of pickled mussels comes atop a spicy, vinegary cucumber salad that could almost be the Sichuan classic, while an excellent grilled cabbage and caraway combo hinted at the Balkans.

His main priority seems less geographical and more about achieving maximum mouth bliss. He’s also not afraid to be bold: we have got used to getting our white-flesh fish with a brown crunchy crumb, batter or at the very least a toasty pan-fried exterior. Here the snapper is steamed, a description that always seems like it’s going to be too … dull and wet. But the fillet is swamped with a lovely green dill sauce and the crispiness comes from green beans, which are served tempura-style and are a great innovation.

Lightness. It is an underrated quality in Auckland restaurants and as one chef after another gives in to the handmade pasta menu, I love that the folk at Lilian are holding their line. There is pizza of course, and a big puffy disc of bread, scorched until it’s spotty like a giant toadstool – so, something carby and comforting if you want it. But some of the loveliest signatures are the fresh salads: persimmon, plus aged cheddar, plus walnut, plus endive – sweet, salty, and two types of bitter, with orange syrup vinaigrette and those cold, crisp salad leaves creating something special on an autumn night.

We finished with a brilliant tiramisu. I thought I tasted something different but Otis reckons it’s the power of salt – a secret ingredient in this all-time classic. He also includes a little instant coffee with the cocoa powder. As with the service, I suspect it’s these little things that have made this restaurant worth lining up for.

LILIAN

Cuisine: Bistro

Address: 472 Richmond Rd, Grey Lynn

Phone: 0210 528 136

Drinks: Fully licensed

Reservations: Accepted

From the menu: Pickled mussels $18, woodfired bread $14, anchovy butter $15, endive salad $23, grilled cabbage $25, steamed fish $40, tiramisu $15

Rating: 18/20

Score: 0-7 Steer clear. 8-12 Disappointing, give it a miss. 13-15 Good, give it a go. 16-18 Great, plan a visit. 19-20 Outstanding, don’t delay.

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