tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29640339183903956462024-03-13T16:07:10.448+13:00Life As A MuttWannabe fat bastard eating his way through Auckland, New Zealand.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13024856082368169384noreply@blogger.comBlogger156125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2964033918390395646.post-82272434348498156532015-07-16T21:55:00.005+12:002015-07-20T18:50:47.351+12:00Moving Over!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
New blog, looking better.<br />
<br />
Find all my existing content, and newest posts at:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://lifeasamutt.squarespace.com/"><b><span style="font-size: large;">https://lifeasamutt.com</span></b></a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13024856082368169384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2964033918390395646.post-2924050064270320932015-07-14T15:54:00.005+12:002015-07-14T21:06:35.633+12:00Food Review: St Pierre's Sushi<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">If making sushi is an art, then at St Pierre's it's the equivalent
of a chimpanzee flinging mud at a blank canvas. Stale rice, slimy fish and disgusting
nouveau combinations await you at this prolific chain. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Break your sushi chastity at any of the other sushi options,
for not one of them could be worse.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>1/10</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 20.5714282989502px;"><i>167 Karangahape Road, Auckland</i></span></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20.5714282989502px;"><i>Under $10 for most sushi packs</i></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20.5714282989502px;"><i>http://www.stpierres.co.nz/</i></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13024856082368169384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2964033918390395646.post-12733317317513537562015-07-09T12:39:00.003+12:002015-07-09T12:39:36.577+12:00Food Review: Mexican Cafe<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Cuisine: </b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Mexican/Tex Mex</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Price:</b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"> $15-20 most mains</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Location: </b></span><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">67 Victoria St West, Auckland Central, Auckland</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"><b>Website:</b> </span><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">http://www.mexicancafe.co.nz/</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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Another day, another bland ‘Mexican’ restaurant. The wooden décor
has some character, and portions give you bang for your bucket. The prawn tacos
are the only noteworthy item, the rest of the menu you could cook yourself,
blindfolded and with one hand.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>5/10</b><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13024856082368169384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2964033918390395646.post-6239627725104690362015-07-01T20:33:00.000+12:002015-07-09T12:30:31.868+12:00Food Review: Meet Fresh<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Cuisine: </b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Taiwanese/dessert</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Price:</b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"> Under $10 a dish</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Location: </b></span><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"> 6-8 Lorne Street, Auckland CBD, Auckland</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"><b>Website:</b> </span><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">http://meetfresh.net/</span></div>
<br />
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Doughy starch. Sweet starch. Bean starch. Sweet, thick milk.
Jelly!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Such describes the predominant ingredients of the concoctions
at Meet Fresh. Serving Taiwanese desserts, the café features various hot/cold
dishes and drinks, which almost all feature some kind of heavy starch. The execution
of the dishes isn’t impressive, with most of the ingredients coming from a
bucket, but the sugary variety of textures can be enjoyable. The herbal jelly
(No.4) and red bean porridge, either hot or cold, are some of the better items. The hot version served in warmed milk, the cold with ice. Red bean is a favourite of
mine, so the porridge is a no brainer, though it pales in comparison to the similar
Malaysian dish: pulut hitam.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The café is frequently busy, so take away may be your only
choice.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-E0WItInbnRw/VZOlYPK9L2I/AAAAAAAAOmE/2u2e2GVCxvc/s1600/DSC_0208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-E0WItInbnRw/VZOlYPK9L2I/AAAAAAAAOmE/2u2e2GVCxvc/s400/DSC_0208.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Starchy and sweet,
Meet Fresh is a one of a kind dessert café. Your enjoyment will hinge on
appreciation of its limited choice.</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>6/10<o:p></o:p></b></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13024856082368169384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2964033918390395646.post-84256043047633705032015-06-25T10:48:00.000+12:002015-06-26T18:13:41.489+12:00Food Review: Loco Pizza<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Cuisine: </b>Pizza/pasta<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Price: </b>$20
a large pizza<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Location: </b>407 Parnell Road, Parnell,
Auckland<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Website:</b> http://www.locopizzanz.com/<span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">With the strikingly macabre skull
silhouetted on the window, and streaks of red inside, you might mistake this
pizza parlour as a Hell Pizza chain. Instead Loco Pizza stands on its own,
serving some of the better pizza in Auckland. This ain’t a cheap joint, no $5
pizzas here, a deal for two large pizzas costs $35. There are a multitude of
topping choices between the seventeen pizzas, to the point of overlap. Less is
more for me, but at least you’ll be spoilt for choice.</span><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">The pizza comes out fast, within twenty
minutes. What’s striking is the doughy treat resembles actual food, as opposed
to conveyor belt factory fare from the large pizza chains. The toppings are
delicious and light, you could scoop them off the pizza and eat them
individually. Succulent ham, cheese, mushrooms…it’s all extremely welcoming.
The dough is mostly soft, with a slight crunch, just the way I like. Clearly the food is cooked with a little love.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">A large pizza
per person is more than enough, and we struggled to finish our dinner. </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">The pasta is also worth a look, and home delivery is also a much appreciated for
those late night hunger pangs.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: black;">Loco Pizza serves the freshest pizza
I’ve yet tasted in Auckland Central, it’s now my home delivery preference.
