The saying goes “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, and while Mark Wallbank is aware his pumping Parnell eatery Woodpecker Hill was far from broken, he was ready for a change.
Six weeks of rumination provided the spark to give Woodpecker Hill a makeover, five years after its doors opened for the first time, once again bringing a new offering to Parnell.
The Golden Nest at Woodpecker Hill, as the site is now known, is a “new incarnation” of the previous restaurant, with eye-catching chartreuse upholstery, a versatile and convertible space and an exciting new menu.
Wallbank’s longtime chef and collaborator Che Barrington embraces the fun and fresh influence of Japanese and Korean food within The Golden Nest’s extensive offering.
Toasted Rock Lobster & Prawn Roll
Moving away from the restaurant’s previous Thai-infused American BBQ style, the innovative new dishes are a little less spicy and a little more shareable thanks to smaller, snacky-style portions.
“We just wanted a more cost-effective menu, so people can come twice a week as opposed to twice a year,” says Wallbank. “Even if you’ve got 50 bucks in your pocket, you can still have a couple of baskets of dumplings and a couple of drinks.”
Cheese Burger Bao
There are so many appealing dishes on the menu, you’re going to want to come with a group. A dedicated dumpling and steamed bun section espouses some of the best morsels in town thanks to the kitchen’s expert dumpling chefs who make everything to order.
As well as more traditionally-inspired favourites, Barrington brings new meaning to the term ‘fusion’ with a particular dish: the cheese burger bao. A stuffed steamed bun with a side of dipping mayo that tastes uncannily like a cheeseburger, we can already tell it will be a must-order dish for every table.
Another essential is the karaage fried chicken with kimchi hot sauce: gluten free thanks to a coating of potato starch and impossible to stop at just one piece.
“There are a lot of fermented aspects to the menu, and we make all our own kimchi and hot sauces,” says Barrington. “Making the sauce with the kimchi juice imparts flavours that are more alive and adds a bit more of freshness to it.”
For some fresh to offset the fried, look no further than the beloved kombu-cured salmon salad, a favourite brought over from The Blue Breeze Inn and tweaked for the new venture.
Pork Ramen
Parnell locals will also be delighted to learn that ramen hotspot Chop Chop has been set up as a second outpost within The Golden Nest, so it’s essentially two restaurants in one with patrons being presented with both menus on arrival.
The drinks menu is suitably extensive, and when it comes to cocktails we can’t go past the Elwood: The Golden Nest’s take on an Old Fashioned served in a beeswax-coated bottle that imparts a delicious honey-tinted infusion into the drink.
The refurbishment includes a revamp of either side of the restaurant’s front section, which larger bookings have the option to close off for a private party all of their own.
“Basically, I want to have a very versatile space to break up into lots of different areas,” says Wallbank.
Having come through Covid, Wallbank and Barrington are keen to inject some colour and irreverence into The Golden Nest at Woodpecker Hill and now’s the perfect time to pay them a visit.
And if you were looking for three words describe the spirit of the place, Mark Wallbank’s about keeping it simple. “It’s fresh, fun and uncomplicated.”
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday: 12 noon until late. Monday: Closed
The Golden Nest at Woodpecker Hill 196 Parnell Road, Auckland
The brilliant minds at Cheshire Architects are to thank for some of central Auckland’s most significant spaces, including Britomart, City Works Depot and many other high-profile commercial and residential sites. For 16 years, co-founder Nat Cheshire has channelled his passion and versatility into the firm’s various offerings, moving effortlessly across development strategy and architecture, branding and product design on a day-to-day basis. With Cheshire’s latest project Hotel Britomart set to open later this year, the award-winning creative delves into what makes him tick.
My personal style can be defined by: Pre-lockdown: Slimane without the sparkly bits. Lockdown: Frozen II’s Ana to my daughter’s Elsa, with all the sparkly bits. Post-lockdown: Confused. Missing Elsa.
The last things I bought and loved were: From friends: A pair of deep indigo linen pyjamas from Greta at General Sleep and a diver pendant by Maeve at Hera Saabi – both for my wife. I already have special things.
