Hi everyone,
For those of you who have been thinking "Wow, slack posting huh?" I wanted to let you know that I've re-branded my blog a bit i.e. made it obvious that it is well and truly about food, and started Eat It Auckland which you can visit here.
I've transferred all the good stuff from Cents and the City as well, so you can still read back-reviews, and I'm continuing to let the good times roll. So please update your bookmarks, follow me on twitter if you haven't already, and stay tuned for more eating adventures at Eat It Auckland!
Matakana Village Farmers Market
Last Saturday I had the pleasure of visiting the Matakana Village Farmers Market with Sam and Tanya. Already a seasoned visitor to Matakana, Sam has been waging an intense war with annaisannamatthews on foursquare (or something like that) for the mayoralty of the farmers market. As it stands, Sam has recently regained control of the Market, but the situation could change at any moment. Stay tuned.
The Matakana Farmers Market is a permanent fixture in the village, a faux-rustic wooden board complex, much sturdier than the likes of other markets you'll find in Auckland and else where (which are often just a multiplex of Warehouse marquees.) But it's cute, and it caters astutely to the tastes of the Jaffas (like myself) that frequent it every Saturday morning. It is the place to be, darling. The Market is open from 8am - 1pm every Saturday, and as I found driving back through the Village on a particularly gorgeous sunny day (whilst it rained down in Auckland), the place can become chocca. So, if you're like me and believe in the philosophy of the early bird gets the worm, 8am, or soon after, is an ideal time to find a park while there is still plenty of them and enjoy theMarket at a leisurely pace.
Viet Q Foods makes some delicious summer rolls in prawn, pork and prawn, and vegetarian ($12 for 4). These things are as good an example of a summer roll if ever I tasted one. Did you just say 'Is that a pansy I see in that roll over there?' Why yes it is! Edible flowers makes an appearance in many things sold at theMatakana Market, the vegetarian summer rolls included. You have the option of a traditional fish sauce based dipping sauce, or a less conventional hoisin and peanut one (I was partial to the fish sauce one, Sam preferred the other.) So fresh and tasty, they make you feel positively virtuous, unlike eating some of the things to follow...
Silvana's Sicilian Foods is a stall specialising in traditional Sicilian treats including Sicilian cannoli, arancini, take-home lasagnes and more. The moment I laid eyes on the cannoli, I knew I had to have them. Even if it was 8.20 am (which I'd ordinarily deem too early for creamy-custard fillings) I'd been after these babies for a while, and I was finally going to taste one. At $2 each, they're a steal byMatakana Market standards. Let me break it down for you: the outside was like a sweet and crispy, deep-fried wonton wrapper, enclosing an rich vanilla custard cream. They're delicious, don't get me wrong, but I was left wanting a little sumthin-sumthin, like a lick of caramel a la brandy snaps. There were a number of things I had to forgo in the name of saving space, but next time I'd love to try her suppli, rice balls filled with porcini mushrooms and blue vein cheese, and her involtini di melanzani con ricotta (eggplant rolls filled with ricotta.)
 |
| Cannolis, mmmmmmm |
iCater serves all sorts of dishes from breakfasty items to these cute little boats ($7 each) and some delicious barbecued mussels wrapped in bacon. The variety made it hard when it came time to choosing which dish to have, the smoked snapper kedgeree being an obvious choice as it was breakfast time. After humming and haa-ing I plumped in the end for the duck and lentil chilli which, while nice, lacked the serious spice I'd expect from a chilli. The garlic, chilli and coriander garnish on the top however really brought the dish to life. Next time I visit I'll be going with my gut (both literally and figuratively) and ordering the kedgeree.
Cobara Authentic Foods makes a mean pottle of dukkah ($11 each), with spicy, Tuscan and fennel-rich variations if traditional isn't for you. After the monetary set-back of procuring a container of dukkah, I thought I best spread my (limited) wealth elsewhere, but they also make a range of nut butters, the almond butter being a surprising unsung hero of the market and personal favourite.
Lothlorien Winery make a range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, including a delectable apple and feijoa juice ($5 a bottle). What's really cool is that all their samples are served to you in glass shot glasses. Classy touch. Sam was goading me to sample their stronger stuff, but I thought I'd leave the feijoa wine and liqueur for the time being.
