Jesse Mulligan Recommends: Where To Eat On Valentine’s Day, For Your Sister-In-Law’s Last-Minute Birthday, And For The Best Casual Italian

In this new fortnightly series, Viva’s resident dining out editor shares his sage advice on exactly where to eat in Auckland.

From time to time people ask me to recommend a restaurant, and often they begin with a tearful apology.

“I’m SO sorry to ask,” they say. “You must get this ALL the time. But …”

In fact, I don’t get asked for advice nearly as much as I’d like. I’ve been eating out in Auckland critically for more than a decade, but I only get to write about it once a week. Imagine being a piano player and only getting to play one song, each Wednesday morning.

Plus, I hate the idea of somebody wasting their time and money on a meal that was never going to be any good, when they could have given me a chance to talk them out of it. Like the secret service guy diving to take a bullet meant for the President, I’ve eaten a lot of bad meals so that you don’t have to.

So, please, ask me first! Just give me 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?

Here are some questions I’ve been asked lately, and what I told them.

Hi Jesse,

Ellen

Ellen, we have some brilliant Italian restaurants in Auckland now, including a couple — Cotto and Ada — which push the genre into quite modern places. They’re noisy, fun, hip and entirely unsuitable for your mother, who is probably picturing a long lunch in Tuscany rather than a third date with a barista she met on Tinder.

The restaurant you are looking for is Pasta and Cuore, a wonderful neighbourhood restaurant in Mt Eden Village. Some kiwi bloke met a chef in Emilia-Romagna then somehow convinced her to move across the world and into Auckland’s Grammar zone. Lucky us!

She’s created a restaurant which is authentic in its food and in its general tone — which is generous, casual and, of course, delicious. There’s even an outdoor courtyard in case the sun is out when you visit. Order the tiramisu (but then, always order the tiramisu).

Hey Jesse,

I wondered if you’ve got any last-minute recommendations for somewhere to go for my sister-in-law’s birthday tonight? She likes Asian fusion but is happy anywhere, really. Problem is, it’s for nine people! We were going to Azabu in Mission Bay but they’ve just called to say they can’t seat us all at the same table.

Kate

Hi Kate,

If you’re struggling, try Mekong Baby on Ponsonby Rd — it won’t change the way you think about Asian food, but they’ve always done well with big groups when I’ve visited (they’re also right next to Mumbaiwala, a reliable and delicious Indian restaurant with a bit of Ponsonby cool about it — ask the birthday girl to look at both menus and I’d be surprised if she could say no to a banquet of Mumbai street food).

Help! What’s the best place for my partner and me to try our luck to grab a nice dinner in Auckland city on Valentine’s Day? Honestly, just getting out of the house with no kids will be a win.

Laura

Hey Laura,

Aside from New Year’s, this will be the most difficult night of the year to try and organise a reservation at short notice. My current list of reliable favourites with plenty of room are Amano, Azabu, Bivacco and Ebisu (unless you want to get into the more expensive choices and shake off a few couples who can’t afford the price bracket — Ahi, The Grove, Boxer, Sidart or Origine).

If you make a few calls and aren’t having any joy, go for a restaurant that’s underrated and, hopefully, overlooked by the masses as the big day approaches. I’m thinking of Esther — a suitably stylish and fun lobby restaurant in the QT Hotel, and The Lodge — Auckland flagship of the ex-New York chef Matt Lambert. The food there is lovely, it’s in the middle of everything and it was a last-minute hit on New Year’s Eve for another couple I know, who’d managed to make a booking on December 30 (okay, it was for 9pm, but they loved it).

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