An object I would never part with is: A decade ago my wife and parents bought me a folded steel Cité chair by Jean Prouve. I would fight for it and the generosity it embodies.
Cité chair by Jean Prouve
An unforgettable place I visited was: The razorback crossing on the Kepler Track in a snowstorm. For a few hours we ran on whiteness, through whiteness, into whiteness. The drop either side vanished into whiteness, white crystals clouded eyelashes, snatches of the surrounding alps gleamed bright white through swirling dull white. Every sound muffled except the filling and emptying of lungs, the whistling of wind through rocky crags. I am a beach person. Being up here was like being on another planet. And I was a little bit scared. It was perfect.
Next place I’d like to travel to: What a country to be trapped in. So now to explore it with the awe of our visitor; to find someplace special made by people who care, and help them keep it alive. For me, a small old shepherd’s hut in the fold of a hill in the high country. A little fire, a heavy pot and a safe filled with ice and food. Perhaps a tiny creek for water. Some mountains to run in. I’m sure there’s such a thing to be found.
An indulgence I would never forgo is: I can live without all of them, but a small shard of darkest chocolate has become a ritual – Miann’s, made of beans from Tokiala in Papua New Guinea, is all smoke and tobacco and really, really good. I also get to eat Bo’s dumplings in the lane next door whenever I need to restock, and watch our little Morningside hum and grow.
Bo’s dumplings
The last things I added to my wardrobe were: They were gifts: Murray Crane made me a special shirt with a rolled club collar; Eddie von Dadelszen give me a pair of dark waxed boots after George Gregory and I finished his atelier, and most recently my tattooist brother Hal gave me a black, reaper-emblazoned ‘Cheshire Tattoos’ tee. I treasure Hal’s entire back catalogue.
The person who inspires me is: I look into my daughter’s tiny slumbering face each night, nestled between blanket and teddy. Often I see my grandfather in the curl of her lip, sometimes some memory of my infant self. I see something continuous passing through us – a thing that precedes us and outlasts us. Something like the baton in a relay race, only we get to run alongside each other for a while, sharing it, handing it over carefully, preparing for the time when one day our children will run without us. I want to run so fast for that little girl.
Also: my father, who sees having one leg as a perfectly good reason to live only in places accessible by climbing steep hills, and to pursue the balance-intensive art of surfing. His is a good model for life.
I can’t miss an episode of: Country Calendar…Rick and Morty…
Rick and Morty
My favourite app is: Sunseeker. It is old, and good.
If I had to limit my shopping to one neighbourhood in one city it would be: I love the Marais and I love Omotesando and so on but right now fuck the Marais, you know? I will shop instead wherever our own sisters and brothers are working and fighting to hold together a dream, to keep each other employed, to create something where once there was nothing, to keep the culture moving forward. We do extraordinary things here. We are capable of so much more. Repurposing a fraction of our expenditure on generic global luxuries would supercharge so many parts of this little culture and its economies.
In my fridge you’ll always find: Lewis Road butter, Cathedral Cove yoghurt, Batchwell Kombucha and a bunch of East Imperial tonics to go with the Scapegrace Gin.
Hotel Britomart
I recently discovered: What our little clay brick and glass Hotel Britomart looks like naked. And that it is satisfying to make tall buildings that have the qualities of tiny buildings. In the next couple of months we’ll finish the rest of the city block and unfurl what we hope to be a delight full chaos. Dajiang Tai – its architect and my collaborator – says it is all of the things he wanted to grow up and do.
My favourite room in my house is: It’s a fight between my bathroom and my library. The bathroom is dark roasted oak and a little creamy stone. It smells like cedarwood, and the light is soft and pooled. It is peaceful. But in my heart I still think the best room on earth is a room made of books. When I work really hard there is, in ours, a little felt daybed to sleep on every now and then; a saffron niche cut into a wall of words and pictures and little momentos. So I guess the library wins.
The people I rely on for my wellbeing are: Many. Our studio for their extraordinary energy and care. Katie Lockhart and Rufus Knight for their camaraderie of all kinds. Maggie Carroll and her partner Jessica Walker, who is somehow the best at every part of being a human. Nick McCaw for convincing me that we are lucky to have found more stairs to climb. Mimi Gilmour for the nakedness of her heart and the fervour of her husband. The Cheshire family for so many reasons. I am just a person in a thousand pieces held together like a rock by these people.
The one artist whose work I would collect is:Kate Newby. She and a group of extraordinary young women gently adopted me when I was 16 and a late arrival to their art class; her work carries that gentle, observant generosity still. After that, my art obsessions start getting heavy.
Kate Newby
My favourite website is: Our friends Andy Campbell Design and Blake Ramage of The Artistry Online just finished collaborating with us on our own, so that’s my new love right now. They took such care.
The last meal out I had that truly impressed me was: Han. Careful, intelligent, unfamiliar, dark, generous, crunchy, slurpy, unctuous, fucking delicious. Also my last Burger Burger chocolate thickshake was just as impressive as my first. It might be perfect. Like any drink I ever have at Caretaker, and the dumplings at Xuxu, or Bo’s in Morningside.
The grooming product I can’t live without is: DDMMYY made a beautiful tin for Triumph and Disaster, and called the sticky grey earth inside Coltrane Clay – a basic hair product. I can live just fine without it, but you’d look at me funny.
The podcast I am listening to is:13 Minutes to The Moon. A story about, amongst other things, little donuts of iron. Metal beads woven into a tapestry of filament wire by unemployed textile workers. Each thread of the weave delineating a one or a zero. Coding when it was a tangible thing. Coding you could feel with your fingertips; that you could physically wrap around a little capsule atop a thirty-storey high gas tank; that would set fire to that gas with such force and precision that it would fling three of we humans out of our heavy planet to land softly in the Sea of Tranquility, three hundred and eighty four thousand kilometres away. Then we get out and walk about on another planet. And then we do it all backwards and go home for a hug and dinner with the kids. All driven by a tapestry of beads, the coordinated endeavours of four hundred thousand people and a mission control whose average age was…27. It’s devastating.
It’s also a story of what this species is capable of when it fights not for land or resources or cultural imposition, but for the expansion of what it is to be human. So now we need an Apollo programme for the ecological resurrection of our own planet…and the dismantling of all mechanisms and drivers of systemic prejudice, both passive and active. Ours is an extraordinary responsibility in a time of unprecedented, but asymmetrically distributed, empowerment.
The last music I listened to was: Terribly noisy and angry sounding. My favourite.
If I wasn’t doing what I am, I would be: Trying to.
I have a collection of: Unrequited but not yet impossible dreams.
The saying decrees that fair-haired folk have more fun, but living life as a blonde bombshell doesn’t come without its tribulations. Getting your exact ideal shade is the challenge, but luckily with the right colourist in your corner, the flaxen holy grail is well within your reach. For an outcome that is anything but brassy, you’d be wise to leave your locks in the hands of the best in the blonde-obsessed biz.
Kristle Sullivan at M11 in Newmarket M11’s resident blonde expert, there’s not much that Kristle can’t lend her colouring know-how to, whether you’re bold and bleached or natural and golden. Not only will she have you sporting a new, glossy hue, but her more-than eight years of styling experience leave your hair serving looks as soon as you leave the salon. She’s the one you’ll need on speed-dial, pre-event.
Shannon Lee Johnson at D&M in Ponsonby Switching from brunette to full blonde isn’t for the faintest of hearts, but if there’s anyone that can restore our faith in such a monumental shift it’s the likes of Miss Johnson — her colour wizardry has garnered a serious cult following.
Amiee Marieat Amiee Marie Hair Studio in Beach Haven
There has been no shortage of bouncy blonde beauties streaming from this Olaplex boutique salon. Specialising in balayage, it should come as no surprise that Amiee is booked out well in advance… but to the early ‘blonde’ birds go the spoils right?
Josh Angellat French Revolver Studio in the CBD
With over eight years of hairdressing experience under his belt, Josh won the Keune Tinta Colour Trophy Award (and completed a Master Colour Course in Amsterdam) for good reason. With a passion for beautiful sun-kissed colours to complement strands of every style and cut, it’s no surprise that the mane maestro is in high demand.
Adrian Dengat Anco Studio in The Viaduct
With over ten years experience in colouring and styling — including a long stint at M11 — Adrian now resides at Anco Studio as the firm favourite for blondes or those with darker hair wanting to lighten up. Tapping into bespoke modern techniques, his application is seamless and his results are beautiful.
Amanda Preston atStephen Marr in Ponsonby Not only a stellar stylist and colour specialist for Stephen Marr, but also a National Educator for Original & Mineral too, you can rest assured you’re in good hands if it’s Preston in charge. Her unwavering attention to detail has her hitting the nail on the head every time, consistently obtaining smooth, blended, natural-looking results on every one of her clients.
Kylie Dyersat Servilles in Newmarket With exceptional skill at reading her clients, Kylie manages to match the shade of blonde superbly following nothing more than a brief chinwag — not only to your overall look but to your personality too. Her playfulness with tinting and colouring leads to the creation of a fresh new ‘do that you never knew you needed.
Wing Xiaat SNOW Hairsalon in Milford
An old hand in the industry, Wing recently marked her 19th year as a hairstylist and touts her specialities as colour corrections and extreme colour transformations. So, if you’re keen to make the switch to blonde for the first time, she’s the one to see.
Abbey McInnes at McInnes and Co. in Mt Eden Is your hair in need of some serious shine and gloss? Abbey, owner and head stylist at Mt Eden salon McInnes and Co, comes highly recommended. Quite likely where Rapunzel would go to get her tresses tended to, all it takes is a quick glance at the ‘after’ results on the salon’s Facebook page to see that Abbey uses her power for good and for the good of the perfectly platinum.
Since 2006, Natalia Schamroth and her husband Carl Koppenhagen have provided regulars and first-time visitors alike with outstanding food and service as the owners and operators of beloved Northcote Point bistro The Engine Room. Passionate about her community and a woman of many inspirations, Natalia shares some of her favourite memories, indulgences, objects and places.
My personal style can be defined by: Understated.
The last thing I bought and loved was: A bottle of Bell Hill Chardonnay.
An unforgettable place I visited was: There are many but the highlights would be: Petra in Jordan, The Souks in Damascus, diving deep under the Red Sea; Piazza del Campo in Siena watching il Palio from an apartment right above the start/finish line; Vietnam, on a motorbike, speeding through the paddy fields and tiny villages contrasting with dashes across 6 lane highways into oncoming traffic; six months travelling throughout India — the colour, the people, the food, the simplicity — magical.
Petra, Jordan
On my wish list is: The vaccine.
A book I recently read and loved is: I recently re-read the biography of fabulously inspirational Jane Digby called A Scandalous Life.
An object I would never part with is: A ring designed by Vivianna Torun for Georg Jensen. It is a Moonstone ‘Snail’ ring, that belonged to my grandmother.
The design (building, person, item) that inspires me is: I loved the style of my late Polish grandmother. She had such an eye for design that was apparent throughout her home and her wardrobe and her kitchen. Arriving at her Melbourne apartment was like walking into a European design store but with the warmth and comfort of a Jewish grandmother’s home.
An indulgence I would never forgo is: Line dried, sunkissed, ironed Frette sheets and pillowslips.
If I had to limit my shopping to one neighbourhood in one city it would be: Although not the ultimate shopping neighbourhood, I had the best shopping spree of my life in Siena.
Next place I’d like to travel to: Sicily and Croatia.
My favourite room in my house is: Mornings in my sun-filled bedroom.
I recently discovered: A stunning six-metre waterfall only 10 minutes bike ride from my home in Point Chevalier. It is Auckland’s only natural inner-city waterfall.
The people I rely on for my wellbeing are: There are many for all sorts of different reasons. But it is close girlfriends who keep me on track.
My favourite website is: Right now there is not much time for anything besides work-related websites: ResDiary for our restaurant bookings, Xero, IRD and Westpac. Sad but true.
The last meal out I had that truly impressed me was: At Pasture. Six of us dined there and had a fantastic meal and a lot of fun.
The podcasts I listen to are: Deep in the Weeds with Anthony Huckstep
The one artist whose work I would collect is: A designer of fashion, not an artist. I’ve always been obsessed with the fabrics from Emilio Pucci. I’d love a full wardrobe to look at, not necessarily wear.
Fabric by Emilio Pucci
Music I’m currently listening to: There’s a lot of hardcore rock going on in our house -— our six-year-old thinks he’s a DJ, we have no chance of taking over the sound system.
If I wasn’t doing what I am, I would be: Writing — it’s been a while but I’m ready to start again. Helping other hospitality businesses — I’d like to pass on the insight I’ve gained in a lifetime of working in hospitality. I don’t have all the answers but I have a few that might help others from making some of the same mistakes we have in this highly challenging, low margin industry.
I have a collection of: My grandmother’s (mostly Dior) ’60s and ’70s sunglasses.
It’s been a confronting and overwhelming several days, and for so many, it’s been an extremely painful time. Protests following the killing of George Floyd on Monday May 25 at the hands of Minneapolis police continue across America, and all around the world people are grappling with how to affect change within our societies when overt and covert discrimination towards black people and people of colour is far too prevalent.
Of course, George Floyd’s death is the tip of the iceberg – racial profiling in the US is horribly familiar every time we see yet another story on the news.
It’s important not to separate the reality of what’s happening in the States with our situation in New Zealand, as many of those within our Māori, Pasifika, Muslim and Asian communities have also experienced racism and discrimination. We saw the absolute worst outcome of this vile viewpoint in Christchurch on March 15 last year.
It can be hard to know what to do, however, it’s not the right answer to do nothing. There are so many resources out there to educate ourselves, and it’s about learning together and keeping the awareness top of mind – not just for a brief moment while it’s on our social media feeds, but with permanence, meaning and intention.
This list contains a small fraction of some of the incredible literature and media out there, but we hope it will give you some suggestions on where to start.
While most of us have our day-to-day skincare routines down pat, there’s nothing quite like a restorative and relaxing facial – not to mention the results you can see from regular visits to a knowledgable therapist. Taking some time for yourself is important; close your eyes and let the outside world fall away. If you’re not a regular beauty spa attendee or are thinking about see a new specialist, look no further than our comprehensive list of the best facial experts in Auckland.
Kara fromHaven in Takapuna Haven is renowned for its focus on skin treatments and top therapist Kara is a must-see for her knowledge and expertise. If you’re a new client you’ll be booked in for a time-slot and Kara will tailor a treatment to suit your needs. One of the most popular offerings is the Baseline: A-Zyme Anti-Ageing Peel, which addresses dull, blotchy skin to refresh, refine, hydrate and plump. To book, click here.
Tracey Maree from Forme Spa in Parnell If Tracey Maree’s tribe of loyal followers are a testament to anything, it’s that the skincare specialist’s many years of work as a facialist have given her an unparalleled knack for getting it right, each and every time. While there’s little in the field that she can’t turn her hands to, the Synergie Suprema-C facial is her current speciality. The ultimate facial treatment for those concerned with the signs of premature ageing, hyperpigmentation and photo-damage, it promises intense hydration, instant firmness and a refreshing luminosity to all skin types. To book, click here.
Kate from Skinography Kate’s instinctive way of knowing what each of her clients need draws on her ability to apply not only topical skincare but to also work closely with the internal support system. She combines holistic methods like Chakra techniques, energy work and crystal healing to truly restore and rejuvenate, from the ‘skinside out’. To book, click here.
Nicolefrom Society Society’s talented facialists offer customised treatment options and use two holistic non-invasive skincare brands – Osmosis Skincare and Dermaviduals. Nicole’s current signature facial is the Winter Warmer package. A one hour customised treatment facial with LED red light therapy, it focuses on detoxing impurities, hydrating and plumping the skin, and anti-ageing. Sans Ceuticals products are then used for a detoxing shoulder and décolletage massage, and a foot massage. Incorporating all of this into one session, Nicole looks after her clients from head to toe. To book, click here.
Laurafrom About Face in Ponsonby Laura’s signature treatment serves as the ultimate pre-event quick fix. A multifaceted treatment which combines three approaches for optimum results, the bespoke ‘Power of Three’ begins with a skin peel to remove dead skin, before a spot of Omnilux Light Therapy is applied to rejuvenate and soften, topping off with an active vitamin infusion via Sonophoresis — a method in which ultrasound is used to increase the absorption into the epidermis, dermis and skin appendages. To book, click here.
Rhonda or Jo fromFace Facts Equally fantastic at what they do, both Rhonda and Jo from Face Facts in Remuera deliver a specialised variety of facial that serves as the ultimate lavish treatment. For when you’re really searching for a spot of indulgence, The La Prairie facials use caviar enriched skincare to transform even the dullest complexions to create more radiant, luminous faces with smoothed and firmed skin — all while delivering a state of pure blissful relaxation. To book, click here.
Yui from Spring Spa in Ponsonby Yui comes highly recommended from the renowned team at Spring Spa. Specialising in clinical facials, Yui starts her process by getting a handle on the client’s current skincare routine before selecting the best path to take in order to obtain the healthy, structurally improved skin that they covet. Once the skin analysis is complete, handing over the reins to Yui to handle the task at hand is the only thing you need to worry about. To book, click here.
Michellefrom Rosenthal If it’s a no-product facial you’re after, then Michelle is your woman. Offering a treatment free of slathering and caking, she instead employs the regenerating benefits of massage seeing the face, head and neck kneaded to a state of blissful relaxation. The process is designed to release facial tension (particularly good for jaw clenchers) and promote the natural flow of energy, all while helping to stimulate the skin’s natural cell rejuvenation and repairing process. To book, click here.
Janine from East Day Spa With over 16 years experience in facial and skin therapies, East Day Spa’s leading luxury facialist Janine Stucki sure knows a thing or two about what our faces need. And for those with a wedding on the horizon, Janine’s specialisation in wedding skin preparation is something that should be wholly taken advantage of. Her relaxation therapies and skilled techniques collide with her utter talent for solving people’s skin concerns to create a specialised facial that leaves brides radiating on their big day. To book, click here.
There’s something seriously comforting about food that doesn’t pretend to be highbrow. Case in point: this dip created by Danielle Alvarez, head chef at renowned Sydney farm-to-table restaurant Fred’s. It’s basically a deconstructed taco, making use of Tex-Mex flavours at their finest. Be sure to have enough corn chips on hand – this delicious recipe feeds between 8-10 and we bet you’ll keep coming back for more.
Ingredients: 1 bar Philadelphia cream cheese (250g) 250g full fat sour cream 300g chunky store-bought tomato salsa (spicy or mild) 400g minced beef 1 tbls. olive oil 30g taco seasoning spice mix ½ head shredded iceberg lettuce 1 small white onion, peeled and diced 2 large tomatoes, diced 200g finely shredded Colby or tasty cheese 1 large bag corn chips
Method: 1. Mix together the salsa, cream cheese and sour cream and spread onto the base of a large platter. 2. Brown your minced beef in a very hot skillet with the olive oil. When cooked through, add the seasoning packet and continue to cook for another minute. 3. Check for seasoning then tip directly into the platter, spreading it evenly to the edges. 4. Layer the rest of the ingredients in the following order: iceberg lettuce; onions; tomatoes; cheese. 5. Serve with corn chips.
Options: Add pickled jalapeños or diced avocado into the layers.
Katie Lockhart is one of New Zealand’s most renowned interior designers. For more than 12 years, Katie Lockhart Studio has garnered international acclaim for its founder’s Antipodean-meets-European sensibility, with Katie’s considered touch easily identified throughout some of our most well-known restaurants, retail spaces and homes. Here the tastemaker opens the door on some of her influences.
My personal style can be defined by: A mixture of practical and slightly eccentric vintage pieces.
The last thing I bought and loved was: A daybed for our living room by Shin Okuda of Waka Waka.
Daybed by Shin Okuda
Next place I’d like to travel to: Sri Lanka.
An object I would never part with is: A quilt that my Mum made me when I was little that my daughter now has on her bed.
On my wish list is: For our studio space to be finished, its being built at the moment.
An unforgettable place I visited was: Bijoy Jain’s Copper House II, Chondi, Maharashtra, India.
Copper House II
The design (building, person, item) that inspires me is: I really love the work of Vivan Suter.
