Paella, sangria, cured meats – if you crave Spanish food or want something a little different, The Black Hoof will hit the spot.
Compared to other types of cuisine, Spanish restaurants don’t seem to be that popular in Auckland. Restaurants will have Spanish dishes, but not many boast a full menu dedicated to Spanish eats.
Even if you’re here just for a drink and a bite (and they have a good selection of European beers), the goat cheese croquetas with honey and marcona almonds are to die for. It’s one of those mouthfuls where I raise my eyebrows and look at the food with a “wow” face. Honey crusted and crispy on the outside, it caves into pillows of cheesy goodness. A real treat.
Tempted by the overhanging cured meats at the bar, we ordered a selection of the meats to nibble on. I’d recommend this option if you’re not familiar with the cured meats because you’ll soon find your favourite. It’s only times like this when I can justify eating so much fat clinging to the meat. And you need it for the melt in the mouth sensation. 
I can’t deny wanting to go to a Spanish restaurant to try their paella. Although they didn’t have the traditional seafood paella, we were convinced to try the Arroz Negro Squid ink rice with crispy calamari and saffron aioli. I hadn’t tried this variation before. While it’s not traditionally paella, it’s still prepared in the same way. Not to be confused with black rice, the colour comes from squid ink and is made with squid, white rice, olive oil, and in this case saffon aioli.
It was oilier than I expected but that didn’t stop me from digging in. The rice was beautiful fragranced and soaked with seafood broth. While it didn’t totally satisfy my craving for seafood paella (if possible it only intensified it!), I still very much enjoyed this variation.
I’d recommend The Black Hoof for a slice of Spanish paradise. We were made right at home with the service, and they take on any requests gracefully. If anything, go for the goat cheese croquetas!
09 3661271
Level 1, 12 Wyndham Street
Auckland CBD
