Category Archives: Eating Out

My idea of a productive shopping session

Posted on November 6, 2011 | 6 Comments

Eating is really one of your indoor sports. You play three times a day, and it’s well worth while to make the game as pleasant as possible.
~ Dorothy Draper

When you eventually find a park and make your way across the carpark in response to your nose’s instructions, you will find:

People who truly love food and people, who are generous and lively even on the rainiest of weekends as they offer the work of their hands to us.

Non-uniform, healthy vegetables and herbs which all but scream “I am fresh and free of bad stuff!” That bunch of basil pictured above took my breath away with its scent… dare I say I’d much rather a boy give me a bouquet of basil than flowers! ;-)

Amazing baked goods – whoopie pies, almond croissants dusted with fairy magic (icing sugar), good sourdough, pull-apart bread which you can’t wait to get into your mouth.

An array of options for the hungry breakfast lover (everything from savoury tarts to French crepes and Spanish paella).

Fresh juice. ‘Nuff said.

Good cheese. See above.

Smiling shoppers. VERY telling… especially when you consider the number of miserable-looking people I have to squeeze with at a certain supermarket that I hate on many weekdays after work.

What can I say? We are tremendously fortunate in New Zealand to have the people, produce and markets that we do. One place I like in Auckland is La Cigale.

La Cigale – 69 St Georges Bay Road, Parnell, Auckland – open Saturday and Sunday mornings [delicious bistro open Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays]

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A Vietnamese dinner, and associated memories

Posted on November 6, 2011 | 10 Comments

Men and women who know themselves are no longer fools; they stand on the threshold of the door of wisdom.
~ Havelock Ellis

I’ve met people from many different countries, and it still surprises me every time I encounter an avid traveller who has been to everywhere BUT the places closest to where they are from. Kiwis who have been to the UK and back several times, but never visited Australia (or Invercargill, while I’m at it). Germans who have backpacked everywhere and never set foot in Berlin. French people who haven’t explored Spain or London (since, they declare, France already has the best of everything…).

I could go on… if not for the stark realisation that I too am quite unfamiliar with Southeast (and the rest of) Asia. I’d rather attempt to make linzertorte than shock anyone with my (“what is that?”) stir fry or noodle soup. Every time I go back to Singapore for a visit now, at least one person will ask me if I am a tourist (apparently I also have a “foreign face”, whatever that means, and a warped accent). If I try to speak Cantonese in Hong Kong, I already know that whoever I am speaking to will quickly reply “where are you from?” before quoting me tourist prices.

That said, I wouldn’t trade my heritage and upbringing for anything. Southeast Asia is pretty special.

A few years ago, my parents took me to Hanoi, Vietnam – a generous graduation gift. I still remember feeling more culture shock there than I have in places further afield from home.

For one, I experienced, for the first time in years, a strong desire to clutch my mother’s hand as we crossed the roads. Road-crossing there is for the sure-footed, bold people who better believe in life after death. You have to step out and keep walking, eyes shut or otherwise, while all the cars toot helpfully as they circle around you. You can’t stop, and you can’t run – you have to walk at a measured pace so the cars and motorbikes can work to it. I can’t even remember if there were working traffic lights there – it seemed that everything was communicated via tooting and body language and some other language of organised chaos I had not yet learned.

Hanoi was gorgeous, though. It’s one of the few places that, if you look carefully, will clearly show you how little you need in terms of material goods to be happy. Sure, money helps a lot – and I am not glossing over the fact that I did walk past overcrowded houses where my heart ached for the people who had to live in them. I did have moments where I hated poverty, hated the fact that even as I gave one child some money and a smile – that even if I spent a year doing that to every child I saw, there’d still be many others who were hungry and had to live in overcrowded houses.

But. I remember seeing a grandma, a kid and a dad perched on a motorbike, laughing into the wind. I remember a lady who served me a steaming bowl of pho grinning like it had been her lifelong dream to serve noodles. I remember how fantastically wealthy I felt as my eyes took in the untouched beauty of Ha Long Bay. I remember that earthy Vietnamese coffee, mellow and gently sweetened with condensed milk. I remember the creative talent that flowed in so many nooks and crannies everywhere we went – silk, shoes, tapestry. I remember tasting amazing fruit and having to lick my sticky juice-splashed fingers. I remember a lot of smiling faces. I remember wondering if I’d be smiling if I lived in some of those houses that we saw.

It was great to remember all of that as Tracey, J and I dined at Vietnam Gourmet Restaurant last night. The interior is simple rather than lavish, and most people appeared to be having steamboat (looked good). There were families and groups of friends… and when our food arrived, I understood why there were so many people there. Portions were so generous, and the food was fresh and beautifully prepared. The staff were friendly. I loved the Vietnamese mint and elements in my dish, and thought about all the things I love about good Vietnamese food as I ate: uncomplicated, fresh, lightly sweet and sour, and real.

