It had been a long time between date nights, so when the opportunity came to try Bossi’s new autumn menu, I booked the babysitter and headed to their Gore Street restaurant with my husband.
Bossi is known for its generous Italian-inspired dishes – the kind that feel like they could have come straight from a nonna’s kitchen. Founder Jenna Carter built the restaurant around that idea: comforting food, shared generously, with the warmth of an Italian family table.
I’ve been several times before, including for my birthday last year, and it never disappoints. But when we were escorted to seats overlooking the chefs at work, I had the sense this dinner might be something a little more special.
Executive Chef Shaun Dowling soon confirmed that suspicion, asking us one simple question: were we hungry?
The answer, of course, was yes. I’d had a light lunch in preparation, but nothing could have prepared me for the parade of dishes that followed. Thirteen in total. Dowling assured us he wouldn’t be offended if we couldn’t finish everything – delivered with a knowing smile. My husband, who grew up in a household where “nothing goes to waste”, immediately took this as a personal challenge.
Soon after, Chris the head waiter appeared with two glasses of Champagne and instantly set the tone for the evening. Warm, charismatic, and endlessly knowledgeable, he explained he would be pairing wines throughout the meal. Then the dishes began arriving.
We started with natural oysters dressed with shallot vinaigrette and Bossi’s famous fried olives stuffed with ricotta. But my early standout was the Gamberi all’Aglio – prawns cooked with garlic, lemon, chilli and scampi stock, served with grilled focaccia. As a lifelong prawn lover, this was heaven. My husband enthusiastically mopped up every last drop of sauce with the bread.
Next came Baccala Mantecato with gnocchi fritti, followed by a beautifully presented Kingfish Crudo. The crudo was striking – arranged in a delicate mosaic and pickled, I believe, in beetroot. And still the plates kept coming.
There was Salsiccia e Polenta – a house-made sausage and creamy polenta; the Spaghetti allo Scoglio, packed with market fish, squid, scampi, mussels and prawns; and a Scampi Risotto so rich and comforting I haven’t stopped thinking about it since.
Then came Bossi’s iconic Lasagne – towering layers of pasta and slow-cooked sauce. Naturally, we compared it to my mum’s version. We later suggested she might consider adding two extra layers (Chef Shaun’s has five) and slicing it into long thin portions like he does. I can’t say she appreciated the feedback.
The Gnocchi Ripieni, stuffed with mozzarella and nduja in an arrabbiata sauce, followed soon after. By the time the Filletto di Manzo arrived – eye fillet with truffle mash, a portobello mushroom stuffed with blue cheese, and jus – my husband finally admitted defeat, waving his napkin in surrender. But Chef Shaun wasn’t quite finished yet.
After a brief pause, three desserts appeared. As a self-confessed dessert enthusiast, I initially declared the Limone the winner. Crafted to look exactly like a lemon, the delicate shell had to be cracked open to reveal a bright citrus centre layered over a crumb base – refreshing, balanced and beautifully executed.
But then came the Torre di Pisa – a warm fig pudding with bourbon caramel sauce and Biscoff gelato. Think sticky date pudding, but deeper and slightly more indulgent. Sweet lovers will be obsessed. Throughout the evening, every dish arrived perfectly paired with the right wine. We didn’t need to make a single decision – we simply sat back and enjoyed the experience.
The head waiter Chris, originally from Italy, delivered some of the best service we’ve experienced and he was equally engaging with wine stories as he was with football chat with my husband between courses.
By the end of the evening, a Negroni appeared and conversation drifted easily between food, football and life in Auckland. We’d been there so long the restaurant had begun to empty out, and what began as dinner had slowly turned into something that felt far more relaxed and familiar. Exactly how you imagine being welcomed into an Italian home – exceptional food, impeccable service, and the sense you’re in very good hands.
