While Auckland has certainly seen a lion’s share of enticing new hospitality openings this year, longevity and reliability is to be celebrated — especially given the recent hardships faced by the industry at large.
Vietnamese restaurant Cafe Hanoi is one such restaurant, marking a decade in business this year with an exciting move to a new venue. But, don’t worry, it’s not going far — co-owners Tony McGeorge and Krishna Botica have worked with Cheshire Architects to create a brand new restaurant in the site of the old 1885 nightclub.
Chargrilled beef bavette
With a larger dining space, the restaurant will also encompass an open kitchen with chef’s table counter seating and a private dining room that can accommodate 44 guests, double that of the original private space.
Executive chef Nathan Houpapa has created a new menu that draws heavily on his culinary experience travelling throughout Asia, and the traditional French influence in Vietnamese cuisine.
The Sharman cocktail
Highlights include anise roast duck; chargrilled beef bavette with fish-sauce caramel; chargrilled local octopus with green chilli kaffir sauce; and New Zealand clams with lemongrass ginger broth and Thai basil.
It’s a new and exciting era for Cafe Hanoi, says Botica, who can’t wait to welcome guests to the beautiful new space for the same delightful experience the restaurant is known and loved for.
The sun is out, and so are we — of Level 3 lockdown. Again. One of the hardest parts about lockdown is not being able to see friends and family if they’re not part of our bubble. Another, perhaps more privileged challenge, is missing the act of going out for a meal.
Now we’re all allowed to mingle again, why not plan to reunite with your loved ones around a table in one of Auckland’s many great restaurants?
Ponsonby Road Bistro Always consistent, and consistently cosy, Ponsonby Road Bistro is our go-to in the suburb for a snug and relaxed meal with loved ones. We’ll have the confit duck, thanks.
The Engine Room We always feel at home at Northcote Point establishment The Engine Room, thanks to its hospitable interior that’s as welcoming as its staff and enticing bistro dishes, such as steak frites or pork schnitzel.
Ortolana Italian-inspired bistro Ortolana turns on the charm for every one of its patrons, helped along by its cheery space. Sit beneath the distinctive twinkling Monmouth glass lights and dig in to one of the expert pastas or locally-sourced meat dishes.
The Golden Nest at Woodpecker Hill
The Golden Nest at Woodpecker Hill The Golden Nest at Woodpecker Hill is a new incarnation of an old favourite — you guessed it, Parnell’s Woodpecker Hill. Recently revitalised with a menu focused on sharing plates and smaller, snackier portions, this is the perfect place to catch up over dumplings, cheesburger baos and cocktails.
Williams Eatery It’s no surprise family-run Williams Eatery are experts at a warm welcome, with its Wynyard Quarter space providing the perfect spot to soak up the sun over delicious brunch fare, a small selection of irresistible pasta and a glass of natural wine. Cheers to that.
Cassia Something about stepping down the stairs into Cassia’s warm, inviting space has us feeling instantly cocooned. Coupled with the incredible flavours of the modern Indian restaurant’s menu, it’s always a winner.
Ahi Why not celebrate a reunion with your nearest and dearest by experiencing a newly-opened eatery together? Ahi, Ben Bayly’s highly-anticipated new restaurant, has just opened at Commercial Bay, and the menu is a tasty celebration of New Zealand ingredients.
Culprit
Culprit Chefs and Culprit owners Kyle Street and Jordan MacDonald know how to make a meal special and memorable. Opt for the ‘Taste of Culprit’, involving the restaurants famed trolley bites plus a shared main and sides for the table, or the ‘Epic Menu’ which will see you taken on a delicious culinary journey of the duo’s signature inventive flavours.
Apéro Walking into Karangahape Road wine bar and eatery Apéro, you’ll instantly feel at ease in the long, brick-walled room. With a menu of simple yet expertly-executed dishes and a considered wine list, it’s an ideal spot to while away an hour or three getting each other up to date on all you missed during lockdown.
Ostro This downtown institution boasts some of the best views in the city. Tucking into a meal as the sparkling water lights up the faces of the ones you love, you could take advantage of dining with more people by ordering from the ‘to share’ section — slow cooked Te Mana lamb shoulder, anyone?