Tracey and J also loved their food, and had enough leftovers to take home for lunch today too. We paid less than $60 altogether for: lemongrass chicken and rice; spring rolls; fried noodles with combination meat; a jackfruit shake (I was pretty excited to see this on the menu – I have not seen jackfruit in NZ and love it); a glass of coffee; and my chef’s vermicelli (which, as you can see in the picture below, packs a punch). Money gladly spent.

Pictures in this post (with the exception of the Chef’s Vermicelli above) are pictures I took on my trip to Hanoi a few years ago.

Vietnam Gourmet Restaurant – 38 East Tamaki Road, Papatoetoe, Auckland – Phone: 09 278 7286

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On sharing

Posted on November 2, 2011 | 18 Comments

My idea of heaven is a great big baked potato and someone to share it with.
~ Oprah Winfrey

Dishes in the middle for everyone, that was what I knew growing up. My grandma and mom both often cooked this way (unless we were having pasta or similar). We’d all have our own plates of rice and bowls of soup, but everything else – meat, vegetables, fish, etc – would be placed on large plates in the centre of the dining table so we could help ourselves.

For some reason, I possess none of my Gran’s gift for cooking family meals – but what I do hope to learn from her are things like these: cooking with love; feeding friends/family good food; prioritising eating and talking together. Sharing.

Sharing is pretty cool. You know, the kind of uncalculative, spontaneous sharing that we probably used to excel at in kindergarten. It seems that the true, honest art of sharing is slowly being lost in this individualistic, “I need me-time I need space” kinda world we live in. I get like that too, but recent days have been so full of generosity and great times and I am reminded of how good it is to do it together, you know? I really want sharing to become written into my blood.

On that note, are you ready to read a long post? I’ve been writing mini posts in my head for a few days now so this is an ambitious attempt at posting them ALL in one post…

Last week, R and I went to the bubbly Liz’s place for dinner – we used to work together and it was great to catch up again! Liz whipped up this YUMMY bacon, mushroom and spinach Donna Hay-inspired risotto in the oven (up till that evening, I had never known you could make risotto in the oven) – so warm and savoury and filling. We ate this with glasses of singing Gerwutztraminer while their lively cat darted around the room (jealous, I bet) – and had bowls of gourmet ice cream afterwards.

Friday: R taught me how to whip up Spring in a bowl – spirals with prosciutto, asparagus and baby spinach leaves with red pesto and parmesan. I learned a few things that evening:

1. To bend the asparagus till it reaches its natural breaking point, then snap it and discard the bottom part.
2. To use baby spinach leaves (I always thought people always used cooking spinach for warm dishes – but he popped these fresh leaves into a bowl with steaming hot pasta which then wilted the baby spinach beautifully).
3. To use red pesto. How is it that I have not previously spotted this jar of goodness in the supermarket?
To recap: cook pasta in salted boiling water. Snap asparagus. Blanch or pan-fry asparagus. Tear prosciutto with your fingers, add this and raw baby spinach leaves into a bowl. Drain cooked pasta and asparagus when they are ready, pour them into the bowl – stir and let the heat wilt the leaves. Stir in red pesto. Serve with parmesan.

I think I’ll be making this again – so easy and so good!

On the subject of thoughtful and talented friends, K gave me kiwifruit and white chocolate muffins, and G gave me cheesecake today… (which served as a most decadent lunch!) So spoiled am I.

Ottolenghi’s Cookbook is bursting with food for sharing. A few weeks ago, G shared her lunch with me at work, so I thought it’d be fun to pack lunch for three of us – and of course Ottolenghi’s book sprung to mind. My eyes fell on a recipe for roast chicken with saffron, hazelnuts and honey (recipe re-posted here). I made a few adjustments (chicken thighs as opposed to a whole chicken, orange blossom water as opposed to rosewater, etc) – it was sweet, gently spiced and reminded me of Morocco… I served it with some green beans with tomato and feta (fried them this time).

I was very careful with the orange blossom water and I am now no longer (as) afraid of it. ;-)

Saturday was a Brazilian day – complete with “Reflections of a Blender” (think: a taxidermist who is also a murderess; a talking blender; philosophy; craziness + general fantastic-ness in Portuguese), a loud Brazilian festa; and this gem of a place… Casa da Sogra (which translates as house of the mother-in-law, I think).

