Sep 20, 2024 Metro Eats
Kia ora,
Moving houses is a familiar routine. This weekend, I’m moving for the second time this year. The difference this time is that instead of another rental, I’m moving into a house that I (well, my boyfriend and I) actually own — weird, I know!
I hesitate to bring this up in a food newsletter — partly, if I’m embarrassingly honest, because I worry it makes me less relatable. Being a renter has been part of my identity since I started writing, and because I never envisaged myself being able to buy a home, I now feel a little traitorous. But here we are. I’m also apprehensive because, while I’m fully aware of how lucky and privileged I am to be able to do so in a country where housing security is absurdly unattainable, I don’t (especially in my case) see owning a home as a virtue.
But I’m bringing the subject up anyway because newsletters like this are personal spaces, and I guess this is part of who I am now: someone who has a vague understanding of interest rates, has said the words “my lawyer”, and has heard the words “on the property ladder” more times than I care to count in the last month.
Which leads me to the house itself. If I thought the kitchen in my rental was bad, the new one is even worse — clearly designed by or for people who rarely cook, let alone enjoy inviting too many people over for a dinner party. I’m trying not to panic about the impossibility of cramming the maximalist contents of my current kitchen pantry into the frighteningly limited space of one which barely fits the basics. The algorithms seem to have picked up on my insecurity — I’m now being bombarded with ads for kitchen renovations — custom cabinetry, shiny tiles, sleek benchtop islands, and nifty shelving systems.
It’s easy to fall into the trap of wanting to perfect this kitchen space, of turning my focus inward to make this one little corner of the world just right. But given everything that’s been happening lately in Aotearoa and the wider world (and especially after my experiences earlier this month at Tuurangawaewae, where thousands set aside their personal lives for a shared purpose), it’s hard not to question whether that’s the best use of my limited time and energy. After all, my challenge in writing about food has always been to resist seeing eating as purely individualistic. In the same way, while I completely understand the appeal of nesting and making my space feel ‘perfect’, my biggest fear is that in obsessing over my little corner, I’ll lose sight of the bigger picture. In that sense, there’s a kind of beauty, I think, in setting aside the quest for the perfect kitchen in favour of helping to renovate, repair and revamp the world beyond the walls of my own home.
Hei konā mai,
Charlotte
P.S. Each year, the Alliance for Coffee Excellence tastes, scores and ranks the best coffees from coffee-growing countries. Our newsletter sponsor Atomic is a member of the Alliance, meaning they get access to samples of the top 27 coffees before they go to auction. This year, they’ve chosen a sample from Thailand, which they describe as “a bit of a newcomer on the specialty coffee scene”. Since it’s so rare, they want to share the experience with the city and so on Wednesday, 25 September, 4–6pm, they’ll be hosting SLURP SLAP SCORE at their Kingsland Roastery. The event will run like a game, whereby you’ll score points by tasting the coffee and picking the most prominent flavours — winners will take away roasted samples to brew at home. RSVP here if you’re keen to take part!
Comings and goings.
While driving down Dominion Rd on the weekend, I spotted a long, trailing line outside the new Fukurou Patisserie (presumably it was opening day). They’ve relocated from their former spot next to Newmarket train station to a spot in that 1960s-era block of shops across from Mr Hao , but are still serving their signature layered crêpe cakes. Weirdly, they’re only open on the weekends, from 11am till 9pm.
A little further down Dominion Rd, towards Balmoral, another dessert shop, Queen’s Rolls (with the ominous tagline “desserts to die for”), has just opened. They’re in service seven days a week, from 11am till the early hours, with a menu of Thai ice cream rolls in a range of customisable flavours and toppings, along with milkshakes, smoothies, Thai milk tea and some eccentric-looking candyfloss desserts — a night owl/sweet tooth’s dream.
In further dessert-adjacent news, the country’s first Lindt chocolate shop opens at the new Mānawa Bay this week.