Other stalls and happenings of note:
Windfall Foods makes a fantastic tomato relish. Like seriously. If you have a weakness of preserves, pickles and other stuff in jars, this stall is right for you.
Mustard Makers don't just make mustards, as their name would imply, but also these jars of dried spices and herbs which you can mix up at home to make fresh and easy tzatziki and herb and onion dip. The spicy chilli jar doubles as a dip or marinade base.
The time that Sam made me do a shot of wheat grass and filmed me doing it. It wasn't as unpleasant as I thought it would be, but it did remind me of a number of things mushed together that I couldn't quite put my finger on. Goes down easier than an shot of tequila, but that aftertaste must be quickly remedied with a shot of something from Lotherlorien Winery or similar.
Matakana Market is open rain or shine, but make the most of the improving weather and take a scenic drive up North to enjoy the Market while the weather is golden.
Matakana Village Farmers Market
2 Matakana Valley Road,
Matakana
Open every Saturday from 8am - 1pm
Restaurant review: Wine Chambers
I’d firstly like to wish everyone a (very belated) Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year! I would secondly like to apologise for my slackness in posting, I have been eating, just somewhat less frequently than before. Nothing like a bit of retail/standing up all day to make you too tired to seek food outside of your own home after work.
A few days before Christmas, on the day my Grabone voucher was about to expire (yes, one of those again, they’re like the new Entertainment book) Nathan and I had a long lunch on one of the few beautiful days we’ve had this summer atWine Chambers on Shortland Street. Having been bounced at The Long Room the night before for wearing a t-shirt, I’d sent poor Nathan home the next day to get a proper shirt on him so the same thing wouldn’t happen at Wine Chambers. Alas, there were few suits in sight this lunch time (most likely having finished work for the year) and there was even a few back-packing carrying, sand-shoe wearing people at the table next to us. But don’t be mistaken, Wine Chambers is a swish looking place. The entrance to what is one of Auckland’s few remaining historical buildings is gorgeous and the restaurant has majestic chandeliers and Victorian pressed ceilings.
Wine Chambers describes its menu as having a ‘Mediterranean influence’ which has always been a dubious descriptor in my eyes. Russia is a little far from that body of big blue for stroganoff to be considered Mediterranean surely? I was grossly disappointed to be told that there was no confit rabbit as stated in the menu, but a confit chicken. Urgh chicken. I try to make a habit of not ordering my least favourite/most ordinary of meats when I’m dining out. So to the pistachio-crusted lamb rump it was, the dish being completed with crumbed truffle potato, aubergine and romesco sauce. I couldn’t fault the lamb, which was pink and tender and juicy, but the accompaniments were a different story. The aubergine had been pulverised to a gloopy slop and was the closest thing I’d had to baby food since I was one. No edge of creaminess, no particular flavour. The crumbed truffle potato cake wasn’t anything special either, with the barest whiff of the prized but ugly fungi. The romesco sauce was the sole bearer of real flavour, and I had no idea what a grilled half of a tomato was doing in my dish, because it was doing nothing for it.
A similarly mysterious tomato half appeared in Nathan’s pumpkin and feta gnocchi. The feta was soft and sharp, carrying most of the flavour; the beurre noisette i.e. sizzled sage and brown butter sauce was indistinguishable. Thankfully the gnocchi was exemplary, it was neither doughy nor under-cooked, and the walnut added a nice textural contrast to all the pillowiness.
Whilst the main course fell below expectations, dessert was delicious and indulgent. Two round scoops of a semi-bitter Belgian chocolate mousse sat atop rounds of (my favourite dessert at Valentines,) brandy snap. The richness was kept at bay by some sharp strawberries drizzled with a strawberry-balsamic vinegar sauce. My one major quibble is that there wasn’t enough of the latter!
Wine Chambers is an underwhelming restaurant given the prices they ask for, especially when you can see into Hotel De Brett’s Kitchen from where I was sitting. I sort of wished I was eating what was coming out of their kitchen instead. A rethink of dish composition wouldn’t go amiss if Wine Chambers wants to be known for more than just wine.