When we walked in, I felt like I’d chanced upon a grand secret that everyone else already knew. Small this place may be, but it lacks nothing else. It was 2.30pm, and the place was packed – I tuned in and realised there was almost as much Portuguese being spoken as there was English (so cool)! We joined two friendly Brazilian ladies, started chatting and I couldn’t help ordering what Priscilla was eating – pastel.

According to her, these are as good as the ones in Brazil. I haven’t been to Brazil yet, but I can believe it. For $3 each, these golden pillows are crispy deep fried pastries filled with yummy things. I can’t do it justice with my words, but suffice to say – if you’re in Auckland, you need to go here… even if there’s no seating room when you get there – stand and eat, it’ll all make good sense once you do it.

This is the pizza flavoured one…

We also ordered a few acai berry shakes (rather potent, in a good way) and a spicy lamb pita. Tasty and generous, and better with friends to share everything with. Eating food native to a different culture and chatting with people from different countries while sitting right at home is probably the closest one can get to teleportation (which I would love to do if I could)!

I’m sleepy, so I’m going to start wrapping up my blog post now.

I end with two other places I wanted to share, which I unfortunately did not take photographs at but are worth writing about, photos or not:

Faro – I went here with Brad who was up for a visit and learned a magical combination from the smiling waitress that attended us – leaf + radish + pickled onion + kimchi + a soy bean paste which I cannot remember the name of + perfectly grilled beef. Ask their staff how to eat your food – it could make your eating experience even better. I love that they serve delicious food, don’t close so early, and have a clean and lovely place with thoughtful staff and extraction fans at each table to ensure you don’t smell like food when you leave.

And lucky last – we had the pleasure of meeting the man behind Giapo a few days ago. With its catchy branding, huge array of fantastic flavours, friendly staff and grinning customers – Giapo is hard to miss if you are in Auckland. What’s even harder to miss, if you get to meet Gianpaolo Grazioli yourself, is his insatiable passion for life, honesty that made me smile, creative nature, wealth of knowledge and unmistakeable courage. Hearing him talk was inspirational… as was the ice cream.

The ice cream is all made from excellent ingredients – and there are all sorts of crazy and scrumptious flavours – ALL sorts. Even whisky and blue cheese (this admittedly took my breath away, and I haven’t decided whether in a good way or not). Pumpkin, riesling, amaretti, organic fruit… it is all there.

My favourites were their: (1) antipasti (sounds strange, but it’s crazy delicious); (2) dark chocolate and smoked salmon (base note similarities make for compatibility; who would have thought?); (3) lemon sorbet (think: sweet little girl kissing your cheek), (4) green tea (flecked with chocolate bits, the best word I can use to describe it is a Mandarin word which I don’t know how to put into English right now… but it’s deep, and calm, and sweet in a true, non-sugary way).

It’s so different when people do what they love. Their faces light up and they have this energy and joy about them that is unmistakeable and so super.

Time for bed. All the best to my brave friends who have embarked on the mammoth adventure known as NanoWrimo! Good night!

Casa da Sogra – 12 Remuera Road, Newmarket, Auckland – Phone: 09 520 0250

Faro – 5 Lorne Street, Auckland – Phone: 09 379 4040

Giapo – 279 Queen Street, Auckland

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All the people

Posted on October 1, 2011 | 4 Comments

Yet in that moment each in his mind’s eye had an image of the other’s life – the lives streaming out like two rivers across the broad sweep of the land. Rivers divided. But running through the same terrain.
~ Nigel Cox, Waiting for Einstein

Most people don’t believe me when I say I am an introvert, but it’s true… there’s still a part of me that shies away, prefers a hidden spot to the stage. Or, when I DO get on stage, I love it – but only if I don’t have to talk or interact directly with the audience. I get tired at parties with too many people. I ran away from Fanzone on the launch day of Rugby World Cup at 6pm. I hate small talk. People interest me greatly, but truth be told, I prefer getting close and personal with characters in a book rather than in real life (unless I really like you, in which case I will make a point to see you in person/call/email etc more than once. Real life friends reading this – cue to go *aww* here…)

I’ve been pretty WOWED by people lately though. In real life. As mentioned in my last blog post, I had a super weekend in Wellington, notably with Arty Bees (on par with Unity Books and Kinokuniya in my books!), hangin’ with Haidee and Herman, talking books & language with Margaret, wandering around the markets in the rain, a trip to Cafe Polo in Miramar (finally!) (their # browns are to die for!), dinner with my sweet friend Sally at Le Canard (Sally runs marathons, is as practical as she is sympathetic, has a great sense of humour, speaks with that lovely British accent, and digs in heartily – I like her very much), a chat about everything with Brad (by the way, Brad is gifted with a voice and way with music which you should go and listen to here)… hmmm I am becoming aware that this sentence has too many commas, so I shall end this sentence here. Wellington was nice to me – it was even sunny for two days out of three!