Gemmayze St What better cuisine to eat for a family reunion than one that’s all about community? Lebanese eatery Gemmayze St will see you in good stead with any one of its mezze dishes, and the airy space means there’s plenty of room.
Embracing our restored freedom once again with a bang, Ben Bayly’s highly-anticipated new restaurant has opened in Commercial Bay.
Named Ahi, meaning ‘fire’ in Te Reo Māori, the eatery is situated on level 2 of the humming downtown precinct and champions the unparalleled produce of Aotearoa in a way that aims to pay homage to both our special local ingredients, and the “people who harvest, prepare and serve them.”
From left: Ahi interior; scampi corn dog. Right photo: Anna Kidman
Multi-award-winning chef Bayly is opening the eatery as co-owner in conjunction with Christopher Martin, who will also be overseeing operations as the restaurant’s manager.
Bayly’s working career spans senior chef roles at Michelin-starred restaurants in France and London, and on our shores he has been a culinary force at 3 Hat restaurant The Grove, Baduzzi and Aosta in Arrowtown — now he’s channelling all his skill and talent into this new venture, to cook New Zealand food with a story.
From left: Butterfish in bull kelp; tahr tartare. Photography by Manja Wachsmuth.
The menu is exciting in its originality and inventiveness, often utilising traditional Māori cooking techniques in a contemporary way. To start, a selection of snacks are on offer, the likes of hangi paua with kahawai, sour cream and kawakawa; Whangaripo buffalo steak and cheese savouries and a scampi corndog all bring a fresh spin on what is considered ‘Kiwi cuisine’.
Larger dishes are equally enticing. Butternut with toasted harakeke, longkeeper jus and young punga joins the likes of boil up toast with Berkshire pork; charcoaled crayfish with a lemon-sorrel salad; wild fallow deer with parsnip and brussels; and butterfish wrapped in bull kelp with sea asparagus, plated to look remarkably like a glistening dark green pounamu.
From left: Pine and apple; caramelised marshmallow; granny smith sorbet and pine oil; Ahi lockdown sourdough
While there’s no doubt a large part of Commercial Bay’s appeal lies in its international hospitality offering, it’s brilliant to see a restaurant joining the ranks that is celebrating all the incredible native ingredients and food heritage our home country has to offer.
Ahi
Level 2
Commercial Bay
7/21 Queen Street
Auckland CBD 1010
New York might be a city of apartment-dwellers, but for a contingent of its population, home is found in the late 19th- and 20th-Century mansions that are peppered through chichi neighbourhoods like the Upper East Side — offering sprawling, opulent floor plans over multiple levels. This is one such property.
Set on a site that was originally two separate homes before being unceremoniously turned into a small apartment building, this Upper East Side townhouse began with a demolition that allowed its new owners to start from scratch. Taking the 32-foot-wide double lot and constructing a 14,000 square-foot, seven-storey home (with seven bedrooms and eight bathrooms), the owners commissioned interior design studio Meyer Davis to finesse the details, a task its longtime director Elizabeth Curry took on readily and executed, alongside associate Josh Suckle, with aplomb.
Architecturally, the house is classical with a dignified, imposing presence that invokes the same kind of stately manner its 20th Century original would have presented.
But for the team at Meyer Davis, it seems, reimagining the old world details through a minimalist lens, and throwing a soupçon of whimsy into the mix for good measure, was how this home would be made to feel contemporary while remaining true to its history.
Between the parquet floors, the simple palette and the panelled walls, the designers introduced ultra-modern touches. A circular, sculptural chandelier by Niamh Berry for example, presides over the walnut-panelled library, while elsewhere, neon artworks by Tracey Emin and a tubular glass light feature by Mathieu Lehanneur offer intriguing, contemporary counterpoints.
Here, the designers have made everything about balance — on the one hand, ensuring classical features are honoured, on the other, subverting expectations. The white porcelain Lily of The Valley tendrils that weave along the panelled plaster wall connecting the first and second floors, exemplify the two ideas coming together in harmony.
