Nov 22, 2024 Metro Eats
Kia ora,
Greetings from my sick bed! I’ve been confined to the walls of my home (and mostly to my bedroom) this week thanks to Covid-19 which finally caught up with me, ending a two-and-a-half-year streak — which, in hindsight, I was clearly getting far too smug about. So it’s been a week of consuming toasted slices of Vogel’s, very spicy tom yum soups (ordered from my current go-to, Sala Dang) and Betadine.
One thing I briefly wanted to reflect on is the effervescent movement in response to the proposed Treaty Principles Bill (plus a raft of other government policies that have sparked concern for their impact on Māori and other marginalised communities). The nationwide effort — Māori, Pākehā and tauiwi alike, moving as one across Aotearoa — has been remarkable to witness this past week, transforming a dismal situation into a display of unity and kotahitanga and joy and lightness.
At last week’s hīkoi in Tāmaki Makaurau, I loved seeing familiar faces from the hospitality world — restaurateurs and workers from some of my favourite restaurants — standing in solidarity. Beyond the march, I’ve seen restaurant, cafe and bar Instagram stories and front windows emblazoned with “Toitū te Tiriti”. To see so many in the world of food (food producers, too) — so intertwined with this land — standing unified for our founding document, is very, very cool to see.
This moment feels like an especially significant one for restaurants that incorporate indigenous ingredients and techniques into their menus. The ability to incorporate these unique flavours and stories is a privilege born of relationships (specifically partnerships) — with people, with land, with history.
And while it’s exciting to see native ingredients and techniques embraced in the food world, I often find myself wary of assuming that their presence on a restaurant menu automatically translates to positive material outcomes for indigenous communities (the proliferation of bush tucker and native ingredients on Australian restaurant menus versus the results of their referendum last year comes to mind). Without honouring and upholding the connections these ingredients represent, this representation, I think, becomes shallow — just another fleeting trend, another profit-making exercise built on indigenous knowledge. To truly celebrate these ingredients and techniques is to stand explicitly for Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
It makes a lot of sense that people who care about food would also care about this. Hospitality, at its core, is about relationships — between people, land and culture. In Aotearoa, good hospitality begins with understanding where we are and who we share this space with. Honouring Te Tiriti is foundational to that. It’s about knowing the history of the land our restaurants stand on, the waters and soil that nourish our food, and the people we look after. It’s the starting point for how we live — and eat — together.
Toitū te Tiriti, toitū te whenua, toitū te mana Māori,
Charlotte
Comings and goings.
Ohui has just opened its doors in Birkdale on the North Shore, helmed by former Homeland head chef Dinesh Pm. Its menu leans into modern bistro-type fare with a sprinkling of Indian touches. I went a few weeks ago and the stand outs were the pāua tortellini with coconut velouté, the truffle mash and the Eton mess. Swoon!
Another new North Shore spot is Olle, doing Korean fusion dishes — think, whipped kimchi mascarpone with crisps, or scallop and crab ravioli with a sweetcorn beurre blanc — in a swish, earthy-toned set-up in Milford. I know everyone loves to hate anything describing itself as fusion, but when it’s done well — as this appears to be — it’s exciting.
Tāmaki Makaurau has, for a while, felt a bit starved for dependable spots to dance. Enter Goblin, which has just opened in the corner building once occupied by Golden Dawn on Ponsonby Rd, and describes itself as having “neo-medieval, post-fantasy, old-world atmosphere”. I haven’t made it there yet because I’m sick, and we also have a looming print deadline — but once I re-enter the outside world, I hope to see you all on the dancefloor.
One more for the fans of fusion! Kingsland has just welcomed Spice Route Cantina, an Indian-Mexican eatery. So, naturally, that means roti tacos filled with things like chicken tikka or shahi paneer and birria tacos with masala beef or butter chicken. I’m so intrigued.
In Freemans Bay, The College Hill Wine Room by David Nash with its wine bar, private rooms, subterranean cellar wine storage, sundeck and retail sounds like a Disneyland for oenophiles. If you’re wanting to pop in, know that the wine list is extensive, with over 350 bottles, and there’s food by executive chef and partner Ryan Moore to match: Te Matuku oysters, duck liver profiteroles, beef tartare, crayfish crumpet and so on.
Around the corner on Beaumont St, Osyare Ramen Izakaya is a new spot specialising in ramen, but also donburi and takoyaki. Open Monday to Saturday for lunch and dinner, it’s a focused, no-frills spot.
One of the exciting byproducts of having new apartments pop up around the city is that they sometimes come with new food places on the ground floor. In a new apartment block in Grey Lynn, you’ll find Brave Pizza, a dinner-only pizzeria operating Wednesday to Saturday. It’s mostly a takeaway operation, with a few casual seats, and I hear very, very good things about their burger pizza.
There’s now an outpost of American cinnamon bun chain Cinnabon in Westfield Newmarket. It is endlessly fascinating to me that there’s an entire global food chain empire built on buns, but don’t forget that we have a whole lot of amazing local spots already making excellent cinnamon buns. My favourites: Hare and the Turtle , Hill House, and Heis.
And just in time for summer, there’s two new ice cream spots in Tāmaki Makaurau. In Elliot Stables you’ll find Filipino ice cream shop MIGUELITOS SOFT SERVE, serving soft serve in flavours like ube, mango and avocado, in cones and sundaes. And in Ponsonby, gelato and sorbet brand LITTLE LATO has just opened a shop where you can pop in for a scoop or two, or three.
Where we’re going.
Hare and the Turtle are hosting a night market tonight (Friday 22 November) from 5pm till 8.30pm. There will be a bunch of different kinds of vendors plus a special menu to snack on while you shop.
The Kitchen project has just launched a range of limited edition gift ketes for Christmas. The ketes are brimming with handmade, delicious and interesting artisan treats made in Tamaki Makaurau — things like Peruvian Rocoto hot sauce, Walnut Amaratis biscuits made in traditional Persian style masala chai. Orders close 9 December.
The Central Flea Market (ordinarily in Balmoral) is popping up at Britomart this Sunday 24 November, from 9am to 2pm at Takutai Square.
Candela and Bar Magda are collaborating on a series of events taking place throughout December. They’ll take place on the 4th, 11th, 18th and 21st from 6pm-9pm, and involve three (generously sized) snacks each plus a drink from each venue. Tickets are $100 and can be found at either Candela or Bar Magda’s websites.
–
Pot Luck delivers free to the finest inboxes of Auckland every week(ish)!
Sign up to get it here
