I first became aware of Kiss Kiss after seeing a review about the excellent food in a magazine in 2017. There was a small image alongside showing a brightly coloured interior with neon lights, straight away I was mesmerised by this un-conventional interior and I knew I wanted to know more. Based in Rocklands Ave, off Dominion Road in Auckland, I was already familiar with the location as this area is well known for its variety of sensational asian food, however, I had never thought to venture off of the main road - Boy, had I been missing out.
On my first visit to Kiss Kiss (there have been many more since, sorry not sorry) I knew I was in for a treat. Just based on the sheer mass of people I could make out through the grate covered window, and the difficulty of finding a park anywhere near the restaurant. The brightly lit 'Kiss Kiss' sign above the door, and the gentle pink neon glow from the windows drew me in like a moth. The building has retro asian inspired graphic art painted down the sides, which gives a you a sneak preview on what other worldly interior to expect inside.
A bustling Thursday night at Kiss Kiss.
The interior is bold, fun, original and exciting. It is also, despite looking somewhat overwhelming, incredibly simplistic and honest. The light pink painted brick walls are a bold choice - but they work so well. Triangle neon lights with mirrors suck you in like a portal to the next dimension. Graphic art adorns the walls, continuing the retro asian inspired art from the exterior. The simple use of palm trees and umbrellas are used to break up the wide open space which is laid out like a large family get together.
So why do I think this interior is so successful? First off, it's different. We live in an age now where we have seen it all done before, except for this. It pushes design boundaries and makes for a truely unique space that appeals to such a large range of customers. Every time I come here there are people of all ages, families taking up whole tables with lots of sharing plates and having a great time, groups of friends sitting at the same table as another group of friends, it seems as though every man and his dog feels right at home at Kiss Kiss. The next factor is social media. We live in the age of social media, and there is something about these quirky restaurants and food joints that photograph so well. People love to take photos and upload them to social media platforms and create content - it is attention grabbing interiors, food and branding such as Kiss Kiss that deliver in every aspect of a social media worthy location to share, which has contributed to the success of Kiss Kiss.
Free-range lemongrass fried chicken bun.
Kiss Kiss hand towelettes on enamel plate.
Thai style pork ribs.
The main thing I love about Kiss Kiss is the attention to detail and the way their interior and decor choices make you feel within the space. The enamel plates are such a fun choice of crockery to serve on, they are pretty much indestructible which is perfect in this bustling environment, but they also have a very casual laid back feel about them which puts diners at ease. The plastic floral table covers again - pretty much indestructible for that sense of ease, but in keeping with the colourful bold interior. And can we take a moment to appreciate the hand towelettes which come in the Kiss Kiss branding? Such a good idea! and trust me, you'll need one after those sticky pork ribs.
Overall, I can not express my love for this restaurant enough. Its the type of place that I would want to come to every week and I would never get bored. Im not sure if this space reminds me of the past or the future, but either way I love it and would recommend it to anyone of any age! And while your there, grab a snap in front of the neon Kiss Kiss sign, it makes for a good insta!