Three Beans is an Auckland coffee roaster now based at City Works Depot and the branding for their Gangster Rabbit blend caught my eye. I’m not sure if this little dude is me before or after a coffee. Probably after. Order from their website here.
I first fell in love with Taste back in 2009. Mum and I decided to go on a whim. It was before I had a blog, but I took photos of the food anyway because I’m a weirdo.
IMPORTANT: This article was published in 2014. Details may have changed. I love dining out, but it can be hard to make healthy choices when dining out so I often view dining out as a chance to indulge in rich foods. It doesn’t have to be this way! Luckily, there are a few places in Auckland who are making huge effort to offer delicious healthy options. What I also love about these places is they can be great inspiration for cooking at home too. Most of these offerings are easy to recreate at home using fresh ingredients. I’m not a health nut, but with my health issues this year, I’ve been looking at what I eat more and focusing on clean eating and whole foods.
With special thanks to Al’s Deli, I am pleased to announce the winner for the $20 Al’s Deli voucher giveaway. Drawn by Random.org, the winner is… **drum roll please!**
Drawn by Random.org, the winner for the double pass to Rialto’s Films for Foodies Love Steak event next week is….. **drum roll please*** Kath! Thanks to all who entered and don’t forget to enter my other birthday giveaways of Al’s Deli and 3 whole ducks, here and here.
To celebrate 4 years of Bunny Eats Design, I’d like to share a few wonderful things that I’ve gushed about, salivated over and adored. Al’s Deli could be loosely called a diner and serves Montreal-style food. With special thanks to Aleks himself, we are giving away $20 of Al’s Deli goodness. To enter, simply fill in the form at the bottom of this post.
August was a foodie month of epic proportions. Auckland Restaurant Month inspired me into a frenzy of dining out. While this blog isn’t really a restaurant review website, I wanted to celebrate some of the great local food we have here in Auckland, New Zealand. I posted a review a day while all regular features went on hiatus. I know some of you missed my regular features, but I hope you enjoyed the special month…I know I did!
In celebration of Auckland Restaurant Month, I will be posting 31 quick-fire reviews on 31 restaurants and cafes in the Auckland CBD and city fringe. The atmosphere is… A big space with business customers and very cheery staff. Their mantra is “Fast, Fresh & Friendly”. Some nice graphic elements (hand painted lettering) if you are into that sort of thing (I am). Come here for… Big smiles and a big feed. A good place to take clients to for a bite, coffee and a little work. The most interesting thing on the menu… Polenta with bean ragu and goats cheese Unexpectedly wonderful… Braised beef cheek sandwich, juicy and tender. I would come back to try… Some of the nice looking cabinet food. Client meetings with good food. Catering to… Breakfast and lunch office workers. The menu is short but evolving. Healthy and raw options. Heaps of cabinet food. Plenty of vegetarian options. Expect to spend… $10-$20 per person The service is… Overwhelmingly friendly. Very attentive. Avoid if… Friendly strangers frighten you. Welcome Eatery Orion Building, 181 Grafton …
In celebration of Auckland Restaurant Month, I will be posting 31 quick-fire reviews on 31 restaurants and cafes in the Auckland CBD and city fringe. The atmosphere is… An airy, light-filled conservatory space with a bistro/cafe inside. Beautifully designed, the space reflects the food. Ortolana is your cool cousin who went away for a year to study in Italy and came back with big words and designer clothes that made people either roll their eyes or immediately worship her. Come here for… Fancy European style food using fresh ingredients. They claim their food is simple I feel it’s verging on pretentious. The food has a lightness to it that will appeal to clean eaters. A menu worthy of it’s own Google Search or culinary dictionary. Some words feel like they’re made up. Best to close your eyes, point at something and hope it’s a good one. Could be a good place to impress someone. The most interesting thing on the menu… Things I cannot pronounce such as: Nooch Escabeche Stracciatella Gnudi Olio nuovo Fazzoletti Pillus Cotoletta Pangritata Unexpectedly wonderful… …
In celebration of Auckland Restaurant Month, I will be posting 31 quick-fire reviews on 31 restaurants and cafes in the Auckland CBD and city fringe. The atmosphere is… Latin American art and motifs set the scene: flowers, candles, a water fountain and religious motifs. A big space with exposed brick walls and high ceilings. A hacienda courtyard comes to mind. Mexican artist Cecilia Mijangos, partner Executive Chef Luis Cabrera and their crew bring a uniquely authentic Latin American experience. The music is spot on. A lot fancier than your average taqueria (taco shop). Come here for… South American inspired food. Traditional dishes from Mexico, Chile, Venezuela, Argentina, Peru, Colombia, Cuba, Uruguay, Jamaica , as well as Latin American cocktails, wines and beers. Great for both groups and intimate dinners. The most interesting thing on the menu… Foot long tacos Palitos de Queso – Fried Blue cheese sticks wrapped in pastry stuffed with dried cranberries Venezuelan Arepa – Venezuelan corncake stuffed with cheese and beef or chicken Unexpectedly wonderful… Their classic margaritas Flan Frida Kahlo (creme caramel) …
