Zesty success

So I’m going to declare right up front that I work for Zest Food Tours of New Zealand before I congratulate them on 10 years of success this month.  No mean feat in the sometimes-fickle tourism/hospitality industry. And rated one of the world’s top 10 Walking Tours for Globetrotting Foodies by Lonely Planet this year. […]

Wine-o-clock

It seems its wine-o-clock time again. Greytown, Martinborough and Gladstone are waking up from winter and preparing for Toast Martinborough next weekend.  The tickets are all sold for this year other than some packages with Rydges if you’re super keen (bear in mind that does mean a sloshy old bus ride over that hill and […]

Another birthday, black pudding hotdogs, and 2:1 steak

The birthday first.  Since I seem to be on a birthday roll lately. Ti Kouka celebrated their 3rd birthday on Friday just gone (well done guys). Even though I couldn’t make lunch with free bubbles, I did manage to grab delicious carrot cake for afternoon tea (purely for celebratory purposes you understand), and confirm their […]

Birthdays, beer and burgers

I hope you all had wonderful long weekends (or at least parts of it if having to work). So many memorable eats and drinks this week, I’ll try and be succinct. But what a wonderful reminder of the diversity and opportunities in Wellington City. Matterhorn are having their 50th birthday celebrations over the next month, […]

More smart youngsters

I’ve been away this weekend, so not too much to report about what’s been eating in the city other than it’s Matterhorn’s 50th birthday month (yep I was a bit slow cottoning onto that one), the Bureau is open on the Terrace (prior Liquidate folks), and Charley Noble is up and running (check out more […]

Visiting old friends…

I feel like I’ve been visiting old friends this week, while I wait for some new ones to arrive. A Deluxe cafe cookie, a Nikau brunch, a Zibibbo platter, and a Capitol breakfast (can you tell it was a teenage-free weekend??). My cookie at Deluxe was enlivened by an interesting discussion with a fellow customer […]

A new bru, whisky scones and L’Affaire au Chocolat

The old Fringe Bar on the corner of Vivian and Cuba has morphed into Bru on Cuba. Calling it a craft beer bar would be a bit of an overstatement (albeit pleasant enough with dark wood decor and leather couches), it places comfortably in the chill out/sports bar space, with Boundary Road and Scottish Brew […]

Tom Yum, frangipane and seafood chowder

What’s featuring in my memory this week? Tom Yum sweet and sour soup from Thai Chef, Canteen’s shellfish bouillabaisse and pear and frangipane tart, and Rach’s seafood chowder at the City Market. Over a group catchup, we decided the Tom Yum sweet and sour soup at Thai Chef was ideal for a sore throat (and […]

Tequila, sangria and ugali

I haven’t really spent the whole week at bars, but Tequila Joe’s and Avida were both on the agenda this week, as was the new Afrika on Cambridge Terrace (formerly the Moroccan Casablanca). Tequila Joe’s is in the former Shinobi Sushi premises on Vivian Street near the corner of Tory; the result of a Detroit […]

Crème brulee, a winning burger and the cancan

This week I have to mention Hashigozake, Ti Kouka’s winning WOAP burger and Newtown’s Cancan. The first find was a long-sought New York Crème Brulee stout at Hashigozake, yippee!  After a year’s withdrawal from said nectar (yes you do need a sweet tooth), it went down nicely with goat penang pie and left one happily […]