Sluurpy > Restaurants in Auckland Central > Mutiara Malaysian Restaurant

Review Mutiara Malaysian Restaurant - Auckland Central

Mong Na Boon
Food is delicious, the portion was big, and the service was good. As I am allergic to seafood, they separated the dishes for us. The chef even came out to greet us and asked for our opinions.
Anona Pak
Food had great flavours. Chicken Sambal was very delicious
mameemonsterr
Mutiara never disappoints. Authentic Malaysian food taste, I feel like I'm back in Malaysia everytime I eat here! The best one in Auckland so far.
Taylar W
Mutiara Malaysian in Ponsonby was an exceptional dining experience and one I’d been eagerly anticipating. During a night out along Ponsonby Rd with bar hopping, I finally got to visit this restaurant. The ambiance was bustling with a diverse mix of patrons and in particular large groups across ethnicities and ages. Fortunately, we were able to be accommodated with table despite how busy they were and the staff for very warm, inviting and engaging. We ordered dishes to share including tamarin prawns, hot and sour soup, Nadi goreng, Asam chicken curry with roti canai and beef red ang. Every dish was fragrant, flavoursome and beautifully spiced to our palate preferences. Highly recommended!
Re R
Entered the restaurant without much expectation, but it turned out to be a memorable experience. The food is too good and the service was exceptional.
blue dragonfly
I am a foodie. I honestly recommend to try this place. You would not regret. I try to go to new restaurant to try new dishes. While I was walking through Ponsonby I found this hidden gem accidentally. My wife and I decided to have a go despite there was none there for early lunch (11:30amish). We can see that the price was slightly higher than other cheap Malaysian restaurants (just 2 dollars or more) but somehow we were convinced that we must try their food. We ordered tam yum Noodle soup and Won ton Noodle soup. The portion was not too large which we liked. A place like Selena in New Market they give you huge portion and we never finished them. Oh the food was fresh and yummy. I can tell the chef cooked upon our order. My wife's wonton soup was so yummy. Their won ton is the best one I ever tried in Auckland - trust me on this. The chef is from Penang in Malaysia 27 years ago and he is a proud owner/chef. I can tell the ingredients are fresh and no MSG was added and it was not too salt nor too large portion. Highly recommended A+++++++
Tim Chaffe
Went for a second time. Food was authentic with all dishes excellent and very tasty. The chef is Malaysian who knows Nonya cuisine. If you want a special dish not on the menu contact beforehand to see if they can make it. The chef produced a magical Assam fish for us. At the quiet start of Ponsonby road. Free street parking available if you hunt around the block. Not many authentic Malaysian restaurants around now after Covid
Mat Weir
If you're looking for authentic Malay food in Auckland, look no further than Mutiara Malaysian Restaurant in Ponsonby. My recent visit on a Friday night was an absolute delight from start to finish. Booking via First Table was a breeze and upon arrival, we were greeted warmly by the owner, Roy. He is an absolute legend who clearly takes pride in his restaurant and the food it serves. Speaking of the food, it was traditional and authentic Malay cuisine that transported us to the streets of Malaysia. Mutiara Malaysian Restaurant is a Ponsonby institution for a reason, and it's easy to see why. The food is delicious, the service is warm and welcoming, and the atmosphere is cozy and intimate. I can't recommend this restaurant enough, and I'll definitely be back for more.
Jack Sutcliffe
Amazing food and atmosphere, Lots of great vegan options if you ask!
Jane Lake
We ate here Friday evening. Mutiara is a Cool little restaurant. Very busy. Staff still attentive. We had Beef Rendang and Chicken with Cashew. Both dishes were excellent. You can BYOW to. Make sure you book a table if going toward the end of the week. Highly Recommended. We will certainly return soon.
Siaozabo
We ordered a few dishes for sharing, chicken keju was really nice and the other flavours such as sambal squid, asam fish, kamheong prawn were quite disappointing. The sambal was very bland and the squid smells pretty fishy unfresh. The plus side is the customer service was really friendly and helpful.
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Fantastic cosy malaysian restaurant, with authentic flavours! Excellent friendly service from the waitress, plus the chef was very personable, chatting with us while we order discussing which dish would compliment the other etc. <br/>Dishes were really flavoursome with authentic malay tastes. Loved all the dishes we ordered: prawn with salted egg yolk; tofu; eggplant; asam fish curry. <br/>we will definitely come back for more meals.
Raul Vasudevan
Chef Roy truly is a great host. From the friendly conversations that made the place feel homely, to the mouthwatering dishes. Best dish at Mutiara has to be the Mamak Mee Goreng. *ask for extra spicy if you're up for the challenge* One of the best joints in town to serve up good Malaysian food at this price point.
😎
Love this place. Really friendly chef. Tasty food. Love the whole fish dish, eggplants, and all of the appetisers here. Would recommend!
Hasan
Very disappointing- tasteless and bland food really. Went with high expectations but there are much better Malaysian places in the city. <br/>Tea tarik was purely milk, Wonton soup bland, roti small, main dishes especially ‘yummy’ chicken adviced as signature dish very saucy, sweet and not well presented.
ApplePie
Tried $15 lunch specials. Got then for takeaways and the noodles were overcooked and mushy - not enough sauce also. Was quite disappointed for $15. Very underwhelming for its price, but friendly staff
Saphic Chan
There is love in the food here, the type of home cooking love. Definitely somewhere to go if that’s the type of comfort you’re looking from, all the way from Malaysia, in rainy and cold Auckland. Everything was spot on, loved the Assam fish, it packed a punch without being too spicy. The beef rendang was fragrant, would love if they used chunkier fatter cuts rather than lean slices though. Absolutely loved the sambal kailan as well, the paste really tasted homemade too! Only gripe was the pretty expensive small serving of coconut rice at $4.50 or plain at $2 :( we were there 2 weeks ago on Zomato Gold, unfortunately they have dropped out of it by now, not sure if we will be back without the discount, given the high prices for the pretty small portions.
Arianaaa
*zomato gold*<br/>• Beef Rendang, flavors were authentic and the meat was very well-marinated and tender<br/>• Claypot Noodles, comfort food for a rainy day, gravy was thick and flavorful <br/>• Roti Canai, would not recommend, $4 for a hard slice<br/>• Mango Lassi, made really nicely, thick and smooth <br/>
Richard Moulton
I've been lucky enough to have eaten at this wonderful restaurant for the past ten years. The food, staff and atmosphere are just superb.<br/><br/>It's is an absolute must!!!
James Wee
Ordered the Rendang, Char Koay Teow and Squid Sambal. They were awesome. If you're looking for authentic Malaysian cuisine, this is the place to go. Highly recommended.
Fiona Anyi
Been there for a few times, never disappointing. Brought my family over who came for a holiday in New Zealand for a lunch and they were totally enjoying it. My personal favourite would be the char kuey tiaw. Of course, the noodles options taste great as well! If you want to have a taste of true Malaysian flavour, this restaurant is as authentic as it gets! And oh, the beef rendang is a knock on! I would definitely come back again!