2.5/5
Lamb rump $36.50
Gnocchi (main) $26.50
Chocolate mousse $14.50
Wine Chambers
33 Shortland St
Auckland CBD
Ph. (09) 309 8191
Restaurant review: Ella Cafe and Lounge
“I love this place!” I declared to Nathan as we’re settling the bill. A man at the bar, obviously a local and repeat-patron at Ella overhears me and concurs. How had I not been here sooner?
Grabone was the catalyst for a visit that was well overdue. The rave-reviews over a year ago which welcomed Ella to the spot it now occupies at 118 Ponsonby Road had me willing a visit, but my wallet and reviewing target audience at the time (read: students) said otherwise. Now I am still a student, but my wallet now appears better nourished after some much needed summer employment and with an extra boast from a 2 for 1 Grabone voucher, Nathan and I found ourselves one Friday evening dining to the bouncing jazz at Ella Cafe and Lounge.
Ella is housed in a burgundy slit of a building; the walls of its narrow dining room plied with shelves upon shelves of wine bottles, full I might add. It’s super intimate in here, from the service to the closely placed tables to the ‘bar’ (read: counter). The feel of the place is relaxed, the sort of place locals (and less local, like ourselves) would go when use of the kitchen, or takeaways, is not an option, but it still retains an element of finery. A gorgeous, heavy velvet curtain is drawn across the open door, locking out the chilly evening breeze: I think I’m in love.
It’s a bistro, a pan-European one. But there’s no baloney in it’s variety. There’s albondigas from Spain and escargot from France; veal schnitzel and German potato salad from, you guessed it, Germany (and braised pork belly from Asia, just for good measure.) Such a mix I’ve found has often made for poor authenticity, but it is not the case at Ella. Nathan’s veal schnitzel and German potato salad was exquisite: the veal was crisp and juicy, without excess oiliness, and the potato salad was the stuff dreams are made of. A refreshing vinaigrette dressed the perfectly cooked potato, and the salad was given an extra lift by the slivers of gherkin and smattering of a mysterious spicy seed. I had a fair bit of schnitzel and the like in Europe earlier this year, but none such as good as can be found at Ella.
My lamb was a celebration of spring: the lamb was a blushing beauty and oh-so-tender, as was the emerald gems of broad beans and peas. The crowning glory of the dish was the wonderfully creamy pea puree which accompanied the dish; not in the least bit cloying, I made the disturbing realisation that it had a subtle but bizarre resemblance to the flavour of a cheeseburger (which is by no means a bad thing!). My one, if only, complaint was that the haricot beans could have done with a bit more time on the stove.
Dinner was rounded off by my most favoured dairy product, cheese. They serve cheeses by Over the Moon, a particularly apt name for how we felt as we sampled their Galatic Gold, a gooey and soft cheese with a orangey tone and washed rind. Nathan and I lingered for a while longer over a glass of wine while listening to the bouncing jazz bass and the the waiter teach the table next door how to use their birthday present (a wee gadget that adds oxygen to your glass of wine, supposedly enhancing its flavour!) I continued to declare several times after we’d left the restaurant how much I loved Ella and how much I’d like to go back, and if you are not acquainted with her already, you should seek an audience with her at once.
4/5
Lamb $31.90
Veal schnitzel $29.50
Galactic Gold cheese with fruit paste $10
Ella Cafe and Lounge
118 Ponsonby Rd,
Ponsonby
Auckland
Ph. (09) 378 7979
Restaurant review: Siri 7- Taste of Sri Lanka
Having worked literally a hop, skip and a jump away from Moshim’s Supermarket on Stoddard Rd on-and-off for years, I under appreciated what culinary delights lay in wait in the pokey, poorly-designed plaza.
Siri 7 was recently recognised in the 2011 Viva Takeout Awards, so the next time I worked around the corner from Moshims, I made sure I ate lunch out. The proprietor of Siri 7 is an extremely jolly and talkative guy, eager to share knowledge of Sri Lankan cuisine, especially after we had mentioned that we’d read about him in the paper.
The lump curry, a perfect parcel of curry, fried chicken, fragrant rice and hard-boiled egg, was a must. But Nathan beat me to the order, and so in the name of research, I was recommended by the owner to order the appa, wafery-cups made of rice flour, served with a chutney, sambal and fried egg.
