Mar 18, 2025 Metro Eats
Kia ora,
There is hardly a February that goes by without an attempt by me to convince someone — a friend, a boyfriend, a parent, a stranger, a newsletter reader — that Valentine’s Day is actually really great. Thankfully, these days, even if barely anyone is as infatuated with the day as me, I encounter far fewer St Valentine naysayers than in years past. From what I can tell, grumbling about your hostility toward the day of love has become deeply unfashionable. Love always wins!
My adoration is not for the capitalist-driven rituals of the day, nor the romantic lovestruck-ness of it all, but simply because it is a helpful reminder to do something nice for the people you care about. Haven’t booked a restaurant? Not in the mood to cough up for stupidly expensive roses? Don’t have a sweetheart? Doesn’t matter. Buy your loved one (or ones) a little bag of raspberry lollies or send them a cute text with a string of heart emojis or help them with some boring tasks or go for dinner on a day when it’s easier to get a booking. Valentine’s is, at its heart, about bite-sized expressions of love — none of which need to involve an ungodly amount of money or pressure.
This year, the nearing of my favourite ‘holiday’ has prompted me to contemplate the way that our cooking acts as a language to convey love. I think about the way a home cook might carefully consider the muddle of likes and dislikes and dietary requirements of the people they’re cooking for so that the meal accommodates everyone at the dinner table. How treating an ingredient with particular reverence, or serving things in your nicest bowls, or placing something just so on a plate can impart a sense of comfort and magic — whether it’s a meal for yourself or for someone else. These are beautiful, sweet things we do to let each other know we care.
The wonderful potential for food to demonstrate love also reminds us of the potential for it to do the opposite.
While working on a story ahead of the last election, I visited a school lunch provider in a small town. A sense of joy and thoughtfulness went into their boxes of food, which looked colourful, fresh and enticing, and were made by people who, for the most part, seemed to know many of the children they were preparing food for. One particular detail that stuck with me was the batons of carrots, peeled and sliced by hand, leaning in their own corner compartments within the lunchboxes. They looked beautiful, and I don’t even like carrots.
Then consider the ‘revised’ school lunch programme — which over the past few weeks has sparked seemingly endless reports of extraordinarily unappealing food, sometimes served still frozen, sometimes delivered late, sometimes not at all. Some might call it “teething issues” — the reality is rumbling stomachs. If a delicately carrot cut is love, slop, at the lowest possible price, is indifference. A missed opportunity to show care. And confirmation that the (true) spirit of Valentine’s Day has never been more essential.
From your Valentine,
Charlotte
Comings and goings.
Kohkoz, who make some of the best supermarket hummus around, have just opened an eatery in East Tāmaki. They’re selling (yes, of course) hummus but also shawarma and some very tasty-looking falafel.
Addis Cafe & Ethiopian restaurant is celebrating its launch this Saturday and Sunday from 12pm to 8pm at the Strand Arcade, 227 Queen St. There will be food, coffee and performances.
Juno is the new (and much-awaited) all-day eatery from the pair behind Omni, John Yip and Jamie Yeon. It’s on the ground level of the Emerald City-esque Greenhouse apartment block in Ponsonby and you’ll find slightly quirky takes on breakfast and lunch fare — like their lovingly presented version of oeuf mayonnaise which takes the form of eggs, mayonnaise and anchovies on seeded toast. Apparently there are plans for extended hours, cocktails and wine — so watch this space.
More changes around Ponsonby. Namu Group has just opened the first Tāmaki Makaurau branch of Crack Chicken — which has outlets in Wellington and Hamilton. You can find it at 168 Ponsonby Rd, an address which until very, very recently was the site of smart Korean restaurant Aigo (also owned by Namu). Unless there are plans for the restaurant’s relocation, it seems to have closed very abruptly.
If you’re into desserts, especially soufflé pancakes and bingsu (Korean shaved ice), go to the just-opened Kumi on Courthouse Lane in the central city. They do a Yakult bingsu which looks crazy good. Oh, and they’re open till 1.30am — beautiful.
Slightly old news now (they opened mid-December), but Seoul 1946 Roastery is a recently opened Korean all-day eatery in Takapuna by the people behind Stroll Coffee and Bricks. They’re open from breakfast through to dinner time with a compilation of Korean-inflected cabinet food, menu items and trendy caffeinated drinks. (Note: We have a piece about the growth and transformation of Korean coffee culture in Tāmaki Makaurau in our latest issue.)
Balmoral Vietnamese restaurant Net Viet closed sometime late last year (which is a bit sad to be honest, as they were the only decent Vietnamese restaurant within quite a wide radius). A Chinese eatery called Five Star Dumplings has opened in its place.
Once again, I have a new ice-cream opening to share. Scrunchy Millers, who make some of the best fresh fruit ice cream around, now has an outpost in the central city.
Hot.
This beautiful piece of writing.
Tsujiri’s limited-edition iced matcha strawberry.
Eating a tub of sorbet on the bus for breakfast. (All credit to the teenagers I spotted doing this on their way to school — a powerful move.)
Transporting the chilly bin of fish you just caught home on the train. (Again, spotted two teenagers doing this on the weekend and it left me feeling inspired.)
The strawberry kakigōri at DADA: Oriental Treats on Dominion Rd.
Another strawberry-centric dessert on Dominion Rd: Parro ’s strawberry espuma, strawberries salsa, sablé.
Curd rice at Venky’s.
Julia Fox wearing (Gohar World) washing gloves on the red carpet.
Lucky Me! chilimansi instant noodles. (You can buy these from Filipino Hub in Mt Albert.)
Not.
The freaky AI apples in this NZ Herald article. Hard to believe they couldn’t track down one single apple willing to be photographed.
This.
Opening a punnet of [insert berry here] that you just bought from the supermarket only to find that half of the packet is already mouldy.
Increasing food insecurity in Aotearoa.
Even more microplastics in seafood.
(Alleged) extortion at the supermarket.
Where we’re going.
Tokos Tacos and Kia Kanuta (ex Ada ) are collaborating on an offering of one-off tacos at Studio One Toi Tū in Ponsonby today (Friday 14 February) from 11am as part of the Tattoo Time event, organised by Two Hands Tattoo. No door charge and everyone welcome. First in, first served.
After a brief move towards a slightly more casual Italian menu last year, Sidart has returned to its fine-dining roots. Sidart chef Lesley Chandra also has a collaboration with Lillius chef Fraser McCarthy on 25 February for a six-course “Childhood Memories”-themed menu, which features a mix of both chefs’ favourite dishes from growing up in New Zealand and Fiji. Tickets are $220pp and wine pairings start at $120. Book here.
QT Hotels has partnered with Australian bakery Black Star Pastry for a month-long exclusive cake menu launching Friday 14 February (available at their restaurant Esther or via their room service). It’s the first time the bakery’s treats will be available in Aotearoa. To celebrate, each dessert will be accompanied by its very own love letter and the chance to win an overnight QT stay.
Norma Taps has just launched a brand-new menu which includes fried shishito peppers, fish crudo with pistachio, celery and olives, and a pizza with prawns, pecorino and vodka sauce. Yum.
If you’re hunting down something to bring a bit of edible joy to the work week, Kol is doing an express lunch at the moment for $39.
