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TOP CAFE

Friday, February 22, 2013

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[Photographs: David Straight]

A couple of years ago, we reviewed what was then known as the Ti Xiang Dumpling House, in a tiny storefront on a blustery stretch of Upper Queen Street. Then, it closed for a year – much to our dismay. Now, it’s re-opened, only it calls itself Top Cafe.

Nothing has changed, apart from the name. It’s deadly plain: fluorescent lights, plastic chairs. The service is brusque, occasionally terse. You might have to ask a few times for tea, and if you go for lunch you’ll wait a while because the woman who takes the orders goes out the back to cook, one order at a time.

But you’re here for dumplings, handmade fresh each day and for sale at ridiculous prices – 20 dumplings cost $9.80. They’re big and slightly lumpy, and they’re best boiled; we like the pork and fennel, loaded with fennel fronds and pork. And we’re fond of the soup buns too ($10.80 for 12) bready and filled with a bit of stock. It’s nothing flash, but it’s bloody good. SFG

HOURS 11am to 11pm, seven days.

ADDRESS 7/30 Upper Queen Street, Newton, ph 309 3863.

IMPORTANT DETAILS Sides come slathered with salt and are best avoided. You won’t have room, anyway.

 

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SUNDAY LUNCH

Monday, February 11, 2013

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Our third lunch with The Golden Dawn takes a meaty turn – last month, we went all vegetarian, which means there’s every excuse for a bit of excess to celebrate the last days of summer. But this is no mere backyard barbecue. As usual, it’s a multi-course, shared feast with some particularly special touches including Brussels sprouts and skirt steak. Instead, it’s a celebration of unusual cuts and eating the whole animal – and as always, we’ll be cooking over an open fire in the courtyard. Vegetarians need not apply.

Harissa lamb ribs w labneh
Rabbit rilette , bread and butter pickles & charred bread

Cumin, garlic & black pepper rubbed skirt steak, avocado & baby radish salad
Whole free-range pig: roasted head, slow braised pork belly, legs cooked on coals

(Details to come on treatment of each cut and accompaniments)

Crispy cider & sage Brussels sprouts
Coal-roasted new potatoes, bacon, tarragon butter
Shaved fennel, apple, cabbage salad, lemon aioli

Peach cobbler, clotted cream

The important stuff: tickets are $62 a head and available from Under The Radar.

 

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JIMMY THE FISH

Thursday, January 31, 2013

DST-JUMMYTHEFISH-9830 DST-JUMMYTHEFISH-9850DST-JUMMYTHEFISH-9833 DST-JUMMYTHEFISH-9859[Photographs: David Straight]

Finally, Auckland has a seafood joint that matches the quality of our fish. But that comes as no surprise: owner Jimmy “The Fish” Gerard is something of an Auckland seafood legend. Until recently he was one of the owners of Harbourside, he buys fish for a bunch of restaurants around Auckland, and he’s been running a stall at La Cigale for the past few years, dishing up fish, recipes and wisecracks in that order.

Now, he and son Tom have moved into Ponsonby Central, where you’ll find him in a rustic sort of fish shack, all raw timber and functional metal that looks like it’s been there for decades: there are pots and pans hanging above the kitchen, and a servery into the lane outside. You can buy fish from the counter, of course – and you should – but it’s the changing blackboard menu that we love.

We stopped by for lunch the other day: “Lion Red” battered terakihi ($7) and handcut chips ($6) – beautifully fresh fish, cooked perfectly, with chunky chips, some of the best we’ve eaten – and a terrific Tuscan seafood risotto ($18). It was perfect, verging on soupy, packed with clams, mussels, prawns and skin-on John Dory. About bloody time. SFG

 HOURS 9am to 8.30pm, seven days.

ADDRESS Shop 8, Ponsonby Central, 136 Ponsonby Road, Auckland, ph 360-1554. No website, but there’s a Facebook page here.

 

 

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JIALE BUN SHOP

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

DST-NORTHCOTEBUNS-9571DST-NORTHCOTEBUNS-9574[Photographs: David Straight]

Sometimes, the Jiale Bun Shop is so busy there isn’t time to clear the tables. The door opens and closes constantly, and there is almost always a couple of people in front of you ordering. It is shady, and it has a steamy smell. Sometimes, there is intense discussion in Chinese.

For good reason. The buns are pillowy yet strong, with simple fillings – the pork and vegetable is inspired. They are made fresh on site and they come in a bamboo basket; you tear them apart with your hands and they cost between $1.30 and $1.50. We discovered the place wandering around the wonder that is the Northcote Town Centre, a 1950s town centre mall turned Chinese with restaurants to rival Dominion Road: it was hot, and the shop was full; we couldn’t resist.

There are other things on the simple menu, too: the beef noodle soup is filling and balanced – salty beef, firm noodles and pickled greens on top ($8); the wonton soup ($7.50) is credible, with delicate house-made wontons. Comfort food of the highest order. SFG

HOURS 8am to 7.30pm, seven days.

ADDRESS 33 Pearn Place, Northcote, ph 419-5688.

IMPORTANT DETAILS No table service – order at the counter.

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SIX FAVOURITE THINGS FROM 2012

Friday, December 21, 2012

Discovery: Café Abyssinia
In October, we heard murmurings of an Ethiopian restaurant in deepest Mt Roskill. After a bit of hunting, we tracked it down – and it was extraordinary. Light, flavourful stews and curries, all served with enjera. There is friendly service and brightly painted walls. It blew us away, and we went back the following week.

Best trend: Chinese Burgers
Nowhere is the diversity of Chinese restaurants in this city seen better than in the plethora of northern Chinese restaurants – food influenced by the muslim minorities of China. Most of them do “burgers” – unleavened bread, between which there is pork or lamb or beef, spicy with cumin and chilli. They are superb. Find them at Xi’an Food Bar and Shaolin Kung Fu Noodles.

Still good: The Grove
There have been dozens of new openings in Auckland in the past 18 months, and still The Grove impresses us. The food is thoughtful, deft and yet still nourishing; Michael Dearth’s enthusiasm is unmatched. Go soon.

The Best Dish We Ate This Year
The service has some issues, but we’re completely in love with the Nick Honeyman’s cooking at The Commons. In October we ate an onsen egg – an egg cooked at 60ºC for 60 minutes, then served with a salad of baby vegetables. It was inspired, and divine.

Favourite Cuisine: Malaysian
We often get asked about Thai food in Auckland, and our response is always: eat Malaysian instead. This year, we went to Selera, and to Bunga Raya and to Santhiya’s, and countless other places including Laksa House in Newmarket which we’ll review soon. It’s a unique food, the blending of Chinese, Malay and Nyonya flavours – and it’s something Auckland does particularly well.

Favourite Food: Oysters
You may have noticed we here at Eat Here Now are a mite obsessed with oysters. The season is finished now, and so it is that we while away the long summer, waiting until the water turns cold in May and we get to eat bivalves again. Our favourites are from Mahurangi Oysters; in the meantime, you can get Tio Points at Depot.

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