Embracing the idea of surprise and delight, the team at Meyer Davis has managed to bridge the significant gap between the old world and the avant-garde, creating an ethereal home that is magnificent in scale and courageous in execution.
As a new parent or parent to be, being presented with the number of items a newborn requires — and how swiftly they no longer need them — can be overwhelming.
Catering to the excess that exists in the newborn realm is a savvy new consignment platform, Lullabuy. Dedicated to addressing the ongoing issues that every parent has, whether it’s finding a cost-effective solution to securing decent products that have been lightly used, or what to do with the pram, capsule or crib once the little one has grown out of it.
Lullabuy’s business model not only helps parents either sell or buy goods, but also contributes to problems of excess in the industry, by extending the life-cycle of these pre-loved items. With a goal to provide new families with quality goods that are no longer of use, while also reducing waste — a pertinent factor now more than ever — Lullabuy has created a successful online platform to buy and sell both new and pre-loved premium and high-end baby accessories.
On the first Monday of each month, Lullabuy holds a sale via their Instagram story, showcasing a slick edit of curated baby items. Often comprising such items as unused Gucci baby blankets, the sought-after Nuna Leaf, brand new Stokke Tripp Trapp high-chairs, and gently preloved Bugaboo Prams, the sales have been a huge success.
So if you’re on the hunt for high end baby goods at a fraction of the price, or you just need to clear out the garage of your no longer used items, Lullabuy could be the perfect solution.
In a move that will further enhance Martinborough as one of the country’s most desirable wine destinations, leading New Zealand wine company Foley Wines is establishing a multi-million dollar wine and gin destination in the region, with construction to begin later this year.
Set to include a restaurant, private dining room, tasting room, underground barrel hall and gin distillery, The Old Winery will be home to all Foley Wines’ esteemed Martinborough brands: Te Kairanga, Martinborough Vineyard and Lighthouse Gin.
“Martinborough is a region that more and more wine lovers are getting excited about,” says Foley Wines CEO Mark Turnbull. “We’re committed to investing in the high quality brands we have here, both in terms of winemaking and creating a memorable visitor destination.”
The restaurant at The Old Winery will encompass 100 seats, with an additional private dining room and outdoor terrace. An ideal location at which to host a wedding or event, the menu will celebrate the produce of the local region.
While the tasting room will be home to guided tastings, showcasing Te Kairanga and Martinborough Vineyards wines, Lighthouse Gin’s new distillery will also provide guests with something to look at, as they’ll be able to see the distiller at work while they sip on a Lighthouse Gin and tonic.
Designed by award-winning architect Charlie Nott, whose widely-revered projects include Amisfield Winery and Depot Eatery, the multi-faceted development is set to be the perfect place for an immersive experience to remember.
You know the one — the hot ticket TV show people can’t stop talking about. It’s both highly-publicised by the media and highly praised by your peers. It’s also been languishing on your watch-list for far too long. You keep meaning to get around to watching it but never quite do… until now. From gritty dramas to iconic comedies, we’ve rounded up the TV shows you simply must see.