In celebration of Auckland Restaurant Month, I will be posting 31 quick-fire reviews on 31 restaurants and cafes in the Auckland CBD and city fringe. The atmosphere is… Gorgeous artwork by local artist Flox at the entrance. The cafe decor itself is all clean lines and white chairs. Pretty minimal. Mostly families having brunch when we visited. Come here for… Brunch or lunch. The most interesting thing on the menu… Breakfast salad Croque Monsier Unexpectedly wonderful… Coffee Their baked beans I would come back to try… Moroccan lamb Catering to… Omnis and vegies. Vegetarian and gluten free options available but unmarked. Business lunch crowd, they have a boardroom that can be hired out. Expect to spend… $20-30 per person The service is… Friendly. Avoid if… You have another favourite brunch spot. This place won’t scratch that. Cafe People 38 Ponsonby Road, Ponsonby Open 7 days http://www.cafepeople.co.nz
In celebration of Auckland Restaurant Month, I will be posting 31 quick-fire reviews on 31 restaurants and cafes in the Auckland CBD and city fringe. The atmosphere is… Hushed but homely…if your home is an expensive house in Parnell. Feels posh but comfortable. Music playing at an almost inaudible level. On the evening we visited, there was more staff than diners. Come here for… Nostalgic (1970’s) fine dining with table service. We came to find out why Antoine’s has been in business for over 40 years. The most interesting thing on the menu… Sautéed lamb brains with leek tartare, black pudding, tempura snails and teriyaki vinaigrette Antoine’s tripe served in a cream, sherry, onion and green peppercorn sauce The specials of the day included a dish with a beef tendon spring roll Unexpectedly wonderful… The complimentary bread roll. The hushed, attentive service. Huge portions of meat which were very tender. I would come back to try… Their Chicken, leek and wild mushroom pie…if someone else was paying. I love pies so I’m just curious what a …
In celebration of Auckland Restaurant Month, I will be posting 31 quick-fire reviews on 31 restaurants and cafes in the Auckland CBD and city fringe. The atmosphere is… Strangely European for a South American/Latin spot. Come here for… Lots of small tasty snacks to be shared. Fresh food with bright flavours. The most interesting thing on the menu… Confit duck mole Unexpectedly wonderful… Tacos – they are not your average taco I would come back to try… Their ceviche Catering to… The Ponsonby crowd. Omnis and vegetarians. Vegetarian options unmarked. Vegan options available on request. Gluten free status unknown. Expect to spend… $30-$50 per person The service is… Good. Well oiled. Avoid if… You are on a budget. The dishes are small and you’ll probably want 2 or 3 dishes per person. Maldito Mendez Ponsonby Central, 4 Brown Street, Ponsonby, Auckland Open 7 days http://www.mendez.co.nz
In celebration of Auckland Restaurant Month, I will be posting 31 quick-fire reviews on 31 restaurants and cafes in the Auckland CBD and city fringe. The atmosphere is… Busy with unique decor to the Ironique theme. Lots of ambience. The small front opens up to a seating out back and even more seating outside. Come here for… Breakfast, brunch or lunch. All the usual suspects. They also serve dinner. The most interesting thing on the menu… Fried porridge Marinated squid salad Unexpectedly wonderful… Good coffee I would come back to try… Vegetarian big breakfast Catering to… Everyone. Gluten free and vegetarian options available. Eggs are free range. Expect to spend… $20-$30 per person. The service is… At the counter only. Avoid if… You want something a bit more unusual. Ironique Open 7 days http://ironique.freeiz.com/
In celebration of Auckland Restaurant Month, I will be posting 31 quick-fire reviews on 31 restaurants and cafes in the Auckland CBD and city fringe. The atmosphere is… A warm, honey interior with interesting architecture, several open kitchen areas and bar. Gets busy fast. There has been a lot of hype about Masu so understandably the place is humming. Come here for… 2014 Metro Magazine Restaurant of the Year Supreme Winner 2014 Metro Magazine Best New Restaurant 2014 Metro Magazine Best Smart Dining 2014 Metro Magazine Best Drinks List Finalist 2014 Metro Magazine Best Chef Finalist The most interesting thing on the menu… o-toro (fatty tuna) ise ebi no taco (crayfish, spicy miso taco) 100% japanese black wagyu beef sirloin – $100 per 150 grams Unexpectedly wonderful… Master stock baby back pork ribs, cashew nut, sancho salt. Tiger Tanaka – ginger-infused shochu, salted lychee and fresh ruby grapefruit, softened with sparkling sake. I would come back to try… More cocktails. Catering to… Japanese food lovers. Find diners. There is a dedicated gluten-free menu. Not many …
