Jesse Mulligan Auckland Restaurant Recommendations: Where I Eat When I’m Not Reviewing; The Promise Of Prego

In this fortnightly series, Viva’s resident dining-out editor shares his sage advice on exactly where to eat. He’s eaten a lot of bad meals so you don’t have to.

Here are some questions he’s been asked lately and what he told them.

Hi there,

My brother is back from Sweden after four years out of Auckland and he loves his food. I want to take him somewhere he doesn’t expect or ideally somewhere that wasn’t around last time he was here. Any ideas?

Brigitte

Honestly, Brigitte, I’d book into Ada. Last time your brother was in Auckland it was probably a grimy halfway house — a magnet for the city’s lost souls that sounded pretty hellish inside (I remember Steve Braunias visited once for a story and found sofas that were tipped up on their sides so that the rats couldn’t hide under them!). Given what it was before, the refurbishment is truly incredible — the high-ceiling dining room is as much of an event as the food (which is good — lots of handmade pasta and fresh cheeses).

If you want to be extra clever, start with a drink in the (fantastic) bar at Ada then move on to dinner somewhere else. It’s a taxi ride but Josh Emett’s Onslow would be my pick — a new restaurant in a very old part of Auckland, and definitely a place that won’t be on your brother’s radar.

Or take him to Commercial Bay — Ahi and Origine are both wonderful and he’ll enjoy wandering through this new and expensive part of town.

Jesse, I’m just curious, where do you eat when you’re not officially reviewing? (Do you ever get to eat just for fun?) I figure wherever you choose for yourself must be worth a look.

Angela

Hi Angela,

Between weekly reviews and compiling a Top 50 each year, you’re right, I don’t get a lot of extra meals in. But here’s a list of places I’ve eaten, not because I needed to review them but because I was excited to go back:

Paris Butter — This is one of the most exciting restaurants in Auckland. The food is mind-blowing, there’s a wicked team spirit to the crew and they’re ahead of the game in so many aspects of cooking, including running a low-waste kitchen. This is also where I send people who want to surprise their partners with a special occasion dinner.

Cibo — Again, it’s the team vibe here that gets me but the food is just stunning too. I remember talking to Mike Hosking about restaurants and he told me he enjoys Cibo so much he doesn’t often bother trying other restaurants. It’s a very Mike Hosking thing to say, but I kinda get it.

Ponsonby Road Bistro — This is a great place to catch up with friends and almost everything on the menu is grand, usually with a couple of specials that are worth ordering too. Fun and noisy and delicious, it’s everything a Ponsonby Rd dinner should be.

Hey Jesse,

Cheers, Kath

Kath, I love it. Thanks for letting me know! Every time I assume that Prego’s star is beginning to fade, I run into someone who’s just been and loved it. Food writers can be guilty of chasing the bright new thing while forgetting that a lot of people like to know exactly what they’re getting before they spend their money — Prego is the definition of a safe bet.

While we’re at it, I should mention they do a great aglio olio, a simple and beautiful dish featuring spaghetti, olive oil, garlic and parsley. Scott’s Epicurean in Hamilton was, I think, the first in New Zealand to feature this dish, and I’m surprised it hasn’t caught on further. There are so few ingredients in it, the only question is how much restaurants should charge per bowl — maybe Prego should devise their own version of a system jokingly suggested in some parts of coastal Italy: a dollar for each metre, in length, of the yacht the tourists arrived on.

Any questions? Give Jesse as much info as you can. What do you like? How much do you want to spend? If you’re just visiting, where are you staying while you’re in town? Who are you eating with? Does anybody have access issues?

Email Jesse at Viva@nzherald.co.nz and tell him what you need.

Previously: The best Uber Eats curry; top eatery to wow visitors from London