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Auckland’s Most Delicious Restaurants

Written by Amira Hashish on . Posted in Food, Latest, Lifestyle, Travel.

By Amira Hashish

As New Zealand’s largest city, Auckland has garnered a reputation for delicious food that champions the country’s fresh produce. From a Lebanese tasting menu to yummy yakitori and European inspired dishes, the multi-cultural cuisine is a feast in every sense. Here we choose some of our favourite spots for unearthing the best of Auckland’s restaurant scene…

Ada 

Under the arches of a nunnery turned hotel (aptly named The Convent), Ada is the kind of buzzy, light-filled restaurant you dream of when planning a long, leisurely lunch. Beautifully designed to make the most of the high ceilings and architectural details, this is a hearty slice of Spanish-Mission in Auckland’s quiet Grey Lynn neighbourhood. The focus is on Italian food with pasta hand-rolled on the dining tables during service. For a taste of some of the most delicious offerings book in for Sunday lunch. Kick off proceedings with a glass of Prosecco before enjoying a five-course shared feast. If you fancy making a night of it, check into one of the thoughtfully styled boutique rooms in what could easily scoop the title of chicest small hotel in Auckland.

Book: adarestaurant.co.nz, theconventhotel.co.nz

Gemmayze Street

In the centre of Auckland’s hip K’ Road lies the Twenties built St Kevin’s Arcade. The original Art Deco facades are now home to shops, restaurants and bars which make for a thriving gathering spot in the evenings. The must-visit is Gemmayze Street, the Lebanese-inspired restaurant owned and operated by chef Samir Allen whose family have lived in New Zealand for over 130 years. Despite living across the other side of the world they have kept their Middle Eastern culture alive through this vibrant eatery with the most delectable menu of food, wine and cocktails. We would recommend sampling a bit of everything with the $90 per person Jeeb (Arabic for “to bring”) menu. From the signature hummus to the falafel and Arnabeet roasted cauliflower, you will not go home hungry. 

Book: gemmayzestreet.co.nz 

kingi

In the mood for seafood? Make a beeline for kingi which celebrates sustainably caught seafood fresh from New Zealand’s oceans, dunes, river mouths and reefs. On the ground floor of the heritage Masonic House, underneath the strikingly designed Hotel Britomart, the restaurant is open all day but we would recommend dinner for wood fired dishes and a well curated wine menu. The most popular dish comes in the form of Buttermilk Blue Cod Wings, with blue cod caught by a third-generation family of fishers in the Chatham Island. 

Book: kingibritomart.com

Amano 

Part of a collection of acclaimed restaurants under New Zealand’s Savor group, Amano is a big, bustling and warmly designed ode to Italian cuisine. Produce is seasonal, sustainable and local from the country’s growers and farmers. Opposite Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour and spanning Britomart’s historic Altrans and Quay buildings, the bakery and restaurant is a staple for anyone seeking wholesome food and a great vibe. Be sure to book in advance as tables get snapped up quickly.

Book: savor.co.nz/amano 

Daphnes 

We have a soft spot for the Ponsonby district when it comes to dining, drinking or shopping. Awash with independently owned spots, it is a fabulous place to meander the day away. Despite being spoiled for choice with great restaurants in the area, we were especially taken by Daphnes. Run by husband and wife team Clare and Joost van den Berg, this place was inspired by their travels to Greece and Europe in 2018. The modern taverna captures the Mediterranean spirit with an impressive interior designed by Clare. Dim lighting and dark rich tones of wooden furniture alongside rich burgundy and navy upholstery make for quite the setting. The small but perfectly formed menu lives up to the surroundings with highlights including sourdough flatbreads, brussel sprouts and Agria potatoes. 

Book: daphnes.co.nz 

Barulho

What started as a humble tapas bar has evolved into a solid Spanish restaurant in the Parnell area. Signature dishes such as paella, empanadas and patatas bravas are accompanied by some more experimental options. The cocktail list is strong too with the Caipirinha proving to be a hit. It is also worth popping into the neighbouring Faradays concept store for a truly luxurious fashion and interiors experience. 

