The Larder
In the daytime, The Larder’s plain decor and food cabinets suit its description as a diner or coffee shop, but after dark it has loftier ambitions. After all, few coffee […]
Whitebait
We’re told that Whitebait is not just a relocated White House; it’s part of the trend away from stilted ‘fine dining’ to a more casual experience, though still with high-end […]
Cicio Cacio Osteria
There are many pleasures to be had down dark alleyways in Newtown, but few of them are legal. One exception has always been the narrow arcade off Riddiford Street, which […]
Mexico
I was initially puzzled by the buzz among my friends about Mexico’s imminent opening: they’re not normally the type to get excited by chain restaurants with branches in Takapuna and […]
Waimea
This review required some mental time travel on my behalf, because while this issue will come out in early summer, we dined in the depths of winter. We tried to […]
Basque
Basque describes itself as a “Tapas Bar and Restaurant”, though the layout and atmosphere, with prominent beer taps and more leaners than tables, definitely emphasises the bar aspect. This is […]
Queen of Jackson
Imagine life without fermentation. We would have no bread; no wine or beer; no cheese, pickles or salami. For some years now fermentation has been slowly bubbling away as a […]
Loretta
One occupational hazard of a professional gourmand is a diet rich in fat and sugar, and according to my doctor the inside of my arteries now resembles half-melted raclette, while […]
Grill Meats Beer
I was all set to hate this place. A bar and grill run by a celebrity chef, with a jokey name and calculatedly oh-so-casual decor, set up with leaners and […]
(Near) Perfection in Plimmerton
Grey clouds rolled in from the south as our train pulled in to Plimmerton station. While it detracted from the carefree seaside ambience, the autumnal chill put us in the […]
