This week we are mixing classic cocktails, eating hāngī by the sea, and making do with sweet potato chips during a kūmara shortage.
Hallertau Clevedon is throwing a dinner to celebrate produce from the region
Beer brewers Hallertau have two beer gardens in outer Auckland, one in Riverhead and another in Clevedon, and both are well worth a visit. The Clevedon area is renowned for its growers and producers and in recognition of their stellar produce, Hallertau is hosting a special one-off dinner in October called A Feast of Clevedon. Taking place on Friday, October 27, at 7pm, at Hallertau Clevedon, tickets are $85pp and include hors d’oeuvers and either wine, beer or kefir soda. The main event is a three-course dinner created by chef Gareth Nurse that showcases the best of the region, which means Clevedon Coast Oysters, beef from Happy Meat grown in Thistle Park Farm, strawberries from Clevedon Strawberries, mozzarella from Clevedon Buffalo, fermented foods from The Wild Fermentary, and heirloom tomatoes from Curious Croppers. How good does that sound? Hallertau will brew a special beer in collaboration with Beachland’s Manaia Craft Brewers, and a selection of wines by Clevedon Vineyard will be served.
Hayley Plowman, Hallertau co-owner, says: “Clevedon’s reputation as a source of quality ingredients continues to grow. We are excited to host this dinner, the culinary result of a community’s collective passion for producing delicious food and beverages. We know the community spirit in Clevedon is palpable, and diners can expect a very fun and extremely delicious feast of excellent flavours.”
Tickets are available from Hallertau.co.nz. Hallertau Clevedon, 26 Clevedon-Kawakawa Road, Clevedon.
Proper Crisps subs in sweet potato
Cyclone Gabrielle wreaked havoc on crops in the North Island, and those impacts are continuing to be felt on supermarket shelves. We saw the price of kūmara skyrocket in the weeks after the storm, and now, companies like Nelson-based Proper Crisps have had to sub in sweet potato from Australia in lieu of their usual supply of kūmara from Northland.
From this month, Proper Crisps is offering what it calls a “temporary sweet switcheroo”, but maintains it’s important to work with its farmers to get crops back to full supply “and resume its long-term supply agreement”. Proper Crisps’ supplier for nine years, Ant Blundell of Kaipara Kūmara in Northland says: “It’s the right move for Proper Crisps to sub in sweet potato for kūmara until we can get back to supplying them properly next season. We’re grateful for the partnership and that they’ve made that commitment to us. In our 50 years of harvesting kūmara, this year’s weather is by far the biggest challenge we’ve faced. Since the floods, we’ve been left with 1500 tonnes of kūmara compared to our usual 8000 tonnes.”
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Advertise with NZME.The new crisps are made with a variety of Australian sweet potatoes, high oleic sunflower oil and a sprinkle of sea salt. Each batch is hand-cooked and the Proper Crisps team “are confident that Kiwi fans will love the sweet potato snack, despite their patriotic loyalty to kūmara”. $5, from all good supermarkets and convenience stores.
Doughnut purveyors Butter Baby have a permanent store
Butter Baby, the much-loved West Auckland-based doughnut business, has just opened its first store for takeaways. The flavours in Butter Baby’s lush cabinets are largely inspired by childhood snacks and regional specialties. They’re popular within the local food scene — their pandan and sago variety was listed among Auckland’s top 100 iconic eats last year. Founder and baker Matilda Lee says the West Auckland opening is a special moment for the growing bakery. “I am excited to be a part of its exciting food scene and to provide a culinary experience that introduces nostalgic new flavours with a contemporary twist.” The small kitchen will be serving up their usual treats, along with takeaway coffees from Wellington-based brewers Flight Coffee and adorable tote bags donned with the flagship storefront. Matilda has also promised some spooky doughnuts for the upcoming Halloween season, dressed with tiny eyes, ghosts, bones and melded with a gothic-coloured dough. For more great Auckland doughnuts and comprehensive tasting notes of Butter Baby’s doughnuts, read our guide to the city’s best doughnuts. Unit 70, 11 Northside Drive in Westgate, West Auckland.
