All posts tagged: Auckland

Game of Rhones – double pass winner

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With special thanks to Game of Rhones I am pleased to announce the winner for the double pass to this Saturday’s Auckland event (worth $120). Drawn by Random.org the winner is… **drum roll please!** Emma Tan Congratulations Emma, I hope you and your friend enjoy the event! All wine tastings are included, just bring money for food and take home bottles if that’s your thing. To keep up with giveaways and announcements, make sure you follow my Facebook page here.

#WineIsComing – A double pass giveaway

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(scroll down for giveaway)     There are people who like drinking wine and having fun. Are you one of those people? If so, keep reading. I was a late convert to Game of Thrones but I now watch it religiously. The season finale of Season 6 is in 3 days and it will be long, loooong wait until the next season in 2017. But wait! There’s more! Next Saturday, while the season finale of GoT is still warm, Auckland is getting a very special event called Game of Rhones. Not affiliated in any way with GoT, Game of Rhones is a big deal in Australia, where it began…Where Dan Sims, the founder started it as a bit of a joke, but then more seriously and rather quickly expanded into Game of Rhones events in 7 cities in Australia and New Zealand. Where people drink wine and are encouraged to channel their favourite GoT character. I’ve included some photos I took of Auckland’s 2015 event but check out their Facebook album to get the full effect of …

Winetopia 2016 – things I have learned

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I have been cursed with the realisation that I like expensive wine. Last Saturday, my friend and I attended Winetopia, an expo for wine lovers. Set upstairs at the expansive Shed 10 on Queens Wharf, in Auckland CBD, the event was bursting at the seams with well behaved but jovial attendees, wine exhibitors, food stalls and plenty of free wine talks (with tastings).       We’d already enjoyed a leisurely feast of a lunch (to line the stomach) but I couldn’t go past freshly shucked Mahurangi Oysters and my friend enjoyed a Food Snob cheese platter. There’s a decent array of food if you want or need it, but we were here for wine. Entry included a tasting wine glass and 5 tokens, though more tokens could be purchased for $2 each. Most wine tastings cost 1 token, though there were 2 and 3 token tastings for the more expensive bottles. For an extra $20pp you could also choose to attend various Masterclasses with guaranteed tastings. The King of Pinot Noir We were lucky to swing a …

Winetopia 2016 double pass winner

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With special thanks to Lemongrass Productions I am pleased to announce the winner for the double pass to Winetopia presented by Singapore Airlines. Drawn by Random.org the winner is… **drum roll please!** Indiana Turner Congratulations Indiana, I hope you and your friend have a wonderful time at the Winetopia! Tickets are $30+bf and includes x5 tastings plus a wine glass. Tickets available through iTicket. Extra tastings are $2 each and can be purchased at the event. For more information, visit: www.winetopia.nz  Make sure you try some of the event food pairings. Free range pork terrine, prawn and pork rice paper rolls, oysters, dumplings, cheese platters, cured meats and chocolate. Heavenly! Thank to everyone else for all your entries. I loved reading your delicious answers. To keep up with giveaways and announcements, make sure you follow my Facebook page here.

Films for Foodies, City of Gold winner

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With special thanks to Rialto Newmarket I am pleased to announce the winner for the double pass to this month’s Films for Foodies event, City of Gold screening on Wednesday 25 May 2016. At Films for Foodies, guests enjoy a glass of Crossroads wine, plate of nibbles and a foodie goodie bag to take home. Tickets are $35 pp. Drawn by Random.org the winner is… **drum roll please!** Bri DiMattina Congratulations Bri, I hope you and your friend have a wonderful time at the City of Gold! Thank to everyone else for all your entries. I feel like I hit the jackpot asking you all to name your favourite “under the radar” eatery in Auckland. Don’t worry guys, your secrets are safe with me, though there were a couple of eateries mentioned more than once. Which reminds me I need to visit again! Don’t forget I have a double pass to giveaway to Winetopia check out this page to enter. If you live in Auckland and are into wine, this event is unmissable. More information on Films for Foodies can be found here. Rialto Newmarket is at 167 – 169 Broadway, Newmarket. …

Winetopia 2016 – double pass giveaway

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Around this time next month, a new wine event called Winetopia will descend upstairs at Shed 10 on Queens Wharf. With one evening session on Friday 20 May 2016 and two sessions on Saturday 21 May 2016, New Zealand’s top wineries will be represented as well as local wine experts, critics and sommeliers. Run by Lemongrass Productions, the good people behind Taste of Auckland and Wine AKL you can expect the same level of atmosphere and delicious tastings at Winetopia. If you’re interested in learning thing or two about wine, there will be free classes as well as $20 Masterclasses. Bluesy Jazz duo Hopetoun Brown (ex-Supergroove brass section) will play a live set at all three sessions. Thanks to Lemongrass Productions, I have a double pass to Winetopia presented by Singapore Airlines on Saturday 21st May 2016, 12pm to 3.30pm. This includes 5x tastings plus a wine glass each, plus free talks and entertainment. To enter, complete the form at the bottom of this post, including a skill question. With Earlybird tickets well and truly gone (I snaffled up …

