This week we’re looking forward to cooking Michael Van de Elzen’s signature risotto, eating bottomless fried chicken and dreaming of an event worthy of Bar Magda’s sleek new private dining room.
It’s Negroni Week. Here’s how to celebrate.
The greatest week of the year is here — it’s Negroni Week (September 18-24), which sees bars and restaurants around the world celebrate this iconic cocktail and raise money for charity at the same time. This year Negroni Week is teaming up with the organisation Slow Food to shine a light on its work around food education, equitable food policies and cultural and biological diversity in the food realm.
But wait, what is a negroni and why is it so great? It’s a classic Italian cocktail with equal parts gin, vermouth and Campari, stirred and served over ice with a peel of orange. It’s bitter and sweet, herbaceous and fruity all at the same time, a strong tipple that acts as an ideal aperitif (or party starter). In Tāmaki Makaurau, Negroni Week is being celebrated in style at QT Hotel in Auckland, with a Campari takeover at its rooftop bar until the end of October. QT Rooftop has been given an Italian-style makeover and the menu will offer up negronis and bespoke menus that pair wonderfully with this beloved cocktail. Little Blackwood in Queenstown is running negroni cocktail specials all week. If you want to make your own, here’s a recipe from Karangahape Rd bar Madame George that favours a slightly heavier on the gin combination. Rooftop at Qt, 4 Viaduct Harbour Ave, Westhaven.
Bar Magda has a new private dining room
Bar Magda has introduced an elegant new private dining area, which comfortably sits 25 people, ideal for birthdays, corporate events or intimate dinners. The bar and dining area are already available to hire out for events, but this secluded private room is another string to the restaurant’s bow.
Chef-owner Carlo Buenaventura says his restaurant is “like a labyrinth of surprises” with its secret subterranean location on Cross St, just behind Karangahape Rd. A flight of stairs delivers you into a dark and sultry space bathed in red light and hidden behind velvet drapes. The private dining area is at the rear of the restaurant where guests can enjoy a set menu for $85pp plus drinks of their choice or a curated drinks list (Bar Magda is known for its fantastic cocktails and aperitifs).
Carlo says: “Everyone is looking for a venue that offers something good and unique to host their private events. And we think our deliciously interesting Southern Philippine flavours mixed with local seasonal produce, together with our extensively well-curated drinks is an offering that is right up there in the market.” 25b Cross St, central city. Barmagda.co.nz
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Advertise with NZME.Head to Bar Beluga for Someplace Somewhere pop-up
From Friday, September 29 to Sunday, October 1, Bar Beluga will host chef Kane Wilson — sous chef at Westmere’s Ragtag — to celebrate the launch of the bar’s summer hours with Kane’s Melbourne-born pop-up series Someplace Somewhere. Kane will serve small plates influenced by his love of Japanese technique and global flavours (the menu is still under wraps), accompanied by Bar Beluga’s fun cocktails in the courtyard bar out the back of Rose Alley (read more about Bar Beluga and Rose Alley here). On Saturday, September 30, the pop-up will be followed by a party at Bar Beluga hosted by Crayon, with DJs playing from 9pm onwards. Bar Beluga will be open on Sunday for the final day of the pop-up, and will continue to be open on Sundays from 12pm throughout summer. Someplace Somewhere pop-up at Bar Beluga, Rose Alley, 5 Rose Road. Friday September 29, 3pm till late; Saturday September 30 and Sunday October 1, noon till 9pm. Walk-ins only.
Michael Van De Elzen’s new book Good from Scratch is out now
Chef Michael Van de Elzen’s new cookbook Good from Scratch is a celebration of his favourite recipes, as well as tips and tricks on ingredients, gardening, pickling, composting and more. With photographs by Babiche Martens, the book not only captures delicious recipes, but scenes from Michael and his wife Bee’s cooking school and farm in Muriwai, Good From Scratch Cooking School. Michael shares three recipes with Viva this week, including his favourite meal to cook for himself, mushroom risotto with rocket, and a delicious snapper with tomato kasundi and roasted capsicums, a recipe Michael says can be personalised by serving the snapper with anything from potatoes to rice, flatbreads to polenta. He also shares the recipe for his sweet garlic aioli for dolloping alongside. Food from Scratch by Michael Van de Elzen, photography by Babiche Martens (Allen & Unwin NZ, $50) is out now.