Insecure Created by Issa Rae and Larry Wilmore, this compelling series follows two best friends as they wade through the various peaks and troughs of balancing personal lives and professional relationships in Los Angeles. Watch on Neon
Fleabag This multi-award-winning comedy/drama, written by and starring Phoebe Waller-Bridge, follows a young woman living in London who must come to terms with the death of her friend while manoeuvring dysfunctional family dynamics. Watch on Amazon Prime
Euphoria Based on an Israeli series of the same title, this gritty show, starring Zendaya, offers insight into the lives of high school students and their experiences with love, friendship, identity and trauma. Watch on Neon
The Handmaid’s Tale Follow June (Elisabeth Moss), as she adjusts to life as a handmaid in totalitarian society Gilead, where women are property of the state and life as we know it is over. Based on the 1985 novel by Margaret Atwood, the show’s popularity has seen the story carry on for three seasons past the book’s original plot. Watch on Neon
Chernobyl This historical-drama miniseries centres around the Chernobyl nuclear disaster of 1986, and the destruction left in its wake. The exhaustively-researched series received 19 Emmy nominations, and is still widely touted as a must-watch. Watch on Neon
The Night Manager Jonathan Pine, a former British soldier who is now the night manager at a luxury hotel, is approached to become a covert operative tasked with infiltrating the inner circle of Richard Roper — a shrewd, underground arms dealer. Watch on Amazon Prime
Fauda With a title that means ‘Chaos’ in Arabic, it’s hardly surprising that this gripping show delves into fraught territory. An undercover agent from the Israeli Special Forces goes behind Palestinian lines to hunt down a Hamas terrorist… conflict ensues. Watch on Netflix
Schitt’s Creek Created by father-son duo Eugene and Daniel Levy (who also star as father and son in the show) Schitt’s Creek kicks off with a prominent New York family’s fall from grace, and unfolds as they acclimatise to life in a much smaller town. Watch on Netflix
Afterliferecommended by fashion designer Wynn Hamlyn “Ricky Gervais gives the performance of his life playing a small-town journalist dealing (terribly) with the death of his wife. Cynical, suicidal and angry at the world, he muddles his way out of the darkness, to see that there is, in fact, life after death.” Watch on Netflix
Curb Your Enthusiasmrecommended by wine and espresso bar owner Henry Mitchell Temple “In this classic series, television writer and producer, Larry David, plays a version of himself, as he navigates hilarious misadventures and wades into awkward encounters with his celebrity colleagues in Hollywood.” Watch on Neon
For the ideal weekend drop, look no further than this refreshing cocktail recipe from Princes Wharf’s Coley & Punch. Christened the ‘The Wisdom of Sage’, this recipe combines Lighthouse gin, blackberry liqueur, fresh sage and a citrusy punch of grapefruit and lime. Simple yet quietly impressive, this cocktail is easy accomplished by both amateur bartenders and experts alike.
The Wisdom of Sage cocktail recipe Serves 1
Ingredients: 20ml fresh grapefruit juice 20ml fresh lime juice 15ml blackberry liqueur 1x heaped bar spoon of blackberry jam 15x fresh sage leaves 1 egg white 5ml Laphroaig 10 60ml Lighthouse gin
Method: 1. Add all ingredients to shaker and dry shake to emulsify the egg. Add ice and shake vigorously. 2. Double strain into a chilled cocktail glass. 3. Finish with grapefruit zest, 2 fresh sage leaves and freeze-dried blackberries.
There’s never been a better time to lend your ear to a great podcast. Thought-provoking, captivating and always entertaining, there’s a podcast out there to suit just about everyone. Whether your tastes range from comedy to true crime, take your pick from these popular podcasts.
Comedy The Ron Burgundy Podcast In troubled times the general public turns to a face they can trust and anchorman Ron Burgundy is stepping up to the plate with his podcast. The aural-spin off from the hit film Anchorman features such diverse special guests as Sia, Brooke Shields and Gloria Steinem.
The Worst Idea of All Time Comedians Guy Montgomery and Tim Batt ramble delightfully through a movie every week, applying their unique view to such classics as Gigli, Sex and the City 2 and Cats. The perfect background while you spend hours trying to decide what to stream on your television.
Off Menu Brit comic duo Ed Gamble and James Acaster invite guests into their imaginary restaurant to discuss their favourite entrees, main courses and desserts, as well as a decent tipple. Guests are mostly plucked from the ranks of British comedy, including Katherine Ryan, Noah Scnapp and Ronny Chieng.
Office Ladies Ditch your book club and join a sitcom club as Jenna Fisher and Angela Kinsey take you through every episode of The Office, in which they starred. You can really commit to the podcasts by watching each episode before the actresses dissect the themes and take you behind the scenes.
Learning Bobo and Flex On a “quest to decolonise your minds,” Bobo Matjila and Flex Mami deliver an informative weekly discussion that delves into topics like sex and lifestyle through the lens of race and feminism.
This Podcast WillKill You Pointedly relevant, this podcast is from two disease ecology graduate students who want to share their knowledge of epidemics and medical mysteries with the world.
History of the 90s Whether its discussing legendary film Scream and how it gave new life to the horror genre, talking over the details from the Columbine High School Shootings, exploring the rise and fall of the beloved Beanie Baby toy franchise or delving into our collective devotion to TV series Friends, this podcast has you travelling back in time through the stories that defined a decade.