Order a large pizza per person, and you’ll have a luxurious feast.</span></b><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>8/10</b></div>
</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13024856082368169384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2964033918390395646.post-38512211642806899962015-06-24T15:06:00.002+12:002015-06-24T15:09:25.246+12:00Food Review: Thai Me Up<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Cuisine: </b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Thai</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Price:</b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"> Around $15 a curry main</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Location: </b></span><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">244 Ponsonby Road, </span><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Ponsonby, Auckland</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"><b>Website:</b> </span><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">http://www.thaimeup.co.nz/</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"><br /></span>
Eating good Thai food in Auckland sometimes seems as probable as chasing rainbows and discovering leprechauns guarding pots of gold. Thai Me Up is another disaster, this time on the fetching Ponsonby Road. Decor is fine, food tastes like it was prepared from a packet.<br />
<br />
Curries are bland, watery and choked with heavy Western vegetables. Malaysian/Indonesian food is served under the umbrella of 'Thai' to those unaware of the differences. The place is at least clean, but you'd get tastier dishes at a food court.<br />
<br />
<b>At least it’s BYOB so you can drink on the cheap!</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>4/10</b></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13024856082368169384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2964033918390395646.post-58610344348408228282015-06-23T20:38:00.000+12:002015-06-23T20:41:21.723+12:00Food Reviw: Xi'an Food Bar<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Cuisine: </b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Chinese</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Price:</b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"> $11 for noodles</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Location: </b></span><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">11 Anzac Avenue, Auckland Central, Auckland (multiple locations)</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"><b>Website:</b> </span><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">N/A</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Xi'an Food Bar is another hole in wall Chinese, serving more authentic dishes than your average restaurant. The food is tasty, cheap and comes in large quantities. Downsides; no charm, no service to speak of and it's slightly dirty.</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Xi'an Food Bar plates up Central/North Western Chinese food, which features lots of pork and lamb, tripe, 'burgers' and hand pulled noodles. The Anzac Avenue menu is truncated compared to Xi'an's sister restaurants, though the choice that's left is more than enough. Between two people, you can't go wrong with some noodles, cold dishes and tripe to share. The noodles can be tough and chewy, but the slightly sour, oily sauce more than makes up for it. The 'burgers' are composed of a piece of Chinese pan bread, filled with juice dripping meat. Adding chilli makes me forget about Western style burgers.</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Oh, did I mention that you place your orders using a device that looks like it came direct from the 80's?</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9vewTs7hxeI/VYkZv8vVoXI/AAAAAAAAOfo/4AuiaMIB_kI/s1600/DSC_1664.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9vewTs7hxeI/VYkZv8vVoXI/AAAAAAAAOfo/4AuiaMIB_kI/s320/DSC_1664.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"><b>Xi'an Food Bar serves up warming, cheap eats. It ain't fancy, or pretty, but you can be rest assured of a good meal for your dollar.</b></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"><b>7/10</b></span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13024856082368169384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2964033918390395646.post-58453485396721687752015-06-19T09:33:00.001+12:002015-06-19T09:36:49.649+12:00Food Review: The Zookeeper's Son<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Cuisine: </b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">European/gastro pub</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Price:</b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"> Around $25 a main</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Location: </b></span><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">715 Mt Albert Road, </span><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Royal Oak, </span><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Auckland</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"><b>Website:</b> </span><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">http://www.zookeepersson.co.nz/</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Zookeeper's Son has the honour as being one of the few 'gastro pubs' in the area. It's the kind of place where there's ample room, beers a plenty to be drunk and a full menu to order from. It can certainly be a great combination when the components line up, but this gastropub fails on the food front.</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">The menu has a little bit of everything, without any kind of cohesive theme. So called 'Szechuan pepper squid', hamburgers, Thai salad, fish and chips and many other disorientated items are on the menu to tempt you. They all sound delicious, but I'm sceptical of any restaurant that tries to do so many dishes, from multiple cuisines and cultures well, it's an extremely tall task. Suffice to say The Zookeeper's Son isn't up to the challenge!</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9YKBG0ddn5w/VYM3puUt3iI/AAAAAAAAOU0/0CJtCDLzJ3s/s1600/DSC_1648.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9YKBG0ddn5w/VYM3puUt3iI/AAAAAAAAOU0/0CJtCDLzJ3s/s400/DSC_1648.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">All the items I've had were mediocre, though at least the chips were done well. The herb pizza almost dusty, the Texas baby back ribs tough. The eye fillet was particularly disappointing. The steak itself was cooked fine, though underseasoned. The oddly paired potato gratin was dry, lacking the creaminess I'd expect. The bacon...was just bacon. Why?</span><br />
<br />