I’ve yet to eat something off a banana leaf that disappointed me, as was the case at Siri-7. The spicy orange-coloured coconut relish was positively moreish, so much so that I had to be subtle with my assault on it lest Nathan should notice I was beginning to encroach on his share. The ‘lump’ included two curries, a vegetable one and a chicken one, both delicious; in fact, it was all delicious.
The appa was lighter and less to my liking; the chutney was comparatively flat compared to the complexity of the lump curry, but Nathan was more than happy to eat my share, in fact he rather liked it a lot. The sambal was tangy and full of onions, and there was simply not enough of it.
Jolly Mr Siri-7 came to check up on us to see how we liked everything, and even brought over some complimentary appetisers: golden croquettes of finely minced lamb which he explained were a popular starter in Sri Lanka. We could see why.
Deciding to visit is not an option, it’s a must, but if your choice of transport is the personal automobile, beware as Moshims Supermarket car park and clientele are notorious for causing parking lot mayhem.
4/5
Siri 7 - Taste of Sri Lanka
64 Stoddard Rd (inside Moshims Supermarket Plaza)
Mt Roskill
Auckland
Ph. (09) 629 1567
Vote for me in The Bloggers Awards 2011
Awesome news! I'm a finalist in the The Bloggers Awards 2011 which celebrates great online writers! Please take two seconds of your time to click the badge above and 'like' Eat It Auckland (my newly rebranded blog; same content, different skin) if you've enjoyed reading Cents and the City and my Craccum column over the years :D
Thank you!
Restaurant review: Dosa Plaza
Since my previously meat-eating friend turned turned away from his life of sin, and now only feasts on vegetables and 'mock-meat' (why vegetarians would want to eat something that is in the likeness of what they have vowed not to eat, I'll never quite understand. Oh wait, yes I do, because it's awesome) I've been discovering more and more vegetarian restaurants and dishes which make a meat-free life bearable.
Dosa Plaza is a bizarre, but nonetheless delicious joint situated on Dominion Rd in the heart of Mt Roskill. Their specialty are dosa, a fermented pancake made from rice flour and lentils. Their tag-line boasts 'the world's widest menu in dosas' and they're not kidding. Menus must be sat down with and perused thoroughly here, and those incapable of making decisions at the best of times best stay away. I did feel that menu items such as the 'American chopsuey dosa' were unnecessary, if not a little disgusting sounding.
However our starter of pani puri was nothing short of scrumptious. You are given thin and crisp shells of chickpea batter which you delicately crack open and fill with the three condiments that accompany it: a very tasty chickpea curry, a sweet and sour water and a tamarind chutney. It's all crunch, and luscious chutney and curry in one mouthful. Mmm mmm!
So Sam's American chopsuey dosa was not ghastly, but who would want to eat something so far fetched from India in a dosa-house? My masala dosa combo was simply enormous, something I hope my amateur photography can convey clearly. This dosa was crisp, and stuffed with a somewhat bland spiced potato crush, dotted with black mustard seeds, but the dhal curry and coconut chutney that accompanied it more than made up for the potato's short-comings. But wait, there's more! There was also the addition of lentil patties done two ways (who would have thought one, rather boring looking pulse could have some many fascades?): as a spongey, snow-white cake and as crisp, deep-fried doughnut. As with all things in life, deep-fried won-out, but that didn't stop me from eating both of them anyway.
100% vegetarian, Dosa Plaza is a vego's haven. Everything is self-serve here, McDonald's style, despite Sam and I being the only customer's in the huge restaurant last Friday at lunch. Be wary of a rather obnoxious electronic bell and sign blinking the number that coincides with your order ticket signals 'order-up!' The muzak that plays in the background is of a new breed, and shockingly bad; we heard an interesting rendition of Europe's 'Final Coutdown' while we were there. In spite of all of this, provided you stick to the traditional menu - I'm just gonna go ahead and say it, there is some delicious vegetarian food to be had.
Pani Puri $7.50
Masala Dosa combo $13
American Chopsuey Dosa $11
875 Dominion Rd
Mt Roskill
Auckland
Ph. (09) 629 6290
Posts
