Acclaimed chef and restaurateur Nic Watt has opened the doors to his latest dining concept, Cāntīng, at Auckland’s vibrant Commercial Bay.
Officially opened on November 25, Cāntīng offers a modern take on Chinese cuisine, blending classic and innovative flavours from across Asia.
Located on Level 1 of Commercial Bay’s bustling precinct, Cāntīng (pronounced “can-ting,” meaning “restaurant”) is a smart casual restaurant that seats 120 guests, with options for intimate dining or gatherings.
With views over the Waitematā, the restaurant’s semi-private Shuijing Room accommodates smaller special events, while a small but lively bar area welcomes walk-ins.
Cāntīng’s interior, crafted by Izzard Design, balances modern style with traditional Chinese elements. Rich reds evoke the spices of Asian cuisine, and oak partition screens create a warm, intimate feel. The centrepiece – a terracotta-tiled duck oven – reflects the kitchen’s dedication to culinary artistry, while custom lighting, plush blue velvet upholstery, and textured glass details enhance the ambiance.
Guests are able to choose from a variety of seating options, including cosy banquettes, large round tables or a bird’s eye view of the action seated at the kitchen counter.
Open seven days, Cāntīng offers a contemporary yum cha and lunch service from midday, Monday through Friday, with weekend yum cha from 11:00am to 3:00pm. Dinner is served 5:00pm till late, seven days a week. The menu is designed for sharing, with à la carte options and two set menus, Lucky, $88pp and Prosper $138 pp, designed to take the guesswork out of ordering.
Signature dishes
Dim Sum and starters; a mouth-watering selection of traditional appetizers including spring rolls, steamed dumplings, bao buns and wontons including the special Spicy crayfish & scallop steamed dumplings and 4pc selection. Included on the menu, Cāntīng’s Tiger prawn toast with sesame, a version inspired by Watt’s time spent in Hong Kong.
Cāntīng Special dishes; including the visual theatre of the Yusheng or “prosperity toss”, served and tossed tableside. Yusheng is usually served to celebrate the Chinese New Year, this Singaporean version is available year round at Cāntīng and features King salmon, a seven vegetable salad, crispy wonton & caviar.
Bigger / BBQ plates; a delicious selection of plates including BBQ duck pancakes, cucumber, spring onion and house made hoisin sauce; Watt’s signature Black Cod with char siu BBQ sauce, pickled white radish & ginger and Sui Yuk Cantonese crispy pork belly, bao buns.
Wok & hot kitchen: The hotline will serve up a variety of dishes including a stir fried Cantonese lemon chicken with light soy and fresh ginger; Pipis with XO ‘a la Song Bird’ and a luxurious Mapo Tofu dish, served with pork, dark soy and red Szechuan pepper with an option to add crayfish to the dish.
Vegetables & Sides: including perennial favourites like Crispy eggplant, Spring onion pancakes, Wok fried gai lun (broccoli) with pe-tsai cabbage, sweet soy, lime and toasted cashew and Youtiao fried bread, the Chinese version of savoury churros.
Dessert: includes a small but delicious selection including a Baked pineapple sugar bun with anise custard and passionfruit.
Watt, who is the driving force behind SkyCity’s contemporary Japanese restaurant MASU and the Nikkei inspired INCA in Ponsonby Central, says Cāntīng is a culmination of a life spent travelling through Asia and time spent working in Hong Kong and Macau.
“From a young age I gravitated towards the cuisines of Asia. It was in Hong Kong that I developed a passion for the Sunday yum cha experience, the huge banquet halls had queues out the door, serving everything you can possibly imagine, it all tasted incredible. I hope our interpretation of weekend yum cha becomes a popular tradition for Aucklanders”, says Watt.
“And it was my time spent in Macau that sparked a deep curiosity of BBQ duck techniques, so much so I travelled to Beijing to learn, eat and do a deep dive into the history and art of Peking Duck, I’m particularly excited to bring my version of this to Cāntīng and I also hope to bring some of my knowledge, passion and best experiences to the Cāntīng menu”.
Key Team
Joining Executive Chef Nic Watt is an experienced team, led by Head Chef Tony Chor Fai Lia. Originally from Hong Kong, Tony moved to New Zealand with his family at the age of eight. Cooking is in his DNA – mentored by two chef uncles – he honed his craft early on before taking the reins as Head Chef at Manzo in Remuera. Tony brings with him his family’s treasured XO sauce recipe, and other recipes – straight from the kitchens of Hong Kong.
Overseeing the front-of-house experience is Venue Manager Hira Mokomoko, who brings a wealth of international hospitality expertise. Hira returned to New Zealand in 2023 after several years managing top-tier restaurants in Singapore, including one in the world-famous Marina Bay Sands resort.
Private Dining
The Shuijing Room, a light-filled, semi-private dining space also known as the Water View Room, offers a tree-lined view of the harbour and the vibrant energy of Quay Street below. Enclosed within an intricately designed timber framework, this room features a handcrafted solid timber sharing table, suitable for up to ten guests.
Reservations and Details
Reservations are encouraged, though walk-ins will be accepted based on availability. For more information, menus, event enquiries or to book a table, visit canting.nz and follow @canting.nz.
