Flavours of the world, at home
We can relive our favourite food memories from around the world without leaving our shores, says travel and food writer Brett Atkinson.
Trying local flavours has has always given me great memories, so while our international borders are closed, I have been exploring Auckland’s diverse food scene to recreate special experiences from earlier journeys.
Here are my recommendations on where to eat, around the world, and in New Zealand’s most cosmopolitan city.
Italy Pizza in Naples
Waiting for pizza has never been so entertaining. Huddled in an expectant tangle of diners outside Sorbillo’s blue-and-white-striped awning, I was entertained by a local singing from their balcony in Naples’ Centro Storico. The line moved quickly though, and I was soon devouring pizza Margherita, topped with a scarlet smudge of rich tomato sauce, scorched bubbles of mozzarella, and a shower of basil leaves.
The Master & Margherita, Grey Lynn
The Master & Margherita’s yellow signage is hard to miss along Surrey Cres, and inside, the bright yellow wood-fired pizza oven is equally striking. Just as in Italy, seating is restricted to a few stools at the counter, which is the ideal spot to watch the pizza chef in action. The chilli prawn pizza is also a winner. themasterandmargherita.co.nz
Vietnam Banh mi in Hoi An
If it’s good enough for the late Anthony Bourdain, it’s good enough for me. Amid the yellow-hued laneways of Hoi An’s Old Town, Banh Mi Phuong serves the ultimate portable mash-up of Vietnamese and French flavours. Crispy baguettes are smeared with rustic pate, crammed with lemongrass-infused chargrilled pork, then enlivened with Southeast Asian herbs.
Mrs 3 Banh Mi, Newmarket
With banh mi, it’s all about the bread, and Mrs 3 gets it right. Its baguettes combine a crunchy crust and a fluffy inside texture that’s perfect for soaking up all the flavours. And just like in Vietnam, there’s an easygoing vibe, with the family owners chatting to each other in Vietnamese. The ca phe sua da (iced coffee) is also good. mrs3banhmi.business.site
Mexico Tacos al pastor in Mexico City
During the day, El Vilsito in the Narvarte Poniente neighbourhood is a good place to get your car repaired, but after dark, the garage becomes one of Mexico City’s best spots for tacos al pastor. Introduced by Lebanese immigrants in the 1920s, marinated pork is cooked on a vertical spit, wrapped in warmed pita bread, then topped with chilli, lime juice and coriander, before a final accent of grilled pineapple is added. Look for the neon Carnitas-Tacos sign, and you’re in the right place.
Mr Taco, Auckland
Tucked way on Federal St, Manuel Moreno Gonzalez serves an authentic slice of Mexico City. Mr Taco’s seven taco fillings usually include birria (braised beef), or pork carnitas, and the al pastor has a spicy zing. Around the corner, sister eatery Miss Torta offers traditional Mexican sandwiches.
Find Mr Taco on Facebook.
Sri Lanka Kotturoti and ‘short eats’ in Kandy
The rhythmic chop-chop-chop of kottu roti vendors is one of Sri Lanka’s defining sounds, and the streetside chefs at Kandy’s Muslim Hotel serve deliciously spicy, flash-fried combos of roti, meat and vegetables. Picking up a few ‘‘short eats’’, including curry puffs and sambal-laced egg rolls, is also a good idea before a train journey through Sri Lanka’s Hill Country.
St Anthony’s Food, Sandringham
In the heart of Sandringham’s restaurant strip, St Anthony’s serves excellent ‘‘short eats’’, and has an ever-changing selection of meals to eat in or take away. Kottu roti is usually on offer and combining godambaroti (grilled flatbread) with the prawn curry is worth crossing town for. stanthony.co.nz
Texas Barbecue in Houston
It’s true. Everything is bigger in Texas, especially the servings at The Pit Room in Houston’s bohemian neighbourhood of Montrose.
Everything’s made from scratch, and the combination of slow-cooked brisket and a brace of pepper and garlic venison sausages were an ideal first-night meal after a long Air New Zealand flight across the Pacific. Don’t forget a creamy side of macaroni cheese.