Back to Auckland: yesterday, my colleague shared her lunch with me at work. Impromptu. I stopped by her desk to see if she wanted to go and get lunch (I was too lazy to make mine in the morning), to which she said “I have enough for us both. Do you want some?”. I know it’s a little silly, but I got rather sentimental about it… it was so sweet! She went to fetch salad leaves (from the Saturday market), beans, sardines, vinaigrette from the kitchen. Actually, she could have fed me bananas… it would still have tasted good (the salad was delicious, as a matter of fact). We ate and talked at her desk.

Food is at its best when it’s shared in friendship, when it’s fed to hungry stomachs, when it’s eaten over conversation, when it’s generously given?

Today, I went to get my coffee from my usual stop – and the coffee lady complimented me on my choice of outfit. Again, small gesture, but coming from this blunt, brisk, straightforward, busy lady, I receive her compliments humbly! She is always polite, but she’s not the sort to gush or say things that aren’t true. I like that about her. When she says something especially nice to you, it hardly ever comes out sounding like flowery praise, but you always go away happy because you know she means it. As she handed me my coffee and pecan/caramel brioche, I felt like we had just drawn just a tiny bit closer… you know? When you feel like you connect with another human, in MORE than a logical “I know what you just said, this is my automatic response” way? Like that.

I love how coffee and breakfast gave us an excuse (if we needed one) to start chatting…

And then after work today, I went to get a drink with my friend Tim at a sun-drenched table by the waterfront. Tim is one of my best friends in the whole universe, partly because he saved my life a few years ago. I’ve known him since 2007, and over the years I have become more and more proud to know him – his golden hair and little boy face still make me smile; his personal integrity, love for his friends and just that TIM-nature make me want to be a better human. I don’t know why he’s my friend, but I am sure glad he is. He recently got engaged to a very sweet lady, and I am very pleased for them both! Minutes felt like seconds as we talked…

I wonder how many soul conversations take place in bars and restaurants every day…

Lastly, dinner tonight at Nickies Thai Restaurant with Gail and Simon. With the Entertainment Book, we got a bottle of wine, a plate of spring rolls, three mains and three desserts for $38.10 each. Not a cheap dinner, but not a price I regret paying for what we got today. I noted with pleasure their friendly service – when Gail’s dessert came with a different ice cream flavour to what was agreed with the waiter, he apologised with a smile, whisked it away and returned shortly with a correct order and a beautiful attitude :-) The food was very nice – I had the drunken noodles with prawns, which arrived garnished with a beautiful carrot rose and dotted with juicy prawns, and tasted as nice as it looked.

Everything was to our satisfaction and we chatted till past 10pm about life and possibilities… I was inspired by the way Simon has gone after (and still does pursue) his dreams, the honesty in his eyes, his impossible-to-offend sense of humour and optimism and grace. And as always, I enjoyed Gail – she’s so funny, without knowing it; she’s smart, careful, relaxed and beautiful – sounds like a contradiction or something impossible to get in one person, but it’s true she is. I admire the fact that she works hard and goes after what she wants, and I’m pleased to see that she often does achieve her dreams – and she never fails to encourage!

Teach me to cook, teach me to eat, teach me to love.

Anyway, I am sure this post reads ALL over the place – but, well, I am just so happy with what I have right now; where I am right now; the people in my life right now; the dreams in my head right now… that I just had to tell someone at least a bit of it. It’s past midnight, so lucky you!

Goodnight, thanks for reading my rambles, happy weekend!

P.S. With no clear idea of what picture to accompany this post, I uploaded (above) a (not so brilliant) photo of last night’s (simple and pretty good) dinner – spinach + butter beans + garlic + eggs + parmesan.

P.P.S. Nigel Cox was a fantastic observer of life, of the unconscious and conscious motivations that move us, of relationships with others and with self – and expressed these brilliantly in prose… look forward to reading more of his writing (just finished “Waiting for Einstein”).

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Meredith’s take #2 – a short summary

Posted on September 22, 2011 | 4 Comments

Food is to eat, not to frame and hang on the wall.
~ William Denton

This was experienced a few Fridays ago. It was a very good evening.

First visit to Meredith’s summarised here.

Meredith’s Restaurant – 365 Dominion Road, Auckland – Phone: 09 623 3140

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Art, Wynyard Quarter and Takapuna Beach Cafe

Posted on September 6, 2011 | 2 Comments

Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.
~ Thomas Merton

Saturday – amidst drizzle and umbrellas, the Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki was opened with a speech by Len Brown, music by the Auckland Philharmonic Orchestra and a warming kapa haka display… :-) Thereafter, the crowd whooshed through the doors (me included).

