Dan Gillett and Brendan Manning first met at a wine bar in London, where they bonded over a shared belief that Auckland’s dining scene was in need of something similar. Fast-forward to this year, and Gillett and Manning have finally turned those musings into reality with Clay — a sleek, new wine bar on K’Rd.

From its food to its fit-out, Clay is simple but sophisticated. Inside, a long, 32-seater wooden table (built by Gillett) takes up the entirety of the intimate space. And while there are a few tables out back, mostly, punters are encouraged to sit community-style around the wine bar’s impressive centrepiece. The flooring is also a highlight. Made by Manning who conceived it by assembling an assortment of broken seconds from Middle Earth Tiles, Clay’s floors are a unique mosaic that lends the otherwise pared-back bar a quirky, fun edge.

Around the periphery of the space sits a number of wine fridges, holding over 200 bottles of natural wine — their prices ranging from $50 to $500. Clay is as much a bar as it is a retailer, inviting customers to purchase bottles to-go until 10pm. While for those dining in, Clay’s elaborate wine list offers a vast and varied selection of wine-by-the-glass — from light and fresh to rich and weighty — alongside wine on tap, too.

In the kitchen, chefs Ralph Jenner and Ray O’Connor have created a number of tasty dishes that are apparently subject to change nightly. Having previously worked for renowned London establishments, Esters and Padella, the duo are showcasing their culinary skills through the unique flavours of the plates and pizzetas they have created to accompany Clay’s delicious beverages. Expect dishes like beetroot with crème fraîche and chevril, choy sum with sweet tahini, devilled eggs with asparagus, capers and tarragon and our favourite — kahawai crudo with New Zealand spinach and deliciously rich soy butter.

Even the pizzetas deviate from the usual. Each boasts a sourdough base that, while thicker and chewier than the normal pizza base, is still airy and fluffy — the perfect foundation for its tasty toppings that will change according to what is seasonally available. Despite the fact that the toppings will likely be different with every visit, Clay is promising to always have a meaty option and a vegan one on the menu, to ensure there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

Although technically, Clay is a new opening, having Gillett as a co-owner has allowed it to quickly cultivate a reputation as one-to-watch. Being the man behind Wellington’s Everyday Wine, Malborough’s Scotch Wine Bar and Wine Shop and the natural wine distribution company, Wine Diamonds, Gillett’s knowledge of wine is extensive and respected. And while this is Manning’s first official foray into hospitality ownership, his passion for gastronomy meets Gillet’s experience in what seems to be a harmonious meeting of minds.

With its warm, welcoming atmosphere and friendly staff, Clay is removing the typically snobby stigma that often surrounds high-brow wine bars, instead, inviting customers to simply pop in for a casual bite and a seriously good drop. It might be new, but we’re predicting it will become a new K’Rd favourite in no time.

Opening hours:
Tuesday to Saturday: 4pm until late
Sunday & Monday: Closed

Image credit: Clara-Jane Follas

Auckland’s dining scene has come a long way in the last decade, seeing a number of new cafes and restaurants delivering dishes that are nothing less than world-class. But with the good, often comes the bad, and if there’s one thing we can’t abide by, it’s gratuitously ‘trendy’ foods creeping onto the menus of our favourite places. So, without further ado, here are 15 food trends that we’re waving goodbye to as we move into the new decade.

Smoothie bowls
You can’t go a day on Instagram without scrolling past a bowl filled with a colourful smoothie that’s been topped with fruit, granola and occasionally, a hefty scoop of peanut butter. These bowls, which are literally smoothies poured into bowls instead of glasses, promise a raft of health benefits, and generally don’t come cheap. But if it’s a healthy alternative you’re after, bear in mind that these bowls contain far more sugar than you think, so think twice the next time you go to order one.

Poké bowls
Look, this is basically just a bowl of rice covered with vegetables and raw fish. And although it originally became trendy as part of a wellness craze, the poke has evolved to now offer toppings like fried chicken covered in lashings of creamy sauce. We’ve reached peak poké people, time to move on.

Freakshakes
Luckily, this one is already on the decline. Although we still see the occasional Instagram showing a milkshake topped with a panoply of cakes, cookies, sprinkles, ice cream and sauce. And while they might look impressive and attention-grabbing, when you break down the components, you’ll realise that they’re made up of nothing more than store-bought, stale treats. By the time you get to the milkshake itself, it’s bound to be lukewarm and lacklustre.

Activated charcoal
The powder that turns everything pitch-black but does almost nothing as far as flavour or aroma needs to go. And while some people point to its health benefits (it supposedly assists in kidney function and digestion) for justification, most of the activated charcoal ice creams and burger buns we see these days only incorporate a tiny amount — not nearly enough to help with anything,

Edible flowers
Just because something is safe to be eaten, doesn’t mean it should be, and the whole edible flowers trend is a testament to that. We’ve said it once and we’ll say it again — edible flowers are bitter, unpleasant and don’t belong on food.

Low-carb burger buns 
This year was most definitely the year of keto, which is also a trend we hope to say goodbye to in the new decade. Almost as much as we want to farewell low-carb burger buns. If you’d rather have your burger with lettuce or avocado ‘buns’ instead of bread, here’s an idea, don’t get a burger. You’re also bound to feel unsatisfied and have raging food envy when the people around you are enjoying the full experience.

