Oct 30, 2019 What's On
Gin is the drink of the moment (and by ‘moment’ we mean the last two years) and this week in Auckland, it’s free-flowing, baby. Metro brings you a round up of the best of what Auckland has to offer for the coming week in our city’s diverse and exciting food scene.
The East Imperial Gin Jubilee
A celebration of all things gin, the Gin Jubilee sees bars and restaurants across Auckland taking part and entering with their own bespoke gin cocktail. Diners can then vote for their favourite by taking a photo and posting them to Instagram with hashtag #ginjubilee2019. Click here for the full list of participants, and click here for Metro‘s full write up.
From 25 October
Street Hawker Seafood
Learn how to make iconic seafood street food dishes at this class held Auckland Fish Market’s Seafood School. Chef Paulie Hooton will guide you through two dishes this week; spiced prawns with pineapple salsa and a black pepper fish with spring onion slaw. Welcome additions to your summer recipe repertoire.
30 October | Auckland Fish Market
Te Atatu Food Truck Fridays
Seven diverse food trucks will be parked up at Te Atatu South Community Centre this Friday. Mexican vendor Mama Yoya’s will be there. So will champions of Filipino food in Auckland, Hapunan. Hopefully, you’re able to grab one of their signature ube pandesal before they sell out.
1 November | Te Atatu South
World Vegan Day at The Sugar Club
The Sugar Club is presenting an entirely plant-based, 5-course menu for one night only for World Vegan Day. “It’s an incredible way to show our support for a philosophy that I feel we need to focus on as an industry moving forward,” says Peter Gordon, The Sugar Club’s Executive Chef. We tend to agree with him there.
Lunch $105 (optional wine match $60), Dinner $135 (optional wine match $60). Bookings essential, 09 363 6365 or email enquiries@thesugarclub.co.nz
1 November | The Sugar Club
La Fuente ’s Dia De Los Muertos celebration
Celebrate Mexico’s Day of the Dead with a three-course modern Mexican menu matched with a drinks pairing which will feature beer, wine and mezcal. $60pp. For reservations, contact bookings@lafuente.co.nz.
1-2 November | La Fuente
Scandinavian Christmas Markets
It’s that time of year again, when we’re all moaning about the advent calendars in supermarkets. (It’s October!) Let’s not forget this also means it’s time for the annual Scandinavian Christmas Markets. Ease into Christmas with some Nordic treats; think Swedish cinnamon buns or Danish hotdogs washed down with Cocio (a Danish chocolate milk).
3 November | 6 Rockridge Avenue, Penrose
Bombay Sapphire Gin Gardens with edible gin-infused paint
A good activation is a thing of beauty – or in other words, playing with your food is fun and good. Bombay Sapphire must know this too, because they’re turning The Glass Goose in the CBD and Bedford Soda & Liquor in Ponsonby Central into ‘Gin Gardens’ where you can create your own personal G&T with garnishes, flavoured tonics and edible blue gin-infused paint (yes it is weird but it is also yum, see Alex and Charlotte’s tasting notes below). There will also be three special Bombay and Tonic combinations, created by Black Pineapple’s master drinks creator Frankie Walker. There are really never enough ways to consume gin. Even in paint form, we’re keen.