Tsuru Tsuru is a new lunchtime (10am–3pm) udon and onigiri shop on Teed St in Newmarket. They’re serving six variations on udon, from the more standard kake and kitsune varieties, to the more unique, like nikujiru udon which comes with a dipping dashi broth and thinly sliced beef.
Rice noodle chain Dagu Rice Noodle which has stores in Mt Eden, Henderson, Albany (and Hamilton) has just opened a new branch in Botany which looks much the same, in menu and decor, as its sibling stores.
Over in Mt Albert, cafe L’Oeuf, once part of the Chinoiserie and Kiss Kiss family of restaurants and home to the early Instagram-friendly dish “The Nest”, has recently transformed into a new cafe under new ownership aptly named Two Little Chickens.
Parsi cafes began popping up around Mumbai in the late 19th century, founded by Parsis who had fled religious persecution in their native Persia. In homage to this Parsi cafe culture, every Sunday from 8am to 2pm, Newmarket restaurant V.T. Station is transformed into Irani Cafe. They’re serving a bunch of traditional breakfast dishes like akuri, bun maska and kejriwal toast. I haven’t been yet, but it’s next on my breakfast list!
Auckland’s obsession with snacks continues, with Anise launching a new “yum cha dining concept” available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, in which diners can “pick from a host of next-level delicious, couple-bite-sized dishes spanning Indonesian, Korean, Thai, Japanese, and Chinese flavours”. While the Anise version doesn’t quite fit the typical definition of yum cha — there’s no focus on tea or daytime dining, for example — the beef rendang pies on the menu are worth the trip.
Hot.
The palusami pie from Blue Rose (a perennial favourite, especially with a side of ika mata).
Pink lamingtons.
Hi Sweety in Albany. We were hosted here for lunch earlier this week and I can’t stop thinking about the beef bone soup base.
Bitter greens.
Kiin ’s fried chicken dry noodles.
Late-night Moroccan mint tea at Mezze Bar .
Palsun.
Making your own ricotta, which is shockingly easy and cost-effective, plus a nice way to use up milk that’s approaching expiry. I plan to make some version of this with my batch. (With thanks to Lucinda, who writes The Boil Up newsletter, for the inspiration!)
Not.
When a recipe requires a thermometer.
“Brothy.”
Where we’re going.
Kai Franklin Eat Street is an evening of international cuisine in Pukekohe taking place on Monday, 23 September. Organised by The Kitchen Project and supported by the Pukekohe Business Association and Eke Panuku Development Auckland, the event will feature five dishes from five local eateries, each specialising in a different cuisine. There will also be a selection of beverages from John Hill Estate and Manaia Craft Brewers. Tickets are $65 per person and include your first drink (a cash bar will be available for additional drinks). There are two 90-minute sessions available on the night: 5.30pm to 7pm and 7.30pm to 9pm. Tickets are on sale here
Our Metro Restaurant of the Year awards night, presented with Stella Artois, is open to all and will be held on Monday, 13 October, at St Matthew-in-the-City. You can find tickets here.
The Chocolate & Coffee Festival, which brings together the country’s finest chocolate makers, chocolatiers and coffee roasters, is taking place next weekend (28 and 29 September) at the Viaduct Events Centre. Tickets are on sale now.
Win a NEGRONI WEEK EXPERIENCE
worth over $1000 with Campari & QT Auckland!
Negroni Week!
Celebrate Campari and QT Auckland NEGRONI WEEK 2024, starting next Monday the 16th of September! To celebrate this collab and vibrant red, bitter Milanese spirit, you can win an exclusive Negroni Week Experience valued at $1,000. INCLUDING: An overnight deluxe stay for two at QT Auckland including breakfast, a $150 QT tab for the House of Campari takeover event and a $500 gift package!
And remember – there is no Negroni without Campari! ❤️
Winner drawn on Monday the 23rd of September. Travel/transfers not included, to be redeemed before October 21 2024.
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