<b>Consistently average food in a nice pub. You could be locked in worse places during a zombie apocalypse.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>5/10</b></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13024856082368169384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2964033918390395646.post-76649773461871064212015-06-14T22:23:00.002+12:002015-06-15T15:24:05.517+12:00Food Review: Mikano<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Cuisine: </b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">European/Fusion</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Price:</b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"> Around $35 a main</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Location: </b></span><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">1 Solent Street, Mechanics Bay, Auckland</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"><b>Website:</b> </span><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">http://www.mikano.co.nz/</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">On a cold midweek night, me and several other Zomato reviewers were invited to dinner at Mikano.</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">The restaurant feels remote if travelled to on foot, but the distance from the city centre grants a spacious dining room and a splendid sea view.</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Our host, Sai, started our evening with an introduction to some Moët & Chandon Ice Imperial, which we were told was crafted to be drunk with ice. It made for a interesting story and the bubbly liquid, touched with mint and strawberry, was refreshing to the point and I had to restrain myself from gulping it down. </span><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">If you were in the mood for something a little bit fancy, I'd heartily recommend this, but personally I'd be just as happy with sparkling rose.</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">We were seated and browsed the menu. The emphasis was clearly on seafood, with an entire selection of mains dedicated to fish. You could chose one of four fish, cooked in one of four ways, for a total of sixteen combinations! Spoilt for choice!</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">I decided to try the snapper, cooked with coconut chilli sambal and a side of crisp fried cauliflower.</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-26gM3dw_viU/VX1ILbGhtlI/AAAAAAAAOSI/gM3G1k0Btgg/s1600/DSC_1628.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-26gM3dw_viU/VX1ILbGhtlI/AAAAAAAAOSI/gM3G1k0Btgg/s400/DSC_1628.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Amidst the lively story telling of Sai, our many starters arrived. Soups, seafood and bacon topped ravioli were placed in front us.</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">The seafood selection impressed with perfectly cooked squid, neither chewy nor soft, the light brushing of chilli tasting irresistible. </span><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">The garlic prawns were bliss, also cooked excellently with their delicate texture. The salmon sashimi was fresh and the sharp wasabi tinged mayonnaise was a choice addition.</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">There were some let downs. The lasagne was a bland mush and the duck ravioli was enjoyable, but nothing more. </span><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">The much loved soups I found uninspired, with a thin chowder and a weak crayfish soup. </span><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">The mains soon followed, and also had their ups and downs.</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">My snapper's texture was perfect, with succulent flaky chunks, but the flavour was drab. I expected the brushing of sambal to be poignant, and perhaps fiery, instead it was coconut milk mellow. The complimentary serving of coconut heavy slaw, made for coconut overkill. </span><br />
The fried cauliflower's coating was too thick and heavy to work with fish. Perhaps it would have better complimented another one of the mains, but it was mismatched for my choice.<br />
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A fellow eater had chosen a meaty pork belly. I took my knife to it, and carved chunks of succulent, but soggy meat. The skin was extremely chewy, as opposed to crispy, and it took some strong gnashing to be able to swallow it.<br />
I had mixed feelings about the mains, with their big portions and inconsistent quality. Was this fine dining or hearty unpretentious food? For me it was neither and that was a problem.<br />
And finally came the desserts. Perhaps unexpectedly, they were also a mixed basket.<br />
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The chocolate pudding was baked to perfection, the crust breaking with a delicate stab, to reveal gooey chocolate heaven. Kudos to the chef and highly recommended. The creme brulee was enjoyable, the tiramisu and pavlova mediocre.<br />
One aspect that was consistent throughout the night, was the excellent service. The staff were friendly, attentive and clearly enjoyed interacting with customers.<br />
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<b>I very much enjoyed my night, but had mixed feelings about the food. There were some real gems, and its clear there is some passion and talent in the kitchen of Mikano. </b><b>However with prices on the higher end of dining, my expectations were equally high. Mikano failed to deliver, with the competition offering better meals, often for less. </b><br />
<b>Mikano serves enjoyable, albeit disappointing dishes, resulting in a restaurant I would be unlikely to revisit.</b><br />
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<b>6/10</b></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13024856082368169384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2964033918390395646.post-63174990778621325022015-05-23T10:10:00.002+12:002015-05-24T21:34:35.213+12:00Food Review: Ramen Takara<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Cuisine: </b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Japanese/Ramen</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Price:</b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"> Around $14 a bowl</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Location: </b></span><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">272 Ponsonby Road, Ponsonby, Auckland</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"><b>Website:</b> </span><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">http://ramentakara.co.nz/ponsonby.php</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Ramen Takara Ponsonby is the newest site, of the original Browns Bay restaurant. Specialising in ramen (the hint is in the name), and ramen being wonderous thing, I went to try this newest Ponsonby eatery.</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">The restaurant was somewhat small but cosy, and was decorated in the ubiquitously Ponsonby style of wood and brick. The staff were very friendly, and we were shown to our tables quickly.</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Takara's menu is small, with a clear emphasis on ramen, with several variations of the soup available. We ordered the quintessential tonkotsu ramen (pork broth), karaage chicken, steamed gyoza, edamame and tsukemono (pickled vegetables) as well as a couple of alcoholic drinks.</span><br />
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The karaage chicken arrived first. The light crust on the fried chicken was surprisingly thin, yet gave a satisfying crunch which yielded the incredible filling. The chicken inside was moist and juicy, the mayonnaise and lemon taking the fatty edge off. One of the best karaage chickens I've had the pleasure of eating.<br />
The rest of the dishes shortly arrived, but they never reached the highs of the chicken.<br />
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The delicate gyoza were enjoyable, the waitress showing us how to make the dipping sauce (cheat code: it's half soy sauce and half vinegar). The tsukemono were lacking any hint of the sour, fermented flavour I'd associated with pickled vegetables. Instead tasting like they had been soaked in water.<br />
Meh.<br />
Then it was onto to the much anticipated ramen.<br />