An indulgence I would never forgo is: Organic fruit and vegetables.
The last thing I added to my wardrobe was: My husband just gave me a BODE shirt for my birthday which I love.
Bode
If I had to limit my shopping to one neighbourhood in one city it would be: It would be in Tokyo!
In my fridge you’ll always find: Organic milk, chilled water, fruit and vegetables, Asahi.
The last meal I had out that truly impressed me was: The Engine Room. We love heading for a meal, it’s in our neighbourhood and the goats cheese souffle is amazing.
The one artist whose work I would collect is: Vivian Suter.
Vivian Suter
Music I’m listening to currently: Magdalene by FKA Twigs.
If I wasn’t doing what I am, I would be: A gardener.
When David Lee and Oliver Simon opened the Korean-fusion café, Simon & Lee in Parnell back in 2017, they ignited our interest and educated our palates on the intricacies of Korean cuisine.
Turning their backs on the elevated café classics that were virally popular at the time, such as meringue-loaded French toast and brioche bun eggs Benedict, the duo unapologetically broke the brunch mould.
Serving intimidatingly red-hued spicy rice cakes, Korean fried chicken platters and hearty dumpling soups topped with shredded nori, their eatery quickly rose to fame at the top of Auckland café rankings. Continuing in the same boundary-pushing vein, on June 11, Lee and Simon are joined by Jason Kim and Nathan Lord in opening Gochu, an 80-seat Korean restaurant and bar within Commercial Bay.
Firmly committed to introducing authentic Seoul flavours to our shores, executive chef Jason Kim created Gochu’s menu to offer accurate interpretations of loved Korean delicacies. Sujebi, for example – touted as the ‘peasant dish’ by Koreans – sees hand-pulled dough, cooked in a comforting broth, which Kim has tweaked and redefined as a Korean-style gnocchi. While the LA Galbi – a dish created by the Korean immigrants of Los Angeles – includes succulent slices of beef short rib, accompanied by perilla leaves and tender leek.
During the day, Gochu Noodle Bar will cater to the varied clientele at Commercial Bay, offering business professionals and the like, a quick, tasty bowl of Korean noodles.
Gochu is sure to prove this duo’s prowess beyond just brunch, adding more diversity and flavour to our gastronomic scene.
Commercial Bay officially opens June 11, 2020. Visit 1 Queen Street, Auckland CBD.
In the spirit of investing in made-to-last wardrobe staples, we can’t overlook leather as one of fashion’s most hardworking materials, with designers utilising the sturdy and versatile textile in more ways than ever before.
No longer relegated just to your favourite pair of trusty shoes or handbag, why not step out in a pair of leather culottes, a leather jacket or a suede skirt? Now that many of us are out and about in the “real world” again and aware that the temperature has noticeably dropped, there’s no better time to take a closer look at leather.
Charlotte suede skirt from Dadelszen, Christopher Esber Charlie tuck short from Muse, Trench coat from Louis Vuitton.
Colour In While classic black will always be in style, the autumn/winter 2020 international collections showcased vivid iterations of coloured leather in various shades; from electric blue at Mugler to oxblood outerwear at Lanvin and artful patchwork suede at Marni. Be inspired to reach for one of the tinted pieces on offer locally.
Ena Pelly New York biker jacket from Superette. Ganni grain leather jacket from Workshop. Cream leather jacket from Dior.
Outer Layer You’ll never regret adding a leather jacket to your rotation. Recent interpretations play with proportion for an oversized fit and fresh washes including cream and warm brown.
Liberation leather mini skirt from Aje. Frame Denim skinny leather trousers from Superette. Remain Birger Christensen Bellis leather midi-skirt from Net-a-Porter.
Leg It Stepping out in a pair of leather trousers needn’t be as intimidating as it sounds. Fans of a polished style will love the pairing of a crisp white shirt worn untucked, or an oversized knit and coat for a more relaxed textural look.
For The Boys Luxurious leather and impeccable menswear are a match made in heaven; all that’s left to decide is how you want to wear it. For corporate casual that still says chairman of the board or polished weekend cool, leather is now the preference for professionals in search of an edge.
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