Brioche dough
While we’re on the topic of buns, let’s talk about brioche. Renowned for its rich, buttery flavour and slightly dense texture, many burger restaurants around town have swapped out their buns for this distinctly French iteration. Sometimes, however, all you want is a good old sesame bun that’s light and fluffy. Especially when you’re dealing with hefty fillings. Bring back the old school bun, we say.

Unicorn food
Whatever happened to the days of ‘less is more’? This technicolour food trend might look impressive at first glance, but take a closer look, have a taste and you’ll realise that unicorn food is just an array of food colouring and sprinkles. It’s unnatural and quite frankly, overwhelming.

Baos on every menu
It doesn’t matter whether it’s an Asian-fusion restaurant or a casual pub, nowadays there’s bound to be at least one bao on every menu. And while a good bao goes a long way (by ‘good’ we mean house-made and freshly steamed), most non-specialised restaurants use frozen, store-bought baos which are dry and bready. If you can’t do it right, you’re better off not doing it at all.

Millennial toast
Smashed avocado was only the beginning of the overpriced toast trend that’s taken over a number of eateries. Now, it’s acceptable to pay almost $10 for a slice that’s as small as a piece of Vogel’s and while less might be more, we need to start getting realistic about value for money.

Crazy French toast 
On the sweet side of the toast spectrum, the classic breakfast delicacy — french toast seems to be getting crazier and crazier. With toppings of fairy floss, meringue and pannacotta we’re craving the simplicity of powdered sugar and a drizzle of maple syrup.

Raw vegan desserts
Why are people still raving about raw vegan slices? Made from dates, nuts and a copious amount of coconut oil, most raw cheesecakes taste like candle wax actually contain a lot more sugar than you think. So if you’re trying to help your waistline, think again.

Funky flavoured chips
Enough with the macaroni and cheese, yakitori, spag bol chips, prawn cocktail chips. Stop trying to fix what was never broken. New Zealand is one of the rare countries around the world to have salt and vinegar chips stocked at every supermarket and convenience store, so we should just be grateful and embrace the great, classic chips we already have.

Grazing tables
“I don’t even know where to start” is the most common thing people say at events where a table is covered with all sorts of food. Seeing cheese, chocolate, cookies, lollies, crackers, cured meats, fruit, sometimes even doughnuts, all touching and mixing together, it’s a hellish smorgasbord of jumbled flavours and soggy textures. People don’t know where to start, not because they’re impressed, but because there’s too much going on and nothing that entices them.

Doughnut walls
Because… what’s the point?

Hugo Baird was only 24-years-old when he opened his first cafe, Crumb in Grey Lynn. Not long after selling it, he took over another hospitality space that once housed Were Bros, turning it into what would become the incredibly successful cafe, Honey Bones. And after two years of growing Honey Bones into one of Auckland’s favourite daytime spots, Baird along with Otis Gardner Schapiro and Willy Gresson have opened the doors to a new venture just a few doors down.

Meet Lilian, the osteria and wine bar offering Grey Lynn a cosy new after-dark haunt. In line with the traditional idea of an osteria, Lillian is simple, elegant and affordable — a welcoming, neighbourhood spot that is set to become a hub for locals and postcode-jumpers alike. Its interiors, by Hugo in collaboration with Ctrl Space, were inspired by the wine bars of Europe and exude a sophisticated and comforting atmosphere. From its textured, ecru-toned walls to its deep-burgundy leather seating, stepping into Lilian feels like stepping into a Parisian wine bar, an impression only helped by the tables and chairs that line the pavement out front — perfect for people watching or to catch the final few rays of the day.

The menu was crafted by Gardner Schapiro, who has cultivated an in-depth knowledge of simple yet bold flavours from working in the kitchens of Copenhagen, San Francisco and Mexico City. The dishes showcase authentic, no-frills European cuisine with small plates such as chicken liver parfait and burrata taking centre stage — the perfect grazing accompaniments to Lilian’s generous selection of wine (offering varietals from New Zealand, France and Italy).

Fresh and seasonal ingredients are a central focus on the menu at Lilian with each dish endeavouring to showcase its ingredients’ natural properties. The asparagus, for instance, is wood-fired for a smoky aroma but given complexity via the addition of tarragon, almonds and pecorino and the final touch of crispy chicken skin crackling.

For those seeking a proper feast, Lilian certainly delivers with its more substantial offerings. These include wood-fired octopus with romesco, fried potato and fennel salad, as well as a bavette steak served with tomatoes that have been smoked in beef fat. Not to mention, the grilled market fish that’s served with courgette flower, Meyer lemon purée and a light yet decadent ricotta.

The wood-fired pizzas also steal the show at Lillian. The bases are cooked perfectly in a speciality pizza oven imported all the way from Italy. The toppings come in six different variations, ranging from the simple tomato, oregano and confit garlic to pork sausage with tomato, mozzarella, oyster mushrooms, enoki mushrooms and finished with aromatic truffle oil.

And if you’re hankering for something sweet, the buttermilk panna cotta with rhubarb and merlot offers a fresh and flavoursome kick to bring your meal to a satisfying close.

The 70-seater osteria and wine bar is open for dinner from Tuesday to Saturday, with the team telling me that they have plans to start service from midday in the near future. A bid, I assume, to take advantage of Lilian’s sun-drenched location. Whether you go for the food, the wine or the sun (or all three) Lilian is set to become a go-to spot this season — and it only takes one visit to see why.

Opening hours:
Tuesday — Saturday: 5pm until late