8 November-20 December | The Glass Goose and Bedford Soda & Liquor
What We Ate This Week
Jean Teng and Alex Blackwood are joined by our lovely Metro intern Charlotte Muru-Lanning for a bumper issue of everyone’s favourite food diary
Bombay Sapphire Edible Blue Paint
“I’m going to go eat some paint,” I said. “What!? No! Do not do that!” said everyone in earshot. But the paint that Bombay Sapphire have concocted (to be painted on glasses that then get filled with cocktails) is geranium flavoured, jammy and fragrant – with gin in it. It’s the colour of blue shark lollies so I’d probably want to eat it even if I wasn’t meant to. Expert Mixologist Frankie Walker from Black Pineapple came and showed Charlotte and I what the deal with “edible paint” was before The Glass Goose and Bedford Soda & Liquor start stocking the very fun idea for summer – you’ll be able to create your own signature cocktail and include the paint in that (see above in the what’s on section for details). I asked if you could use it to paint paper and he said: “no that would be a massive waste.” But in the name of research, I gave it a shot anyway and he was absolutely right, its translucent, stained-window effect looks way better on a glass. And, pro tip, when you go and try this, be sure to paint the lip of your glass so that you can really taste the geranium. – AB
Have you ever had a moment where you just wished a gin infused paint existed? Me neither. But I can tell you that it exists and it’s yum. The paint itself is bright blue and tastes like a mix of those customary gin flavours like juniper and lemon peel. ‘Lolly’ was definitely a flavour profile we picked up on too. Within minutes of sitting down, we were artists, painting the inside of our giant Spanish-style balloon glasses with flowers and spirals. In these, Frankie from Black Pineapple concocted perfect gin and tonics with plenty of ice, a singed cinnamon stick, sage and pink grapefruit. I couldn’t taste much of the paint (perhaps I needed to be bolder with my brushstrokes) but when the blue gradually started seeping into the drink, it looked great. Full gimmick, this one, but there’s nothing wrong with that. – CML
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Coffee, tonic water and orange
I’m only sharing this in the hopes that it will create enough demand for Auckland’s bars and cafes to add this to their menus. I work in a restaurant and this has become my go-to on shift drink (much to the confusion of my workmates). Making it involves plenty of ice, a couple of coffee shots, then it’s topped with tonic water and a generous splash of orange juice. We’re also quite late to the party with this one so it has the benefit of being tried and true. It was trending last summer in the US and a coffee shop in Sweden has been making this since 2007. It sounds weird, I know. But, give it a shot. – CML
Ace Coffee’s “The Wurst” toasted sandwich
Cheese, sausage, mustard, sauerkraut, chef’s kiss. – AB
606 Dominion Rd, Mt Eden
Dinner at Céleste
All the entrees seem to be in French. “Do we break out Google?” I ask my friend across the table, who is similarly vexed. Sauccison sec des pyrenees, pommes paillasson, pargamena di pane sardegna. Further down things start to become more comprehensible: heirloom tomatoes with labneh, whole flounder with lemon butter caper sauce. The former is a good excuse to start chatting with staff to get some clarification and recommendations, even if it does make you feel like an idiot, slightly. Feeling like an idiot in a restaurant is sometimes good, I say – eating out of your comfort zone is the best. We start with some Mahurangi oysters – yum, of course – and move onto judion beans. The judion beans are plump and tender, topped with some ricotta salata. My favourite thing of the night is the octopus, perfectly cooked in chorizo vinaigrette and a sharp and punchy herb salad; it makes me think of warm summer evenings every time I bite into it. A glass of Libiamo’s ‘Amphora Chenin Blanc’ on the side, and the night is golden. – JT
146 Karangahape Rd, K’Rd Precinct
Ima ’s cheese scone
Institutions like Ima are treasures. What I’ve always loved the most here is the jumble of baked goods crowding the top of their front counter. There are always whole cakes stuffed and topped with plenty of icing and fresh fruit, Portugese custard tarts, and plenty of things with berries, dried fruits and spices. Ima does baked goods that are all the best kinds of homely without being twee. I’m not sure why I chose the comparatively simple cheese scone this time. I guess I was just feeling coy. I have no regrets though, it was ‘Imazing’ [not happy about this – Ed]. – CML
53 Fort St, central city
Kao Soi from Ruang Thong
Self-help in a bowl. This truly is ‘chicken soup for the soul’ but with the addition of egg noodles, crispy noodles, coconut milk, raw red onion, bean sprouts, coriander, dried shallots, pickled mustard greens, boiled egg and plenty of chilli. There are a heap of different versions of kao soi but this one is specific to Northern Thailand. I don’t think there’s another dish that I’m as loyal to as this one – it’s just so comforting. Tip: If you like things spicy be very clear that you want this ‘Thai hot’ – they hold back on the heat a little too much sometimes. – CML
197 Symonds St, Eden Terrace