City of Gold at Films for Foodies – double pass giveaway

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My Perfect Storm Last Wednesday, I rounded up some passionate Auckland foodies (Carli from The Enthusiastic Cook, Bri from Food Adventures and Georgie from GeorgiEats) for Rialto Newmarket’s Films for Foodies. I’ve been to a couple of these events before but not for over a year. This event was the preview screening of restaurant/chef documentary NOMA: My Perfect Storm. NOMA is a restaurant in Coppenhagen, Denmark who won title of Best Restaurant in the World in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014. The documentary explains the journey to the top of the restaurant world, the expected ego and the surprising attitudes of those involved. Chef René Redzepi hails from Macedonia and struggled with the lack of a unified Scandinavian cuisine, the sourcing of local produce and personal prejudice. There are also interviews with critics, food writers and others and I loved the “time and place” ethos of the restaurant. Inspiring plating and interesting for those who enjoy cooking and eating locally and seasonally. Films for Foodies Films for Foodies is a regular event held at Rialto Newmarket. Guests …

7 years and 7 whiskeys

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The Koala and I celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary last night. I have been on the lookout for something special that we would both enjoy and stumbled across it when I read a date night review by Megan on She Said Yes blog about a whiskey bar called The Jefferson. Ribs? Tick.  Whiskey? Tick.  Nice setting? Tick.  Something out of the ordinary? Tick.  Down on the gentrified service alley of Fort Lane and beside freshly crowned Restaurant of the Year, Cassia, you’ll find the entrance to The Jefferson. A basement whiskey bar with 600 whiskeys on offer, this is a great spot to get comfy and let the staff share their nerdy whiskey wisdom with you. With a teal and brass colour scheme and old school glamour The Jefferson feels like home…if home happens to be cerulean lounge with spacious banquette seating, decent lighting and a long well-stocked whiskey bar. There is a small food menu which I suspect is a work in progress, but they have two varieties of rib which is was of the reasons for …

Booze and fire

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Last week I learned how to make a fireball from an orange peel. I might not disclose this on my CV but I hope it will come in handy sometime soon. Thanks to Zomato, I attended a cocktail class hosted by Bellini which is the bar at the Hilton on Princes Wharf on Auckland’s waterfront. Yeah, pretty swish. I’d never visited the Hilton before and it’s recent renovations make this a very inviting spot for drink. With over 130 cocktails on the drinks menu, harbour views and open fire features this was a wonderful place to spend a windy Tuesday night. Bellini Jonas the bar supervisor and mixologist had the expected showmanship required of his position. He started us off with bellini, traditionally made with peach puree and prosecco. My drink was made with Deutz, peach and pomegranate and we learned that we can change up the ingredients a little while still being able to call it a bellini.   Mojito The first cocktail was my all time favourite, the mojito. A mojito made properly is a beautiful …

Zomato Bloggers Meet Up: Le Chef

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The premise It’s been over a year since my last Zomato Meet Up and this week, I attended my first Zomato Blogger’s Meet Up at Le Chef on Vulcan Lane. We dined as guests of Zomato and Le Chef though all opinions are my own. The setting was romantic, the company was delightful, and other bloggers present were: Carli from The Enthusiastic Cook, Laura from Laura Laura, Maddy from Madicattt, and Georgie from Georgieats – all of who I’ve eaten with several times. I interviewed Le Chef owner Edouard Le Goff for my Auckland Restaurant Month series last year when they had their other branch (you can read it here) and it was great to put a name to a face (and a food to a belly). Edouard was exactly as I imagined, very French, very enthusiastic and answered all our questions with ease. The restaurant Le Chef is located in quiet spot on a charming, cobbled pedestrian-only lane in the city. Tucked away from the bustle of Queen Street, Le Chef channels rustic and romantic French charm. I’ve never been to France but it’s on …