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The bowl was filled with variety of ingredients including black fungus and one perfectly cooked egg, with an almost gelatinous yolk. The toppings helped fill out the bowl and provide variety of flavours and textures. The pork had a hint of juiciness to it, without losing its firm texture. The soup though...was on the thinner and blander side. The consistency and level of fattiness kept the broth light, but it tasted rather flat, lacking that flavour punch. As a result what could have been a memorable, unique soup, was very much unremarkable.<br />
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<b>Aside from the excellent karaage chicken, the rest of the meal at Ramen Takara was rather flat. Most disappointing was the ramen, which was entirely forgettable. The atmosphere was relaxed, and the staff very friendly. I can see Takara being a good place for a small bite, and drinks in Ponsonby, but for a Japanese feast you'll have to look elsewhere.</b><br />
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<b>7/10</b></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13024856082368169384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2964033918390395646.post-76390529900293534072015-05-14T22:00:00.003+12:002015-05-14T22:04:08.091+12:00Food Review: Patisserie Vaniye<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Cuisine: </b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Patisserie/desserts</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Price:</b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"> $9 a dessert</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Location: </b></span><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">1/7 Windsor Street, Parnell, Auckland</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"><b>Website:</b> </span><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">http://www.vaniye.com/</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">I've never found Parnell a particularly compelling place to eat, so I was sceptical about this near mythical patisserie which was situated there. </span><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Patisserie Vaniye was the place and it entirely lived up to its glowing reputation.</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">The premises are rather unassuming, with an appreciable lack of pomp. The vivid, sculpted, cakes are in full view as you walk in the patisserie. </span><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">They're priced at $9 each, which may be higher than other dessert centric cafes, but those at Vaniye are worth their weight and then some.</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">The patisserie offers a selection of cakes, baguettes, quiches and macaroons. All the desserts look sublime, and feature ingredients such as chocolate hazelnut layers and vanilla creme brulee, which create a conundrum on where to start. </span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Whatever choice you make, you will soon be in bliss. The dreamy Black Forest cake's chocolate base and luxurious thick kirsch cream, is balanced by bursts of tart cherry. The Coco Mango's slightly fibrous coconut mousse, with gloopy passion fruit coulis and crunchy praline made for an irresistible combination of textures.</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">The cakes are never overtly sweet and every one has been sublime. It's a necessity for dessert and cake lovers to make a pilgrimage to Vaniye.</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">And lets not forget the savoury items. The quiches are worth a brief mention for their light, crumbly crusts. The biggest surprise at Patisserie Vaniye were the baguettes</span><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">. Composed of a few simple ingredients, they are everything a sandwich and baguette should be.</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">A supreme crunch is needed to break through the crust, every bite true satisfaction. The three or four ingredients that await your palate are expertly chosen: Perfectly ripe tomatoes, mellow cheese, and salty, fatty prosciutto are just one of the combinations you can choose. </span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">The bread is without a doubt the best in Auckland and I know that I'll be buying Vaniye baguettes exclusively from now on. </span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">The only slight blemish on this otherwise decadent patisserie, is the rather average service. </span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"><b>Otherwise Patisserie Vaniye is a beacon of decadence in New Zealand.</b></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"><b>The best cakes in New Zealand, bar none.</b></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"><b>The best baguette in New Zealand, bar none.</b></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"><b>9/10</b></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13024856082368169384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2964033918390395646.post-36724626851616669402015-05-14T19:48:00.002+12:002015-05-14T19:55:40.053+12:00Food Review: Wok'N Noodle<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Cuisine: </b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Asian</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Price:</b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"> Around $15 a main</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Location: </b></span><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">53 Shortland Street, Auckland Central, </span><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Auckland</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"><b>Website:</b> </span><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">http://woknnoodle.com/</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Satay..Reasonable.</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Noodles...Reasonable.</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Curry...Reasonable.</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"><b>Reasonable/10 (otherwise known as 6/10)</b></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13024856082368169384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2964033918390395646.post-39108224549774350652015-05-05T21:37:00.000+12:002015-05-06T07:07:45.935+12:00Food Review: La Noisette<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Cuisine: </b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Cafe/chocolaterie</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Price:</b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"> $5 to $8 for most pastries and desserts</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Location: </b></span><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">518 Karangahape Road, Auckland</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"><b>Website:</b> </span><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">https://www.facebook.com/lanoisette.chocolats</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Patisseries and cafes seem to have taken over Auckland, popping up like weeds on almost every street. But despite the overflow of generic, 'chic' cafes, you occasionally find somewhere a little bit special like La Noisette.</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Located on the culturally fluid Karangahape (K) Road, the cafe is a nice respite from the blaring traffic outside. It's small and somewhat quaint, but the interior is appealing and you feel as if you could lounge there for a comfortable few hours, sipping coffee and eating freshly baked croissant.</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">The menu includes the necessities; muffins, croissants, pan au chocolat and sandwiches. The sandwiches are rather passe, but La Noisettes croissants are soul nourishing. Buttery, flaky, slightly moist slivers of pastry make for the perfect petit dejeuner.</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Where La Noisette adds that little bit extra, is the range of chocolate goods. From their four varieties of hot chocolate, to the hand made bars, chocolate lovers will find themselves spoilt for choice. With the weather turning to the wet, windy and cold variety this is the perfect time to indulge in La Noisettes hot chocolates! Their brownies are another treat, laced with almond slices and cranberries, the latter adding a sweet, tart note and breaking up the rich monotony.</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Several desserts such as gateau and frangipane tarts, are also on offer. I didn't find these quite as enjoyable, with the heavy frangipane eclipsing the fruits strewn through out.</span><br />