Street Eats was today and there’s still half an hour to get yourself down to Shed 10 at Queen’s Wharf if you’re wondering what to do for dinner today. I went early when there were no lines for food, though it filled out quickly and by noon, there were long quick moving lines snaking their way around Shed 10. Reports from my sister a few minutes ago confirmed that many of the prized dishes were sold out. The ambience was delicious chaos and the music was surprisingly good. There were many delicious things to eat. So many happy people tucking in to really good food. I kind of wished I could have fit more in my belly. I really wanted to fit in the Wagu Burger and duck fat fries (The Grill) but it was not to be. My friends and I managed to get through a few dishes and I ended up spending $21 on food and $6 on a beer. I spent more than last year but only by a fraction. With free entry, this …
In celebration of Auckland Restaurant Month, I will be posting 31 quick-fire reviews on 31 restaurants and cafes in the Auckland CBD and city fringe. The atmosphere is… Light and airy, though in a “hard to find, you’ll never find it if you didn’t know it was there” spot. A small covered outdoor area out front. Come here for… Amazing coffee and unusual cafe food. The most interesting thing on the menu… Island style raw fish with kumara crisps Unexpectedly wonderful… Mushroom Ragout I would come back to try… Island style raw fish with kumara crisps Catering to… Creatives mostly due to the other businesses in the building. Vegetarian options abound. Gluten free options might be available but not marked on menu. Expect to spend… $20-30 per person The service is… Friendly. At the counter. Avoid if… You need to be seen when you go out. Lot23 23 Minnie Street, Eden Terrace Open Monday to Saturday http://www.lot23.co.nz
In celebration of Auckland Restaurant Month, I will be posting 31 quick-fire reviews on 31 restaurants and cafes in the Auckland CBD and city fringe. The atmosphere is… A busy neighbourhood cafe. Small in front, walk down the stairs, through their humming kitchen to more seating downstairs and outside. Come here for… Pies. Really good pies in a range of flavours. Some lovely cabinet food and sweet treats. The most interesting thing on the menu… Beef & Guinness pie Moroccan lamb pie Steak & mozzarella pie Unexpectedly wonderful… Pies of course! I am also addicted to their Chicken and bacon caesar wrap. The anchovy mayo is amazing. I would come back to try… All the pies. Catering to… Ominis and veges. Not much for gluten free diners but gluten free toast available on request. Expect to spend… $15-$30 per person The service is… At the counter, friendly and efficient. Kitchen and coffees a bit slow when they are busy. Best to stick to pies and cabinet food if you are hungry or in a hurry. Avoid if… …
In celebration of Auckland Restaurant Month, I will be posting 31 quick-fire reviews on 31 restaurants and cafes in the Auckland CBD and city fringe. The atmosphere is… Front, typical cafe, out back in their outdoor area, it is bit more arty and funky. Could do with a reno though. Come here for… We have been coming here for a decade just for the bacon hash. I’ve tried a few other things on their menu but their bacon hash is just wonderful. When I go with friends, we order a table’s worth of bacon hash. The most interesting thing on the menu… The bacon hash. Unexpectedly wonderful… The bacon hash. I would come back to try… The bacon hash…again. Catering to… People who love honey bacon, roasted portabello mushrooms, a big hash brown, and shit-tons of hollandaise. Vegetarian options and gluten free options available. I dare you to swap the honey bacon for eggs to create a vege version of the bacon hash. Expect to spend… $20 per person The service is… At the counter. Friendly most …
In celebration of Auckland Restaurant Month, I will be posting 31 quick-fire reviews on 31 restaurants and cafes in the Auckland CBD and city fringe. The atmosphere is… Chancery Chic meets Malaysian street food. If you haven’t been to the Chancery, when it first opened, the cobble-stoned centre was very fancy. Now most of the stores have changed hands though the architecture remains. Very limited space inside so most of the seating is outdoors, they have heaters and big umbrellas for cold, wet nights. Come here for… Home made style Malaysian street food. A small selection of Malaysian main courses, drinks and appetisers. All at a food hall prices. Lots of tasty appetisers which are great for sharing. The most interesting thing on the menu… Nasi Lemak with ikan bilis (fried anchovies) Spicy soft shell crab Unexpectedly wonderful… Roti – made on site Beef Rendang Satay Chicken I would come back to try… Their laksa – These steaming bowls of spiced noodles are are huge and popular. I must see what the fuss is about. Catering to… Omni, …
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