May 5, 2023 Metro Eats
Hi there,
Jean is away in Melbourne this week so it has fallen to the remainder of the Metro staff to pull things together this week. Apologies in advance. Get sporadic updates of Jean’s trip on her Instagram here.
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Earlier this week, The Spinoff received confirmation from Tip Top that it had discontinued the grapefruit and lemon Fruju, a longtime cult classic and my personal favourite ice block. A few years ago, this would have inspired me to write a semi-satirical essay on the continued infantilisation of contemporary culture under #latecapilaism, but now all I can do is acknowledge that being the favourite ice block of people who obviously don’t eat many ice blocks but still use their preference for that ice block as a marker of their identity is probably not reason enough for a product to remain on the market forever.
Still, while I like to think I will forever miss eating those three grapefruit and lemon ice blocks I ate every summer, I will probably think about grapefruit and lemon ice blocks a little less every summer until one summer I will have completely forgotten that such a sharply sour, bitter, and satisfying ice block ever existed until someone will say ‘Remember those grapefruit and lemon ice blocks?’ and I’ll say ‘Yeah, those grapefruit and lemon ice blocks were pretty good. I miss them.’
— Henry
ps. Watch out for yourselves in the coming weather and thanks again to Tuatara for supporting the newsletter!
Free Oat Milk with Metro Subscriptions!
Our friends at Otis Oat Milk are partnering with us so any new yearly subscribers from 27 April – 11 May (or until we run out) will also receive a case of Barista milk. That’s six 1L cartons (RRP $32.70) delivered right to your door!
To redeem, all you have to do is sign up to a yearly subscription at subscribe.metromagazine.co.nz, and you will receive four quarterly issues of Metro over the next year. And a case of Otis Barista Oat Milk.
(Oh, by the way – Otis is now made from 100% NZ-grown oats, and from the end of the year will be milled and then made into milk in Aotearoa!)
This deal is open to New Zealand subscribers only
Stella Artois presented Metro Dining School at Homeland !
A huge thanks to everyone who came along, and to everyone who helped out especially Sam, Homeland, Connie Clarkson, Peter Gordon and Scott Seafood.
Here is a wee video recapping it and for those that missed out or came and want more we all really enjoyed it so we’ll try and do it again — stay tuned!
What’s Happening
The Lewisham Award finalists have been announced, as usual a quirky and sometimes batshit crazy list — read and ponder its meaning here.
Our friends at Cordis have a deal for all of you that get into going to Eight — $99 per adult on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays through May. Under 12s, half price, under 4s, free. See earlier editions of this newsletter about Eight for the correct strategy for maximising value while you are there. Book here — cdakl.eats@cordishotels.com.
The Gemmayze St Kebab Shop is back on Sunday 30 April from 5pm.
Java on Krd is doing $15 Lunch on weekdays between 12 and 2pm.
What’s Good
Look, we all make mistakes. We’ve all taken a shortcut at some point, or rushed something at the deadline, skipping a step and just thinking ‘Fuck it, no one will notice’ or ‘Perfect is the enemy of good’ or something consoling and trite like that. But when Coffee Supreme first sent us its new line-up of canned coffees, we excitedly opened them one after the other only to discover all three of them were (there’s no easy way to put this) disgusting. Like, almost undrinkable. I wondered if we’d received an off batch, but when I took a sip from a can from another source, it had the same slight rancidness, the same metallic tinge.
I struggled to come to terms with the idea that multiple people along the production, marketing, and distribution chain (presumably many people) had tried these products and said to each other ‘Yep, that’s the one. That’s how it’s meant to taste. Let’s send that out to merchants across the land.’ I even thought about sending a note back to the sender of the cans asking whether they’d tried it, but chose to keep my beak out.
Then, last week, we received a new box of the three cans with a note saying (and I paraphrase) ‘Look, we made a mistake. It wasn’t our best work. Try these.’ And I am happy to report that the new batches of these drinks are in fact good. Better than good. The Flat White is pleasantly nutty (it’s made with oat milk), smooth, and easy drinking. The Cascara Fizz is bright, fruity, and refreshing — a bit like a coffee-ish cherry coke (cascara is a tea made from the dried skins and sometimes pulp of the coffee fruit). I haven’t tried the Long Black yet (and am nearing my caffeine limit for the morning), but I can only assume it is similarly delicious.
So good on Supreme for admitting the fuck up, taking the hit, and making it right. If you tried these and, like me, couldn’t finish a can, give them another go. You won’t regret it.
Ajisen has become our go to cosy Autumn day lunch spot for ramen based comfort food. Last trip we saw John Campbell there taking a very leisurely pace through his noodles.
We went to one of Wakuwaku‘s first anniversary seatings last week, the quail and scampi were particularly great.
Some of us also went to XO Mangal at Satya Chai Lounge K Rd. Go, get the wings.
We had a birthday lunch for Henry at Apero last Friday — the Wagyu tri tip was delicious and sat on the most finely whipped and aerated mashed potato I have even seen.
What’s New
Adorably branded Korean toast shop, Toastie has opened on Elliot St.
There’s a new South Indian eatery in Sandringham, right next to RKK spice shop.
Memo cakery opens this month, with free delivery in the CBD.
Crack Chicken, coming soon — Jean has been sleuthing and thinks its likely to be by the Namu Group, headed by David Lee who also owns and runs Poni, The Candy Shop , Gochu and others (the account is following all of them on Instagram).
Ziggle is opening in Khyber pass, imminently by the looks of things.
Sneaky Snacky is opening a new branch on High St, near Pink Neon Sign .
Luntian, Auckland’s first plant-based Filipino pop-up, is due to open its own permanent cafe and bistro soon.