Gastrophilist
A bit pricey for the ambience and seating which is cramped. But that's where the negatives stop.<br/><br/>We had vegetarian options as 2 out of three of us were vegetarians. Starting with veg tom yum soup (Best of the lot), tofu salad (Average), spring rolls (Towards good, would have preferred a bit more flavorful filling but it was nice and crunchy).<br/><br/>Now the wait for mains was looooong but we didn't mind as we were enjoying our talks. Had roti canai (Garlic ones were nice and flaky but not enough garlic flavor), Nyonya Claypot Vegetables (Lovely with right combination of veges, tofu, and soup), spicy tofu (Bad, as it was not spicy at all but was rather sweet), and vege char kwey teow (Could have been more flavorful but we added soup from Nyonya and it made it taste awesome)<br/><br/>For desserts, we had strawberry sundae (Not bad but nothing new) and Sago Gula Melaka (Second best thing we had as it was lovely combination of sago and ice-cream. Tasted alike Kheer, an Indian dessert. Beautiful indeed)<br/><br/>The service was perfect and we all left fully satisfied. Good Malaysian restaurant with many vegetarian options...
Richie Chewy
One of my favourite Malaysian local with awesome lunch specials and I usually swap between the clay pot chicken rice and bami mee goreng which hit the spot all the time , highly recommended !<br/><br/>New update - the char quay Teow ain’t too bad either - give it a go !
Gilbert Lawrence
Coming to Akl and having good Malaysian food you can’t find in the provinces and this place is fantastic from a value lunch menu to great dinner meals with nice friendly staff and atmosphere, want to give more than 5 stars!<br/>
James
Been here a few times and never been disappointed. The staff are friendly and helpful.<br/><br/>Everything we have ordered has always been hot and delicious. The Aromatic Chicken is a personal favourite!
Natasha Cutting
Yummy, authentic and full of amazing flavours. Have had takeaways from here a few times. They're also in the Entertainment Book which is an added bonus.
PamTony Melbourne
Pam and I use to visit Mutiara over 10 years ago regularly when living in St. Heliers, it was then one of the best Malaysian restaurants in Auckland. We move to Melbourne. Now we have moved back to Auckland New Zealand and today we were having a drive around ponsonby and noticed Mutiara was still operating so we popped in for lunch. WELL. Lo and behold same owner, and the same great tasty menu. We had the Rendang beef [my favorite] and Pam had the Nasi Goreng both with just the right amount of added spice. FANTASTIC can't wait to go back soon for a dinner.<br/> Pam and Tony.<br/> Mellons Bay.
Jared Royce Price
Great food, great service, great venue. I recommend 100% to anyone who loves Malaysian food. Thanks to Mutiara for an amazing night. We will be back soon!
Mion.stock
Sons 19th birthday, his choice to come here! The chicken Satay with chunky peanut sauce, and money bags are “must have” starters. The Assam curry fish, (fresh gurnad), lovely thick chicken curry;Ayam kapitan, noodle mad daughters Mee goreng and sons Mango beef with a side of coconut rice are some of our family favs. A cosy casual feel, great food and reasonable prices is why we keep coming back . Few have lasted around here 20 years ....Thank you Roy we will be back.
Pankaj Sharma
I went to mutiara with my friend for take away on Friday evening as it's my friend 's favourite restaurant. We took away char ho fun and mee goreng which was outstanding. <br/>Very nice 👌👌👌👌 <br/>Definitely going there for dinner soon. <br/>
Philip Chu
We have enjoyed the lunch in Matiara Restaurant many times. The service is always good and attentive. The food are very authentic Malaysian tastes. We especially like Char Kway-Teow and Claypot Chicken Rice.  All I can say is the tastes are so close to the same dishes we had while traveled to Penang last year. The manual has many choices. Therefore, we decided to try other dishes next time. definitely will be back again.
PK
This is an absolute must if you love Malaysian food.<br/>Service was really good and attentive.We ordered the Mee Greng and Nasi lamek whcih was very tasty .The Malaysian tea is a must.Will revisit to taste the other dishes as rhe portions are pretty big.Thank you .
Monica
We have eaten Malaysian food at other places around Auckland and Mutiara for us ticks all the boxes.From the ambiance, the service, the range of dishes, the prices and the quality of food<br/> this Malaysian restaurant is way up there<br/>
Sharon Lim
Food here is authentic to the cuisine <br/>of Malaysia. The satay sauce is spicy and made from blended roasted peanuts and with real chilli, not like the peanut butter mixture many other restaurants pass off as satay sauce. The aromatic squid was crispy yet succulent with a hint of sweetness and so delicious. And the rendang was one of the best I have ever had. Service is efficient and atmosphere cosy. Would recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for true Malaysian food and who knows what that is.
Calvin Tan
The most authentic tasting thing there was the tap water.<br/><br/>The chef should try going to other Malaysian restaurants or think about visiting Malaysia to taste what real Malaysian food is like.<br/><br/>Worst "Malaysian" restaurant in Auckland.
888bing888
We had dinner here as a group and completely stuffed when we finished our meals. We had the Perdanna Banquet and mango lassi. Out of all the dishes, I really like the Aromatic chicken, it was very tasty and the chicken skin was crunchy even. First time to try mango lassi and it was refreshing and nice. The only thing that I would comment on would be the people that smoke from outside the restaurant suffocates the diners inside the restaurant. It can accomodate at least 30 people but there’s not enough ventilation. Also, we waited for at least 15 minutes to get our drinks and food orders. The staff just provided 1 drink menu in a table of 8.
Brenda Hill
We have been coming here for lunch as a group for several years now. We leave the menu up to the Chef Roy. We are forever delighted with the food and surprises he presents. There is always something new and all extremely tasty, which keeps us coming back for more. Highly recommend this experience 🥂
Conal Bills
Amazing, I have been a chef running kitchens learning and enjoying food for a few decades, Mutiara has all ways been a place i wanted to try ,its service is impeccable and the food is to die for; the aromatic squid is stunning a great part of old school ponsonby they go above and beyond. Reminds me of why I am a chef.
Christopher Charles Dunn
Mutiara is probably the cheapest Restaurant along Ponsonby Road and we control the outside seats from Friday midday!<br/> One mate (RIP) used to smoke here but now it's the breeze and the great Ponsonby views!<br/>Owner Roy makes everyone welcome and will tailor your meal to  your taste, staff can be a bit casual but very sweet.<br/>We go round and round the Lunchtime Menu and every now and then Roy will come out and create something special.<br/>Lots of familiar faces and getting busier as the development next door is completed.<br/>Tip, park free in the Countdown Supermarket, hook a bottle of wine and claim a table, you'll be back!!<br/>Chris Dunn
Michelle
I had chicken rendang and ayam mesak merah with my husband tonight...it was amazing! Great service and the food was outstanding. Definitely will be back again
Rachel Schuurman
We had a fantastic evening here using First Table and really enjoyed it. The staff were friendly and warm and efficient. Atmosphere is great. We had the scallops for entrée (definitely recommend!), the prawn and spinach soup was really yummy too. Highly recommend the beef rendang with coconut rice and roti. Mmmmm. Also worth trying after your meal is the famous Malaysian tea Teh Tarik. Such a yummy treat! We'll be back and definitely recommend it.