Read more here, here and here.

This is a quick snapshot of a few people tuning in to the ceremonial display – (I thought they were arranged rather artistically too).

Nice displays in every room, ranging from moving displays to crazy Picasso to majestic gold-framed portraits – enjoyed.

Loved this chandelier of flowers spilling from the ceiling! The promise of Spring.

The view from a window.

I couldn’t help but feel that this gallery was a little condensed, having visited various museums and galleries in Europe (some of those places could take months to explore in full) – however, I do recognise that much effort has been poured into this gallery, and they have made it a beautiful place which will inspire all who come through its doors. Great use of space too.

Art milk!

Here’re a few more photos from my second saunter down to Wynyard Quarter (there’re a few more photos in this recent post).

The weather was highly temperamental – churros weather one moment and swimsuit weather the next! My umbrella got heavily injured in the process too (rather extreme for Auckland, I thought).

Weather aside though, it was jolly fine wandering around – and we were far from lonely; so many people were out! The ladies were at the Fashion Week sale, I think – we opted for the benches, people watching, photo taking, sunbathing (whenever the sun actually came out, that is).

Adored this whimsical piano that was near to all the fancy new restaurants/bars – oh I was almost tempted to jump on and play! Too timid, in the end. I admire the courage of children :-)

And here are some oil tanks, looking very cute.

Later in the afternoon, Cam, Matt and I trooped down to Takapuna Beach Cafe for a late lunch.

I am sorry to report that the only thing I enjoyed about this place was the view (spectacular).

The food looked mighty fine (as you will note from the photos below) – but both the service and the taste of the food were highly unremarkable. The menu had looked wonderful, so I was really disappointed. My twice-baked souffle (last pic in this post) was not fun to eat, and the parmesan waaaay overpowered the leaves in the salad. An abundance of saltiness and regretting the bill at the end are my overall impressions of my meal now. Oh, and who can forget the facial expressions of the waiting staff? Bored and sulky? I can do without that on my Saturday afternoon, thank you very much.

I think that when food is cooked and served with love (this means that ingredients are sourced with care, food is cooked with skill, precision and spontaneity, dishes are plated and served by generous and genuine people), it makes a world of difference – that is when food goes from edible bits that slip down your throat and into your belly to something magical that nourishes your body, mind and soul.

Conversely, it doesn’t matter how good a dish looks on a plate if the foundation of good food/hospitality isn’t present – it will taste empty, and the diners will be left out in the cold at the end.

And when is that ever a good thing?

Luckily, there are places like Ima and Meredith’s which serve up the good oil in Auckland.

And that’s all from me tonight. I have a few videos and things I want to get through before I reunite with my pillow for the evening! Have a great Wednesday, all.

Takapuna Beach Cafe – 22 The Promenade, Takapuna, Auckland – Phone: 09 484 0002

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An impromptu roast chicken, and other stories

Posted on August 28, 2011 | 2 Comments

Most of the food allergies die under garlic and onion.
~ Martin H. Fischer

Tonight I roasted a chicken ‘cos I felt like it.

Free range chicken, on special at the supermarket ($10!)
+ wild fennel and 2 sprigs rosemary and 3 agria potatoes from the farmers’ market
+ 2 of Mom’s lemons (zest and juice)
+ garlic cloves, some smashed and some intact (all a little messy really)
+ salt
+ pepper
+ sprinkle of fennel seeds
+ stream of olive oil
+ smear of mustard
+ oven @ 180 degrees C
+ 1.25 hours (take it out midway and bathe it in its juices)
= impromptu roast chicken.

Dinner + cranberry juice + conversation with Fran. Bright night.

Leftover chicken now in the fridge for us all to lunch on tomorrow.

The other night I visited Deniro with K where we drank red and ate pasta and risotto and a certain lovely lady we knew there got us a small (to save us from ordering the full) platter of calamari… :-) The calamari was nice and fresh, and the spaghetti bolognese – well you know, a good plate of spaghetti bolognese always spells “comfort” (see quick snapshot below)! K’s seafood risotto tasted of that magic kingdom – the sea.

I like Elliot Stables for the way it feels like a mini globe within! So many accents and types of food. Topped with smiling service and a bustling atmosphere… nice!

Later that night K also introduced me to the joys of Giapo… home to one of the best ice cream flavours ever to grace the earth – organic meringue with hazelnut cream! Light meets sweet meets nutty meets fluffy meets mmmmmm… :-)

Pastry from a farmers’ market = always a good weekend breakfast option – this was mine yesterday, as I ran out of groceries at home in the morning: choc and pear brioche…

Mooncake – so many legends surround this one, there’s the one with a Trojan horse of sorts and another involving star-crossed lovers (see Google for details)… so many tales, which to believe? Possibly just the memories of lanterns and relatives and tea – warm thoughts.

