Aug 9, 2024 Metro Eats
Kia ora,
We’re rapidly charging toward a print deadline in the world of Metro. And this particular upcoming issue of the magazine has meant a lot more eating out than I, a faithful home cook, would ordinarily commit myself to.
Last month, New York Times food critic (and legend) Pete Wells stepped down from his post after 12 years, citing the toll his job was taking on his health. In the piece announcing his departure, he wisely noted that no one wants to hear complaints from someone who eats for a living, but he also began a valid conversation about the health impacts of constant rich restaurant meals for people whose job it is to review them. While I can’t fathom the volume and frequency of the meals he had to consume, even my sporadic outings to fulfil the food reviewer portion of my role can leave me feeling like my stomach no longer belongs to me.
As I approach my 30s, I’ve become more conscious of how the food I eat affects how I’m feeling. I’ve been fortunate in not having to scrutinise my diet for most of my life, but the realities of ageing have caught up with me and I’m now faced with the deeply uncool fact that when I eat certain foods or drink one too many glasses of wine I feel crummy the next day, if not longer. I’ve even started to wonder whether I might be allergic to some particular ingredients. Will I get tested for these suspected allergies? Probably not. After all, it’s clearly not that severe. And mostly, I feel like being able to eat anything and everything is a prerequisite for reviewing eateries in a place as diverse as Tāmaki Makaurau, something that’s owed to the people who read these reviews or follow the lists we make. Do I endorse this approach for anyone whose job doesn’t largely involve eating food? Absolutely not.
— Charlotte
Comings and goings.
Kemuri Hi-Fi, a new underground bar inspired by Japanese jazz kissa (listening bars), opens this week in Commercial Bay. Unlike traditional Japanese kissa, which tend to involve a minimal drinks list and encourage a quiet, listening-focused atmosphere, founders Jason Clark and Vishal Vasan are borrowing from international interpretations which incorporate a more typical bar and DJ experience. I’m very excited for this opening, although I would also love for someone to open a more typical Japanese version for all the introverts in this town.
There may be a new stall opening soon in the Lim Chhour food court on Karangahape Rd. Yesterday while picking up some greens from the supermarket I noticed new signage in the empty stall (I think it was once a Vietnamese place) between Ruang Thong Express and Swordsman. There’s not a lot of information in English other than a little catchphrase, “deliciousa encounters, bento on-the-go”, and my guess is that it will serve biandang (the Taiwanese version of bento), a format where you get to curate your own selection from a bunch of dishes at the counter.
SkyCity high-end steak house The Grill closed last year, making way for Cassia which took over the space. Last week The Grill made a comeback, with a new home at the new Horizon hotel (also SkyCity). This iteration of the restaurant is helmed by chef Touvai Poloniati and continues the focus on local steak and seafood (and they’re still serving the duck fat chips and tartare).
It looks like there’s a new Japanese spot opening in the space next to Petra Shawarma in Kingsland. The shop formerly housed Japanese Lantern Street Bar , until it closed a couple of years ago, so it’ll be nice to see the space rekindle its Japanese dining connections.
Grey Lynn cafe Big Sur, which is probably best known for its breakfast and brunch fare, has recently started serving dumplings from 4pm to 8pm, Wednesday–Saturday. There’s a distinct lack of Chinese options in the vicinity of those shops, so as someone who lives in the area, I can say that it’s a welcome addition to the local dinner options.
This week, Madame George announced its closure. “After eight years of serving our K’ Road community with passion + dedication, the current economic downturn has made it impossible for us to continue,” owner Pablo Arrasco Paz wrote on Instagram. It’s difficult to think of a local establishment more broadly beloved as Madame George: scene of the start, middle and oftentimes end to a good night. Memorably, it was the last restaurant I went to before the country went into that first lockdown in 2020 — I remember sitting alone with a notebook in the sun and a perfect pisco sour, just as the world was about to topple over. For its delicious small plates of food, cheeky and warm service, perfectly sun-bathed tables, pisco sours and el capitán (which Erny Belle nominated as best cocktail in Metro’s Best of Auckland list earlier this year), Madame George, you’ll be missed.
Hot.
The Henderson dining scene.
The chocolate mud cake from Windmill Bakery.
Toxic Waste green sour candy. I was pretty brutal about a few Toxic Waste brand products in last week’s newsletter, but their mainstay lolly — which is the one that comes in a cute but also offputting little barrel-shaped container — is really good.
Best Baits in Māngere.
The very creative strike action being taken by Woolworths supermarket workers.
The charcoal plates from Zaitoon in Southmall Foodcourt. Oh, and the fries!
Cocktails as medicine. I’m craving drinks like green juice margaritas and matcha martinis.
Not.
McDonalds’ excruciatingly slow rollout of holiday pay reimbursement owed to tens of thousands of staff. (But also, if you happened to have worked at McDonalds between 2009 and 2019, check here to see if you’re owed a payment.)
Butter prices. Solidarity with anyone who bakes.
Olive oil prices. Solidarity with anyone who subscribes to the Mediterranean diet.
–
Pot Luck delivers free to the finest inboxes of Auckland every week(ish)!
Sign up to get it here