Ahmad Mohamed
Been visiting NZ for a week plus, happy to have found this restaurant to cater to our local Malaysian tastebuds. The Chef was kind enough to cook a special dish for us. The ambiance was a little bit oldschool but homey nevertheless. Halal certified supplier.
Yingwei Tok
We had our team dinner at Mutiara and had a fantastic time there. Roy was really helpful in helping us decide on the different dishes in our set menu, and the food was simply delicious! I will definitely recommend this place to my friends.
Roger Revell
A number of us old boys have been frequenting Mutiara Malaysian restaurant for a number of years, we have tried a large number of restaurants in the Auckland CBD and inevitably keep returning to Mutiara. The food is wonderful, plentiful and very reasonably priced. Service is first class and the restaurant always has a friendly atmosphere. It is well worth a visit.
Manoj Basnet
Delicious food,love the atmosphere with sound service. We enjoyed a lots. Food was good in portion and tasty with reasonable price. Best Malaysian food in town..thanks #mutiara #will_back
Scott
Awesome restaurant. I lived in Malaysia for 10 years and have found Mutiara to be the most authentic Malaysian cuisine in Auckland. We regularly eat here and Roy is always happy to make our favourite dishes even though they are not on the menu. Char Kwey Teow and Nasi Lemak highly recommended. My kids also love the Sotong Belada and the Chicken Sweet Corn Soup.
Haryanti
I went here to have dinner tonight with my Boyfriend. My friend recommended me to visit this restaurant as she's malaysian and I am Indonesian (our cuisines are quite similiar tho). She suggested me to have Char Kwe Tiaw, Ayam masak merah, Aromatic Prawn or Chicken and Mutiara Special Curry. We decided to have Char Kwe Tiaw, Mutiara special Curry and Aromatic Prawn and Roti. And you know??? we really like all of them! my fav was Char Kwe Tiaw..meanwhile my bf's was Aromatic Prawn! But Unfortunately, The roti we had was bit hard and different (not like the usual roti we always had) and for dessert we had manggo Lesi (or lasi? I dont know how to spell it lol whatever) first time tried it and I liked it very much!!! it tasted so fresh and feel like i am somewhere in tropical country lol. <br/><br/>about the place and service..staff there were helpful and friendly. they always checked us whether everything's ok or not and I quite like the athmosphere there. Reminds me of restaurant in malaysia. the decoration, the music, everything...<br/><br/>overall, I give 4.5/5 <br/>(would give them 5 if only the roti was not hard)
Chelsea B
Been here couple times with my family. Delicious food, amazing location and always love the athmosphere. Last time here I had Nasi Lemak. My ultimate fav nasi lemak!
Dan Brigham
went there last friday with my mates. first time trying their Chicken Char Kway Teow..It was amazing! The best CKT I ever had. <br/>The staff there were very helpful and informative. Overall, what a lovely place 👍
David Read
Mutiara is one of my go to restaurants. Can thoroughly recommend the chicken sambal and beef rendang. Always good, with excellent service. Best Malaysian in town.
Chomnomnom
Great location! Was looking forward to equally great Malaysian food, but let down.<br/><br/>The food was very greasy. It was surprising to see mixed veggies (the frozen type) in the mains; it made the "exotic sizzling platter" colourful alright.<br/><br/>The only dish close to tasty was the money bags, we left half the mains.<br/><br/>With prices similar to other restaurants along Ponsonby Road, it made sense as to why the restaurant was half empty. <br/><br/>Quality and service!
Zoe Wang
All 4 of us really loved the food and that includes the children.  When we asked for mild it was spot on what we wanted.  Service was great. Can't wait to come back again.
Jayjay
A number of people have said this is cheap n cheerful - i disagree, it's neither. The food we had was bland, tasteless and a bit greasy. There is little atmosphere, in fact it was freezing! The staff were friendly and helpful. But they really need to improve the quality of their food.
Toby Jug
We arrived on a Thursday evening before going off to the theatre. We were the first to arrive in the empty restaurant and the welcome wasn't particularly warm as we had obviously disturbed the staff dinner.  Bearing in mind it's hip Ponsonby location we thought the food quality was going to be a lot better. It wasn't restaurant quality food but cheap n cheerful takeout from a bygone era where people had really low expectations. In fact, I don't think the decor or furnishings have changed in decades, so it looks very tired. The chicken satay was dry and tasteless - it was fried rather than grilled. The rendang beef was tough and chewy. And the much-anticipated chicken clay pot was an utter letdown.   During the time we were there only one other table was occupied and the place was freezing cold!  I wouldn't recommend! Try Sri Pinang on K Rd - it's in another league.
Finn K
I consistently went here for lunch several years ago and recently went back to find that it is still just as good. The best cheap lunch in Ponsonby. The claypot chicken noodle is highly recommended.
Emmelyn Fuentes Rosell
Although the place is small but it makes up for its ambiance. With the decors, one will feel being transported to Malaysia. The food were excellent and a good portion. A place to come back to.
Mairi Frances Cochrane
Lovely little place on Ponsonby Road.  Reasonable prices, good servings sizes and friendly staff.  We had the chicken satay start and the scallops Penang which were delicious.  For mains we had the Special Curry with Chicken and the Ikan Bakar fish which was really nice and simple flavours.
Annie Cliff
Delicious! Roy is a legends can't wait till next time when we come for an entree. Satay is delicious. Gotta write 1940 characters can't wait to come back on a week night
Patrick Lee-Lo
<br/><br/>Mutiara Restaurant at 66 Ponsonby Rd, has been rated in Auckland’s top 5 Malaysian Restaurants. <br/>And it is well deserved. I have been dining at Mutiara since arriving in Auckland some 12 years ago. During this time, the quality of food has been of a consistently high standard. What more can you ask for froma good restaurant? <br/>Everyone I have taken there have been very impressed by both the food and service that Owner/Chef Roy and his friendly team deliver.<br/>Recently I visited Mutiara with some collegues from Cooking4Change, who filmed the cooking show - ‘Cooking4Change Hotspots: Asia, in Malaysia earlier this year. Some of you may have seen it on TVNZ. The C4C crew got to taste a lot of Malaysian food during the two weeks of filming of that show. So, it would be fair to say they are now connoisseurs of Malaysian food. <br/>In my C4C colleagues’ opinion, the quality of food and style of Mutiara would rate as a top-class restaurant in Malaysia. They were very impressed – and as they say ‘these guys are not easily impressed’!<br/>The other good news is - the prices are very reasonable. Around $160 for 4 hungry guys - including drinks.<br/>So, if you are looking for tasty, quality Malaysian food at reasonable prices - book now and head to Mutiara. Tell Roy Patrick recommended Mutiara. <br/>From the menu, my favourites are Satong Belada, Mango Beef, Double Fried Beans and Claypot. <br/>My rating is 4-Stars plus an extra ½ star because after 12 years I have become friends with Roy. 4.5 stars.<br/>Enjoy!
Lucyeatsakld
Cheap and cheerful little place that does BYO. Came here on a First Table booking and paid around $30 for 2 people for dinner. Very reasonable!
