The Dish: Sherries, Spanish Snacks, NZ’s Best Toastie & More Delicious Food News

Want to join the Viva team for a luxury truffle-infused dinner, eat one of Aotearoa’s most creative burgers, or create a floral still-life drawing over craft beers? Read on.

Eat tapas and drink vino at MoVida

This sounds like a fun way to spend a Saturday afternoon. From the Spanish-style restaurant MoVida comes the event Paella & Pinchos, which sees the bar and restaurant area welcome you for a relaxed, family-style feast every Saturday from 12pm to 4pm. You’ll get the chance to sample 15 pinchos (small snacks) and tapas in the bar area, followed by MoVida’s famous seafood paella in the restaurant. On the pinchos menu is the Gilda, which is a classic San Sebastian tapa of anchovy, Gordal olive and guindillas (chilli peppers); there’s also the classic jamon croquette and the Catalan potato bomb with chorizo and red mojo — plus 12 more. There will be a selection of traditional Spanish wines and sherries that you can sample before you buy, that pair perfectly with the pinchos. Paella & Pinchos is on every Saturday, from June 24 onwards, and runs from midday until 4pm. It costs $75 per person. To book, visit Savor.co.nz/whats-on. Level 2 Seafarers, 52 Tyler Street, Auckland CBD.

New Zealand’s toastie of the year has been crowned

And the winner is... Mt Maunganui’s Freeport with Cleaver & Co. The eatery’s chef Brooke Moore was recognised by The Great NZ Toastie Takeover judges for her impressive creation Surf, Turf & Smoke, Monsieur which features housemade smoked lamb pastrami, smoked prawns, mozzarella, smoked cheddar sauce and McClure’s Sweet & Spicy Pickles, sandwiched between locally made BreadHead miso tahini sourdough and served with smoked aioli and pickle juice gel.

Brooke joined the Freeport team seven months ago after roles at Taupō’s The Landing and Baked with Love. As senior chef de partie at Freeport, she runs the barbecue section. “I tried to make [the toastie] as relevant as possible to the Bay area, with everything made by us in-house, except for the delicious sourdough, which is a favourite from our friends at local bakers BreadHead. The concept of surf and turf is meant to signify the Tauranga region — the beautiful coast and the amazing seafood right here on our doorstep, juxtaposed with the sheep grazing on Mt Maunganui.” The toastie will be on the menu until the end of August. Shop 0704, Bayfair Shopping Centre 19 Girven Road, Mt Maunganui.

Watch a fashion show over Italian food at Bivacco

Get crafting at Brothers Beer

We like the sound of Pastels and Prosecco at Brothers Beer’s Mt Eden location, which sees Brogan Scott take attendees through a 1.5-hour still-life flower-drawing workshop. The ticket price of $59 per person includes everything you’ll need to get creative — including paper and oil pastels — and you’ll leave with a finished piece of artwork to take home. Your ticket includes a drink on arrival — sweet! Pastels and Prosecco is on Thursday, June 22, and Thursday, July 6, from 6.45pm. Tickets are available here.

Sample the 2022 burger of the year at Chaat Street

For a very short time, Aucklanders can enjoy a taste of the capital’s victorious burger. Chaat Street’s ‘Dabeli’ features potato and peanut, tamarind, coriander and red onion, encased in a tender masala-butter brioche bun, and will be available at the restaurant’s recently opened premises in Parnell (also the only place to try the ultra-limited Garage Project collaboration, the ‘All India Permit’ chaat-influenced pale ale) but only until Sunday, June 25. We tried the dish for ourselves last week. “This might be the best vegetarian burger I’ve ever had,” says Viva commercial editor Emma Gleason, and it’s no surprise that it was the 2022 winner of Burger Wellington at Visa Wellington On a Plate. Chaat Street founder Vaibhav Vishen is entering the running again for 2023 — with a burger that he told us would be wildly different to last year — alongside over 200 diverse establishments from around Te Whanganui-a-Tara. Burger Wellington, which is presented by Garage Projects, will take place in August (the first time it’s been a standalone event) and with the programme released on July 18, we advise booking your flights now.

Win tickets to a tantalising truffle degustation

If you have a taste for truffles, then this very special event is for you. As part of 2023 Elemental festival, Cordis Auckland is hosting a series of exclusive degustation dinners (July 20, 27 and 28). Viva is co-hosting a special preview of the experience in the elegant Chairman Suite, with the menu traversing five luxurious courses of truffle-inspired dishes from executive chef Volker Marecek, and three very lucky Viva Premium subscribers will win double passes (valued at $528 per person) to the dinner on July 4, from 6.30pm to 10pm. The winners and their lucky guests will dine with leading figures from Cordis and Viva, including Viva editor Amanda Linnell, and hear from a truffle expert, as well as enjoy an art tour of the hotel’s impressive collection. Terms and conditions apply. Enter at Viva.co.nz/win