Pictured here is a chicken/apricot tagine that Dad made last night… have to admit I was slightly teary-eyed; seem to get this way nowadays when (1) my parents cook for me and (2) I get to eat with my family! The evening flew by, too quickly – the hands on the clock seemed to be sprinting!

And today I went to the Auckland Vintage Textile Fair with T. Wonder what it would have been like to live in a different era… I bought clip-on earrings and aprons which would make anyone look more domestic than Martha S.

Other delicious links:
Wicked: Ottolenghi’s Caramel Macadamia Cheesecake!
If music be the food of love, play on, Turntable Kitchen
Barter trade: I like

Elliot Stables – 39-41 Elliott Street, Auckland – Phone: 09 308 9334

Giapo – 279 Queen Street, Auckland – Phone: 09 550 3677

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L’Assiette – post #2

Posted on August 27, 2011 | 5 Comments

Food for thought is no substitute for the real thing.
~ Walt Kelly

L’Assiette is not a place you are likely to just visit once. Oh, no. I don’t know what it is – there must have been a secret spell tucked into the heart of the croque madame I had when I first visited this place – I’ve now been there for breakfast, lunch, dinner and in-between. Not all the time, but still. That’s a lot of meals to eat in one place in just two months.

I had dinner there for the first time last night. My friends Matt and John came to visit from Wellington, and I thought they might enjoy it…

We got a bottle of 2009 Domaine Lafond Côtes du Rhône Roc-Epine for the table (lovely red, like a silk dress). John ordered their scotch fillet served with a bourguignon garnish and roasted potatoes; Matt opted for the fish; I was very close to ordering the duck but decided to pick the fish in the end because, well, if I am to ever like cooked salmon or polenta, I felt L’Assiette would be the place to change my heart.

They did.

The fish made me want to kiss someone.

I’m not sure why I am describing it that way, but it was honestly the first thought that entered my brain (I hasten to add that I did not give the boys seated across from me this honour). Last night’s poisson du jour was a sublime piece of salmon cooked so beautifully I even ate the skin (usually a no-go zone for me). The sauce did what every sauce should do – it made the star (the salmon) shine. Also, the texture was amazing – so light that each time I placed a bit of it in my mouth I felt like I was eating a savoury cloud.

The skins on the oven-roasted cherry tomatoes on the side were just getting ready to burst; the tomatoes collapsed readily in my mouth.

I looked at the polenta on my plate, hesitating slightly.

I’ve tried polenta fries, polenta cakes – and, mostly, it’s been sort of disappointing. Reminiscent of rice or cous cous in a jelly mold.

Last night, I was so sad when I got to the last bite of the polenta! If you want to make someone love polenta, send them to L’Assiette. And have them eat it with their salmon.

We weren’t given a long time to mourn the completion of dinner – the dessert menu made its way to our table, and the well-lit cabinet in the background perked up as we looked towards its offerings. The boys ordered a mille-feuille and a creme brulee respectively; I opted for a coffee éclair. I was given a fork and knife to eat this – it felt like an occasion. This is one of the many little things that cause me to love this place; no matter what you order – a macaron or a main – they are designed to please, and served with thought and care.

L’Assiette – 9 Britomart Place, Auckland – Phone: 09 309 0961

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Where I’ve been lately

Posted on August 24, 2011 | 2 Comments

English, which is so gloriously verbose about so much of life’s gay tapestry, is summarily tongue-tied when it comes to describing food and eating.
~ A. A. Gill

My brain is buzzing like a bee, with bits and pieces of posts I’ve been meaning to write for a while (but not translated from head to keyboard/screen).

Posts about food, and sociology, and Auckland… or maybe just about eating out. Posts which I am now going to attempt to whip into some form of coherent prose… we’ll see.

I have been eating out quite a lot this year, seeing that Auckland is spread out geographically, people are busy and it has been an excellent way to catch up with people. Also, of course, dining out is a fun way to explore flavours and tastes and all that.

Here are a few places I’ve visited recently (in the last few weeks), and brief thoughts on each place:

Grasshopper – I was first introduced to this place through people at work. They have the friendliest staff, and very good food. Express/business lunches are available for the working folk, and if you have a bit more time on your hands in the evenings… pop in for dessert (pictured above). A few weeks ago, F, J, J and I shared the black sticky rice; tapioca caramel with chestnut and palm sugar; deep fried banana and coconut marshmallow ice cream. They arrived on plates with beautiful sauce illustrations in the shape of a rose; the flavours were delicate and lovely, made me miss Asia for sure!