ArcHee Mgr
Best Char-ho fun in Auckland 😍 <br/>Must try. The rendang is so popular and absolutely delicious. Char ho fun is not in the dinner menu but you can always ask them to do it. The portion is real good and the price is absolute bargain. Really impressive.
Tavita Milford
Their Claypot Chicken Rice is by far one of the best dishes in this area. Although I rarely eat Malaysian food, their cuisines somewhat tend to create satisfaction each time I eat their cultural dishes. It's somewhat similar to Korean BBQ in a way but more full on flavour. Their chicken was very nice and juicy with the beautiful flavour and the rice was spot on hot, steamy and soft just the way I like it.<br/><br/>The people who made my food were very consistent and quick, despite the fact that my bus home was due any minute at the time, I managed to get my order right on time. And the person who served me was friendly with smiles all around.<br/><br/>Although I ordered takeaway, the inside seems really compacted in terms of the stuff they have in there. Mostly tables and chairs with cups on the table, it seems like you have to walk carefully to the counter if you want takeaways. One wrong movement and you're bound to hit a table causing the things to tumble over. Moreover, it has that Malaysian style feel in terms of the layout of their decor and design. Really cultural too.
Chenlu Shi
I ordered fish curry and sambal eggplant for dinner. The fish is not fresh. Eggplant is OK. A bit salty for me but I think should be fine for most people.
Jane Bmg
Price is not bad in their location and service was superb. All.the staff were friendly and accommodating. As usual I ordered my favorite char Kew teuy which is nice but the usual Sambal sauce is not available but the service staff did not disappointment me for offering the alternatives. Hopentheu will include ice kakang in their dessert menu next time. Me and friends will surely come back, next time with our families.
Liksya
Staff were all veryyy friendly. 4.5 as Ambience is not enticing and some items on menu needs to be arranged beforehand. For a first timer like us, we wouldve chosen to have tasted their best menus.<br/><br/>However, I am a picky eater. And my friends and I find the food very tasty in Mutiara. All the food we had have MIND BLOWING flavors. The best asian restaurant weve tried. <br/>We had sizzing pork, which had great flavor. The garlic prawns are WOW! Beef rendang was more than what we expected, considering we always scout for good food and compare flavors. <br/>
Brooke
Our family dined at Mutiara and the food was exceptional.  The customer service was very friendly,  and every dish was very tasty.  My personal favourite was the Tom Yum Soup, and the kids loved the Yummy chicken.  Can highly recommend this restaurant.
Grant Fyfe
Mutiara very standard Malaysian cuisine. Underwhelming customer service! I dined with my wife and a friend early Saturday evening 17/12/2016 . Upon our early arrival we were given a very uninviting welcome as we had booked! But the confusion as to whether or not this was the case wasn't at all a good start to our evening and embarrassing to us as we were taking a friend here for the first time.The other thing was being asked to leave early as they had a large booking coming! If we had been told this in the first instance we would not have chosen Mutiara.We would be reluctant to recommend on the lack of customer care/ service.
Sue Ormsby
This restaurant has it all. Great neighborhood restaurant that ticks all the boxes. Been coming here for years and the experience never fails us. Prices are reasonable, food delicious with a variety to suit every taste. Lovely ethnic decor. Personable chef. Highly recommend Mutiara.
Alex Gee
Have eaten here many times, and the food is always amazing. Personal favourites are the lamb shank curry (2x  big and tender shanks), any of the nyonya claypots and the best beef rendang I've had anywhere! BYO makes for an awesome spot to grab dinner before you head out for the night, great for big groups and staff are lovely and accommodating. Keep coming back. 5/5!
Nadia Narayan-Niu
Love this place so much that it was my first meal stop off the plane from London! We've been coming to this restaurant for 19 years as a family and absolutely love it! Staff are friendly and the chef, Roy, has always cooked such tasty food over the years. Faves include Assam Curry Fish, Beef Rendang & Ayam Capitan. Highly recommended!
Jesse Locke
I started going to Mutiara in late 1998 and quickly became a regular,  the food has always been consistently good and everything on the menu tastes wonderful and authentic.  Roy the owner and chef is Mr Consistent and a very high quality, so its not surprising he is still in the same place serving the great same food after 20yrs.  Having moved to Australia a number of years ago I always visit Mutiara for the best Beef Rendang anywhere I have tried on the planet.  Every Malaysian restaurant I try their Rendang and nothing compares.  On thursday night i arranged a dinner with family and friend to celebrate my 40th birthday in traveling home to Auckland and there was no other choice but to have everyone meet at Mutiara,  Roy welcomed us and everyone thoroughly enjoyed their  meal,  it is reasonable and the helpings are generous.  Thank you Mutiara for helping make my night totally enjoyable, the food was amazing and the service incredibly attentive!  When in Auckland this is a must stop place to eat!
Martin Wu
Top food great staff, always a good meal will be taking 2 large groups for a meal. Book ahead if you don't want to be disappointed.  Love it :) Their Sago desert is very nice served on a funny plate :)
Sonia Matta
I love this place - my friends and I have our BYO nights here all the time. The food is fab, the service is amazing and it's just general good vibes all round!
Kamal Matta
Excellent food and service. Ask for Chef Special 3 Course Meal. Though the chef may not be able to be oblige during busy periods. We were lucky. Very pleasant presentation. Value for money.
Sherna
delicious, beautifully presented food with the kindest service and a homely atmosphere. the food is fresh and the flavours are all interesting and different. would like to go back to sample more in the menu.
Waimania Wallace
Sorry to say, but the meal we had here was the second worse eat out of my life. The staff were fine, but the food was terrible. I was unable to eat most of meal, despite being hungry.
Trixibelle Swan
Came here for a BYO birthday dinner with 10 people. Staff were very accommodating and put up with us marvellously ( as any BYOs I've been to aren't always the most polite crowd) I had the WONTONS and the MANGO BEEF (highly recommend) and I was not disappointed! The dishes did not take long to come out which was great. The food was really tasty and fresh which is typical of GREAT Thai food. Plus corkage was only $5 so totally worth the evening. Will definitely go again.
James
Tried laksa, curry with rice, and roti for dinner at this place. The taste is different from other Malaysian place I have tried. <br/><br/>Customer Service: 7/10<br/><br/>Food: 6/10 <br/><br/>Atmosphere: 7/10 <br/><br/>Date: March 2016
Hung Quoc Bui
Overall experience was great. However, the portion aint that great and a bit expensive for the amount of food u get. This restaurant is in between high class and medium class restaurant. Can understand the restaurant is located in such a posh area like Ponsonby which is accountabke for their slightly higher price. Ambience 4.8/5 Food 4/5 Service 4.9/5 Location 5/5
Flora
Had lunch here on weekday, not much ppl were eating there. I tried roti bread with curry beef and mango lassi, the taste is alright and the size is right for a lady. My friends tried noodle soup and fried rice, and they thought it was yummy.
Steven
The best bloody beef rendang I've ever had, top notch spot for a BYO. Staff was really friendly and every other meal I tried was absolutely delightful. Good reasonably priced food.
Food 24/7
Went for dinner on Monday night, it was quiet and we were the only people there. Ordered entree mix platter $11.90 it came with two small shrunken kebabs, one small money bag, wonton and one over battered spring roll. It was quite disappointing but had hopes for mains . For main we had the mutiara beef curry and Ayam curry chicken. Both dishes were drowning in sauce, not as special as it were described on the menu. The Roti was burnt at the bottom and tasted like cardboard. The staff were friendly but only served food and never came back to top up water and forgot to give us plates for our entree. The price and the quality of food did not match . Will definitely not be returning .
Lucia Zhang
Had the nicest dinner here (vegan). Highly recommend the steamed fresh vegetables topped with bean curd and peanut pieces (with an extra serve of Jasmine rice), the dish is perfect for a satisfying and fulfilling dinner without worrying about your health. Looking forward to coming back here again. Also, they do BYO, ;)
Latte333
Had dinner on a Tuesday. Began with a complimentary deep-fried prawn on spinach, as amuse bouché. Sea-food tofu soup, butter prawns, egg-plant with sweet & sour chicken, chicken randang & coconut rice. Finished with teh tarik (Malaysian tea) Food nicely cooked & delicious. Well done, Chef Roy.
Jo Y
Good cheap and cheerful for weekday lunch. Service was friendly and prompt. Good standard Malaysian fare, we enjoyed the chicken curry and char kway teow.
David Boshier
Very simple and very basic (not a common approach in Ponsonby!). Service was quick so that you can easily get in and out within a lunchtime. Cheapish best sums this place up. Won't race back.
Pritesh Patel
My 3 colleagues and  myself dined at this authentic Malaysian restaurant last nite . what a bunch of friendly staff (especially Sandy and Chen) and got the privilege of chatting with Roy the owner / Chef....The food was excellent and the Chef told us he ensures that consistency is  always maintained ...the restaurant was full ..so suggest you book a table before you go ...Great wine selection and love the Deco. The chef was so nice he even provided us to taste a dish that he is experimenting to put on the menu ..it was delicious ..This restaurant is a good place as you can explore Indian dishes to Chinese dishes ,,a bit of Thai and of course Malaysian ..a fusion of Asian cuisine  ..HIGHLY RECOMMENDED !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...and oh yes how can I forgot to acknowledge the prerry little Nepal girl : Archana ..a delightful lady !
Tash Rawlinson
Nothing great. If there is a lot of people in the restaurant it is very loud. We waited a while for the staff to come and take our orders. It didn't take too long for the meal to come out which is a bonus as we were all very hungry but unfortunately the meal was nothing special. I got the chicken cashew nuts with some rice and was very underwhelmed. Probably won't come back to this restaurant again and probably wouldn't recommend it to anyone else either. 😞😞
Ritu Arora Sahni
Hi All, I had a mixed experience. I tried Roti Canai (chicken), in my first visit it was great full of flavours (hot). However in my second visit it wasn't that impressive, they might have changed there Chef. lol overall it was al-right. Thanks
Lucy Eats
We came with a large group for dinner and found the service was both attentive and efficient. The restaurant was completely full that night with several large groups making the most of the restaurant's great B.Y.O prices.<br/><br/>I ordered the Nyonya Fish curry which was absolutely delicious, with a creamy sauce and filled with soft pieces of fish. The serving of lamb shanks curry was very hearty but felt like more of a pub meal than an actual curry.<br/><br/>#Challenge Sarah Reynolds
STRADS
Mutiara is a small Malaysian restaurant. There are some Malaysian restaurants in Auckland but hardly any one is good and consistent. Its simple decorations are more of Indonesian than of Malaysian. Some other Asian dishes are noted on its menu. <br/><br/>My friends & I had an early dinner on a Saturday. We were lucky to have a booking in advanced; all other tables seemed to have been booked for a banquet. We began with a complimentary deep-fried prawn on spinach - nicely plated. Next we had butter prawns, deep-fried snapper, ayam kapitan (thick curry chicken) & with coconut rice for sharing. They were fantastic & were all recommended by friendly Chef Roy who specializes in Malaysian & Asian food. (Food - 4.5/5; Service - 4/5; Ambience - 4/5)
Johann*
Came here for lunch today with work colleagues and throughly enjoyed the food.<br/><br/>Tasty and well priced this little Malaysian restaurant on Ponsonby road offers a very good lunch menu and a comprehensive dinner selection.<br/><br/>Obviously ring lunchtime we had about an hour to eat and run. Our order did not take very long before it arrived to our table piping hot. The food was absolutely delicious.<br/><br/>I found the staff to be very friendly and helpful and I'll definitely be coming back for a quick lunch fix. <br/><br/>Rating out of 5 (5 being the highest):<br/>Food – 4<br/>Ambience – 3<br/>Presentation – 3<br/>Service – 4<br/>Environment – 3
Folcarelli Stephen
I visited Mutiara on a Monday and they had a few tables. Busier than other establishments in Ponsonby. I am always keen to try new dishes and asked the owner what they suggested. As I do enjoy an exceptionally good curry, Roy suggested a Mutiara Special Curry with Chicken. On receiving the meal the presentation was superb. The Curry was exceptional, the curry had great authentic flavours and spices and the chicken was cooked to perfection. The service was flawless and I even had the pleasure of meeting the Chef. A definite must for any diner.
Amit Tripuraneni
You'd think that a restaurant on Ponsonby will charge an arm and a leg for their food but Mutiara is an exception. Lovely Malaysian food and generous portion sizes. Their lunch specials are great value. Mee Goreng, Char Kway Tiew, nyonya fried rice, nasi lemak are all pretty safe bets.
Gerard D'mello
Mutiara is my favourite restaurant for Malaysian food. The food is delicious and excellent value for money. I would definitely recommend the restaurant to anyone looking for top quality, authentic Malaysian dishes. The chef's special chicken curry, Ayam Kapitan and Rendang are impressive. I cannot wait to go there again to try the famous "Butter Prawns", recommended by a colleague and my all time favourite <br/>'' Laksa Lemak". Great service, Great food, Go Mutiara!!
Dave Taylor
Wow what an amazing evening we had at Mutiara, the venue was great , the staff were friendly and professional and chef Lai was an gracious host , there were fourteen of us celebrating winning an 040s football competition so it was a challenging number . The food was amazing , we all went home with full bellies and happy smiles.  I would recommend any foodies or anyone wanting to try authentic Malaysian cuisine prepared to a high standard , then The Mutiara is the place to go . Last night proved they can cater for one or two people or a large group . Thank you again Chef Lai Dave Taylor
Ryan W
Always great. I've had dinner here many times, and it's always great, has great atmosphere, and great staff. Also, very affordable. The only problem here is that guests sometimes seem to have too much fun so it can get noisy.
Patrick
I have had the pleasure of dining in this restaurant when it has just been myself and when it has been full. I stay next door at the Quest and my work pays for my meals so I have no motive to my review.<br/>I have NEVER tasted better food at a restaurant and I have traveled all over Aotearoa with my job. <br/>The staff are friendly and welcoming from the time I walked into the place on a quiet Monday till I left on a raucous Thursday.<br/>I had 3 meals over 4 days because I didn't want to go elsewhere. I preordered the fish head noodles and it Blew my taste buds!!!<br/>I have told my Auckland Whanau that this is a must place to go.<br/>To NihalD I think you are nothing but a fraud with an axe to grind! This place has been open for over 18yrs which is testimony in itself and tonight( Thursday) I met a couple that had been eating there for nearly the whole of that time.<br/>My reccomandation is to preorder the fish head noodles try the lamb shank curry or double fried chicken. The scallop entree could only have been bettered if it came out raw in my view. It was cooked to perfection! The tiger beer was cold and vino menu large. I had the Reisling though the Gewurtztraminer was not available which I would have liked.<br/>Thank you for reading this review and I can promise you that if you go to Mutiara you will like me go back again and again!
Missk Khan
This is one of our favourite restaurants. Tiny place with outdated decor, but always friendly staff and owner and tasty food (I have only ever had one dish there which I did not like, and we have been there quite a few times). Awesome towards kids. Try the chefs special curry, it's amazing! Real, authentic food.<br/>Feb 2015- have got to amend my rave above. We have taken some of our best friends for a meal here, had takeaways and eaten on one other occasion since November and things have gone wrong with this restaurant. Dishes are now just either completely lacking flavour (do NOT order the laksa) or very unbalanced (as in the above mentioned dishes in my rave. It's terrible as we has been recommending the place to everyone. It doesn't look like the chef has changed, but the soul of the place has. Have amended my rating and fingers crossed they find their way back.....<br/>
Nihal Dhammika
I had a visitor from Australia on my wife's birthday and decided to take her to this restaurant together with us. We arrived there at 7.00 pm for the dinner. No other patron was there to be seen but only the owner, a Malaysian Chinese and two other young indian girls whom we recognised as the servers. We did not expect this as the reviews I read before making the booking were quite contradictory to the picture of the place we noticed! The atmosphere was dull and not felt like a conducive environment to celebrate one's birthday. One of the severs took the order for drinks and entree. When it was served we instantly noted that few food items were missing in the entree plate comparing it to the menu card. We pointed this mishap of missing food items to one of the servers and 10 minutes later she brought the missing items of the menu with no apology! The entree quality was below average. Soon after we observed that two girl servers were started giggling while standing in front of the counter looking at our direction which made us very uncomfortable. Our visitor was obviously disappointed of all these happenings and I could read this on her face. My wife immediately had a premonition of the quality of dinner we are about to have and she suggested to leave without having the dinner in this place. We notified our intention to the girl server and the Malaysian/ Chinese owner's reaction was totally unacceptable! Since there was no other patron in the restaurant it was only us to have had to observe the arrogant scene he made. My wife stopped me reacting. We paid for what we were served (cost $47/00) and left the place without a word. That night we had a wonderful dinner at Sawadee, the popular Thai restaurant at the close proximity which was houseful by that time(7.45 PM) but they were kind enough to show a table for three of us. We ordered the entree and drinks again before having the dinner. Total cost was just $ 97/00 for three of us. My above account is 100% true.<br/><br/>A further note - This was our first visit to this ( Mutiara) restaurant. I could only write this review 4 months after this visit thanks to a friend of mine , who is the owner of a large restaurant in Birkenhead, after listened to my story, put me on the right track to write of this incident . I have no animosity against any of the management or serving personnel of this place. I know that the servers are quite innocent. Thanks to Menu Mania for enabling me to express this experience for the benefit of wider public. Our first visit to this place will certainly be the last. Since this review may have some positive impact on its owner , I request the readers to have an open mind of this account.
Mimioguy
Mutiara Restaurant always has high quality food with great service at very reasonable prices. I've tried a bunch of dishes here over the years and they all are richly flavoured and nicely presented. I recommend this restaurant to my friends everywhere and have never had anyone disappointed with their experience. Be sure to check out the ikan bakar, assam fish curry or exotic sizzling platter - they are all great examples of fantastic, authentic Malaysian food.
Emma W
Had a nice midweek dinner here. Food and service were good, waitress recommended some dishes and it was nice to try something different.
Jim Archibald
A bloody Gem! Discount the reviews from the Malaysians, I would suspect there are other motivations. Sufficient to say, whenever I've been there, the number of ethnic,( I dislike the " Asian" tag), diners has outnumbered us Euros. What better endorsement?<br/>I'm writing this having lunched there today and having lunched at Ostro this week, taken in by the hype, now feel that credit should be given where its due and deserved.<br/>Note: I go to dine for the food, the rest is nice ambience.<br/>Having dined throughout South-East Asia (amazing stingray wings in Singapore) and China and at any number of food halls in NZ and Australia and can report that Mutiara Restaurant stands out in any company.<br/>Authentic, they make their own money bags (find that anywhere in NZ), no pretension, (it's a typical hole in the wall, Malaysian restaurant) underpriced, great food and value. Don't go. I want it for me!<br/>Service: Shy but great,. Ambience: just lovely.
Alan
I came here last week and ate the most delicious chicken curry I have ever had.<br/>The service was friendly and fast.<br/>I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone, I'll definitely be coming back.
Bernard
In my entire trip to Auckland, this has to the best restaurant I've ever been to. The wonderful smell that accompanies the setting has made me feel at home. The taste of Beef Rendang, the dish I ordered, is simply so memorable, that I had to come back for more, and I did so for many times! It is adequately spiced, with a taste-lingering flavor, and with the right consistency as well, what every authentic Rendang dish should be. This restaurant no doubt serves the best of what Malaysian Cuisine has to offer!
Rana Askari
We usually come to dine in this restaurant with family and friends and we love it everytime. This time however we took our 11 month old very busy baby with us so we told them we need to be served as fast as possible. Our food was there in no time and it was just excellent. GREAT service, lovely people and very friendly family environment. We love this place and recommend it to any one who's looking for a special night out with family or friends.
Fiona Quinn
Love the food here, have been coming her often for the last 10 years. The servings are generous and the prices very reasonable and its always consistently delicious.<br/>Good for a group as they can cater to vegetarians vegans and meat lovers and will adapt dishes to suit - dishes are nicely spiced and not bland.<br/>Friendly service and a simple interior - highly recommended.
Ron Redel
I work next door to this great little restaurant.<br/>The food is great, very authentic and really cheap.<br/>They are incredibly friendly and helpful.<br/>I've just had Laksa Lemak for 10.50 and it was fantastic full of fish chicken and prawns loads of noodles in a really rich and spicy sauce, excellent.<br/>I'm a big fan, the place is simple a little old fashioned but a true local<br/>gem!!!!
Scott Stacey
I have enjoyed both the attentive service and excellent food EVERY time I have been at this establishment. Its quiet enough to talk, warm and friendly to the eye and the soul - and HIGHLY recommended as one of my favourite 'home away from home' comfort places...
David Johnson
One of the old restaurant. <br/>Decor seems dated now. Still holds very authentic look.<br/>Food is simply delicious. I just love Nasi Lemak.<br/><br/>Food was little spicy for us but thoroughly enjoyed it.<br/><br/>Service was prompt. Worth visiting.
Jonathan Bowen
A favourite casual eatery that we keep going back to. Best dish? Well, we have about 6 dishes we really enjoy. Good service and friendly staff. Money bags and Ikan buka are good ones, sizzling platters, Rendang etc, and some of the best Roti around.
Felix Pillay
Simply the best in NZ. My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed the awesome experience. Meet Roy the owner chef ..he gave us such a dinning experience that surpasses any restaurant owner has ever provided. He comes to your table and asks on the quality of food and suggests dishes to suit your taste i.e he blends new dishes to your liking and believe you me you won't be disappointed. He is well liked in the community of Ponsonby and his customers comes from all corners of Auckland. Even David Tua is his favourite patron ..who has given him a personal DT t-shirt ask Roy to show it to you ...Dine at this Malaysian Rest its is THE BEST especially the service and great food from ROY.
Pete
5 star plus!<br/><br/>Fabulous food with friendly service and good ambience.<br/><br/>Roy and his team have looked after us for the past 15+years and we look forward to this continuing for many more years. <br/><br/>They have never failed to provide us with excellent food and service and we have always left feeling 100% satisfied.<br/><br/>p.s. If you like chilli crabs give them a call and see if they can organise it for you – they are a favourite with us.
Jagdish Singh
As we read the reviews and found out that Mutiara is probably the oldest Malaysian Restaurant in New Zealand based over 12years ago. The consistency of food is supposed to be superb as Roy the owner is the Head Chef since the establishment ofthe restaurant. <br/><br/>Went there for dinner recently with my mates. <br/>The deep fried whole prawns looked yummy in the photos so ordered some for entree. The presentation was beautiful and the colour was beautiful golden brown showing very good deep frying skills. Girlfriend ordered money bags which were so good as well. Found out that they are not using European deep fryers but fresh oil frying in a traditional wok. (Hence the colour and oil free yummy taste) <br/>The mains arrived just after finishing entree. We ordered Mee Goreng and some beef curry with roti. I would say the best Mee Goreng in New Zealand! Before unused to think that no one can beat the Mee Goreng of selera cafe(New Market) buy Roy's Mee Goreng is superb!<br/>For desert we had some banana fritters which were just amazing!<br/>The bar is at the front and the manager made superb shandy with properly measuring beer and lemonade then pouring them into another glass offered with ice. Very Organised! <br/><br/>Overall I'd say the best Asian food in Auckland CBD area with suberb location at Ponsonby Rd followed by great service by the staff.
Tom Kelly
I tend to eat here mostly for lunch, although have been here a few times for dinner, the food is probably the best Malaysian food around &amp; the service is second to none. Spice is offered to how hot you want &amp; the staff are always welcoming &amp; friendly. I will be back soon!!
Windy Smith
Mutiara has been my family favorite restaurant for years. I am Indonesian but I love Malaysian Food as its ingredients are very similar with ours. The waiting staff have always been friendly and most importantly the food is always delivered with good quality. The chef, Roy is super friendly and always made his time to ask us and all the guests around us whether we are happy with the food (of course we are happy!!! they're delicious and authentic!!!)<br/><br/>My husband and I brought our visitor from England and my mother in law. My visitor was so impressed with the food and cannot believe how friendly the chef and how great the service is.<br/>My mother in law and her husband are the regular by now. In fact everyone that I have recommended to go to Mutiara has always been satisfied with the food and the service. They have been consistently Great!! <br/><br/>My favorite dishes are the Deep Fried Snapper in Spicy and Sour Sauce, Double Fried Beans and Kum Heong Har (Aromatic Prawn) but whenever I brought new visitors around, amazingly the Double Fried Beans, Lemon Chicken and the Aromatic Chicken are also the winners!!!<br/><br/>Definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone who seeks to experience authentic Asian Food with good value for money. <br/>LOVE you Mutiara!!!!
Susan Castaneda
Terence and I have been going to Mutiara at least once a month for the last 12 years and we're shocked to read bad reviews which we feel are totally unjustified. We feel that Mutiara is like our second home and are treated by Roy and his staff very well. We found the great reviews written about Mutiara on the Finda &amp; Eat Out websites were exactly how we felt. May all good things stay with Mutiara.
Sam Ingham
The most amazing food we have had in Auckland. Great service, friendly staff and a tour of the kitchen proved the food was fresh and standards were high.<br/><br/>Roy the owner was fun and welcoming. He has a great business and a great talent as a chef.<br/><br/>This is now our new local and favorite place to have a delicious and reasonably priced dinner or lunch. To top it off we were able to bring our own Otago pino, as it's BYO.<br/><br/>Well done Mutiara, meaning The Pearl. You are the pearl of Auckland, if not NZ.<br/><br/>See you very soon and thanks for a memorable and special evening.<br/><br/>Samantha &amp; Dave
Linda
We had our staff party here a while ago and we had a great time, the mango juice is amazing. Its hard to actually find mango juices available in other restaurants. <br/>The variety of food in our table was unbelievable!! I love Malaysian food and I will definitely be back to Mutiara when I want a delicious Nasi Goreng.
Alan
I came here for lunch today and had the most delicious chicken curry.<br/>Every time, without fail the food is great.<br/>Not only is the food good but you get a lot for your money.<br/>I will continue to come here for great food and service.
Andrew Dixon
Best Malaysian in Auckland- and we've tried most!<br/>Lunch is outstanding- the Chicken Claypot in particular is amazing. Dinner perhaps even better, the Lamb Shank curry and Eggplant Sambal exceptional. Great service and the BYO option mean we are regulars at Mutiara.
Raaj Khubchandani
The customer service was horrible, the person on the phone taking the booking was too arrogant, the food was the worst i have had in Auckland, if you want to have good malaysian food, I recommend santhiyas, KK, and the Atrium on Elliot Food Court
Joe Dawson
Food was average. If you are a Malaysian, it is below average. Service was non existent. The waiter who served us was rude. We asked the price of a double portion of fish and he replied "I'm not here to discuss price". He was very unhelpful and seemed uninterested. We were in a group of 8 and we are Malaysians. We will definitely NOT be returning. There are many other excellent Malaysian restaurants to go to where the service is great.
Roksana
My Husband and I discovered Mutiara some 14 years ago and we have been going there on a regular basis ever since. Every special occasion we come to Mutiara.....why? well this is the best Malaysian food in town, and we have tried many. Our all time Fav is their Clay pot dishes, I have never tasted any thing like it anywhere else and MAN OH MAN its good.<br/><br/>My Dad who is the biggest critic of restaurants (and is never pleased with food he gets) loves Mutiara and is always ready to go there. <br/><br/>The owner Ray has always made it a point to come out and have a chat with us when ever we are there, and is sooo very helpful with group bookings. Though the Restaurant is small it is cosy and cute....I LOVE IT!! <br/><br/>We are going there again for a small 50th birthday celebration this weekend, I cant wait.
Amit Tripuraneni
I love Malaysian food and Mutiara has now become my favorite Malaysian joint, especially for lunch. Their lunch specials are super great deal and the food is divine. Every dish tastes different and my absolute favorites would be Char Kway Teow, Nonya Fried Rice and Claypot Noodles. Worth a visit for some good Malaysian eat.