Bookclub: Phaidon’s Signature Cocktails, $80
There’s a lot of talk about what to drink. Enter Phaidon’s Signature Cocktails — an expansive compendium of exactly what cocktails to make and how to make them, by Amanda Schuster and out now. To make the decision even easier, we have five recipes from the book to share. There’s Jack Rose, a polarising tangerine classic comprising applejack and grenadine; a Seapea Fizz, an absinth-simple syrup concoction that resembles, with its frothy head, sea foam (recipe here); a Vesper martini, a vodka-gin-Lillet Blanc trifecta famously ordered by Daniel Craig in Casino Royale (recipe here); a Kyiv Sour, featuring, among other things, whiskey and chestnut syrup; and the alcohol-meets-caffeine clarion call, the espresso martini (recipe here). Stay tuned, all of these delicious cocktail recipes will be online at Viva.co.nz this week.
Six Barrel Soda has a new limited-edition syrup
Six Barrel Soda Co. has a new flavour to add to its stable of syrups, cordials and cocktail mixers — a limited-edition Spice Orange Syrup in collaboration with pay-as-you-feel community enterprise Everybody Eats. Pop the cap and the heady aromas of mulled wine fill the air. The soda syrup is flavoured with New Zealand oranges and spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and star anise (the donated orange rinds are leftovers from Moore Wilson’s famous fresh juices). Wellington-based Six Barrel Soda has a focus on low-waste and reusable materials, and Everybody Eats has a mission to reduce food waste and food poverty — so the partnership is an obvious one. “We’re huge fans of Everybody Eats and have so much respect for the mahi they do,” says Six Barrel Soda general manager Amy Alexander. “This is such a fun and tasty collab with an important message behind it, and the sustainability element is close to the heart of Six Barrel. This is the perfect drop to enjoy in hospitality venues across Aotearoa or to pick up as a gift for that someone special!” Spiced Orange Syrup, $19.50, from select stockists and Sixbarrelsoda.co, with $1 from every bottle sale going to Everybody Eats.
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Enjoy afternoon tea by the sea at The Hilton
Since 2008, Karen Murrell has been formulating no-nasties lipsticks for local beauty aficionados with her eponymous makeup line. Now, the lipstick maven has joined forces with the Hilton Auckland’s Culinary team to create the prettiest afternoon tea by the sea. The aptly named ‘Kisses by Hilton’ high tea experience is available now until November 26 at Bellini, the premier cocktail bar situated on the ground floor of the Hilton Auckland, which overlooks the Waitematā Harbour. A true collaboration between Murrell and Hilton Auckland culinary director Des Harris, guests can expect a unique culinary experience paired with a bespoke Karen Murrell lipstick also titled ‘Kisses by Hilton’ to take home.
The menu draws its inspiration and ingredients from her all-natural lipstick line, which includes mille-feuille, a handcrafted pastry filled with fragrant and cinnamon-spiked Chantilly cream; blush velvet, a velvet cake with bursts of caramel and rosé-flavoured jelly; and chocolate hazelnut tart, with dark roasted hazelnuts and raspberry Chantilly. The Kisses by Hilton afternoon tea is priced at $89 per person, with a portion of the proceeds donated to Women’s Refuge charity Safe Nights, and is available Thursday to Sunday from 11am to 4pm. See Bellini.co.nz/afternoon-tea for more information or to book.
Jungle 8 opens in Elliot Stables this week
Months after taking over the space where Besos Latinos once was, Jungle 8 is finally opening its doors at Elliott Stables. Bringing with it a progressive approach to modern Vietnamese cuisine, the concept is the brainchild of Paul Wong and his team, the legends behind Lucky 8 Ponsonby and the Mr Hao group of restaurants. Fans of Lucky 8 will be thrilled to know that Jungle 8 will be following a similar style of offerings with almost everything on the menu priced at $8.88. On the menu you’ll find delights like wagyu beef pho, mini banh mi, crispy banh xeo and the star dish according to Wong, xoi sticky rice, all done with a modern twist.
“I’ve always preferred street food over fine dining, and while travelling in Vietnam we would explore the city sustained by street venders serving us banh mi and xoi,” Paul says. “We came to learn that the best food doesn’t come from a Google review page.”
Cocktails here are inspired by the fresh and aromatic flavours of Southeast Asia with fresh florals, punchy herbs and sweet tropical fruits such as the bu vien haze, and the “phuc-cing recovery”, a twist on a classic espresso martini with phuc-long and brûlée custard foam reminiscent of Vietnamese egg coffee. Nestled above the 100-seat restaurant is a jungle-themed VIP room that can seat 15 accessible through a spiral staircase.
Jungle 8 has a soft opening on October 6 from 5pm to late — limited bookings available at Jungle8.co.nz. M17, 39 Elliot Street, Auckland CBD.