Dida’s – Our party of six arrived at around 10am on Sunday morning. I noticed the way the sun spilled relentlessly in, and the spacious interior; my mood lifted. Next thing I noticed: a few too many scrambled egg listings on the menu! Thankfully, they were happy to serve my eggs poached. Verdict: I’d definitely return for the service. The food was decent, but not so fantastic. As for the coffee, it certainly left much to be desired.

Pastis – T and I enjoyed a beautiful plate of creamy chicken Pâté du Chef complete with gherkins and a generous basket of bread. Smiling and excellent service at the bar where we were seated. Warm atmosphere, like a snug cocoon. Reluctant to leave… except we were adjourning to…

Toto – where we celebrated Larissa’s birthday. The food did take nine years to arrive, but we were all smiles when the mains came – oh they were like springtime on plates! Beautifully plated, generous portions. My order of free range pork belly, pistachio and mixed herbs on cannellini beans and spicy greens was most excellent (pictured below) – crisp, tender, spicy, soft – happy food. T and I shared the Torte di Ricotta (buffalo ricotta cheesecake, strawberry consomme, orange moscato summer jelly) – smooth and sweet in all the right places. The restaurant was packed and jolly – a scene from Italian cookbooks. My impression of this place is mostly a soft golden glow – but then I remember, with some amusement, the extremely potent silent fart the waiter deigned to perform not far from our table. I guess at least the fart was as passionately delivered as the food.

Love A Duck – I hadn’t been in Auckland long before I heard about Dominion Road, of course. “A million cheap and good options”, I heard. So when S and M suggested Love A Duck on Dominion Road one evening, I was keen to try it. My plate of beef hor fun was HUMONGOUS… very oily, very tasty, left me very thirsty and very sleepy afterwards. The experience of eating this was in line with how I feel about most Chinese food – I enjoy the combustion of flavours in my mouth while I am eating it, but nearly always regret it at the end. That said, this is a good place to go to if you are cold and starving and in need of a very quick fix (they have Hong Kong-speed service).

Quay Street Cafe – I first went there with my friend Tim some weeks ago on a busy weekday. They forgot my order by mistake, and the lady promptly signed a coffee card for me, and told me to drop in for a complimentary coffee sometime. Recently, I visited again, for Saturday brunch this time – and was swept off my feet by the warm genuine awesome hospitality. Go here, and you will feel like you are returning home after a long, long vacation (and everyone has missed you very much while you have been gone). Food and coffee were fresh and good – free coffee or not, I’m coming back!

Federal & Wolfe – I’ve been there a few times, seeing it’s pretty close to work. Everyone I have taken there loves it. It’s casual, creative and elegant in equal measure, and nearly always bustling no matter what time I drop in. The coffee is always excellent, and the other day I visited with Chris and we were both happily full at the end. C got a beef burger and by the looks and sounds of it enjoyed his food very much (it was adorned with a bouquet of beetroot and massive onion rings); I got the smoked fish kedgeree… smoked fish flakes swirled through yellow basmati, with lemon and parsley, and flanked by two halves of a boiled egg. Hardly an average lunch! If there was one thing I’d change about the cafe, it’d be this: that on occasion I have found them to be noticeably less friendly when you order less… shame, because the place would be near perfect otherwise.

Sun World – I went there for yum char with Jerry and friends a few months ago, and recently ate there with my family. It’s always interesting watching the dynamics of yum char (you gotta speak the yum char language – and I don’t mean Chinese!) and observing what the people you are with fancy. With the first group, we had plenty of BBQ pork buns and mango pancakes and pointing fingers; with my folks, who incidentally speak Cantonese, we got a gamut of things ranging from crisp wu gok (mashed taro, diced shiitake mushrooms, shrimp and pork, dipped in batter and deep fried) to har gao – my favourite – steamed prawn dumplings wrapped in a crystal skin. The place is pretty crowded on weekends, you will likely end up waiting for a bit even with a booking! Eventually, you will sit and wave and yell and eat like everyone else.

Mezze – I like Mezze. Who doesn’t? They offer gluten-free Egyptian orange cake, a decadent chocolate buttermilk cake, cafe cortado/con leche, a most delicious selection of tapas and a warm inviting place to chill out night or day. Service is friendly and relatively fast. Location is central and convenient. Came here for wine and tapas with Heather recently – the perfect early evening thing to do.

Thai Chilli – we celebrated Fran’s special day here, and I recently lunched with my colleague G here too. I enjoyed dinner better than lunch – the place felt different, more cosy and intimate – and the food tasted better too. Could just be me. Verdict: nice. For dinner: order dishes to share, you wouldn’t want to miss out on too many yummy things!

