Red Crab Thai on Oneroa Waiheke Island by Guy Thai Restaurant

Location :

Vibe
With 180 degree views of Oneroa and typically friendly Thai charm, one of Waiheke Island's newest restaurants is also one of it's best. Oneroa can get very quiet mid week, however with the exception of the newly opened Viola (also along Ocean View Road), Red Crab was certainly the most popular of the eateries.

Service
It seemed to take forever to get our orders in, but perhaps we were guilty of clock watching because of a day spent ambling around Waiheke - once we had ordered however the staff were helpful without being overly attentive. Island time is definately subscribed to here.

Winelist
Fantastic range of wine available including some quality local varieties - the Man o War chardonnay was reasonably priced at $9.50 per glass. Small range of beer available, with Singha (7.50) the standout.

Highlights
The entree of Tod Mun Pla (fish cakes) are well recommended but the Gaeng Massamun (Lamb Massamun curry) was a treat and very generously portioned.

Most Surprising Dish
The Jungle Curry with spare ribs looked interesting but was overlooked in favour of a red king prawn curry.

The Bottom Line
The dishes and setting could not be faulted, however the service could do with a sharp improvement. At $110 (starter platter, two mains, two beers/wines and two deserts), Red Crab offers suprisingly good value for this part of the island.

A Reason to Return
The massamun - we'll be searching long and hard for a thai restaurant in Auckland that will be able to match Red Crab's offering.