Book in for a unique eating and drinking experience with Laphroaig and Rewi Spraggon
Fans of whiskey and Scotland’s beautiful Islay will want to book in for this one. Laphroaig, which was founded in Scotland in 1815 and is famous for its peaty flavour profile, is being celebrated with a unique food and drink event next month in collaboration with hāngī master Rewi Spraggon. ‘Tales of Peat, Salt and Fire’ will combine fine dining and whiskey tasting, at Mechanics Bay on the Waitematā Harbour — a coastal location inspired by Islay, where Laphroaig is distilled. Celebrated chef Rewi Spraggon will host the evening and has created an inspired selection of hāngī dishes that will be cooked onsite.
Guests will enjoy canapes like Clevedon oysters with chilli, lime, and Laphroaig, smoked cream pāua, kingfish ceviche with coconut and cucumber, Laphroaig smoked lamb rack, buffalo wings, and pork belly bao. The mains are designed to share and include beef cheek, pork belly and vegetable melange. The menu will pair with Laphroaig drams and cocktails, guided by Laphroaig brand ambassador Rory Donnelly.
Rewi says the event promises to be an experience that transports guests to a world where the land meets the sea, putting a Kiwi lens on the strong flavour profile Laphroaig is known for. “For me, cooking is all about bringing people together for a memorable experience. There is something special about sharing a great meal with friends and family,” he says.
Laphroaig presents Tales of Peat, Salt and Fire. Saturday, October 28, 6.30pm-9.30pm. $220 per person from Eventbrite. Mechanics Bay Event Space, 1 Solent Street, Auckland.
What The Viva Team Has Been Eating & Drinking This Week...
Woodfired potatoes from The Butcher Baker
On a recent rainy Saturday night, a group of us went to Helensville’s The Butcher Baker, the town’s newish culinary beacon. You’ve heard of the crayfish tortellini swimming in saffron and yoghurt curd and drizzled with a sharp-but-not-debilitating habanero oil (order it). But there were some other menu highlights: the wood-fired potatoes, pushed to the highest point of smoky and served with sour cream and chives, that disappeared as quickly as they arrived; and the chocolate parfait, a dark, rich slab of a dessert that was the clearest example of something that melts in your mouth, complete with a spoonful of coconut sorbet. 5 Commercial Rd, Helensville — Julia Gessler, digital editor
Lychee chu-hi and sushi from Japanese Sashimi Bar Aijimi
This Japanese restaurant in Onehunga is one of my favourite spots for a weekend lunch. The space is eclectic and inviting, with wood panelling on the walls and long shared tables fashioned from planks of wood. Seats are cushion-covered plastic crates and there are lanterns and string lights hanging from the ceiling, and posters and artwork on every surface. Sashimi Bar Aijimi is famous for its beautifully presented sashimi towers, which are true works of art (also available at its other branches in Kingsland and Mt Eden) but my go-to order is the salmon aburi roll, which staff blow-torch until lightly charred at your table, and the lychee chu-hi, which is a tall sochu cocktail served with heaps of ice and a frozen fresh lychee in a frosty beer mug. 2/258 Onehunga Mall, Onehunga — Johanna Thornton, deputy editor
Snacks and beers from Thirsty Food Truck
Thirsty Food Truck in Birkenhead opened on a recent Friday night and I headed along to check it out. Situated in what used to be the Brothers Beer & Juke Joint on Rugby Rd, it’s run by a duo who said to my daughter and her friend when they asked for colouring pens and paper, “We’re not scary, we’re just big and hairy.” So they already get 10 points for friendly service. Offering craft beers on tap and a different food truck out the front each week — loaded fries, ramen, fish ‘n’ chips — their aim is to provide a casual, family-friendly local with a bit of a vibe. 6 Rugby Rd, Birkenhead — Rebecca Barry Hill, writer
Sunday lunch at Pearl Garden
For a long and lovely Sunday lunch, celebrating a friend’s birthday, I went along for a big group meal at Pearl Garden in Newmarket. Among the many dishes rotating around our table were prawn and vegetarian dumplings, deep-fried tofu bathed in sweet and sour sauce, crispy squid and tofu rolls with moreish mushroom umami (ginger beer also made an excellent pairing). Satisfying my sweet tooth was the highlight of the meal — multiple helpings of soft and pillowy golden custard buns. Level 1, 1 Teed St, Newmarket — Madeleine Crutchley, multimedia journalist