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<b><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Chocolate, yes! Viennoiserie, yes! Sandwiches and others, meh! La Noisette makes an amicable effort, with some truly delicious pastries. The cafe is inviting and the staff friendly. Try not to get addicted to all their chocolate offerings!</span></b><br />
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<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"><b>7/10</b></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13024856082368169384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2964033918390395646.post-31239309600146060532015-05-04T21:36:00.001+12:002015-05-04T21:36:47.754+12:00Food Review: Chinese Hot Pot Buffet Restaurant<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Cuisine: </b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Hot Pot/Chinese</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Price:</b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"> $25 all you can eat</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Location: </b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">72 Dominion Road, Auckland</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"><b>Website:</b> NA</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">It's winter time and that means that one type of cuisine is at the forefront of my mind: hot pot! Located on the </span><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">auspicious Dominion Road, the imaginatively named Chinese Hot Pot Buffet is one of the best around.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">The premise is simple. You have a pot, split in two, with soup in each half (typically one spicy and one plain). You chuck raw ingredients such as sliced beef, lamb, squid, seawood etc into the pot, wait for it to cook, then scoop it out and eat! There are a variety of sauces for you to mix into your own perfect </span></span><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">concoction</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">, lots of free soda and soy milk (the good Asian variety!) and some cooked dishes.</span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">At Chinese Hotpot Buffet there's the added bonus of $25 all you can eat, which is really how hot pot should be. There was a surprisingly wide selection of raw and cooked ingredients. Cooked dishes like chilli chicken, seaweed salad, fried chicken wings, and pan bread meant we were able to gorge ourselves while the food cooked. On top of the wide variety, the cooked food tasted fresh, and could have stood on its own in an a la carte Chinese restaurant.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">As for the raw ingredients, they were well stocked, and </span>noticeably<span style="font-family: inherit;"> non frozen which was appreciated. The restaurant was quite clean and </span>hygienic<span style="font-family: inherit;">, and the staff were friendly making for a pleasant atmosphere.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">During our languid meal, we ate for over three hours, enjoying the mix of raw and cooked dishes. The fare was fresh and the variety meant we were spoilt for choice. Hot pot is a simple pleasure, and Chinese Hot Pot Buffet </span>definitely<span style="font-family: inherit;"> hit the spot.</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>7/10</b></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13024856082368169384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2964033918390395646.post-12585958436250116012015-04-28T21:57:00.000+12:002015-05-15T21:32:34.550+12:00Food Review: Masu<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Cuisine: </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Japanese/Fusion</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Price:</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"> Around $20-40 a dish</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Location: </b></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">90 Federal Street, Auckland</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"><b>Website:</b> </span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">https://www.skycityauckland.co.nz/restaurants/masu/</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Masu is one of the tightly packaged, casual smart restaurants that epitomise Sky City. Masu serves Japanese, with a just a hint of European fusion from its three section kitchen: sushi and sashimi, the grill and the kitchen.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">The wooden heavy decor is tinged with a hint of glitz. It's very much Sky City, and borders on the uppity. The bar greets you on your way in, with its impressive choice of drinks. There are dozens of varieties of saki, not to mention Japanese fruit liqueurs and whiskys.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">As mentioned the kitchen is split into three. The sushi bar serves classic as well as traditional sushi and sashimi, the kitchen includes tempura and soups and finally the grill plates beef fillet and aubergine. I found the menu to be somewhat convoluted, with it unclear what items complement each other. That said, ordering at random will serve, though you'll find there is definitely a disparity in the quality.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Starting from the top, the sushi and sashimi are some of the best in Auckland, and due to Masu's central location and relaxed atmosphere it is my favourite spot for sushi. The Deluxe Nigiri Selection is a conduit for the chefs to experiment, with nigiri such as lightly grilled beef with shreds of liver, filling your hungry soul with surprised glee. The choice fish is incredibly delicate on the tongue and almost melts in the mouth. I've eaten an entire meal only from the sushi bar and been left mesmerised.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">The selection from the kitchen reads the most uninspired. Despite this the cloudy bay clams were refreshing, with the buttery juices lifted with a hint of lime. The tempura was a real gem. Imagine fish from your local chippy, fried in little crispy rice parcels, without a hint of oiliness and all the freshness of the fish intact. We couldn't get enough of these perfect parcels.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">The grill is perhaps the most eye catching part of the menu, and perhaps for good reason. The glazed aubergine was perfect. I have a love affair with aubergine, and Masu took me to heaven. The flesh was almost creamy, the skin slightly burnt lending a phantom of bitterness to the sweet glaze.