May 8, 2019 What's On
Where to Eat for Mother’s Day
(It’s Sunday 12 May, in case you forgot.)
While a meal at any of our Top 50 restaurants could probably make your mother forget all your personal flaws for its duration (not guaranteed), here are a few specific options:
Augustus A picturesque courtyard perfect for a Mother’s Day special three-course set menu and a glass of Ruinart rose champagne on arrival. There are three choices for each course: choose among French onion soup, scampi ravioli, slow-cooked beef short rib, market fish, dark chocolate fondant and more. $85pp, two seating times at 12pm or 2pm. Book here.
Culprit Choose between the $50 or $80 menu – loaded with more kaimoana – at Culprit. Both menus feature their famous chicken liver parfait and donuts, shellfish fries and flat iron steak, but spring for the $80 and feast on some oysters, Cloudy Bay clams and paua fritters. Mum’s first glass of champagne on them.
Euro A re-entry into this year’s Metro Top 50, Euro will start your meal off with a Mumm Grand Cordon Champagne Brut and handcrafted breads, followed by a three-course menu with plenty of vegetarian, seafood and meaty options.
Masu Their popular Nichiyo Brunch – a buffet with a main dish of choice and a dessert platter for the table – is made even sweeter with a complimentary Seedlip non-alcoholic cocktail.
Plus: Mother’s Day Pink Ribbon Breakfast Jess’ Underground Kitchen hosts a brunch at Morningside Glasshouse, with proceeds going to Breast Cancer Foundation NZ. There’s a grazing breakfast spread, silent auctions, spot prizes and take-home goodie bags with sponsors including Miann, ECOYA, Moi Wines and Atomic Coffee Roasters.
Mother’s Day: Mexican Style at Nanita’s Tamales Celebrated on 10 May instead, each plate is $25 and includes 1 tamale, 2 sopes, Mexican rice, salad, pastel de tres leches for dessert and a little present. Nominate a solo mum on Facebook and they could be invited to have a free dinner.
And What to Do
Pasta e Cuore pasta making workshop The dates of Pasta e Cuore’s coveted pasta making workshops don’t line up with the actual day of mother’s day but we’re sure the offer of quality pasta made with her now-favourite child will trump timeliness. Chef Stefania Ugolini will teach you and your Ma the pasta making skills passed on by her own grandmother. Top the evening off by eating your handiwork then promising your mum that you’ll make it again for her.
Ceramic painting Your childhood creations may have made it to the fridge out of love, but now’s the time for you to show off your grown-up art skills. Treat mum to a ceramics painting day and gift her finished product – be it salad bowl, plate, mug or “we’ll keep this one in the garage, sweetie”, dog bowl. At least she’ll be a fan of the one that she makes. There are ?a few in Auckland so you’ll be spoiled for choice.
Frances Hodgkins: European journeys at the Auckland Art Gallery If your painted plates don’t impress her, try taking mum to the art gallery. The Dunedin born-artist is touted as “New Zealand’s most successful expatriate artists of the 20th century” and is an important figure in British modernism. You’ll be able to see over 150 of her works produced between 1901 and 1946 in watercolours and oil paint. It is as close as a trip to French Riviera, Morocco, Venice or London as you can get without leaving Auckland (and we hear the coffee isn’t as good over there).
Dans le Noir If your mother is a bit of an adventurous diner (or if you saw the movie About Time and thought ooh eating dinner in complete darkness looks neat), now is your chance to treat your mum to a dinner in the dark. A bit flasher than dinner in your flat with the lights off, the surprise menu caters to all diets and promises an intriguing array of flavours, textures and aromas. Scared you’ll trip over and spoil it all? Don’t worry, a team of blind and vision impaired staff are there to help guide you and your mum to your seats.
Movies You were an exhausting kid. Your mum did bloody well raising you into a semi-respectable human. Buy her some popcorn and let her put her feet up at the movies for once. No, not Avengers End Game, you pillock – something she would like. Let her choose.
A nice cafe or restaurant At the end of the day, mum just really wants to have a chat with you and be treated to a flash bite to eat. The forecast is for rain this Sunday, but we asked one mum in the office and she reckons you can’t go wrong with a waterfront lunch; Takapuna cafe, Sugar at Chelsea bay or Ampersand are good bets to put a smile on the old girl’s dial.
