Taste of Auckland have announced their menus for the festival which starts next Thursday. There are 38 dishes to try this year including 5 limited edition icon dishes. I’ve had a quick squiz and it’s a little overwhelming, especially since it’s almost 2pm here and I haven’t eaten my lunch (yikes!) but here’s my first thoughts on what I might like to eat at the festival…

Photo credit: Cloudy Bay Clams

 Some enticing dishes:

• Cable Bay: Beef Short Rib, Butter Poached Crayfish, Wasabi, Asparagus & Samphire 12 crowns
• Depot Raw Bar: Cloudy Bay Tuatuas (clams) 8 crowns
• Lava Dining: Confit Duck Leg, Charcoal, Brie Custard, Iberico Ham, Pickled Grapes 12 crowns
• Harbourside: Lemon Curd Cheesecake Mousse, Digestive Crumb, Burnt Orange Sorbet 10 crowns

Icon dish (first in first served):

Harbourside: Smoked Eel & Pork Belly, Brioche Toast, Avocado, Quails Egg, Semi-dried Tomatoes 20 crowns It’s pretty exciting and amazing stuff and I’m looking forward to some wonderful flavours and great company. Read the menu in full for yourself here or download a pdf here.

Taste of Auckland, 2012

Below are my tips for Taste of Auckland, gleaned from 5 years of festival experience.

Tips for Taste of Auckland:

1. Session times are 4 hours long. Get there on time and/or go during the day/week to avoid crowds.
2. Look for show specials.
3. Have a squiz at the menu early so you can plan your evening, but be flexible enough to change your mind if something else looks better.
4. Sharing with a friend means you can taste even more dishes.
5. Wear sensible shoes. It’s a park and Auckland weather can turn the grounds into a chocolate dessert. A small umbrella would be wise too.
6. Take a camera, bring a shopping bag and an appetite.
7. Catch a bus or a taxi so you can enjoy the delicious tipple.

Read more of my posts about Taste of Auckland here.