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">The hearty pork ribs were also glazed well, but unfortunately the flesh was noticeably dry.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">If I was to rate Masu only on the food, I'd easily rate it as one of my favourite restaurants. However it falters on two points.</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">The restaurant is distractingly loud during evenings, with the dozens of diners packed into the restaurant and distressingly bland rock music in the background. At my last dinner there, I found it hard to hear my dining companion.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Another casualty of the packed restaurant are the staff, who are more inattentive than is reasonable. Though this is noticeably due to them rushing around, trying to satisfy the large number of diners. Please hire more servers Masu!</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333;"><b><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">The food at Masu is top notch, making it my favourite sushi haunt. The majority of the food is inspired, and some is even exceptional. Unfortunately due to the din of insipid rock music, the crowded restaurant and inattentive staff means Masu falls slightly short.</span></b></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"><b><br /></b></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"><b>8/10</b></span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13024856082368169384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2964033918390395646.post-66050559385233059702015-04-23T20:45:00.002+12:002015-04-23T20:45:29.408+12:00Food Review: New Inn Pizza<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b>Cuisine: </b>Pizza<br />
<b>Price:</b> $5-15 most pizzas<br />
<b>Location:</b> 117 Beach Road, Auckland CBD, Auckland<br />
<b>Website:</b> http://www.newinnpizza.co.nz/<br />
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Fast food taste at fast food prices. Delivery took around 40 minutes. The pizza dough was entirely soft, without any crunch, and the topping was bereft of the meat we expected. The vegetables were pleasant, as was the spicy sauce.<br />
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<b>The word "edible" would best describe this experience.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>5/10</b></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13024856082368169384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2964033918390395646.post-55378543731301225332015-04-19T19:17:00.001+12:002015-04-21T10:02:38.084+12:00Food Review: Eden Noodle<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b>Cuisine:</b> Chinese/Sichaun<br />
<b>Price:</b> Under $15 most mains<br />
<b>Location:</b> 105 Dominion Road, Mt Eden, Auckland<br />
<b>Website:</b> NA<br />
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If you've eaten 'Chinese' food, what you most likely ate is Cantonese cooking, which originates from just one area of the massive country that is China. Sichuan cuisine is another regional flavour, and Eden Noodle is a great place to dig into it.<br />
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Like most of the restaurants on Dominion Road, Eden Noodle is unassuming from the outside, as well as the inside. It's a cramped restaurant, with lines consistently out the door. Expect to wait 15 minutes for a seat, any time of day, so getting a takeaway may be preferable. The restaurant is not particularly hospital, with the stuffy hot air and manic front of staff, who tries to juggle orders as well as the kitchen. It's not unpleasant, but nor is it a particularly comfortable.<br />
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The menu is expansive, though most of the items are one of dozens of noodle variations, either hand or pre made. There are cold dishes as well, which may not be to everyone's taste. I've particularly enjoyed the dandan noodles, the pork and chive dumplings in spicy sauce and the slobbery chicken (cold). As mentioned there are numerous noodle dishes to choose from, which are all pretty similar, so don't get too caught up in the details!<br />
Additionally the portions are large, and the prices low, so you can eat generously without denting your wallet.<br />
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The signature Sichuan flavours of pepper and chilli are ever present, as a result the food will quickly deaden your tongue. If you are not a chilli enthusiast, avoid Eden Noodle. And if you are, then enjoy these incredibly morish dishes.<br />
The food tends to be slightly oily, slightly salty and very chilli. The meat is tender, the sauces tinged with garlic and it all comes together in a mouth watering feast.<br />
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<b>Eden Noodles is a slice of chilli heaven. Heat tolerance is a necessity, and if you can survive, then you are in for a beautiful piece of niche Chinese cuisine. Service and quarters are standard for this kind of eatery, the food is unforgettable. Get here pronto!</b><br />
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<b>8/10</b></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13024856082368169384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2964033918390395646.post-9879290486674910672015-04-15T22:45:00.000+12:002015-04-18T17:49:33.668+12:00Food Review: El Sizzling Chorizo<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b>Cuisine:</b> Argentinian<br />
<b>Price:</b> Under $25 most mains<br />
<b>Location: </b>Ponsonby Central, 4 Brown St, Auckland<br />
<b>Website:</b> http://www.elsizzlingchorizo.co.nz/<br />
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El Sizzling Chorizo is another notable eatery, within the slightly pompous Ponsonby Central. Its claim to fame are mouth watering barbecued meats, with an Argentinian flavour. Vegetarians beware, this is your worst nightmare.<br />
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The menu is delightfully simple; chorizo, short ribs, chicken thighs and other well recognised meats are on the menu, as well as empanadas and a small choice of sides. If you've the stomach for it, I suggest the orejano platter or the parrillada, which feature a selection of meats that come in at over 600 grams each. Either makes for a sumptuous meal, and utterly captures the essence of El Sizzling Chorizo.<br />
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With such a concise, meat centric, menu the pressure is on to provide excellent quality despite its simplicity. El Sizzling Chorizo rises to the challenge. The chorizo, made by the owner Corra, are some of the best sausages you'll find in Auckland. The short ribs have a slightly gelatinous quality to them, delivering indulgent mouthfuls. The chicken thigh is tender, with sheets of crispy skin, good enough to tempt you to theft if your dining partner has some.<br />
The empanadas are the best I've tried in New Zealand. Dipped in beef tallow, their shell has a satisfying crunch to it. Even the bread stands out: with its chewy, salty, slightly burned goodness.<br />
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The wine list, mostly Argentinian red, is also worth a mention. The Septimo Obra Malbec is incredibly fragrant and is the perfect accompaniment to a hearty evening meal at El Sizzling Chorizo.<br />
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<b>The simplicity of El Sizzling Chorizo, belies the level of quality and thought afforded to the menu. The meats are sumptuous, making it one of the premier carnivorous restaurants in Auckland. </b><br />
