This week we’re swooning over Ahi’s exploratory tasting menu, booking in for a shared Ethiopian feast, and eating gourmet burgers, from smash patties to chefs’ specials to vegan iterations.
Ahi has a new tasting menu — He Korero o kai Aotearoa
Viva Top 50 Auckland Restaurant Ahi has just released a new 10-item tasting menu called A New Zealand Food Story, which sees chefs Ben Bayly and Mike Shatura work with New Zealand ingredients and produce grown in the restaurant’s organic garden to create a dinner — or a lunch — like no other. Ben believes a tasting menu is the best way to experience the magic of Ahi, as it traverses some of the restaurant’s finest local ingredients and standout dishes. The team is conscious not to give all the secrets of the new menu away, to keep diners surprised, but it comprises four snacks, four courses and two ‘koha items’ for $165. Expect to eat pāua crumpets with fermented peanut butter and celery leaf mayonnaise; long-finned eel with Kiwi onion dip and pickled cucumber with nasturtium. For dessert, bananas grown in Waipu (yes, really) are set to be baked into a sticky toffee cake with banana custard. Bookings are recommended and can be made here. Level 2, Commercial Bay, Auckland central
A monthlong celebration of burgers and Champagne kicks off
Burgers and Champagne? Why not. Veuve Cliquot is celebrating this truly iconic duo with its first-ever Veuve Clicquot Burger Challenge in New Zealand, which runs from October 18 to November 12 at 24 eateries around the country. Chefs have been tasked with creating a unique burger to pair with Veuve Clicquot’s signature Yellow Label Champagne — the bubbles’ strength, aromatic intensity, freshness and silkiness said to pair beautifully with a juicy and saucy burger. At Karangahape Rd restaurant Bar Celeste, which is known for its burgers (anyone who’s been at the restaurant late on a Friday night can attest to this), chef Nick Landsman will be recreating his Filet O’Market Fish burger for the Veuve Clicquot Burger Challenge.
“This is my classic take on my go-to burger order, a Filet-O-Fish. I have always wanted to revisit this iconic burger by using high-quality ingredients, a chef technique and house-made sauces. The Filet O’Market Fish burger has become one of Bar Celeste’s signature burgers that has appeared on our menu throughout the years. We can’t wait to bring it back for the Veuve Clicquot Burger Challenge,” says Nick.
Other restaurants offering burgers and bubs are Bivacco, Bar Non Solo, Oyster Inn, Oyster & Chop in Auckland; Foxglove and InterContinental in Wellington; Mr Brightside and Ballantynes in Christchurch, Prohibition Smokehouse in Dunedin; and DFS and St Moritz in Queenstown. To see all the participating restaurants and to vote for your favourite one, visit Clicquotburgerchallenge.co.nz.
New Opening: Broke Boy Taco opens in Mt Albert on October 18
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Advertise with NZME.Broke Boy Tacos remains a bit of an enigma around the Viva office. We’ve seen his delicious-looking birria-style tacos pop up on Instagram countless times, and seen the queues out the door for his pop-ups at Ponsonby Social Club and East Street Hall, but are yet to sample them ourselves. Sean Yarborough, aka Broke Boy Taco, grew up in Kentucky but spent 11 years living in the Mission District of San Francisco, known for its array of Mexican food. He’s brought his birria street food style to New Zealand, which is traditionally a super savoury and spicy stew made from goat, beef or pork that’s cooked low and slow until fall-apart tender. The mixture is then added to a taco, fried, and served with extra saucy stew for dipping alongside. Now you can sample the goods at Broke Boy Taco’s new permanent spot in Mt Albert, opening on October 18. Follow his Instagram for updates. 964 New North Rd, Mt Albert.
So Iconic! Vote for your favourite dish in Tāmaki Makaurau
Iconic Auckland Eats, the annual list of the top 100 dishes in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, which in the previous years has included everything from anchovy and tomato tostadas from Alma (pictured) to Satya’s dahi puri and Azabu’s tuna sashimi tostada, opens for nominations today. The awards aim to support the hospitality sector and showcase Auckland’s world-class food and diverse culinary story. It’s excellent scrolling for inspiration on where and what to eat, too. Voting has been opened up to people across New Zealand for the first time this year (not just Auckland), with the winning submission in with a chance to receive a voucher to experience all 100 iconic eats. The final list of the top 100 dishes and personal stories celebrates not only the exceptional food of Tāmaki Makaurau but also in-store experiences, people, history, heritage and culture unique to the region. To nominate a favourite dish and be in to win all 100 Iconic Auckland Eats 2023 dishes, visit Iconiceats.co.nz. Nominations close November 16.
