Last Night's Dinner – The Gyoza Bar

Ready your chilli oil, folks. Hump day dumplings just got a whole lot tastier, thanks to Ponsonby Road's newest gyoza spot.

If you follow Dish on Instagram, chances are you're already well across the our healthy dumpling obsession. From pan-fried gyoza to steaming hot pot stickers – long story short, we love our dumplings.

So when we heard Ponsonby Road was home to a delightful new gyoza spot, excitement levels were high. 

The Gyoza Bar offers precisely what its name might suggest, beautifully crafted dumplings and a killer cocktail list. During our visit, we start with the signature creation – the Samurai, a crisp combination of sake, fresh lime and soda, before diving straight in to the cocktail of the day. Lucky for us, Wednesday's libation is a masterfully-made Aperol Spritz.

Dumpling-lovers will revel in the menu, where these scrumptious little morsels reign supreme. There's the pork gyoza, a pan-fried combination of cabbage, veges and flavoursome minced pork, the steamed wagyu beef and the prawn, neatly folded pockets of deliciousness.

The tempura veges are among the best we've tried. Julienned strips of eggplant, capsicum, green beans and pumpkin, encased in a light and scrumptious tempura batter.

If dumplings are your thing, Sho and the team at The Gyoza Bar will ensure you're well and truly taken care of. We suggest you finish your fix with a crisp glass of shochu, a Japanese style tequila, or – if you're feeling particularly brave – the sake tasting set.

A simple, satisfying menu that hits the spot. Cheers to that.

The Gyoza Bar,
171C Ponsonby Road,
Ponsonby,
Auckland 1011.
Opening hours:
Wednesday to Sunday: 5.00PM – till late.