Gao Asian Fusion

About this place

Gao Asian Fusion is a contemporary Asian restaurant at Shop 5, 198–200 Dairy Flat Highway, Albany, on Auckland's North Shore. It opened in December 2018 and has built a reputation well beyond its suburban strip-mall address. Parking is on site, though the car park can fill on busy evenings.

The kitchen, led by chef Rupert Palaroan, draws on flavours from across Asia — Korea, Japan, the Philippines and China — rather than sticking to a single national cuisine, and pairs them with modern technique and presentation. Signature plates include a steak tartare with gochujang emulsion, tuna kinilaw (a Filipino-style ceviche with mango and coconut), and a wagyu cheeseburger spring roll wrap that has become something of a house favourite. Dishes are designed to be shared, which works well for groups.

Gao has attracted sustained critical attention for a suburban restaurant. It has been reviewed by Jesse Mulligan for the New Zealand Herald's Viva, is listed in the Cuisine Good Food Guide, and appears in Metro's restaurant listings and on Concrete Playground and Auckland Unlimited's aucklandnz.com.

The restaurant is open for dinner only: Tuesday to Thursday from 5.30pm, Friday and Saturday from 5pm, and Sunday from 5pm, with kitchen close between 9pm and 9.30pm depending on the night. Bookings are recommended, and pick-up ordering is available. The room is compact, so larger parties should contact the restaurant directly to confirm what can be accommodated and whether a set or shared menu is available.

Gao suits small-group dining, team dinners and client entertaining on the North Shore where the objective is genuinely interesting food rather than function-room capacity. Planners needing a dedicated private space for a larger corporate event will want to check availability with the restaurant before committing.