Book: barulhoparnell.com

Omni

Centering on yakitori cooked over binchotan (low-smoke white charcoal), Omni is a small and considered offering in Mount Eden. For the best value, we recommend the “feed me” option, which is priced at $65 and lets you try over half the menu. Just make sure the crunchy prawn toast wings its way to you. Low-intervention wines from small scale producers make excellent pairings.

Book: atomni.co.nz

A Guide to London Restaurant Festival

Written by Amira Hashish on . Posted in Food, Latest, Lifestyle.

By Amira Hashish

London Restaurant Festival is back for its fourteenth year this October, showcasing some of the most exciting talent behind London’s dynamic food scene. With a line-up of more than 50 carefully curated culinary events, the foodie feast will be serving up everything from gastronomic tours across the capital’s best restaurants to evenings with Britain’s esteemed critics. Here are some of the highlights…

Tasting Menus

Many of the city’s leading chefs will be taking part in the latest installment of the festival with a hand-picked timetable of Tasting Menus including a celebratory Indian banquet from Kricket and a feast from chefs Will and Jack at Fallow in St James’s Market. A new addition to this year’s programme is The Resy Hit List, where the city’s buzziest restaurants, curated by booking platform Resy, will offer a unique menu or dish for the duration of the festival.

Book here or head to Resy here.

Talk of the Town 

These events serve up gastronomic experiences with bespoke menus as part of a restaurant takeover. Those taking part include Nancy Silverton’s Pizzeria Mozza and Oxeye at Embassy Gardens. Look out for the live jazz evening alongside a seasonal British four-course menu at the elegant Rotunda Bar and Lounge at Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square. 

Book here.

Masterclasses

Why not learn as you sip? Masterclasses on the agenda range from an Italicus Spritz session to the best of Negronis at the Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane and a Spanish cookery class with Nieves Barragan of Sabor, paired with Estrella Galicia beer. Innis & Gunn’s independent range of beers will be sampled in a guided tasting at Light Bar in Shoreditch.

Book here.

Ultimate Gastronomic Weekend

Make a weekend of it with Saturday Kitchen regular Anna Haugh who is hosting guests at her restaurant Myrtle in Chelsea followed by a stay at Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square and a dinner at the hotel’s restaurant Mei Ume, which showcases traditional dishes from both Chinese and Japanese cuisines with a modern approach. Tickets have sold out but you can join the waitlist.

Book here.

Binge

This series at the Television Centre in White City returns for a second year, featuring a fun combination of food and TV viewings. Sit down to a modern Indian menu paired with Innis & Gunn beers at Kricket White City. Following the meal, watch The Jonathan Ross Show as it is filmed live at the BBC Studio Works.

Book here.

Restaurant-Hopping Tours

For those who are partial to a food and drink pairing across multiple restaurants, there is the option to explore Belgravia with Luigi Bosca wines, Covent Garden with Innis & Gunn beers and Chelsea with Martin Miller’s Gin cocktails.

Book here.

Platinum Perks

If you are an American Express Centurion or Platinum cardmember there are extra perks as part of the Festival within a Festival programme. The Platinum Card has access to a series of Chef-hosted new openings: Chantelle Nicholson’s Apricity in Mayfair, Carlo Scotto’s immersive dining experience at Amethyst and Alex Dilling at Hotel Café Royal. Meanwhile, Art à la Carte celebrates London’s best collaborations between artists, curators and restaurateurs, including Langan’s Brasserie, with walls covered in fine art. Seasonal Autumn Spotlights comprise a King’s Caviar Tasting in the William Kent Room at The Ritz and a Seafood School at The Sea, The Sea hosted by chef Leo Carreira. 