Book in for Sunday brunch, Ethiopian style, plus live jazz with My Mother’s Kitchen
Ethiopian pop-up restaurant My Mother’s Kitchen is hosting two Sunday brunch sessions in partnership with Perch Britomart in November. Yeshi Desta says true to tradition, the brunch will feature My Mother’s Kitchen’s beautiful mosaic platters piled with special food, designed to share. “Eating communally from the same platter signifies a respect for the community and a bond that ties us together. Vegans, omnivores and hardcore carnivores all catered for.”
On the menu is a mixed feast of doro wot (spicy slow-cooked chicken in a tomato sauce with ginger, berbere, korarima, egg and niter kibbeh); siga tibs (Ethiopian beef stew); misir wot (spiced red lentils) and more. There’s also a vegan feast menu with a delicious-sounding shiro wot, which is roasted spicy chickpeas. Taking care of entertainment is Maximilian Crook, who will be playing live jazz, and “Perch will be doing what they do best, serving their unique cocktails”, says Yeshi.
Brunch takes place on Sunday, November 5, and Sunday, November 19. Tickets are $85 per person, available here. 23 Galway St, Britomart
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Advertise with NZME.What The Viva Team Has Been Eating And Drinking This Week...
Carbonara from 1154 Pastaria
“It was wet and cold, and I wanted the closest approximation of comfort. Thusly, on my most recent trip to Wellington, I turned to Cuba St’s sort-of midpoint: 1154 Pastaria, a casual, walk-in-only Italian joint that’s heavy on its music and its parmesan. The carbonara was excellent — long, flat, house-made tendrils swimming in an egg, black pepper and bacon-laced sauce. I also ordered a garlic and rosemary roll (for mopping) and a slice of the torta cioccolato, a flourless chocolate dessert that’s more pudding than cake — molten, rich, a tremendous act of simplicity.” 132 Cuba St, Te Aro, Wellington — Julia Gessler, digital editor
Shishito peppers from Candela
“Scanning the tapas menu at Candela recently I spotted “blistered shishito peppers” in among the more recognisable patatas bravas and oysters. Intrigued, I asked our waitress how these were served and she made a very strong case for the peppers: “You have to order those. They’re fresh and tasty and I’d eat them every day if I could.” These small green peppers look a little like jalapenos, but they’re not as spicy, and have a thin velvety skin that makes them a pleasure to eat. Candela serves them blistered and charred atop a pool of buttermilk aioli and sprinkled with sea salt. You pick them up by their stem, dip them in aioli and enjoy. A great way to start a multi-course tapas meal.” 155 Karangahape Rd, central Auckland — Johanna Thornton, deputy editor
Burgers from Urbanaut Brewery
“While searching for a mid-week pick-me-up, I stopped by Urbanaut Brewery and Tap Room for a couple of their vegetarian burgers (from their punny ‘Burgernaut’ menu). I’d back them as some of the best vegetarian and plant-based burgers in Auckland — they have both options, so vegans don’t miss out here. I opted for the Classic Smashburger, with a few extra salty-sour pickles, but also had a few sneaky bites of my dining partner’s West End BBQ burger. Personally, I’m more a fan of the classic, as there is enough sourness to balance out the heavy cheese and char of the rest of the burger. The Ugly Loaded Fries were a delicious and overly extravagant side.” 597 New North Rd, Kingsland — Madeleine Crutchley, multimedia journalist
Smash burgers from Baby G
“Baby G has finally opened its first brick-and-mortar restaurant (of sorts) in Avondale after many a pop-up in the last few years and as Friday night takeaway night rolled around once more, it was a sure bet that’s what was on the menu. Known for their mouth-watering American-style smash burgers, it looked as though a quarter of Tāmaki had shown up for the party including none other than the (legendary and amazing) Auckland Central Green MP Chloe Swarbrick. It wasn’t until we ordered that the wait time was mentioned... one hour... but when you know, you know it’s worth it. The burger itself was simple but packed with flavour, the patty juicy and delicious. If you have time on your hands, this one is a crowd-pleaser but maybe bring a game or two for the wait?” 1879 Great North Rd, Avondale — Annabel Dickson, fashion assistant
