Olaf’s Artisan Bakery

Olaf’s (1 Stokes Road, Mt Eden) Tucked off Mt Eden’s main street, Olaf’s is an artisan bakery serving a range of baked goods and coffee to eat in or take away. The cabinet has a range of fancy and not so fancy cakes, tarts and baguettes, and the shelving behind the till is stacked high…

Genghis Khan Mongolian BBQ

Genghis Khan (25 Majoribanks St) Genghis Khan is one of those places that I had always wondered about, as I’d walk past it frequently on my way up Mount Victoria. It was seemingly mysterious, tucked halfway up the hill and having never really had Mongolian BBQ before I wasn’t sure what to expect. Upon entering,…

Feijoa cake with lemon icing

Feijoa cake tends to go down alright, and when it’s that time of year, I’m always looking for something different to make with the excess of feijoas. This cake is pretty easy, and tastes delicious! Collect 125 g butter 3/4 c white sugar 2 eggs 1.5 c mashed feijoa pulp 1 t baking soda 2…

Wellington on a Plate 2017

Wellington on a Plate 2017: boy that sure rolled around fast. This year, my focus was more on burgers than the events, although I did make a trip to Jano to experience their Dine Menu (as the Festival Dish winners last year, it felt rude not to!). Below is a brief summary of the eight…

Rata

Rata (43 Ballarat Street, Queenstown) Over the last year or so, I have developed a real appreciation for fine dining. I love the opportunity to eat food that I know has been put together by people with the knowledge and flair needed to create really interesting and well balanced food. Good chefs have a knack…

Espressoholic

Espressoholic (136 Cuba Street) A Cuba Street institution, Espressoholic is a cafe serving up all-day breakfast style food round the clock. It’s funky; upcoming gigs and show posters line the walls, the cabinet food screams ‘eat me’ and the place is divided into two; a dark room and a light room (which is really just…

Pipi Cafe

Pipi Cafe (16 Joll Road) Pipi Cafe in Havelock North would have to be one of the most iconic spots that the village has to offer. When it first opened I remember thinking it’s bright pink decor was a bit of an eye-sore, but over time it has certainly grown on me and most over…

Recipe: Vegetarian Bolognese

Spaghetti bolognese is such a winter classic, and my not eating beef this year has thrown a real spanner in the works. Finally though, I have found a recipe that replicates spagbol pretty darn accurately, except with the added bonus that it’s healthier and there is no beef. It takes just as long as cooking…

Banana chocolate chip pancakes

Lazy Sunday mornings always call for pancakes, and what a better way to mix them up than by adding some good ol’ mashed banana and some delicious chocolate chips. Always a hit with the boyfriend, they are a pretty easy dish to whip up without much notice, so long as you have the classic baking…

Recipe: Five spice pork with Asian greens

This meal takes a little longer than most of the other recipes on my blog, but it presents really beautifully and is incredibly tasty and fresh. Slow cooking the pork means that it stays tender and can soak up the flavours of the ingredients surrounding it. As you may have guessed by now, I love…