My friends Donna and Steph took me for an early birthday dinner a few weeks ago. We take it in turns to surprise each other and I’m sure it’s always really hard for them to find somewhere new when it comes to my birthday. I met them in the city early Friday evening and they led me to Mr Wong, Merivale’s new Cantonese-style restaurant that has been on my list since it opened in August. I was in Mexico when their doors first opened so was eager to check it out.
Mr Wong is where the old Tank nightclub used to be, a place I spent many nights at when I was at uni. It’s a far cry for the vodka Red Bull serving, doof doof music playing venue I remember. Instead, Mr Wong’s offers dining space upstairs and down with a beautiful bar on the top level. Like all Merivale venues the fit-out has been well executed with close attention to details and fun quirks on every wall.
The seasoned waitstaff are helpful with the menu but even if you get there at 5.30pm on a Friday evening you’ll struggle to get a private table and be seated at communal benches. You can’t make bookings and can only be sat once your entire party has arrive. On a positive note, the bar has an encyclopaedia of wines to keep you entertained and some sharp bartenders ready to create cocktails while you wait.
Here’s what we ordered:
