Review Nobanno - Christchurch

Heaven and healthy! Went to have dinner with my best friend at around 9pm. There’s only one other group of customer so it almost feels like we’ve rented the place. The manager, Christopher, was so attentive and very welcoming. I immediately liked the place even without the food yet. But, the food, it’s divine! We ordered the today’s special which I can’t remember the names (pork and a chicken menu) but when he recited them, they already sounded delicious. They are freshly prepared so don’t go there if you’re not up to waiting for a good 10-15 minutes. The ambiance is another plus, very posh and neat. On top of that, Christopher even gave us complementary mango lassi which is a star!!! I highly recommend this Bangladesh restaurant.

A truly wonderful experience I would entirely recommend this place to anyone if you would like to try Bangladesh food. I am told it's the only one of its type in New Zealand and that all the recipes are the owner's mother. The food was superb the service great e.g. folding napkins and placing them appropriately on our laps. A very nicely coloured restaurant with a light background music playing with a Bangaledesh flavour. If you looking for a unique night out then I strongly recommend coming to this restaurant. The music is Koto traditional Japanese.

This is my nice treat-myself dinner location. The food is simply delicious. Don't expect generic 'indian' food, because this is far more subtle (which is a bonus if you have non-spicy food lovers to cater towards) using what I feel is better ingredients than the standard. Pair that with the excellent service from Christopher (you'll know him from the kindnesses when he greets you) and the other staff, and I feel it is one of the best dining experiences available at a reasonable price. Speaking of pricing, I have seen other reviews mention the food being expensive, not including 'free rice' etc. I think they went in expecting standard Indian food. And again, this certainly isn't. I would consider it better. It's a treat. Something to savour and enjoy, both the food and the service. Treat yourself if you like good food. The included image is of the pork special & delicious Nabanno salad (includes apple, nectarine, capsicum, mushroom..surprisingly nice!)

The food was great, totally different experience from any Indian food. Nice presentation and exotic flavours. The only downside for mecwas that desert (cottage cheese dumplings w icecream) were not made from scratch and for a $12 to $15 tiny desert, I guess more dedication is needed.

Visited a Bangladeshi restaurant for the first time... And I was not dissapointed.... The food was super delicious. We tried the garlic mushrooms for entree along with mixed bhajee (pakodas) { the chef was generous enough to send in pakodas as complimentary} along with lamb shak and shukta. I must say that I fell in love with the lamb. It's a must have. Overall the meal was great.. The staff amazing. We met the boss..... Who was the sweetest host on earth. A must visit.

Great place, they made a lot of effort to explain menu and help customers.

A unique experience of bengali food cooked without chilies. Loved the machchar bhongto which is fish in an automatic lentil curry with the traditional panch phoran spice. Wish we were more hungry to have tried other dishes

Had amazing service at this place. Everything was explained in am easy to understand way and the waiter was very helpful. The food was delicious due to being made from scratch with real herbs and spices. We had my partners grandma with us and the waiter was very accommodating of her needs. To top it all off the waiter found out it was my partners birthday and gave him a shirt. Great service definitely going to go back in future.

A lovely meal! All of the flavours are very fresh. Food came out quickly and great sized portions. The staff are just wonderful, so nice see so much passion it shines through their food and their service.

Wow! I was hesitant to eat here due to my low tolerance to spicy food but the rating is high and I couldn’t agree more. The owner very attentive and nice person explained that they don’t use chili, the spices used are not spicy. Instead they give a lot of flavor. I ended up having a wonderful chicken breast (never thought I would combine that adjective to this noun) from the “must try menu” full of flavor and with a great service. I am definitely returning to this restaurant to discover new flavors in other dishes.

We wanted to try something new and found this Bangladesh restaurant. The menu was very diverse and the waiter helped me with my allergies. The meals were excellent and I especially enjoyed the Gluten free Naan Bread. The flavours were Excellent on every dish. We thought it was a place we would continue to come back especially with a group of people. This is a must try for everyone

Authentic and Delicious. The most kind hearted staff you could ever meet. And absolutely delightful experience that I’ll have to do again!! Food was fresh and flavoursome, we went on a Thursday night and the wait wasn’t bad at all. Would definitely suggest this restaurant to anyone :)

We went here for a Christmas work do (about 10 of us). We all really enjoyed it, food was delicious, fresh with explosions of flavours. Staff friendly and attentive. Good value for money. Just wished I'd saved room for desert! I'm sold on Bangladesh food will be back.

Fantastic personal service from the owner and maitre' D, Christopher. He shared his story and passion for the best and freshest food inspired by the meals his mother cooked in his home in Bangladesh. The food did not disappoint. The flavours were amazing and unlike anything we have tried. We ate everything, it was so delicious! We will be back and will make sure we leave room for dessert next time. Thank you so much. Keep up the great work Christopher and your superb team.

Once again Chris and his team provided us with dishes that lived up to expectations. Good things take time and the chosen dishes, along with two specially prepared meals had our visiting diners licking their lips agreeing we had certainly made the right choice of restaurant. Subtle, delicious food, made with passion. We'll be back- again. Thanks Chris.

Great service from owners on a quiet Monday night, explained their menu, its uniqueness and were very friendly and attentive. While it appears a family business and less polished than some other restaurants, they go out of their way to ensure your dining experience is excellent and the food is indeed very fresh and tasty with good portioning.

We could not have had a better time. The meals were delicious and the owner was passionate about his food and restaurant. He happily explained the menu to us. All the food was fresh and prepared while we sat. Definitely going back.

It's the second time round that I had a meal here. The food is delicious as well as interesting and i can recommend being adventurous. The service is great too, our host really made the evening an enjoyable and satisfying dinner. Thank you!

We loved our meal. We shared the pork dish Nobo Shukoor extra with rice and the Lamb Biryani.No chilli but so flavoursome and spicy with different layers. Absolutely beautiful food and tender meat. If I were to say or suggest anything..was the fact that although with your typical leather backed chairs and great personal service..what is needed is to be proud of your heritage. Plaster the walls with maps, show people where you come from as it needs atmosphere. This was the best meal we have had for a long time.

Stunning food, exquisite flavours. We love this restaurant! These guys know the true meaning of hospitality. Impeccable service and wonderful gracious staff. One of the best dining experiences we have had. We will be back and highly recommend ������

Such incredible service and food. We went not really knowing what type of food to expect but had been given a voucher from family as an engagement gift. Such delicious food, it’s pretty much a healthier, fresher version of Indian styled food. The owner was an fantastic host and we will definitely return and would fully encourage more people to try this place. 10/10.

Not the place for big group bookings unless you order in advance or do the banquet thing. Their food prep technique means they can't premake a base curry in bulk. Service took so long for us. Awesome for small groups. Fantastic food.

Really cool place, the food was great and the service was amazing. They explain the food and what side dishes work best with it. Very impressed, would definitely come back again.

Lovely meal - fantastic service - recommend this restaurant for sure! Waitress was very polite �

Had a wonderful experience here tonight Friday 04/05/2018. Must note the servant who after dark also has the responsibility to pay the bills. Chris although you claimed to be just a servant I was not fooled I can see it's your place and that's a great thing I loved everything about tonight. Great value for money and wonderful food. Passion is in the owners eyes and I'll be back soon

Wonderful service, delicious food, full of flavour! Loved learning about Bengali food. Look forward to visiting again.

The food was delicious- full of flavour. The service was great too, really appreciated the personal attention and the clear pride in the cuisine.

After having visited this place to celebrate Ozzy's birthday, we now know why it is one among the most liked restaurants in Christchurch.<br/><br/>Decor is simple and basic but hospitality and food is extraordinary by a successful professional, who left his high paying job, to pursue his passion - food, is very much evident in his hospitality.<br/><br/>Although not authentic Bangladeshi cuisine, there's lot of Mughlai and other modern influences on the dish, and the owner also confirmed that this is the food his mother used to cook at home, and not necessarily typical as they avoid using chillies.<br/><br/>We ordered Crab meat stuffed in Potatoes Pockets, Bhuna Khichury with Lamb and Chicken with sesame seeds .<br/><br/>Our favorite and the dishes of the day were Crab meat stuffed Potatoes and Chicken Sesame. Juicy succulent pieces of chicken cookednin a sweet and spicy gravy of pistachio and peanut..Was out of this world. Crab meat stuffed potatoes were full.of flavors.<br/><br/>Lamb gravy with their version of Khichuri was good as well.<br/><br/>Value for money compared to the experience our taste buds were offered. Good options for Vegans and Vegetarians.<br/><br/>Must Visit.<br/><br/>

Just had dinner here an absolutely loved it! Sorry I don’t know the names of the items we had. But we highly recommend Nobanno for dinner, the food is flavoursome and not to Spicy. Great value for money. The staff also were fantastic, really lovely staff.<br/>If you are looking for a lovely dining experience with some delicious food then this is the place to come!

A very nice place for a date. The food was delicious and the service was superb. I’m very impressed and I can’t wait to return. The waiter was very professional. He greeted us with a lovely smile. He also took out the time to let us know what’s on special and a bit about the restaurants background.

Please be advise, they do NOT serves Halal as being tag on. (None of the meats is halal)<br/>Food wasn't that bad, it's more to fusion than Indian/Bangladeshi. Agree with the comment saying its like eating curry without chilli. Portion was rather small & price are dear.<br/>Service of staffs were good though.

Food was good quality but not to my taste. Tasted like Indian food without chili. Spices combination is definitely different than Indian ones. No ordinary butter chicken or tikka masala, so if you are someone who likes to try different cuisines, you will enjoy this one.

Spices used divinely and very exotic Bengali cuisine<br/>Freshly prepared stuff , we can just feel that from the first bite.<br/>The chef was professional walking around checking with most of the tables <br/>Wait staff was friendly<br/>Chicken tikka was succulent tasty with naan<br/>We love the lamb shank here and the chicken curry was yummy<br/>You will enjoy the authentic flavours

One of my absolute favourites - I'd come more often if I didn't study in Wellington. I work down the road and often get a curry roll for lunch and they are honestly the best. Amazing, healthy food with so much flavour, yet never too hot or spicy! It's the same with all the curries. The use of fruit makes all the curries very unique, and there is a very wide variety in rice, naans and meals! The staff are so lovely and efficient - especially Chris the owner. 10/10.

Authentic Bangladeshi food. This place is brilliant. On your first visit, the owner will provide all patrons with an interesting background about the restaurant and the cuisine. This place is by the water front and has great views. The food is outstanding and overall a great experience.

Nobanno was referred to me by a friend who said the food really good. So my partner and I decided to give Nobanno's a go on a Monday night, the restaurant was rather empty, due to it being a Monday. However, we were greeted by outstanding service and seated. Our waiter for the night came over and asked politely to give my partner and I a brief description of the restaurant and their heritage which was really interesting. The waiter had a detailed knowledge of the dishes and provided information and opinions which was very helpful, as we were unfamiliar with bangali food. <br/>We ordered our food which came out promptly. <br/>Was very good, presentation was a little lacking, but that was no deterrent the food was good flavorsome and the balance of the spices used was just right. <br/>After finishing our meals the owner approached each table asking if they were satisfied with the quality of the food and dining experience added to the impeccable service. <br/><br/>Setting was OK<br/><br/>Would recommend for a low key night in with family and friends with good food and exceptional service that will make you want to go back.

I recently revisited Norbanno, the last time being in their original location in Armagh St. Despite it being over 4 years the owner recognised me and was kind enough to pop over and say hi.<br/><br/>Staff were attentive and considerate, the food was excellent. Timing of service was quick and pricing reasonable.<br/><br/>I miss the niches of the original location, but cannot speak highly enough of the team and food.

We went to Nobannos last night for the first time and I cannot rave about it more. The food was amazing ! We had the Chicken Tikka for an entree and it was beautiful. The chicken was cooked to perfection and was so fresh. All the flavours were to die for, and loved the fact that it was all made without chilli as the flavours were more pleasant. The service was impeccable from start to finish. The staff catered to our needs fully and were fantastic. Highly recommend !!

First time to Nobanno and we were very impressed. The food was fresh with great flavours. We had a couple of entrees and then the citrus beef curry and one of the specials (chicken breast stuffed with minced chicken, paneer, dates and cashew nuts). The chicken was the stand out dish - cooked perfectly and unique flavour. The service was very good with very attentive waitresses. Great service and nice atmosphere.

We went Nobanno for my husband's birthday last night. Wow... absolutely outstanding! The dishes we ordered (one vegetarian, one that was chicken stuffed with chicken believe it or not, a lamb, and the goat curry that's was mentioned before) were so good that we shared each around the table. Great service, lovely warm decor. Well worth the short jaunt out towards Ferrymead. Love this place - welcome back Nobanno!

We visited this restaurant on a Tuesday evening. There were 4 other couples in that night but there should have been more as the food and the service were great. Any questions were willingly answered and nothing was a problem. The food was tasty with herbs and spices but nothing harsh or hot which suited me well. Judging by the comments overheard from the other patrons, they were more than happy with their food also.<br/>I would highly recommend you try this restaurant, I don't think you will be disappointed.

Very good. Wife had the goat curry &amp; said it was very good, so as my curry. Flavours were excellent &amp; different. The owner served us, he's a character &amp; added to the experience, would recommend , we will return

Our favourite restaurant. Hands down is the best value for money. Great food and service. We are so happy that they finally re opened and as good as ever! It's a must try before you die, all the 5 star reviews are for good reason, this place is well worth a try!!!!!

Does this place even exist any more?<br/>Too many restaurants have disappeared since the earthquake and websites don't update.

My partner and I went here for dinner on a Saturday night and it was fabulous. The staff were extremely friendly and helpful. The restaurant was well laid out and beautifully decorated. The food was fantastic with great flavours and it was brilliant to have it all explained to us. You could taste all of the different spices, amazing. As locals we will definitely be returning and recommending it to friends.

My partner and I went to Nobanno for an early dinner before seeing a show at the Town Hall, a great location for a restaurant, and an interesting twist in being NZ's only Bangladeshi restaurant were what hooked us. When we arrived we were greeted warmly and this high standard of treatment continued throughout the night. Meals are very well priced, and extremely tastey, as others have mentioned the use of spices and herbs for a fuller flavour is a welcome change to the heat of Indian food.<br/><br/>Everyone I have told about this restaurant seems genuinely interested in the place, and we will definitely be returning!

My husband and I didn't dine out very often, that is until we discovered Nobanno. The food is divine and the service always great. The restaurant has such a nice atmosphere, and looking around you can tell people are really enjoying their choice of dining out at Nobanno. A big plus for me is I don't like "hot food". Nobanno's food is lovely and rich and full of spices and so delicious and it doesn't burn your throat. We are always telling people about this place, it really is that good!

My son and I chose an early dinner at Nobanno based on recommendations of a couple of friends. Christopher (owner) explained the difference between Bengali and Indian cuisine which suited my palate as I prefer flavoursome food that is not overly hot. The specials of the day were explained in some detail but we opted for the Nobanno fish curry and the cheese and spinach dish (think palak paneer but lighter). Our meals were warm, satisfying and had a good blend of subtle spices. These dishes were accompanied by garlic naan and buttery saffron rice; both sides were well prepared. We chose aam (mango) lassi to drink and were provided with a complementary dessert, a saffron rice milk pudding dusted with pistachio: delicate and a superb end to the meal. Christopher takes a lot of pride in his food and this is evident in his attentive, polite service.

We went to Nobanno for the first time last night and were delighted with the experience. <br/>We were quickly seated when we arrived. Then we had a great introduction to the restaurant once seated. The guy that did this was amazing, and i could only describe it as excellent customer service. We then got drinks, and were helped out by the same guy to choose our dinner option. He explained exactly what was in each and what one we would probably like. All three of us got excellent dishes, and continued to get top notch service all night.<br/><br/>Highly recommend a visit!

Dear Sara<br/>I have read your comments about Nobanno and I felt it is very important to write the truth from my personal experience. <br/>Firstly, I would like to say that Bangladesh was never been a part of West Bengal. If you look at the history carefully you will find that when British governed India sub-continent between 1858 and 1947 there was no such a country called Bangladesh. After the partition in 1947 it was a new part called East Pakistan. Then in 1971 Bangladesh became an independent country and separated from Pakistan after fighting a war for 9 months. Before the British Raj, Moghal Empire conquered the India. Mughal originally came from Persia (Iran). Therefore, could you please mention where you found your 300 years of history about India and Bangladesh were the same. Now we all know that Australian and New Zealander speak the same language and may share many attributes which are same but New Zealand is not the same country or region to the Australia- are they? Another example would be at present days Male and female both wear the pants but it does not mean that all Female are becoming Male as trouser or pants originally invented for Male and Skirt made for Female. I can say that Indian, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, China, Thailand, Burma etc all eat curry and I am sure they all follow their own cooking method. Therefore, you cannot be so certain about that they all are the same? You mentioned the Bengali word “Bhalo ammar tumar”. Do you know the meaning of it? Bhalo means ‘good’. Ammar means “my”. Tumar means “yours”. Does it sound like an appropriate Bengali sentence? What does it mean? I would like to ask you to learn the language properly before you using it. Many Bangladeshi have given their blood for the Bangla language so it should be respected and used appropriately.<br/>Secondly, you mentioned that tandoori is not the part of Bangladeshi Cuisine and its part of Indian Cuisine. Your statement is not correct. Tandoori is not the tradition of either Bangladeshi or Indian cuisine. Tandoor originated in Persia (Iran) and then brought to India via Afganistan by Arabs. The word tandoor comes from the “Dari” words which derived from very similar terms Persian, Arabic, Turkish. (more history can be found on internet “type tandoor history”) Therefore, again you made an incorrect statement without knowing the history. Is it not better to know the history before you try to justify your assumptions? <br/>Please do not get offended about my writing. Me being a Bangladeshi and visited many times to try Nobanno’s food and service were very satisfied in every time I been there. We live in 21st century so it is not ethical to fool people and I seen Nobanno is very busy and popular restaurant and people like me who visited many times so do you think that I am fool? I also saw that you made a review on “South of India” restaurant closer time to writing reviews on Nobanno with many flattery words. Are you sure that you are not a part of the Indian restaurant and trying to spread false rumors about a well recognized restaurant such as Nobanno? You also mentioned that you have been at Nobanno for both Lunch and dinner. That means you visited twice. Why did you visit twice if you did not like the food at the first time? Did you also mention your unsatisfactory result to the management or staff at Nobanno? I always notice that the owner and manager take extra effort to come and ask their guests about customers’ satisfaction. Please be open your mind so you can see the positive of others, otherwise you will be fooled at the end.

It seems that the previous comment was based more on cultural differences than the enjoyment of the dining experience. <br/>The menu options while looking similar to an Indian menu taste quite different. This is due to them using less hot spices, which tends to bring out the more subtle spices, which are also present, but often overlooked in typical Kiwi-Indian dishes. <br/>The restaurant is new and clean with nice hard-furnishings, which contribute to a lively/slightly noisy atmosphere.<br/>Friendly service, tasty food with a point of difference, reasonably priced. Will definitely be back for another meal.

We came here for lunch and dinner. Food is exactly like Indian but they always like to say its different food from Bangladesh felt only name difference. I say its Indian food but different name. why do you fool people like that? <br/>Bangladeshi cuisine refers to the Bengali cuisine prevalent in Bangladesh. Bangladesh was part of West Bengal before partition, hence the two regions have a common cuisine. Bangladeshi cuisine is a generic terminology to refer to the cooking-style and trend now prevalent in Bangladesh. However, there are several regional variations, in terms of dishes, cooking style, serving style and nomenclature. Tandoori is not the part of Bangladeshi Cuisine and its part of Indian Cuisine.<br/>India and Bangladeshi were same and cuisine is from 300 years so they is no term who want to specify Christopher. Best Indian and Bangladeshi comes they way chef cook and customer likes. Bhalo ammar tumar. I been to bangladesh, India etc. <br/>I didn't like the explanation you gave to earlier customer comment that to after more than 3 months.

Came to dinner on a Friday night as a group of four. We had excellent service with the waiter showing great patience as we decided between all the wonderful options. The food is very well priced as are the drinks. Will definitely be back and will recommend to others.

I am always delighted to recommend Nobanno to friends and work colleagues. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable and the food is delicious and so tasty. Great spot for lunch.

Great food, reasonable prices and friendly service, we've been there many times and will continue to go. I recommend the badam curry and spiced mango lassi - delicious! The lunch wrap is also tasty (and cheap).

WE HAD A EXCELLENT MEAL HERE ON SATURDAY NIGHT THIS WAS OUR 4TH VISIT &amp; IT HAS BEEN EQUALLY AS GOOD EACH TIME,AFTER THE FIRST VISIT WHERE EVERYTHING WAS EXPLAINED, WHICH I THINK <br/>IS GOOD AS YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS IS NOT INDIAN CUISINE,IT CAN BE A BIT OFF-PUTTING TO HEAR IT EXPLAINED TO NEW CUSTOMERS, BUT JUST SHUT YOURSELF OFF AND ENJOY THE MEAL. WE HAVE BEEN HERE FROM THE UK FOR 8 MONTHS &amp; HAVE FOUND IT VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND GOOD RESTAURANTS ,ESPECIALLY FOREIGN ONES &amp; THIS ONE HAS BEEN VERY GOOD ALSO WE HAVE TAKEN FRIENDS &amp; KNOW THEY HAVE RETURNED. GOOD LUCK TO YOU &amp; WE SHALL BE BACK SOON

Got the full speel about how this was not Indian food and it was the only one of its type in Australasia etc etc (tasted to me like Indian!) Food OK but not to die for. Most dissapointing aspect was to be shut in the front corner with all other subsequent diners where one woman couldn't get out of her chair without our table doing a reshuffle. Had to hear the same intro (loudly)at least 6 times to other diners as they were seated so I think i knew this speel as well as the host by the end of our dinner!! Big restaurant, why do you all get shoved in one corner so you have to overlap conversations with others? We were a group, others were couples trying the intimate dining experience (not likely here!)Maybe their vacuum cleaner broken so trying to minimise floor crumbs?? Would i go back? Based on cluster mentality -No.