All posts tagged: street food

Street Eats 2016 – Eats

Published by

Some of the most delicious things happen by pure chance. On Saturday morning, while eating a whitebait fritter on slice of bread, AND a bag of crunchy deep fried chicken skins (both uncommon in my life), I realised I could combine the two. The result was better than either food on its own. Soft, fish, lemon, crunch, salt, chicken-y. It was so good. I should start my own stall. Ha. My friend and I set upon Street Eats at Shed 10 on Auckland’s Queens Wharf ready to eat and ready to be wowed. This year, Street Eats spanned two levels of Shed 10 giving more room for visitors to move about and there was plenty of seating available. A family friendly affair, there was plenty of activities to keep kids occupied which is great even if you don’t have kids…If you know what I mean. We ate, we drank, we enjoyed atmosphere as guests of AirAsia. We arrived early at 10.30am and didn’t come across any queues, though we did hustle through to avoid crowds. I …

Street Eats 2015 – food porn and people watching

Published by

Today is the last day of Restaurant Month. What a month it’s been! On Saturday was Street Eats, a highlight and grand finale event of Restaurant Month. I arrived at Street Eats at 10.30am when it opened, paid $5 admission and set upon documenting and eating my way through the huge selection of delicious food. As I’ve mentioned before, going early is the best way to avoid crowds at Street Eats. I only had to wait in line for 1 dish and since I got there early before the crowds, I even got to chat to some chefs about their dishes. Each restaurant, eatery, pop up and food truck offered between 3 and 5 dishes, all under $10. Shed 10 was filled with restaurants and plenty of seating. In the centre island, drinks could be bought from various wine, cider and beer retailers.  With festive bunting and live music it was set for great atmosphere. Food trucks and pop ups lined the outside space between Shed 10 and The Cloud. I had already eaten at both Mexico and Orleans last week …

Everything you need to know about Street Eats 2015

Published by

Street Eats is a highlight of Restaurant Month and it’s on this coming Saturday. Now in it’s third year, this popular event is cheap, busy and delicious. This is not so much a celebration of “street foods”, but a celebration of restaurants’ take on street foods. If you enjoy eating lots of different types of foods by our local restaurant chefs, this is for you. Being a one day event has seen intense crowds and many sold out stalls. This year they are introducing a $5 entry fee which may cut down crowds. Still, I would recommend going early to avoid missing out. Street Eats Saturday 29 August 2015 10.30am – 8pm Shed 10, Queens Wharf $5 entry (Free entry for supervised children) More info at: http://www.heartofthecity.co.nz/auckland-events/food-and-drink-events/street-eats Tips for Street Eats Bring an appetite but get something quick and fast when you arrive so you don’t get hangry Bring a friend (or two) to share dishes with Entry is $5. Bring cash as some stalls may not accept EFTPOS Expect to spent $25-50 per person depending on your appetite and …

Tasty questions with Sarah & Otis, The Lucky Taco

Published by

Sarah and Otis Frizzel are the Queen and King of Tacos at The Lucky Taco food truck. I’ve eaten their tacos and also seen their business grow over the years. Their enthusiasm, passion and energy is contagious and inspiring. Below are their answers to the tasty questions I cooked up for your enjoyment. Describe your food: Authentic. Zingy. Fresh. What is your restaurant’s signature dish? Lucky Lengua (Beef Tongue) and the Free Farmed Pulled Pork. Name your favourite comfort food: When we’re not eating tacos, soups are one of our favourite comfort foods – from all corners of the globe. Soup is good for the soul! What did you have for breakfast? A double banana and spinach smoothie with Hakanoa ginger syrup, fresh lemon juice, rice milk and straight up yoghurt. A Kokako espresso with our fave rangiora beans and a cuppa joe. What is the most delicious thing you’ve eaten this week? A Chipotle Chicken Lucky Taco. What is an underrated ingredient? Cauliflower, raw white onion and celery. What are 3 sources of inspiration to you? Art. Food …

Street Eats 2014

Published by

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 …

Anticipating Street Eats 2014

Published by

A highlight of Auckland Restaurant Month is Street Eats this Saturday. Once again in the covered Shed 10 on Queens Wharf, this is a free, family-friendly event. See my review of the first Street Eats last year here. Last year, my friend Coco and I sampled five different $5 dishes between us for $25 plus a $6 beer each making it less than $20 per person. Staying pretty true to street food, we ate deep fried food, food on sticks and pizza. This year I might splash out with $30 or $40 so I can try a few more dishes and perhaps another tipple. I hope they have the deep fried milk again (pictured top row, middle). It’s been a year since I had it and I’m hoping I can eat it again. If you have never tried deep fried milk, you are missing out. It’s like eating the silkiest deep fried custard. It’s magic. Worth burning your mouth for. Tips for Street Eats Bring an appetite Bring a friend to share dishes with Bring cash (the EFTPOS line …