American Express Cardmembers will also have the option to Discover Regent Street & St James’s, with specially curated experiences such as a one-off Supper Club in the Fortnum & Mason Crypt and a Gourmet Odyssey lunch at Maison François, Chutney Mary and Michelin-starred Wild Honey, paired with Gusbourne’s range of English sparkling wines.

Book here.

Centurion Experiences

Centurion Members hold the key to a selection of unforgettable experiences including the Omakase Tasting Menus dining face-to-face with the chefs at Endo at the Rotunda and Ginza St James. A Penthouse Supper Club will be hosted in a dramatic residence on London City Island with panoramic views whilst an intimate dinner is cooked and hosted by Tim Spedding, former chef of The Clove Club. The event features a sommelier-led tasting of Oregon wines. Discerning Centurion members can also join some of the nation’s most respected restaurant critics – Fay Maschler, Nigel Barden and William Sitwell – as they take guests to some of their favourite spots in town.

Book here.

For more details visit londonrestaurantfestival.com.

Top 5 Valentine’s Day Meal Kits

Written by Jenna Jones on . Posted in Food, Latest.

If donning your glad rags and visiting a fine dining establishment isn’t quite making your heart skip a beat this Valentine’s Day, we’ve got just the (meal) ticket for you!

Since the start of the pandemic, restaurants up and down the country have been mastering the art of the meal kit with options for at-home dining now bigger, better and more delicious than ever. So whether you’re spending it with your partner or getting the gals round for the night, take your pick from our list of the top 5 tasty meal kits for the ultimate Valentine’s evening in…

Ding Dong Dim Sum

If you want to enjoy delicious dumplings from the comfort of your own home then opt for a delicious feast from Ding Dong Dim Sum. Each box includes dumplings, gyoza, sui mai, bao buns, sticky rice, salad and dips all packaged up and ready to be cooked in the super easy biodegradable steamer provided! All you need to bring to the party is a saucepan, some boiling water and a big appetite! We recommend the mouthwatering Veggie Patch for Two featuring mixed wild mushroom gyoza and spicy tofu and vegetable dumplings.

Borough Market Recipe Boxes

Bring the charm of Borough Market straight to your door with one of their fresh and tasty recipe boxes. Featuring the finest ingredients, customers can choose from starters and mains that rival restaurant quality. From globe artichokes with lemon herb butter to seared beef with asparagus stir fry and confit duck leg tacos, each delectable dish is packed full of indulgent tastes and flavours for an extra special night in.

Bocca Di Lupo

For an Italian feast you won’t forget in a hurry head on over to Bocca Di Lupo. Created especially for Valentine’s Day, the San Valentino Feast for 2 is a gastronomic tour of the world’s most romantic country. Expect creamy burrata, lobster risotto, suckling pig porchetta and ganache filled chocolate profiteroles, all washed down with a refreshing pomegranate martini. As you can see, it’s not called a feast for nothing!

Arabica

If your taste buds are craving some middle eastern spice then the Vegan Feast from Arabica is sure to fit the bill. The vibrant flavour-fest of seasonal, restaurant quality, plant based meze combines exotic flavour combinations and gentle spicing techniques to really bring the vegetables to life. Each freshly prepared meal kit also includes an Arabica music playlist to enhance the at home experience!

Hawksmoor at Home

If steak is the way to your heart then Hawksmoor at Home has you covered. We recommend the indulgent Fillet 2 Course Box which includes prime fillets of beef, ultimate oven chips, creamed spinach, garlic mushrooms, peppercorn sauce and sticky toffee pudding to finish. You also have the option to upgrade your box to include sour cherry negronis or a delicious bottle of Rioja. Hawksmoor at Home kits also come complete with a How to Cook the Perfect Steak guide and a QR code link to masterclass videos with Executive Chef, Matt Brown.

Hampers & Champers – Your Festive Gift Guide

Written by Jenna Jones on . Posted in Food, Gifting, Latest.