Calcutta Wala – came here for lunch with G; mmm chana masala is now on my list of things-to-make! Reasonable lunch prices, comfortably spicy and yum.

Portofino, Mission Bay – we came here to celebrate S passing her exam. I certainly enjoyed chatting with the lovely ladies I was seated by – and the warm fireplace was a big plus! In terms of value for money, though, I don’t feel that this place delivers as well as some other places in Auckland. The food is certainly nice, but the pasta, I note, is rich and standard – meaning you can and only want to eat about half of what is on your plate. Overall verdict: everything is good enough, but just so.

My goodness, that’s a lot of eating out, isn’t it?

This week, at home and in my packed lunches to work, I am eating English Muffins – with eggs, lemon curd, salad & ham. Rinse and repeat, variations allowed and encouraged.

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Duck at St Tropez (and a giveaway)

Posted on August 2, 2011 | 12 Comments

Be like a duck. Calm on the surface, but always paddling like the dickens underneath.
~ Michael Caine

“Duck” is one of my favourite words in the world. Is there anything so happy as a rubber duckie, or a duck pond in a garden, or ducking quickly behind a pillar to surprise someone as they unknowingly stroll past? Oh, and of course… needless to say… duck, you are sooooo delicious!

Mmmm. I am, tonight, close to quacking with happiness following a delightful catch up/dinner with my friend Cam who has recently made (the most excellent) choice of moving to Auckland!

Following a quick perusal of the Entertainment Book, we decided on St Tropez since it was close by, and, more importantly, the menu sounded too good to pass up.

What was even better than reading the menu was eating the food off that menu. The garlic bread was superb – warm and crisp and flavourful, with just the right amount of sweet tomato bits on top… and for mains, Cam ordered the lamb with caramelised onion, mushroom and bacon with a potato mash. I got to try a piece of the lamb – one which required both knife and fork and some skill to transport to my lips, so tender it was! I could not decide between the “Char Grilled Fish, Lemon Beurre Noisette Sauce w Capers & Tomato, Jasmine Almond Rice” and “Duck Leg Confit, Haricots White Bean Casserolette, Red Wine Plum Sauce” – thankfully, the charming maître d’ came to my rescue – I went with her recommendation.

I do not regret taking her advice – my dinner was beautifully cooked and plated. When it arrived, I saw a bouquet of green beans tied in a carrot ribbon; white beans bubbling merrily in a ramekin; and the prize duck confit, bless its soul, standing proudly on the right, lightly bathed in sauce. Wonderful. I stared at it for a while, trying to commit the sight of it to memory… I can still see it now. The flavours met and embraced on my tongue…

And, Cam treated me to dinner this evening – which was really so generous (thank you Cam!)… and sparked a mini idea…

If you have been reading my most recent blog posts, you may have read that for nearly no reason at all, various friends have lately decided to bless me with meals fit for a King. My cup runneth over! I have wined and dined at three top Auckland establishments in two weeks – and had my meals paid for, and my heart filled with their friendship and conversation.

So – I’d like to offer you the chance to win a $50 voucher for any New Zealand restaurant/café of your choice ($60 if they only sell vouchers in $20 instalments), as long as they offer vouchers for sale.

What’s the catch, you ask? Ah, yes, there is a catch.

You will do the work, and the voucher will go to someone else. No, don’t go away… read on, you’ll see why in a minute.

I thought of offering the voucher to readers directly, but I’m going to draw inspiration from Oxfam and UNICEF – and give you the gift of giving.

It’s easy -

1. Close your eyes and think of a beautiful meal you’ve eaten, and how much you smiled eating it.

2. Now think about giving a bit of that smile to someone… in the form of a voucher for a nice place they might not ordinarily visit?

3. Then leave a comment on this post, writing a sentence (or two) using the word “delicious”. Please type your email address in carefully, because I will need a valid way to reach you if you win!

The winner will be drawn at random – I will email you and get the name and postal address of your “giftee”, and the restaurant/café of your choice – and then I will purchase the voucher and send it on to your giftee anonymously. And, alright, I’ll sweeten the deal – you get a batch of homemade chocolate truffles (if in Auckland) or something equally nice/less fragile than truffles which will survive a courier ride (if elsewhere in NZ) from me. (By the way, I can’t guarantee you’ll love my baking, but I’ll try to make it loveable).

Sound good?

Good.

Questions, sing out… otherwise, thank you for reading – and good luck!

Please note that this is open to readers residing in New Zealand only – comments must be in by 11pm (NZ time), Wednesday 10 August.

PS. Visit St Tropez.

St Tropez Restaurant – 149 Parnell Road, Parnell, Auckland – Phone: 09 309 0996

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