Enjoy all-you-can-eat fried chicken at Brothers Beer
On Tuesdays at Brothers Beer’s Mt Eden location you can enjoy all-you-can-eat fried chicken for $25 plus free fries and slaw with your first round. Brothers Beer’s chicken is free-range, buttermilk-soaked, smoked and coated in a Southern-style crispy coating before being fried, served alongside its extensive range of beers on tap. Craft Beer breweries have been doing it tough this year, with several closures and Brothers Beer put into voluntary administration. That means its eight outlets have downsized to two — Mt Eden and Piha — so get out and support them if you can. 5 Akiraho St, Mt Eden.
Travelling to Aotea/Great Barrier? Remember to pack your keepcup
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Advertise with NZME.We’re big advocates of keepcups at team Viva, so it’s heartening to hear Aotea/Great Barrier is aiming to be the first place in New Zealand to eliminate single-use takeaway cups. From October 1, coffee retailers on the island will offer alternatives — either a mug from a cafe’s “mug library” or the option to buy a $10 stainless-steel cup in an island-wide borrow scheme, which allows you to return it to any outlet for a refund. The third, and possibly the best option, is to bring your own keepcup. Or, of course, coffee lovers can dine in and enjoy their coffee at the cafe.
“We’re lucky on Aotea because we’re small, so something like this is totally doable,” says Jo O’Reilly, director of Aotea’s resource recovery centre and driver of the scheme. “I’ve been so impressed by how enthusiastic everyone is, right from our retailers to our coffee drinkers. We live in an ecological paradise that we all want to protect. The trick will be to bring tourists and visitors along with us.”
The cups project is part of Aotea’s bid for zero waste to landfill by 2040. “What most visitors to the island probably don’t realise is that every bit of landfill waste must get shipped back to the mainland at huge cost. We’re doing all we can to reduce those volumes,” says Jo. The island is estimated to go through about 50,000 single-use cups per year and each cup can take between 20 and 30 years to break down in landfill. Pack a keepcup, everyone!
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What The Viva Team Has Been Eating This Week...
Tacos and margs from Tacoteca
“I had a great lunch recently at Tacoteca in City Works Depot, which is perfectly positioned to bask in all-day sun, so it basically felt like a holiday, especially after three margs. Tacoteca is known for its excellent margarita menu so my friend and I ordered the Malinche (a combination of Toowe, fresh lime, black lime and habanero salt) and a lovely coconut margarita. To eat we tried the Chilatquiles with green salsa and poblano chilli, which are corn chips coated in salsa and scattered with cheese. If you get these, I’d recommend adding chorizo or one of the other proteins. The tacos were all great, including the beef suadero, the fish and the smoky cabbage, which are served on either blue and yellow corn tortillas made in-house. For the story behind Tacoteca and its team, read Viva’s dining out editor’s take on Tacoteca here.” — Johanna Thornton, deputy editor
Fried chicken from Orphans Kitchen
“Orphans Kitchen has been a destination brunch and coffee stop for me always so I was very keen to try their newly revamped dinner and wine menu. I love a wine bar snacky dinner so this was right up my alley. Unfortunately for me I don’t touch seafood and on first glance the menu was very fish-heavy, there are no vege or meat starter dishes. Thankfully, they have what I would consider one of the best fried chicken dishes ever. Not too heavy and with a splash of lime, they were juicy and delicious. The truffle fries are packed with flavour too and a good portion size. Luckily we had room for dessert because the tiramisu you don’t want to miss. A generous dollop was served and our waiter let us know that barely any sugar was added, so it’s nice to know it wasn’t too naughty.” — Annabel Dickson, fashion assistant
Fries from Yume
“Japanese restaurant Yume, a sleek Japanese Izakaya and bar in Victoria Park is a lunchtime oasis, but for dinner recently we ordered their take on a menu classic. Their version of French fries comes with a salty sprinkling of furikake sprinkled on everything supported with a side of kewpie mayo and black sesame seeds.” — Dan Ahwa, creative and fashion director