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<b>8/10</b></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13024856082368169384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2964033918390395646.post-80529346244270576532015-04-06T21:30:00.001+12:002015-04-06T21:40:01.830+12:00Food Review: Little Bread and Butter<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b>Cuisine:</b> Bakery/Cafe<br />
<b>Price: </b>Typically under $10 a pastry/loaf<br />
<b>Location:</b> Ponsonby Central, Market 7, Richmond Road, Auckland<br />
<b>Website:</b> http://www.breadandbutterbakery.co.nz/<br />
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If looking for a freshly baked loaf in Ponsonby, you'll most likely find yourself in Little Bread and Butter at some time. As its name implies, their claim to fame is baked goods. The premises also doubles as a cafe and you can grab coffees and smoothies, as well as their breads and pastries.<br />
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Like all of Ponsonby Central, the décor is very agreeable (though this could also be interpreted as unoriginal), and the service is tidy. The glass cabinet displays dozens of delicious looking goods such as carrot cake, brownies, quiches and doughnuts. If you decide to try one of every item, you would certainly be at Bread and Butter a while.<br />
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The baked goods are definitely the highlight. The carrot cake is moist and the smidgen of slightly sour cream cheese completes the richly satisfying experience. The doughnuts are lightly crisp on the outside, the brownies fudgy. Perhaps the only sub par food I've tried was their pretzel. The dough was soft (as was the exterior), and was so incredibly salty I could barely finish it.<br />
Bread and Butter's loaves are also impressive. They offer enticing tasters of a bread at the counter, which is appreciated. If you are near Ponsonby and need a loaf for an excursion or meal, I'd suggest you go here.<br />
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Unfortunately, however nice the baked goods are, the coffees are rather poor. The cappuccinos are flat, while the mochaccinos are the most devoid of chocolate I've tasted in Auckland. If you are looking for a complete breakfast/coffee experience, this is not the place to go.<br />
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<b>If out for baked goods for a treat, picnic, lunch or whatever else you need, then Little Bread and Butter is the place to go. You'll be spoilt for choice with the breads, and the sweeter options comfort the soul. Just don't bother with the coffee, or awful pretzels.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>7/10</b></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13024856082368169384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2964033918390395646.post-46698624686522110702015-04-02T23:16:00.000+13:002015-04-02T23:16:02.428+13:00Food Review: Mamak<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Cuisine:</b> Malaysian</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Price:</b> Around $15 per main</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Location: </b></span>Chancery Square, 50 Kitchner Street, Auckland CBD</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Website:</b> </span>https://www.facebook.com/mamak.nz<br />
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Summing up Mamak forces me to consider the importance of expectations. When Malaysia is as far away as a 9 hour direct flight, from a country with next to no Malaysian immigrants, can one expect good Malaysian food in New Zealand?<br />
When you grown up cooking and eating authentic dishes with your mother, and eating in Malaysia many times, how do you rate a cuisine outside its home?<br />
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Critique quandaries aside, Mamak is located in the cosy Chancery Square where several affordable eateries jostle for your attention. At Mamak the mostly swift service, the earth bound seating and the choice of quintessential Malaysian dishes enable the restaurant to stand out.<br />
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The food itself is...reasonable. It is no where near as good as you would get in Malaysian, but perhaps that is an unreasonable expectation. Suffice to say, at Mamak the curries have depth of flavour, the rice is fragrant and the roti crisp. Beef rendang, chicken curry and laksa are all very enjoyable, and will satisfy your South East Asian curry lust.<br />
If you haven't tried the popular Malaysian teh tarik yet, then Mamak will fix you right up.<br />
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<b>It's perhaps unreasonable to expect authentic Malaysian food in New Zealand, but nonetheless Mamak does a pretty earnest job of it. You won't go wrong with any of the classics here.</b><br />
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<b>7/10</b></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13024856082368169384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2964033918390395646.post-68813973076946391272015-03-30T18:39:00.001+13:002015-04-02T22:11:04.698+13:00Food Review: Odettes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Cuisine:</b> European</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Price:</b> Around $30 per main</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Location:</b> Shed 5, City Works Depot, 90 Wellesley St, Auckland</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Website:</b> http://www.odettes.co.nz/</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Odettes is smack bang in the middle of the city, surrounded by stiff competition from other lauded eateries. However Odettes easily edges them out, and takes the cake as the best balance of casual and fine dining in the city. The menu is focused, yet offers variety through they day. I would heartily recommend breakfast there, as well as lunch and dinner.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The décor is understate and clean, the waiters smart casual taking the edge off. On a warmer day, sitting outside is the perfect place to enjoy your meal.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The dishes mainly takes their inspiration from Europe, so you'll find a mix of pasta, pork belly, crepes and chorizo. What makes Odettes </span>truly<span style="font-family: inherit;"> stand out is how fresh and vibrant everything tastes. I ordered the h</span>eirloom tomato and buffalo milk burrata salad<span style="font-family: inherit;"> on a risk, knowing that the potential excellence of the dish rested on the tomatoes. I was not disappointed. The tomatoes had a tart </span>sweetness<span style="font-family: inherit;"> to them, and a crisp bite. Unfortunately many restaurants serve under ripe tomatoes, but here the kitchen had served up the dish with confidence in the </span>ingredients<span style="font-family: inherit;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Other stand out dishes included the wood fire camembert, which is a portion big enough for two. The humongous camembert was rich and gooey. The roast peaches providing a hint of </span>saccharine<span style="font-family: inherit;"> respite from the </span>luscious<span style="font-family: inherit;"> fat.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The eye catching black angus eye rib was cooked to perfection, with the streaks of fat melting to provide a more textured mouthful. The rouille managed to keep the dish light and refreshing, which meant I wanted more and more.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Perhaps the only downside to Odettes is the irregular portion sizes. The crepes for instance, are enough that one person may struggle to finish them. Yet some of the salads are teensy, such as the stone fruit salad. A bit more consistency please!</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Odettes has become my any time of day European food choice. It manages to create precise wonders, while still being approachable and </span>unpretentious<span style="font-family: inherit;">.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">If you are in the city looking for something a little bit special, get over to Odettes pronto.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">9/10</span></b></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13024856082368169384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2964033918390395646.post-21563110351291192912015-03-17T20:06:00.000+13:002015-04-02T22:11:04.565+13:00Food Review: Milse<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b>Cuisine:</b> Dessert<br />