Smokin’ Cole BBQ, Grey Lynn
Owner Croydon Colehas cooked for Sir Richard Branson and now the savvy chef is serving Auckland’s best US-style barbecue. Try the salt and pepper Texas-style short ribs with sides of truffled mac ’n’ cheese and smoked cream corn. smokincolebbq.co.nz
Hawai’i Poke on Kaua’i
In one of the island’s last family-owned ma and pa grocery stores, Makai Sushi serves poke bowls made to order. Across a trio of visits in late 2019, my go-to was the Gorilla Bowl, combining superfresh ahi tuna, salmon and ono (wahoo). At the back of the shop, Anake’s Juice Bar dispenses kombucha, juices and smoothies.
Poke Poke in Auckland
There are certainly plenty of options when ordering at one of Poke Poke’s three Auckland locations in Newmarket, Takapuna and Karangahape Rd. My non-negotiables are the earthy purple rice and a few healthy scoops of tuna and prawn. Don’t forget the zing of kimchi, and definitely have the wasabi mayo.pokepoketakapuna.business.site
Lebanon Mezze and man’oushe in Beirut
Showcasing chefs and vendors from all of Lebanon’s diverse religious and ethnic communities, Beirut’s Souk el Tayeb farmers’ market is a unique destination. A freshly made man’oushe flatbread and a turkish coffee made for a perfect Levantine breakfast, and the diverse lunch mezze from Tawlet restaurant – initiated by Beiruti Slow Food champion, Kamal Mouzawak – could have been the best Middle Eastern food I’ll ever eat.
Gemmayze Street, Karangahape Rd
Named after Beirut’s most famous nightlife precinct, Gemmayze Street enlivens St Kevins
Arcade with an energetic after-dark buzz. Menu standouts include the smoky baba ganoush (eggplant dip), the grilled chicken shish with saffron rice and a date and walnut gremolata. Definitely leave room for dessert. gemmayzestreet.co.nz
Turkey
Kahvalti in Van
Ask what is for breakfast in the Turkish city of Van, and you’ll get a very detailed answer. Specialist kahvalti (breakfast) restaurants line Van’s pedestrians-only Kahvalti Sokak, and the city’s table-covering array of flatbread, cheese, jams, and egg dishes, including menemen (turkish scrambled eggs), may be my favourite meal in the world. An essential combination is creamy kaymak (clotted cream) with fresh honeycomb.
Deco Eatery, Titirangi
Housed in the 1930s vintage Lopdell House, Deco Eatery’s sunny interior is ideal for a leisurely Anatolian brunch. Spiked with red pepper, tomato,
and chilli, Deco’s menemen is served with warm pita bread, and bracing turkish coffee is partnered with delicate rosewater-infused cubes of lokum (turkish delight). decoeatery.co.nz
Chile
Asado and empanadas in Patagonia
Expertly cooked meat is always a winner for me, especially when it’s devoured after a horse-riding adventure with Chilean gauchos. After a morning riding through softly falling snow, sitting down to a feast of barbecued lamb and grilled chinook salmon was a memorable moment when staying at Explora Patagonia’s Hotel Salto Chico. Teaming a few empanadas with a local beer is also recommended.
El Humero, Takapuna
Located along Takapuna’s Fortieth & Hurstmere laneway, El Humero is best visited with a few amigos. Especially recommended for groups of friends is the El Humero Experience, incorporating empanadas, chorizo, carne
empalada (beef knuckle) and costillas (slow-cooked beef ribs). elhumero.co.nz
Peru
Ceviche in Lima
A food-focused visit to the Peruvian capital was scheduled for mid last year, so my memory of Lima’s signature blend of seafood cured with lime juice lingers from a brief one-night stopover two decades ago. With the background of sea fog rolling in from the Pacific, I recall a hole-in-the-wall cebicheria dispensing plates combining the sweetness of the raw fish with a citric tang.
Madame George, Karangahape
Peruvian-born Pablo Arrasco Paz is a convivial host at this hip combination of restaurant and bar along Karangahape Rd. Madame George’s take on ceviche is definitely authentic, with hearty cubes of fish teamed with radish and house-made tostada chips. There’s also an octopus ceviche, and the pisco sour cocktails are very refreshing. madamegeorge.co.nz