Tofu Tuesday: Splore Food Guide

Published by

It is Splore this weekend! Splore is a 3-day music and art festival at Tapapakanga Regional Park on the outskirts of Auckland, New Zealand. Held every two years, Splore also happens to land on The Koala’s birthday. Now in it’s tenth edition, this year will be our sixth Splore. What makes Splore unique is it’s atmosphere and location. You can float in the sea while watching international and kiwi artists. If you like music, art and the beach, this is a winner. Each year there is a broad dress-up theme and this year’s theme (due to Valentine’s day) is “Spread the Love”. Our camp is dressing up with a hint of tribal and I have my feathers and fur all ready to go.  Tofu only needs feathers, the fur part of his costume was already supplied. 😉 Please note this is only for a photo and Tofu isn’t really going to the festival. Splore have strict “no pets policy” and we wouldn’t do that do our pet. We once brought our own food to the …

Street Eats Auckland 2013

Published by

The Scene Thousands of Hungry Hungry Hippos Aucklanders flocked to Street Eats at Shed 10, Queens Wharf, yesterday to gorge themselves with cheap and cheerful eats. Local cafes and restaurants offered a handful of dishes each priced mostly $5 to $10 and the atmosphere was festive despite the “shed” location. Matched with a tipple of your choice, it was a fun way to try a bunch of food on a budget. Advertised as a family affair and appealing to the everyman, the crowds were larger than expected which was both a curse and a blessing. The event was advertised for 10am to 7pm but when my friend Coco and I arrived in the early afternoon some places had completely sold out. With the success of this inaugural event, it should mean many years of Street Eats to come. Street Eats is part of Auckland Restaurant month and more info can be found at: www.biglittlecity.co.nz/auckland-restaurant-month/ The Eats Even though we were low on cash, the EFTPOS line snaked back three days long so we decided to spend …

Another local foodie mecca

Published by

At the end of the month or in November, there’s to be (yet another) supposed foodie mecca around here called Ponsonby Central. There will be cafes, specialist food stores, a street food strip, a fresh produce market and even an in-house radio station. It looks like there may also be some character office space available so if I stumble across a wad of cash, this might just be where I’ll plonk our new design company. Dreams are free. The focus on the process of making fresh food is sure to appeal to your average foodie. On site there will be coffee being roasted and bread being baked. At the butchery, carcasses will be hanging up and these will be cut behind glass doors for all to see. Sustainability and recycling are also big issues at Ponsonby Central and the old building was pulled apart and the materials re-used. All businesses have signed on to a recycling initiative as part of their contract. Stores to include Produce market Bakery Fish monger Butchery Cheese shop Street food …

Takoyaki and other street food delights

Published by

Like many others I went to the Lantern Festival at Albert Park over the weekend and gorged myself on an array of street food, witnessed the horrid karaoke and adored the display of lanterns. Armed with my camera and a 50mm prime lens, it was a learning experience for me and the first time I’ve ever taken my manual focus only lens out. Having to manually focus every shot gets tiring, but thankfully, my friend Miss C was very patient with me. I make no secret that I love street food. It’s one of the highlights of my travels. Even if my body doesn’t always agree. I’ve had meat on sticks in many countries and I love when stalls specialise in a single or few items rather than try and do many dishes poorly. When presented with so many potential delights to choose from, my criteria was simple: pick a dish you don’t make at home. Takoyaki Japan These takoyaki hit the spot. For those that are unfamiliar with these piping hot Japanese snacks, a …

Hawker Food: Banana Pancakes

Published by

If you are up past bedtime in tourist areas of Thailand or Laos, you will find a banana pancake cart. Pancake vendors are one hit wonders and rarely make anything else. Hawker food or street food lends itself to specialisation. That is why I love it so much. These pancakes aren’t made from a poured batter. Like roti, a piece of dough is flicked and stretched out so big I worry it might tear. Oil and/or ghee is added to a hot surface and the pancake quickly but carefully peeled and put on the pan. The result is an oily crepe. As it cooks, a banana is expertly sliced and dropped into the centre and chocolate sauce and/or condensed milk swirled on top. The corners of the pancake are folded into the middle, topped with more ghee and the package is then flipped over. When it’s done, the banana pancake is transferred to a paper plate, cut into bite-sized squares and served with sticks. It’s perfect late night food for travelers and the average price …