Every Little Thing Fans of quirky knowledge, this podcast is for you. Ever wondered how nail polishes are named? Or the truth about airplane mode? All will be revealed.
Talking Politics: History of Ideas Host David Runciman explores some of the most important minds and ideas behind modern politics in a bid to put current events into a helpful historical context.
Overheard at National Geographic Have you ever wondered what it’s like to scuba dive under a pyramid? Or how an ancient Roman harbour mysteriously ended up in ruins? Or even what it would’ve been like if women were the first on the moon? National Geographic delves into all of these questions and more as it explores the most curious elements from our bizarre and beautiful world.
Growth Unlocking Us withBrené Brown Bestselling author, Brené Brown, unpacks the universal human experience in this thoughtful podcast, that reminds us to embrace our vulnerability and be kind to ourselves.
Ten Percent Happierwith Dan Harris On his podcast, Ten Percent Happier, acclaimed author Dan Harris discusses happiness from every angle, always returning to the idea that the mind is trainable, for better or worse.
Teenager Therapy Five teenagers sit down to talk about the arduous journey of growing up. Whether you’re a parent of teens or a teen yourself, this podcast is packed with heartwarming, informative stories to keep you engaged.
Oprah’s SuperSoul Conversations The undisputed queen of talk show television and all-around media darling, Oprah, hosts this popular podcast to help connect us to the deeper meaning of the world. Through a series of interviews with thought-leaders, best-selling authors, luminaries and experts on health and wellbeing, this podcast will lift you up and give you pause for thought.
Inspiration Everything Is The Best Positioned as a kind of expert guide on how to not feel so alone, this podcast sees host Pia Baroncini get real with her guests, in an attempt to discover and highlight the things that connect us all. Delivered in a format designed to inspire the listener to follow their dreams, Baroncini invites guests from all walks of life to dig around in their past and divulge experiences that everyone can relate to, regardless of their circumstances. It is a thoroughly uplifting listen that will serve to shift your perspective.
Escapism Bubble This eight episode spoof sci-fi series follows a small band of monster killers, voiced by Alison Becker, Mike Mitchell, and Keith Powell, in the town of Fairhaven, which resembles hipster ground zero Portland. Narrated by Tavi Gevinson, this slick production is addictive and just alternative enough to give you the wry smile you normally get from a barista refusing to serve you a trim flat white. It’s a mix of Daria, Blade Runner and Broad City.
Carrier Over the course of seven episodes, we follow long-haul truck driver (Cynthia Erivo), who, during a night trip across rural America, discovers she’s transporting a trailer with disturbing, mysterious contents.
Homecoming Before it was a hit Amazon Prime series starring Julia Roberts, Homecoming was a gripping podcast where a well-meaning therapist, her ambitious boss and a soldier eager to re-join civilian life all collide at the mysterious Homecoming facility.
True crime White Silence This podcast from Stuff and RNZ explores the shocking story of New Zealand’s deadliest disaster and is perfect for anyone who loves a gripping conspiracy theory. In 1979, an Air New Zealand jet with 257 passengers on board took off from Auckland Airport, destined for Antarctica. Hours later, everyone was dead. With lies and cover-ups in abundance, White Lies will have you questioning everything you thought you knew about the infamous Mount Erebus disaster.
Who The Hell Is Hamish? This fascinating story of a serial conman takes us into the life and crimes of a Sydney surfer with a particular set of skills that allowed him to take on a number of different personas, evade authorities for years and steal tens of millions of dollars.
The Shrink Next Door If you love true-crime, you’ll love this outrageous story about a neighbourly relationship between psychiatrist and patient that turns into something far darker than you could have ever imagined.
Ear Hustle Conceived, recorded and produced from inside San Quentin State Prison, this podcast is the result of a collaboration between two inmates, Earlon Woods and Antwan Williams, and prison volunteer Nigel Poor. It explores the daily lives of those incarcerated and provides insight into the world behind bars, a political and nuanced landscape that at times, doesn’t feel much different from our own.
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.