Countdown CheeseFest 2016 – review

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Last week, my social media was stuffed with cheese. I had the pleasure of being a steward at the judging for NZ Cheese Awards and also attended the CheeseFest a few days later. It’s hard to pin down an exact number, but I tasted at least 50 of NZ’s finest cheeses. While I can’t share much about the judging process due to strict confidentiality regulations, I can say that it was a full day of cheese judging and I would do it again next year. I’ve never worked as a steward before, but it’s a bit like being a waitress only you’re handling cheese, and you get to sample a lot of cheese. I mean a LOT. I picked up a bunch of tips for my next cheese tasting event and while I don’t think I will be spitting cheese at tastings any time soon, I do understand why it’s done. If you love cheese and can spare a Sunday in February/March, I would recommend volunteering at the judging next year. PM me for details. …

CheeseFest 2016 double pass winner

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With special thanks to Countdown CheeseFest I am pleased to announce the winner for the double pass (worth $60) to the CheeseFest on Wednesday at The Langham. Drawn by Random.org the winner is… **drum roll please!** Alexandra Blair Congratulations Alexandra, I hope you and your friend enjoy all the amazing cheese! The CheeseFest runs from 5pm to 8.30pm and there are amazing sales tables so make sure you bring a chiller bag if you a serious about cheese. I had the pleasure of working at the judging on Sunday and I tasted more than my fair share of New Zealand’s finest cheeses. You’re in for a treat! For more info visit: New Zealand Specialist Cheesemakers Association http://www.cheeselovers.co.nz …and check out their Facebook page here to keep up to date with news and for more festival info.

Countdown Cheesefest is coming! Double pass giveaway

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Calling all cheese lovers! The very best of New Zealand’s cheeses will be carefully judged and ranked for the New Zealand Champions of Cheese Awards in a few days. To celebrate the winners, this year sponsored by Countdown, the CheeseFest will be hosted at The Langham Auckland’s Great Room, from 5pm to 8.30pm on WEDNESDAY 2 MARCH 2016. Taste, admire and purchase NZ’s best cheeses to your hearts delight and enjoy a complimentary Crossroads wine or Epic beer on arrival. Tickets are $30 +bf and available online here. Door sales from 4.30pm on the day $35.   Thanks to the CheeseFest, I have a double pass to give away (worth $60). To enter, simply fill in the entry form at the bottom of this post. There will be plenty of cheese samples and also cheese bargains to be found on their famous cheese sales tables. I attended my first CheeseFest last year and I was in awe of the cheese sales tables. Check out my rundown of last year’s CheeseFest here. Tips for CheeseFest: There are amazing specials on cheese. Clear your fridge and …

Auckland Seafood Festival 2016

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If you enjoy sensational, succulent seafood, then make sure you visit Auckland Seafood Festival this long weekend. My sister and I hit Auckland Seafood Festival on opening night and we had a truly delightful time.  We both love seafood so we shared a bunch of things we both enjoy. Arriving shortly after opening, there were no queues so we didn’t have to apply any strategy based on length of the queues. Last year I gave crayfish a miss because the lines were horrendous. Nothing like that this time around. We started with oysters and the Bluff farmed oysters at Sanford Oysters looked good to us. These were freshly shucked and served with malt vinegar and lemon (6 for $22). We had a little browse and then hit up Besos Latinos for some Peruvian ceviche ($14) and seafood empanadas ($10). The ceviche really hit the spot and the empanada (fried fresh to order) reminded us of a seafood pie.   Always popular at Auckland Seafood Festival are Auckland Fish Markets’ crayfish tails. This year they had grilled half cray tails …

Auckland Seafood Festival 2016 – double pass winner

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With special thanks to Auckland Seafood Festival I am pleased to announce the winner for the double pass to next week’s event. Running 5 sessions over 4 days at Halsey Wharf which is downtown between the Viaduct and North Wharf. This event is for seafood lovers only. Expect to gorge yourselves on crayfish, scallops, oysters, scampi, whitebait, paua, octopus, mussels and various other seafoods. A list of stalls and their menus can be found here. Drawn by Random.org the winner is… **drum roll please!** Fran Bulidon Congratulations Fran, I hope you and your friend have a wonderful time at the festival! Thank to everyone else for all your entries. Reading the answers reminded me of all the yummy seafood recipes I’ve made. More information including ticket sales can be found at their official website www.aucklandseafoodfestival.co.nz Don’t forget, I have another delicious giveaway to be drawn today, check out my Facebook page to enter. I’ll leave you with a few pics I’ve taken from past seafood festivals.   