Siew K Yap
I just returned from my OE &amp; have a friend gathering at Mutiara a few days ago. They have keep the standard of food as good as before. I have tried their new menu - Otak-Otak &amp; Ayam Masak Merah. Both was sooooo beautiful! I can't wait to go back again. Mutiara remain one of my favourite Malaysian restaurant. I will not hesitate to recommend to everbody.
John Daley
Having lived in Malaysia for many years I am always on the lookout for good food from the area. Mutiara is far and away the best I have come across in New Zealand. One of my yardsticks has always been the classic Rendang Daging and Mutiara's is simply the best I've ever tasted. I just keep going back and back and I have recommended it to so many friends and clients. It is very reasonably priced, the staff are an absolute delight, and the food is exceptional. I must say I have to be very sceptical of the origins of the couple of negative reviews above. This remains absolutely my favourite Asian restaurant of any kind in Auckland.
George Vergis
Excellent service,great food and good wine selections.The Ikan bakar and the Egg plant with salted fish,and the mee goreng was a hit for us.Will certainly be back to try out more of what Mutiara has to offer.
EatingBuddy
Place was pretty cramp, and food was served pretty slow. However, the service staff were nice and friendly. I ordered nasi goreng which came out less than desirable; the rice was all wet, sticky and not very well flavoured. I would definitely hesitate to return here and order something else, given the fact that they could not get the basic nasi goreng right.
Eatingout
Nothing great of a place, we went there for dinner and was greeted by the senior waiter. Everything was in order, except the food. I would not eat there again, just, reason being, food is not that exceptional.
Rose
Delicious food and wonderful staff, we are regulars here and love the option of BYO too. The laksa is amazing.
Peter Houlding
Not much keeps this away from 5-star rating: food quality and the attention of the staff justify it. Mutiara is one of Auckland's secrets; something which suits its many regulars, but hasn't enriched Roy, its owner. The menu is terrific: just as Malaysia is a blend of cultural influences, so does the menu represent a variety of influences. Popular standards such as Ayum Kapitan, Rendang, Re-fried beans with chicken, are all cooked to an exceptional standard and to a moderate price. Go now before Mutiara becomes Auckland's most fashionable ethnic cafe... Good wine list, real beers, fabulous roti!!!<br/><br/>Nothing has changed over five years since I wrote the above, except that bad-tempered Asian customers waving obsolete vouchers have had time to vent their spleens. Mutiara is different: most Asian restaurants are staffed by cooks who can throw the same old things around in woks; Mutiara is run by a formally-trained chef who can create dishes which properly represent any aspect of Malaysian cuisine culture.<br/><br/>(And I've upgraded the rating)<br/><br/>
YellowBlankets
Mutiara is a little bit different from other Malaysian eateries in Auckland, as they serve good ol Nyonya style dishes. Nyonya style dish is a type of Peranakan dish; meaning a mix of Chinese and Malay culture (and possibly Indian too? I don't know for sure). The place is traditionally decorated with Malaysian traditional cloth, paintings and sculptures, very interesting! The waiters wear traditional Malaysian kebaya as well. The place's really quiet--we were the only customers there throughout dinner. I find the lighting pretty dim though -- makes the whole place a little bit dead feeling, especially when it's that quiet.<br/><br/>I ordered Assam Fish Curry; tangy and flavorful, this dish goes really well with white rice. They're quite generous with the fish portions in the dish, and this is really close and authentic to the one I've had back in Malaysia. Other dishes are pretty mediocre for me, although I give point to their sayur masak lemak -- vegetables cooked in coconut and spinach -- as it tastes different and refreshing! <br/><br/>It costed us $28 each for 3 mains, 4 rice, 3 starters and 4 drinks. Pretty reasonable, I think?<br/>I reckon Mutiara can be a good alternative for Malaysian around; I will definitely be back to try their lunch specials!
Acai Bowls Affogato Agnolotti Alfredo Antipasti Apple pie Arancini Bacon Sandwich Bagels Baguette Beef Beef Bourguignon Beef Cheeks Beignets Bento (Lunch Box) Bento Don buri salmon Bibimbap Bolognese Bouillabaisse Breakfast Burrito Bruschette Burger Burrito Burrito Bowl Cakes Calamares Calamari Cannelloni Cannoli Carbonara Carrot Cake Catfish Ceviche Cheeseburger Cheesecake Cheesecakes Chicken And Waffles Chicken dishes Chicken Sandwich Chicken Wings Chili Chilli Chicken Chocolate mousse Chowder Clam Chowder Clams Club Sandwich Cobb Salad Cod Confit Coq au Vin Corn dogs Corned Beef Cotoletta Crab Crab Cake Crab Legs Crawfish Creme Brulee Crepes Croque Madame Croque Monsieur Croquettes Cupcakes Curry Dim Sum Donburi (Rice Bowl) Doner Kebab Donuts Duck Duck Confit Dumplings Eclairs Eggplant Eggs Benedict Escargot Fajitas Falafel Filet Mignon Fish Fish & Chips Fish and chips Fish Soup Fish Taco Focaccia Fondue French Fries French onion soup French Toast Fried rice Galettes Garlic Prawns Gazpacho Gelato Goat cheese salad Green Curry Grilled cheese Grilled pork Gyoza Halloumi Hamburgers Hokkien Mee Hot Dog Hot Pot Hummus Ice Cream Jambalaya Juice & Smoothies Kabobs Key lime pie Kung Pao Chicken Laksa Lamb Lamb chops Lamb Shoulder Lasagne Lobster Mac and cheese Macarons Macaroons Mandarin Duck Matzo Ball Soup Meatballs Meatloaf Meringue Miso ramen Moussaka Mussels Nachos New York Style Pizza Noodle Octopus Offal Omelette Oyster Pad Thai Paella Pancakes Parfait Pasta Pastrami Sandwich Patatas Bravas Peking Duck Pesto Pho Piadina Po' Boys Polenta Pork Pork Cheeks Pork Roll Poutine Prawns Profiteroles Prosciutto Quail Quiche Ragu Ramen Raw fish Red Curry Reuben sandwich Ribs Rice pudding Risotto Roast Beef Roast Chicken Roquefort Salad Salmon Salmon Salad Saltimbocca Sandwiches Sashimi Scallops Schnitzel Seafood Paella Seafood Platters Shabu Shabu Shawarma Shellfish Shrimp Sirloin Steak Snails Souvlaki spring rolls Steak Steak Frites Steak Sandwich Steak Tartare Stracciatella Suckling Pig Sukiyaki & Shabu Shabu Surf And Turf Swordfish T-Bone Steak Tacos Tagliatelle Tandoori Chicken Tapas Tarte Tatin Tataki Tater tots Tempura Tikka Masala Tiramisu Toasts Tomato Bread Tonkatsu Tonkotsu ramen Torte Tortellini Tortelloni Tortillas Toulouse sausage Tuna Tuna Melt Turkey Sandwich Udon Udon & Soba (Wheat & Buckwheat Noodle) vegan choice Veggie Burger Waffle Fries Waffles Waffles & Crepes Wild boar Wings Yakitori (Grilled Skewers)
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