There is a kind of magic that can be created when history is made to co-exist harmoniously with the present. Particularly in design, this specific balance of old and new is often perpetuated, but very rarely executed in a way that does justice to the aesthetic identities of both. Really, mixing modalities is something that should only be attempted by those who know what they’re doing. Lucky then, that in this historic, Victorian-era home in Melbourne, it was Mim Design who was handed the reins, tasked with reviving the residence in a way that both honoured its origins and filtered it through a contemporary lens, while ensuring it was practical for family.
Inspired by ideas of traditional Japanese design, the team at Mim decided to open up the stately home, introducing a new, internal courtyard surrounded by floor-to-ceiling, steel-framed windows and doors that not only allowed the once-dark interior spaces to be bathed in natural light, but immediately cultivated a strong connection between the interior of the home and the exterior. The windows themselves speak, stylistically, to a traditional Japanese Shoji screen, and serve to break down the unnecessary barrier between the home and its surrounding nature, which was one of the centre tenets of the new design.
The more airy, meditative feeling that these structural changes deliver are only enhanced by the designer’s strategically restrained palette, offering a muted backdrop to highlight the interesting melange of objects, furniture and artworks that infuse the residence with dynamism. Textural, Tatami mat flooring meets warm timber accents, polished plaster and crisp natural stone, for a look that delivers a modern feel without ever encroaching too heavily on the home’s historic features. Here, character is honoured and personality introduced.
Objects and furniture like Edra’s Vermelha armchair by Fernando and Humberto Campana offer intriguing but subtle points of focus.
With furnishings that are sculptural but never attention-grabbing, and objets d’art that offer intriguing but subtle points of focus, the SAR Residence exemplifies how design ideologies can be made to work together to an incredibly sophisticated effect. Through their expert deployment of sumptuous but robust materials and by working around the central idea of creating a stronger connection with nature, Mim Design married old with new to create an impeccable family home that will stand the test of time.
If you’re in the market for an accessories update, look no further than these ultra-covetable new season handbags. While we are certainly no stranger to the ‘it’ bag phenomenon, the latest releases from the likes of Gucci, Dior and Bottega Veneta are particularly on the money — and can take ours, thank you very much. Whether you’re after minimalist versatility, or a fun statement, these are the handbags to consider.
Three and a half years ago, The Twelfth Hour Distillery was created at the midnight hour — after many nights working well into the morning — in search of the most fresh and tantalising botanicals. You can taste this commitment in the internationally-minded, small-batch distilled gin made with makrut (kaffir lime) right here in New Zealand.
Twelfth Hour Distillery’s Dry Gin is the masterpiece of friends Andrew Shannon, Pawat Lamwilai and Angela Tsang. With their own palates leaning towards fragrant, spicy flavours, it took 22 iterations to find the perfect composition that balances all its intricacies. As such, an initial, atmospheric hit of makrut on the tongue and nose leads to a dry finish, with a clean, crisp aroma. Unlike many gins, the sense of flavour lingers for longer.
The makrut is a very personal connection for the friends, a nod to Master Distiller Lamwilai’s Thai heritage, nurtured and grown in his mother’s own garden in Auckland. It’s complemented by a bouquet of other botanical oils, including juniper, coriander seeds, lemon and orange.
A punchy gin that’s perfect for summer, we recommend pairing the Dry Gin with your favourite tonic (such as Fever-Tree) and then add a bruised kaffir lime leaf to enhance the lead botanical. If you don’t have a tree on hand, you could also garnish your drink with a ribbon of cucumber for a refreshing G&T twist — or go for a gimlet cocktail, which makes the most of the kaffir lime factor.
Whichever way you pour it, the most distinctive factor of Twelfth Hour Distillery’s Dry Gin — and what has it on everyone’s lips — is that it’s non-chill filtered. This means all the botanical oils — and their flavour — have been retained in the distilling process for a bold, full-mouth flavour. When ice, tonic, or other non-alcoholic liquids are added to a glass, the dissolvability of the oils decreases. This causes an alluring cloudiness to surface in the drink, making it a smooth gin to drink neat, and something a little different when you clink.
Boutique bottling for the Twelfth Hour Distillery began in October 2020 — with a limited 140 bottles per batch encased in a sophisticated design by the friends. In the space of six months, the rare Dry Gin won three silver medals at three different (and demanding) competitions — the Australian Gin Awards, the New Zealand Spirit Awards and the Juniper Awards — which kept the team up celebrating (rather than working) this time.
As if you needed another reason to try the Twelfth Hour Distillery Dry Gin, that’s something to surely raise a glass to.
Comparable to both ceviche and carpaccio, ‘crudo’ is technically a dish of raw fish or seafood, likely dressed with oil, citrus juice, and seasonings. And it seems there’s at least one iteration on every good menu in Auckland. In light of our summer appetites, lusting for light dishes as opposed to hearty, soul-warming ones, we saw fit to glorify our favourites by way of the following list.
Hotel Ponsonby’s Cured Trevally Hotel Ponsonby’s cured trevally is served with mango, chilli and crème fraîche offering a variety of flavours from spicy and smoky to sweet and creamy. This dish is a staple on the gastropub’s new summer menu for obvious reasons — it’s light, refreshing, and jam-packed full of flavour.
Omni’s Raw Snapper Fresh and deceptively simple, Omni uses long-line caught snapper cured between sheets of kombu. The fish is then sliced to order and served on a creamy, slightly tangy white soy cream, spritzed with lemon juice and finished with a fragrant kaffir lime oil.
Andiamo’s Kingfish Raw kingfish combines with juicy central Otago stonefruits and sliced tomatoes for a beautiful fresh crudo, harmoniously finished with a herby shiso dressing. It’s a flavour mashup that’s so good and unexpected, you just have to try it for yourself.
Bar Non Solo, Azabu.
Bar Non Solo’s Kingfish Crudo Carefully carved raw kingfish is marinated with lemon and smoked chilli flakes. Served with baby mozzarella and rosemary grissini, it’s a fresh vibrant dish that’s hard to beat.
Azabu’s Big Glory Bay King Salmon Tiradito Tiradito is a typical Japanese x Peruvian dish of raw fish, cut like sashimi and most commonly served with a spicy sauce — and this one’s been on Azabu’s menu ever since it opened. Served with passionfruit, coconut cream, leche de tigre (a citrus-based marinade) and crispy spaghetti squash, it’s a tart, tangy and wholesome creation.
Bar Celeste Changing up the flavour combinations seasonally, crudo is a staple on the menu for Bar Celeste. Currently, the K’Road eatery is running a market fish crudo with fig, vibrant citrus and fresh mint. Previous renditions include market fish with avocado, chilli and chive (which if you’re lucky, might be back on the menu before summer ends).
Soul Bar & Bistro, Faraday’s Bar.
Market Fish Crudo from Faraday’s Bar From Parnell newcomer Faraday’s Bar, this dish uses fresh market fish served with wood-roasted pineapple on a bed of avocado crema. Finished with fermented chilli, coriander, pickled red onion, and a crispy quinoa crumb, the crudo pairs perfectly with a crisp glass of the Domaine de Montille Clos de Chateaux 2018.
Soul Bar & Bistro’s Tuna Crudo Taking tuna and rendering it into something truly spectacular, Soul adds a bright soy and ginger dressing, kohlrabi and sweet wasabi into the mix. Not only is this dish visually stunning, but it’s quite something on the palate too.
Amano’s Kingfish Crudo We’ll never tire of Amano’s popular kingfish crudo. Accoutrements are changed seasonally to make the most of what’s on offer. The much-loved dish currently comes paired with cucumber, fig and mint.
Hello Beasty, Culprit.
Hello Beasty’s Ruakaka Kingfish This well-loved dish on Hello Beasty’s menu is far more beauty than beast. It comprises exquisitely fresh pieces of kingfish crudo paired with balanced flavours of whipped avocado, radish, pickled daikon, buttermilk and sudachi dressing (sudachi is a small, lime-like Japanese fruit), and wakame.
Culprit’s Line Caught Sashimi Some things are best left to the experts, like sharp knives and slicing fish. Luckily the pros are on the job at inner-city favourite Culprit with their instantly refreshing combination of line-caught sashimi with lacto-fermented sweetcorn, habanero and lime.
Alma’s Tuna Crudo Britomart eatery Alma centres on the delicious flavours and warm, relaxed energy of the southern Spanish region. Their mouth-watering crudo is dependent on what tuna species is available that day and paired with an ember charred green bean salad, anchovy and tuna conserva dressing, bay leaf oil and finished with fire-roasted seaweed powder.
At midnight, New Zealand officially moved to our Phase 2 response as Omicron spreads in the community. This new stage is about remaining vigilant with self-management, as we collectively work to slow the spread of the virus and continue to keep our health service and communities in check.
Ready to step up to the plate, so to speak, are Auckland’s leading restaurants. Scanning vaccine passes on arrival, limiting diners to a 100-person capacity and asking that patrons wear masks when not at their designated table not only abides by government guidelines, but helps everyone at that location feel safer.
“Our operators are well-oiled machines when it comes to upholding strict safety measures,” says Samantha Saxton-Beer, Marketing & Brand Manager of Viaduct Harbour. With the added benefit of a waterfront setting with generous, wide-open spaces (including decks and terraces), the pandemic is not stopping them from delivering the quintessential waterfront experience that people come to the Viaduct for.
It also means operators can go a step further in spacing their tables. Peter Gordon’s food embassy Homeland, for example, has spaced tables two metres apart (as opposed to the prescribed one metre). “You’ll find this kind of ‘above and beyond’ approach is being taken at many sites across the wider Viaduct precinct,” says Saxton-Beer. “I’m incredibly proud of our hospitality community for coming out shining from this period.”
Hello Beasty, Soul Bar & Bistro.
It has been said that our country has natural advantages that puts us in a position to be proud. (The Strategic Covid-19 Public Health Advisory Group chairman, Sir David Skegg, told RNZ he believed our country was more prepared for the Omicron outbreak than any other he could think of.)
By the same token, many of Auckland’s leading restaurants are already in a position to turn the restrictions into an opportunity to enhance dining experiences. At the Viaduct’s Soul Bar & Bistro waiters welcome guests as soon as they arrive, and introduce themselves at the table (over an offering of hand sanitiser) to ensure they have created a sense of connection in these strange times.
“Everything that is being mandated, we are taking really seriously,” says Olivia Carter, the Viaduct establishment’s Commercial & Events Manager. “As soon as you see Soul, you can tell.”
While they are strict, that doesn’t mean fun has been ruled out. Soul is still employing DJs to keep up the good vibes going for their Friday and Saturday service — and to encourage people to still come to the city for a (only slightly more sensible) night out. The tables can’t be cleared to make way for a dancefloor, but there is still plenty of toe tapping from both the waiters and their guests. “Our staff are really thankful for everyone coming through the doors, and they want to make sure they have a good time,” adds Carter.
The Nourish Group looks after a stable of sophisticated restaurants including Soul, Andiamo and Jervois Steak House. “If anything, we hope our guests feel even more comfortable coming in, knowing that we’re doing everything we can to keep them safe,” says the Group’s Director Richard Sigley.
At their bars and eateries, including The Brit and The Crab Shack, diners can digitally order and pay for a meal (or the next round) from their table, which keeps patrons seated safely, and helps the staff who can be run off their feet.
As a result of the pandemic, there have been severe staffing shortages across the industry. Sigley’s words to the wise diner are to come to a restaurant prepared with what is required of you — with a mask and pass, patience and understanding. No shows are a “no-no”, so if your plans do change (as they could) it’s crucial to inform the venue of any booking changes.
“I think hospo has been getting a bad reputation for being high-risk and there is a lot of nervousness about visiting us, but with a little understanding and some modifications, we can still offer a fantastic and safe experience,” he adds. “Even if people are hesitant to dine in, grabbing an outdoor table or asking about take-away options will go a long way in carrying the industry through these trying times.”
Being able to adapt is a skill all busy restaurants have needed to ensure a seamless and safe experience. “It has been a challenge throughout every stage of the pandemic over the past two years,” says Lucien Law, the Co-founder of Savor Group, which owns such delicious eateries as Azabu, Amano, Ebisu, Bar Non Solo and Ostro. “While we can’t fill our venues as we have before, we are still ensuring our guests have the best time they can, as safely as we can.”
With teams that are driven by looking after others, and creating memorable experiences, it’s no surprise that the safety of Savor Group’s staff and customers are a top priority. As well as enacting the usual requirements, and robust health and safety policies, Savor Group has been treating its venues with Zoono, a long-lasting antimicrobial solution that is non-toxic, since the first lockdown in 2020. But that’s not all — the team is also continuing to develop their offering across their restaurants and online store, to keep things new and exciting.
“We are continuing to create a wonderful vibe through what we do best, to deliver exceptional food, beverage and service,” says Law. “We are forever grateful for the support that people have given us, whether it be through our online business or through visiting our venues.”
Ultimately, these pandemic years are about looking after one another. And, as the news, conversations and situations we find ourselves in become increasingly charged (both politically and in terms of our protection) looking after ourselves is something we need to make an effort with as well.
As Saxton-Beer says: “We need to be mindful of taking time out to do the things that we enjoy most, the things that restore our energy and mental health. Now more than ever is the time to book in that lunch with your best friend.”
There’s a lot to love about the subterranean cool Bar Magda, and it’s not just the Filipino-inspired fare or rose-tinted atmosphere. But if you do feel like a night in — rather than an adventure to Cross Street — you can still be part of the excitement with the eatery’s takeaway menu.
Of special note is the by-the-glass-bottle cocktails, which are a welcome addition to entertaining at home. From the Holy Trinity cocktail menu, this is your chance to try its modern classic Magdarita. Blended with silky Arette Blanco Tequila, smoky Gracias a Dios Mezcal from Oaxaca, and a touch of elderflower cordial, lime, and agave, you can simply pour over ice and sip this magnificent margarita-style drink in one swoop.
Blackberry & Ginger Sour.
From the Something Sour menu, the Blackberry & Ginger Sour is perfect for summer evenings. Made with the punchy and fruity Grey Lynn Gin (made using locally sourced botanicals) as well as warming Cocchi Vermouth Amaro, and the aforementioned blackberry and ginger — this one is best shaken, not stirred.
With each 500ml bottle equating to five to six servings, we say it’s time to gather around and let the good times flow.
Nothing says “sophisticated” quite like a thoughtfully curated art collection. Whether you’re starting from scratch or adding to your cache, these inspiring pieces are sure to be a welcome addition to your walls.
While you may be swept away to breezy shores and tranquil retreats, between the pages of a book is also a lovely place to be these holidays. Simone de Beauvoir’s posthumous post-World War novel The Inseparables is sure to change the way we think about the late, great author, while newcomer Naomi Krupitsky’s mafia minded debut The Family tests the bonds of family and friendship with intrigue. As these reviews show, a good book goes a long way when it comes to summer entertainment and enlightenment.
The Inseparablesby Simone de Beauvoir This never-before-published novel by iconic feminist and existentialist Simone de Beauvoir follows two young women’s intense and vivid friendship in post-World War One France. Deemed too intimate during her lifetime, it offers fresh insight into the author’s own story, for devotees and first-time readers alike.
The Promise by Damon Galgut In this masterful new work of fiction, a diminishing Afrikaans family deals with the disappointment of a nation — from apartheid to Jacob Zuma — as they meet each decade. With razor-sharp characterisations and dramatic dialogue over the generations, it moves from an atmosphere of resentment to renewal.
Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby An ex-con didn’t see eye-to-eye with his son, but when he and his husband are brutally murdered, the father goes back to the underworld to seek revenge, and maybe his own redemption. A proactive, fast-paced novel with visceral prose.
The Familyby Naomi Krupitsky In this tantalising debut novel of tangled fates, two best friends — and daughters of the American-Italian mafia — must fight for their relationship to survive as they come of age in their unspoken community.
People Like Them by Samira Sedira Set in an idyllic, yet insular, French village, and inspired by a true story, People Like Them looks with piercing psychological insight into how a normal-seeming person could commit an atrocious crime.
For the season ahead, look to styles that hinge on classic with a twist. For a slightly unexpected sunglasses update, try coloured, tinted lenses and unique frames. They’re sure to have you seeing the bright side.
Clockwise: Cutler and Gross 1391 matte black sunglasses from Parker and Co., Flat D-Frame sunglasses from Balenciaga, Metal aviator sunglasses from Bottega Veneta, ML0046 02L sunglasses from Moncler.
Clockwise: DiorBlackSuit S4I sunglasses from Dior, SL 461 Betty sunglasses from Saint Laurent, 1.1 Millionaires sunglasses from Louis Vuitton, Cutler and Gross 1392 dark turtle sunglasses from Parker and Co.
Whether we’re talking about diamond drop earrings or a scoop of your favourite ice cream, the old adage often rings true — two is better than one. As a true romantic, Häagen-Dazs has combined a couple of its favourite irresistible flavours, snug in one delicious Duo tub.
The ultimate treat, Häagen-Dazs’s Dark Chocolate & Salted Caramel Crunch Duo includes velvety dark chocolate ice cream with a silk caramel sauce on one side, and a salted caramel ice cream with crushed chocolate shards on the other.
Equally satisfying every possible sensorial chocolate craving, the Belgian Chocolate & Vanilla Crunch Duo includes Belgian chocolate ice cream with truffle chocolate sauce, sidled-up next to vanilla ice cream with fine cracking chocolate.
Whichever you choose, it’s time to prove yourself the most significant of significant others, or the best of best friends, by sharing yours open-heartedly.
To honour the delicious Duo this Valentine’s Day, Denizen is giving away an ultimate Häagen-Dazs experience. It will spoil you and your partner with a night’s stay at QT Auckland and a premium prize pack including tubs of the indulgent Häagen-Dazs Duo, Papinelle robes, silk eye masks and more to share with your cutie.
For more exclusive access to what the city has to offer, engaging content, excellent imagery and thought provoking commentary on the life that surrounds you, subscribe to Denizen magazine now.