By Jenna Jones

When it comes to Christmas gifting, food and wine will never go out of style. It’s the universal gift that oozes Christmas spirit and is guaranteed to put a smile on the face of that special someone. Therefore, all that’s left to do is order in time for the big day and that’s where we come in. As our gift to you this season we’ve rounded up a classic selection of hampers and champers including all important order deadlines for a stress-free Christmas shopping experience…

Harrods

Allow Harrods to take the hard work out of gift giving this season with one of their delectable festive hampers. Filled to the brim with sweet treats, preserves and a bottle of their finest Champagne, the Knightsbridge Christmas Hamper is a failsafe festive feast just waiting to be shared. Or delight the little people in your life with the Winnie-The-Pooh Once There Was a Bear Hamper, a suitably sweet celebration of Britain’s best loved bear, complete with delicious gingerbread, hot chocolate and an iconic Edward teddy.

Order deadline: UK: 21ST December, international: 15th December, US & Hong Kong: 17th December. Plus, free UK delivery on orders of £100 or more.

The BIB Wine Company

Featured as ‘the first ever luxury Bag-in-Box wine’ by Adrian Smith of the Independent, the BIB Wine Company has put Bag-in-Box wine on the map for all the right reasons.  BIB are changing the face of quality wine in the UK, creating a sustainable future for the wine landscape, one recyclable box at a time. For the festive season we recommend their Château Couronneau ‘Cuvée Clair de Lune’ Bordeaux, a full-bodied, spicy merlot that pairs perfectly with roasted meats and cheese. Or opt for the Taster Box, complete with a recorded online tasting session as the perfect stocking filler. Bring people together this Christmas with BIB wines – a true tonic for the soul and a treat for the tastebuds.

Order deadline: UK: 23rd December (midday)

Fortnum & Mason

For the holy grail in hampers, it must be an iconic handwoven wicker delight from Fortnum & Mason. Head to their website and lift the lid on an unrivalled festive array of hampers to suit, well quite frankly, any Christmas occasion. The vegan-friendly, Yuletide Hamper, offers a delicious selection of luxurious free-from delights while the extravagant Christmas Feast Hamper is enough to keep a family full well into the new year!

Order deadline: UK: pre-order and choose a delivery slot up until 23rd December. F&M hampers sell out fast, so our advice is to get your order in asap to avoid disappointment!

Bespoke Wine Collection

As the name suggests, a gift from the Bespoke Wine Collection is a far cry from your generic bottle of vino. Give the ‘Perfect Gift of Experience’ this season with their beautifully presented, hand-picked selection of 3 fine wines. Each bespoke case of three includes a wine passport featuring the history of each estate, tasting notes, gastronomic pairing, serving suggestions and potential for further ageing. There’s also the option to tailor your case by specific wine, favourite region or to even celebrate a particular vintage year of significance. From treasured friends to trusted clients it’s the ultimate curated gift that’s guaranteed to impress.

Order deadline: UK: 10th December, international: 6th December

Selfridges

If a more personal touch is what you’re seeking this Christmas contact Selfridges where the team will be more than happy to build a unique hamper or gift box from their range of delectable gastronomic delights, complete with a personalised gift message. Choose from the finest yuletide festive favourites including Christmas spiced orange hot chocolate, indulgent cheese selections and a host of celebratory tipples.

Order deadline: UK: dependent on stock availability. Stock is reserved once payment has been made. Sell through is fast this year so order sooner rather than later.

The Magnum Company

Nothing says Christmas quite like a celebratory magnum shared with loved ones and no one does it quite like The Magnum Company. Firmly believing that quality and quantity should not be mutually exclusive concepts, The Magnum Company seeks to ensure that wine enthusiasts enjoy the latest and greatest the market has to offer on an extravagant scale! Champagne will always be first to mind with the mention of a magnum, but The Magnum Company offers so much more with Crémant, Port, Sherry, Rosé and Red all available in the impressive 1.5L offering.

Order deadline: UK: 21ST December