Nov 19, 2019 What's On

Metro’s One Night Only dinner at Culprit is on this Friday night. Enjoy five indulgent, carby comfort food signaling the start of a good night, or the end of an even better one: pot-noodle popcorn, sausages, mac and cheese katsu sammies, and indulgent dark chocolate mousse. Elsewhere in food news, the owner/chef of Black Barn Bistro comes to Ponsonby, and clothing store Platform get together with a coffee company.

Food news: 19-26 November

One Night Only: Culprit Midnight Snack

The Great Annual Sabato Sale

The annual sale, featuring produce like Rustichella pasta, premium olive oil, and luxurious homeware.
Thursday 21 November | Sabato, Mt Eden

Beaujolais Nouveau 2019

Celebrate the arrival of the Beaujolais Nouveau wine at the Le Chef-hosted street party on O’Connell Street, featuring cheese, charcuterie and, of course, wine. $19 covers entry and a glass of Beaujolais Nouveau. At Maison Vauron , treat yourself to a special lunch or dinner, the food French and the wine, well, also French. (Beaujolais is a red wine made from Gamay grapes, by the way.)
Thursday 21 November | O’Connell Street, central city

Pasta Italiana

Chef Henry Gordon of Hawkes Bay restaurant Black Barn Bistro, with Annabel’s Wine Bar, presents a three-course menu matched with Italian natural wine. Think rustic-style Italian cooking and flavours. $55pp includes the set menu and a wine on arrival. Bookings to hello@annabelswinebar.com.
Saturday 23 November | Annabel’s Wine Bar

Platform Store presents Wood & Co Coffee

Platform Store are launching their collab with Wood & Co Coffee, an Australian coffee company known for their eclectic branding – including selling a Twin Peaks blend. On the day they’ll be dropping a custom roast, t-shirt and other caffeine accessories, selling the goods alongside beer from Brothers Beer and New York-style hot-dog eatery Good Dog Bad Dog.
Saturday 23 November | Platform Store, Mt Eden

Seedlip x Clipper

For one afternoon only (3-6pm), Clipper will offer a no- and low-alcoholic cocktail list curated by Seedlip, with alcohol-free renditions of classic Negroni and Martini cocktails. A perfect event for those of us who aren’t drinkers and curse the lack of options out there – miraculously, there’s now more to non-alcoholic drinks than just soda.
Saturday 23 November | Clipper, Ponsonby

What we ate this week

Jean Teng and Alex Blackwood

Sai oua at Takapuna Sunday Market
I am so into this Nothern Thai/Laos sausage, spicy as hell and fragrant with kaffir lime, tumeric, galangal, and lots of lemongrass. It’s delicious, and I stumbled into this food truck at the Takapuna Sunday Market, parked right at its edge. I’m sorry I don’t remember the name, but the truck is white and there’s only one of its kind, plus it’s usually parked closest to the bus stops at the fringes. You should get it. I’ve heard this is a pretty scarce find in Tamaki Makaurau, but if anyone wants to point me in the direction of some… I won’t complain. – JT

Pinehouse Korean & Japanese Restaurant
There’s only one thing to get here and that’s the BBQ Pork, served on a sizzling plate. It’s not remarkable except for one little detail: the pork cut they use is fairly thick pork belly. That’s unusual with this dish, which is usually served with thin slices of pork shoulder. -JT
50 Mokoia Rd, Birkenhead

Camper Coffee
Great spot for a coffee and a spot of afternoon tea (like a matcha cheesecake, mm). Better, I would like to emphasise, than the hectic new 277 Westfield Mall down the road, which at the moment is only nice if you are in the mood to get into a hyper-consumerist Christmas spirit. – JT
4 Kent Street, Newmarket

Alternative Meat Co. patties cooked at home
I am aware I can’t be harsh because my cooking skills are a factor here and boy are they MEAGRE. Anyway, I cooked the non-meat plant-based patties (the same meat Burgerfuel uses in their alternative muscle burger) and there was sizzle, there was fond coating the base of the pan (drool), and there was surprise from my fellow diners when I reminded them that it wasn’t actual meat. It goes crispy, gets all umami and meaty and does a pretty good job of pretending to be meat. I peeked at the ingredients and it’s mostly soy, wheat and pea protein. – AB

Burger Burger’s The Absolute Wurst pickle dog
Like a hot dog, but instead of a bun, they’ve cut a McLure’s pickle lengthways and wedged a sausage in between. I like pickles. I often complain that there isn’t enough pickle on my burgers. But there is such a thing as too much pickle. While it is a fun idea and I recommend that you do this for the meme if you are a pickle lover, this is a bit much. The loaded potato skins with beef and pickles, however? A whole meal of crunchy, vinegary yum – go for those. – AB