The Dish: Fish & Chip Fridays, Sunday Lunches & More Delicious Food News

Looking for good Vietnamese? You’re in luck: A Ponsonby newcomer is serving favourites like pho and banh mi. As for sweet treats, we may have found the best cinnabuns in town — they’re pillow-soft and swimming in cream cheese frosting.

Fish and chip Fridays at Kingi

Kingi restaurant has updated its menu for winter and we have our eyes on their fish and chips, which is battered gurnard from the Chatham Islands, with potato skins, curried mayo, and tomato sauce for $34. Available on Fridays, for lunch or dinner, because what’s better than fish and chip Fridays? Also new on the menu is swordfish with cafe de paris, white cabbage and granny smith apple, and snapper belly croquettes with sauce gribiche and citrus salt. Tuawhiti Lane, 29 Galway St, Britomart.

Winners of the 2023 Lewisham Awards announced

Some big winners have been announced in hospitality’s industry awards, The Lewishams, some of whom were crowned at the awards night at Auckland’s Shed 10. In its 21st year, The Lewisham Awards are held annually to acknowledge and reward excellence across different sectors of hospitality, nominated by the very people who work in the industry. Standouts include Cazador’s chef Dariush Lolaiy being honoured as the Anchor Food Professionals Outstanding Chef, “in recognition of his imaginative culinary creations that consistently delight Auckland’s food connoisseurs”. Outstanding Cafe went to Birkenhead’s Duo Eatery (one of Viva’s favourite brunch spots). Outstanding Cocktail Experience went to newcomers Panacea, which specialises in small-batch cocktails with inventive ingredients on Auckland’s O’Connell St, and the Sustainability Award went to Ben Bayly’s Commercial Bay restaurant and Viva Top 50 Auckland Restaurant Ahi. See the rest of the winners here.

Truffle season arrives at Esther

On Saturday, July 8, Esther restaurant in Auckland’s QT Hotel is hosting an extravagant lunch priced at $150 per person that involves multiple courses infused with truffle, sourced from Tewnion Turffiere in Canterbury and George’s Truffles from Riwaka. Diners will enjoy a truffle fonduta (which is like melted cheese made with milk or cream and Bianchetto truffles), followed by a Perigord truffle pasta and apple tart with truffle ice cream (there are other dishes too - for the full menu and to book visit Qthotels.com). Throughout July, Esther has a truffle lovers’ lunch menu of eye fillet with truffle butter, or you can ask for a lashing of truffle added to any dish you like, and the team will make it happen. Find Esther at 4 Viaduct Harbour Ave, central city.

Ponsonby Central welcomes new eateries

In Ponsonby Central news, there are some new food openings of note, including Chao Vietnamese Canteen, which specialises in Vietnamese favourites like pho, banh mi and bun cha salad. It also spans Asian fusion dishes like lemongrass chicken with gochujang, and barbecued pork on rice. Also new is Lulu’s dairy-free soft-serve, which has expanded from its mobile ice cream cart roots to a more permanent space. Expect to find plant-based ice cream, as well as acai bowls and granola. And if you haven’t stopped in to check out the new boutique Silky Otter cinema, which has a dedicated bar and restaurant area, then you really ought to. 136/146 Ponsonby Rd, Ponsonby.

Book in for Sunday lunch at Daphnes

Daphnes has a new chef, and with him, a new look and feel to the menu. The Ponsonby restaurant also now offers Sunday lunch, a special menu designed by chef Hayden Phiskie of three courses with a glass of prosecco for $60. To eat, a sharing-style menu of generous platters and homemade pasta. The menu will change every week, but always on offer will be one delicious pasta. Sundays from noon-6pm. Bookings at Daphnes.co.nz 71 Ponsonby Rd, Ponsonby.

Have we found the best cinnabuns in town?

Looking for something to take the edge off winter? If you want to get stuck into something sweet, then might we recommend a trip to Manurewa’s Hill House Cafe, where you’ll find what may just be the best cinnamon roll in Auckland. While size isn’t everything, these big boys deliver on scale and flavour. The use of spice is generous, and even more so is the sweet, sticky glaze. There’s also some tang involved, that marries nicely with all the sugar. It’s easy to see why they’ve garnered something of a cult following. “Our cinnabuns have been on the menu since we opened,” says owner and chef Ricardo Le Roux. “We make over 1000 buns a week.” They take around four hours to make, and the first batch hits the counter around 9am. But if you’re not an early bird, don’t worry. “We bake them throughout the day, so the majority of our community gets them hot out of the oven.” Viva thinks these are best enjoyed with a strong black coffee to even out your sugar high, then followed up with a bracing walk around the grounds of the Nathan Homestead Pukepuke, where the cafe is located in the heritage building, to soak up some winter sun. Manurewa Community Arts Centre can be found there too. Hill House Cafe is open 8am to 2pm, Monday to Saturday. Order their rolls by the bundle at Hillhousecafe.co.nz. 70 Hill Rd, Manurewa.

Tickets are now on sale for Beervana, New Zealand’s largest celebration of beers, from August 18 to 19 at Wellington’s Sky Stadium. The event attracts 70 local and international breweries and 16,000 beer lovers keen to sample their latest offerings. “Beervana is the ultimate celebration of the skill and creativity of New Zealand’s brewing industry,” says Beervana manager Ryan McArthur. There’s also all-important food on offer, including offerings from Wellington’s renowned Boulcott Street Bistro, Wilson Barbecue and more. Tickets are priced from $49.50. For more info visit Beervana.co.nz

Brew of Islands on the horizon

Another celebration of beer kicks off at the Turner Centre in Kerikeri from July 21 to 22, with the inaugural Brew of Islands Craft Beer Festival. The event is the creation of Northland local Tyler Bamber, publican of The Pioneer Tavern in Waipapa, and Gerry Paul, previous director of Wellington’s CubaDupa festival and entertainment manager for Beervana. They’re bringing together craft beer breweries from around the country, including Parrotdog, Garage Project, Urbanaut and Cassels, to join some local favourites like Kainui Brew Co, Phat House, Bay of Islands Brewing, McLeods and 8 Wired. But it’s not all about beer, there are also cocktails from Ben Thrippleton of Kindred Spirits and a street food menu from some of the best local suppliers — think snapper sammies, mussel fritters, fresh oysters and barbecue. Tickets are available from Iticket. Visit BrewofIslands.co.nz for more info.