Auckland Seafood Festival 2016 – double pass giveaway

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2016 has started with a bang. Like just about everyone else, I have some dietary intentions for the year. I was feeling like were were eating too much red meat last year, but instead of saying, “I will eat less red meat” I’ve been saying, “I will eat more seafood”. The thinking is different, the end result is the same. So far in 2016, I have eaten yakitori scallops, whole grilled squid, salt pepper squid, herb-crusted pan-fried salmon, bagel with lox, yakitori salmon, mayo-cheese mussels, prawn pasta, Vietnamese pancake with pork and prawn, prawn fried rice, prawn and fish butter curry, fish tacos and a fish burger. Not bad considering we’re only 15 days in. Here’s to 2016 being a seafood-fuelled year and hopefully I’ll will cook or eat a seafood dish that I’ve never cooked or eaten before. With Auckland anniversary coming up, we can look forward to even more seafood at Auckland Seafood Festival. Running 5 sessions over 4 days at Halsey Wharf which is downtown between the Viaduct and North Wharf. Thanks to …

Fullers Waiheke giveaway winner

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With special thanks to Fullers I am pleased to announce the winner for the return trip for two to Waiheke via Fullers. Drawn by Random.org the winner is… **drum roll please!** Nicole Dekker Congratulations Nicole, hope you have a wonderful time on Waiheke! Thank to everyone else for all your entries. There was a record number of entries for this competition. Waiheke is the most Instagrammmed location in New Zealand so I guess that shouldn’t have been a surprise. For those who are interested in going to Waiheke Fullers have a new timetable over summer, with more ferry departures, and new menu for those who want to enjoy local delicacies on board. The new menu includes Passage Rock wines, Tuatara craft beer and cider, Waiheke fudge and Te Whau Lodge’s toasted muesli. I’ll leave you with a few photos I took when I visited Waiheke with NZBloggers last month. To keep up with announcements including giveaways, make sure you follow me on Facebook or Bloglovin’.

Win a return ferry ride for two to Waiheke

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Two days before being announced the most Instagrammed location in New Zealand, a group of bloggers (including myself) had a fine day out on Waiheke Island. It coincidentally happened to be the day Fullers started their new half-hour ferry timetable. As well as more ferry departures, Fullers have a new menu for those who want to enjoy local delicacies on board. The new menu includes Passage Rock wines, Tuatara craft beer and cider, Waiheke fudge and Te Whau Lodge’s toasted muesli. Thanks to Fullers, I am giving away a return double pass ticket (worth $72) to Waiheke Island so you can design your perfect Waiheke Island adventure. To enter, simply complete the entry form at the bottom of this post including a skill question. (Answer can be found here). Only a 35 minute ferry ride away from downtown Auckland, Waiheke offers a warm microclimate, vineyards, fine food, white sand beaches, art galleries and outdoor activities for the adventurous. A popular destination for weddings and weekends, it’s really no surprise that locals and overseas visitors flock to Waiheke year round. Maddy …

Tasty hot dogs and a meaty giveaway

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L’Authentique (law-thon-teek) is a small local charcuterie run by Frenchmen. Charcuterie (sha-koo-ta-ree) is the culinary art of turning meat (mostly pork) into delicious things such as sausage, bacon, ham, terrines and pates. Known primarily for their handmade sausages, I love L’Authentique’s gluten free, dairy free and free range meat products. There are no fillers here and definitely no carcinogens (for those who worry about recent food headlines). The Koala and I have been eating lots of L’Authentique sausages this year. We tried the whole range of sausages so far and they are great to serve up at home or to take to a barbecue where you want to impress. I’ve yet to meet a sausage lover who doesn’t fall in love with L’Authentique sausages. Summer collaboration L’Authentique have just released two summer sausages for the Kiwi barbecue. In collaboration with Javier Carmona, Executive Chef at Orleans, a hot and smokey Louisiana Andouille (ahn-DOO-eee) sausage that comes in a 4 pack; and in collaboration with Hallertau Brewery, the Asian-inspired Peking Maximus which is made with Hallertau Maximus …

Top gifts for Foodies at Auckland Fair

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Auckland Fair is on next Sunday at Shed 10 on Queens Wharf from 10 to 4pm. Entry is $5, kids under 12 free. For those who haven’t been before, it’s a huge collection of carefully curated local makers under one roof. There will be jewellery, homewares, art, ceramics, textiles, snacks and heaps more. I’m looking forward to picking up locally made goodies for Christmas presents. Even applying a lot of self restraint, I ALWAYS end up buying some gifts for myself. I can’t help it. There’s so much awesome stuff. Buying locally this Christmas, even for a few gifts means your loved ones receive something unique and it supports small local businesses meaning this Christmas will be a little brighter for your community. I’ve rounded up a few gifts for foodies you will find at Auckland Fair. If you are not in Auckland, this list can serve as an ideas to find similar items in your area. Top gifts for foodies Ceramics A home cook can never have too many lovely bowls and plates to display their …