<b>Price:</b> $60 for 4 courses and wine pairing<br />
<b>Location: </b>27 Tyler Street, Britomart, Auckland<br />
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<b>Website:</b> http://britomart.org/milse<br />
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Milse has a stellar reputation as the dessert capital of Auckland. It doesn't quite make the grade, but it does make for an indulgent visit.<br />
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Located in the heart of Britomart, its accessibility makes it perfect to at least stroll past. Upon entering you'll discover that Milse is a cramped little place, with cabinets jam packed with dozens of desserts. There are innovative cheesecakes, ice creams, gateaus and more on display. You can take food away, or sit down for a 'dessert' meal.<br />
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Sitting down for dinner at Milse is a rather 'intimate' affair, with diners squeezed into a space barely larger than small bedroom. There is both an ala carte and more extravagant, but very reasonably priced, set menu.<br />
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The presentation at Milse makes for the highlight of the meal. You won't see many desserts as lavish as what the staff plate in front of you. Unfortunately the taste doesn't quite reach the same dizzying heights. Of all the food I've tried at Milse, it's all looked fantastic but merely tasted good.<br />
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<b>I'd suggest the dessert set menu, paired with wine, merely for the novelty. Aside from the charm, and the large selection of desserts on offer, Milse provides a rather lack lustre front when it comes to taste.</b><br />
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<b>6/10</b></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13024856082368169384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2964033918390395646.post-77227123726039642522015-03-16T18:23:00.001+13:002015-04-02T22:11:04.725+13:00Food Review: Little Mexico Cantina<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Cuisine:</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"> Tex Mex</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Price:</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"> Around $25 a main</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Location: </b><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">31 Wellesley St, Auckland CBD</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Website:</b> http://littlemexico.co.nz/</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Woe to those expecting an exciting meal at Little Mexico Cantina. Its inviting, yet </span>cliché<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Mexican interior, contrasts with the bland and over priced menu.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">You’ll pay $14+ for nachos and quesadillas, which you could make at home for half the price and most likely tastier too. The ubiquitous guacamole tasted like it was made hours earlier, and contained unappealingly large chunks of onion.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The staff made a couple of mistakes that night, forgetting part of our order and presenting an incorrect bill. They at least were apologetic and friendly throughout the night.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The main course of enchiladas was surprisingly enjoyable, after our expectations were tempered by the poor entrees. With a side of wholesome beans, and succulent chicken wraps, it was addicting and we polished the dish off quickly. It was on the smaller size for $26 though.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">While the restaurant is somewhat charming, and the staff friendly, Little Mexico Cantina serves bland, overpriced Tex Mex. Stay away, unless you have an allergy to home cooking, and a thirst for the generic.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">5/10</span></b></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13024856082368169384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2964033918390395646.post-49205858255988767112015-03-06T22:32:00.004+13:002015-03-06T22:33:16.278+13:00Useless<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
How is it possible for the New Zealand Postal Service to be so fucking incompetent?!<br />
Last year I sent half a dozen cards to Singapore which never made it.<br />
I posted a bunch of Christmas cards locally and I have no idea how many of them made it.<br />
Recently a doctors note took 7 days to reach me.<br />
Now I've posted another letter locally and it hasn't reached 3 days later.<br />
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Never going to use these shit birds again, I'll travel 2 hours to deliver postage myself if I have to.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13024856082368169384noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2964033918390395646.post-48047029963848183512015-03-06T22:01:00.001+13:002015-04-02T22:11:04.631+13:00Food Review: Kintaro On Fuji<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Cuisine:</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"> Japanese</span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Price:</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"> $29.90 for large sushi platter</span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Location: </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">17 </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Swanson St, Auckland</span></span><br />
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<b>Website:</b> http://www.kintaroonfuji.co.nz/<br />
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Ah Kintaro. You were the first Japanese restaurant that I truly enjoyed in Auckland. The first that excited me. And while you've been supplanted as my favourite Japanese restaurant by others, you still hold a special place in my heart.<br />
Your tacky decor and music are endearing, your staff earnest and friendly. Many of your dishes are delicious such as the comforting, rich, umami tonkotsu ramen. The sushi is always fresh and affordable.<br />
Okay sure, your menu is a bit crazy and unfocused. Some of the items are bizarre, hair brained creations. But I can forgive, for there are real gems in there. Dishes made with passion, by a talented team. Karaage chicken, ho!<br />
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<b>You're the best casual dining Japanese restaurant Kintaro, and I'll never forget you.</b><br />
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<b>8/10.</b></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13024856082368169384noreply@blogger.com0