CHEF'S TRAVELOGUE
Sid Sahrawat shares how the cosmopolitan city’s dining scene has transformed over the years, with more fine dining restaurants and wine bars opening up.
Auckland, the new foodie haven
What comes to your mind when you hear about Auckland? Set around two large harbours, Auckland is New Zealand’s largest city and main transport hub. With beautiful year-round weather, pristine sandy beaches, lush rainforests and endless hiking trails, it is a place where people come to enjoy the great outdoors and to experience the world’s great natural playgrounds. Now, it is also the new playground for foodies.
THE FANCY
A sign that reads “Doors Open 5.45pm & 8.15pm” greets you. And Pasture opens not a minute earlier or later. Ed Verner is the chef, owner, front of house, manager, sommelier, bartender, dishwasher, and cleaner of the award-winning restaurant. For the next three hours, you are in the hands of Verner and his two fellow chefs, Tatsuya Shinkai and Agata Alicja. The three chefs cook your food (much of it over an open flame), mix your cocktails, pour your wines, clear your plates, sweep the crumbs from the bartop, all with a fine balance of friendly casualness and stoic perfectionism. The food at Pasture is a miraculous combination of meticulous technique, rustic warmth, deceptive simplicity and grand ambition. Verner’s 13- to 15-course set menu is matched with either a combination of obscure, low-intervention wines, carefully chosen craft beers and inventive cocktails or a non-alcoholic pairing that takes non-alcoholic drinks as seriously as the cocktails. It is as refined as any white tablecloth restaurant, yet as personal as an intimate dinner party at a friend’s house.
My favourite spot for a relaxing Sunday lunch is Depot by Al Brown. It is the perfect place to refuel for the upcoming week. At Depot, fresh, seasonal New Zealand produce and flavours are elevated with international influences to make shared plates interesting but proudly unpretentious. There’s often a wait, but it’s 100 per cent worth it. As a meat lover, I will urge you to try the lamb ribs with skordalia and cumin paprika oil or the famous hapuka sliders with pickled lemon mayo and watercress. Trust me, you won’t regret this.
Maison Vauron is a warm and welcoming watering hole tucked away by the North Shore side of the harbour bridge. The wine list isn’t long but it is quality, with a fine selection of wines from New Zealand and abroad. Be sure to try the Forrest Collection Late Harvest Riesling for a sweet, late-night dessert wine with notes of dried apricot and honey. The food menu offers a number of appetisers, mains and desserts to choose from. My pick: The pork meatballs and calamari served with charred carrot purée, sumac and orange labneh, and fried peanuts.
THE HIDDEN
A culinary gem tucked in the labyrinthine City Works Depot is Best Ugly Bagels. The ingredients are locally sourced, but the baking technique originates from Montreal. The sleeker, larger, slightly misshapen wheels are pulled fresh from the wood-fired ovens, which fill the room with an intoxicating aroma. The salmon, onion and cream cheese is as gourmet as it gets and is easily one of the best on the menu. To prevent people dying from bagel overload, their store hours are only from 7am to 3pm.
Away from plain sight (it’s behind a white counter), Giapo is, in my opinion, the best ice cream parlour in the world. Everything is perfect – the texture, the flavour and the smell. The flavours at Giapo are ever evolving and often feature collaborations with other notable chefs or food industry names. The gelato comes in a cup or a cone, but without fail is adorned with something unexpected and delicious. It’s like the Willy Wonka equivalent of ice cream.
An unmarked white door with no obvious signage that leads to a rustic fit-out of crate seats and sacks with Indian adornments? You are at Satya Chai Lounge, the perfect spot for anyone looking for a new take on Indian cuisine. Tuck into the kurryaage chicken (Indian spiced Japanese style fried chicken) and the legendary dahi puri. There’s a huge focus on local craft beers, to complement the food and cool vibe perfectly.
THE MARKETS
Escape the hustle and bustle of the city and head south to the Catalina Bay Farmers Market. Aside from fresh fruits and vegetables, you’ll also find baked goods, handmade cheese, gourmet muesli, preserves and free-range meats. Be sure to arrive hungry because you’ll want to eat your way around the stalls. Start with a bacon and egg bap followed by a chocolate and almond cruffin (yes, that’s a croissant muffin hybrid). Wash down with a freshly made smoothie as you head-bop to the live music. If you’ve got kiddos in tow, they’ll love the pony rides and the handmade Russian fudge.
Hobsonville Point Farmers’ Market is so good it’s held twice weekly on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Located at the landing by the Hobsonville Ferry Terminal, there are stalls inside an old airplane hanger and outside on the surrounding platform area. With much of the market being held undercover, it’s the perfect market to visit when the weather is less than average. Let the musicians do their thang at this much-loved market while you cross off your shopping list and nibble on freshly baked treats.