Ponsonby Food Court

The sun is back! Yay. Glorious.

Ponsonby Food Court

106 Ponsonby Road

(Right next to Ponsonby Pool Hall).

LaLa, B3 and I took a Link bus to Ponsonby for a quick dinner at the Ponsonby Food Court last Thursday night. Surprisingly, it was my first visit. I say surprisingly since I've heard good things about the PFC in the past, but I guess I've never really taken the opportunity to venture out (typically if I'm in Ponsonby, I order a lamb pita from Fatimas near Rocket Kitchen). LaLa had major wraps on PFC as well, so we decided to take the opportunity. Food courts are pretty handy when you're with a group of people, and everyone is wanting something different to eat.

PFC felt a bit different in comparision to other food courts I've been to. Better environment, pretty clean. The one thing that I immediately took notice of upon entering the food court, was the diversity of food cuisines that you can choose from. You can choose from Laos, Chinese, Indian, Malaysian, Mexican, Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, Turkish, and Italian. They also have a separate vendor, where you can purchase a wide variety of drinks (both non-alcoholic and alcoholic).

LaLa and B3 both chose Italian, while I decided to try out the Mexican place. As a general thought, I have to say that I'm rather disappointed about the lack of Mexican eateries/restaurants in Auckland. I really like Mexican food, and I think it's a shame that there aren't many places to go, let alone good ones. If you do know a good Mexican restaurant, please let me know! (But please don't say The Mexican Cafe. Please).

My chicken quesadillas!

LaLa's spaghetti with meatballs

B3's chicken and mushroom fettuccine

(Sorry for the crappy photos. Yes, they're crappy. I get it).

I ordered chicken quesadillas with avocado, sour cream, and salsa ($11). LaLa ordered spaghetti with meatballs and B3 ordered chicken fettuccine with mushrooms (both pasta dishes were $14.50). For each different vendor, there may be different ways in which you can collect your food from the vendor you ordered from. Some are standard, like the the numbered cards that you would traditionally be given at a cafe. But at the Mexican vendor, I was given a pager. Once my dish was ready to be served, my pager started buzzing to let me know that I could collect my meal. Awesome.

While the quesadillas were cooked inside and the filling was tasty, the tortillas holding the filling together (obviously) were missing a bit of colour and were still a bit soft (an imbalance of textures really...a quesadilla should have tortillas that are nice and toasty). The salsa, avocado and sour cream were good in conjunction with the quesadillas, but not enough of each were provided on the plate. Overall, not too shabby. Minor improvements needed, but a sufficient meal for $11.

I tried a little bit of B3 and LaLa's dishes. Both pasta dishes were huuuuge. I actually preferred B3's dish to my own, mostly due to the mushrooms (have I told you how much I love them?). It was tasty. I rarely eat creamy pastas anymore at home (its either pesto & lamb or good ole' bolognaise), so I guess the tastiness multiplied as a result of such resistance. LaLa's dish was a bit average. Meatballs had good flavour, but were dry. Not enough sauce.

Overall verdict - For a food court, the food is pretty decent. Would like to try some of the other cuisines some other time for future reference.

Next blog: Tanuki's Cave with The Young & The Restless and RoadRunner. Might also write about my recent trip to Movenpick in Mission Bay with friends (the sun is finally here, yay!)

Pesto: Green and Delicious

As of now, I'm procrastinating. I have two research papers to complete and am far from finishing. Oh well.

I thought that I'd do something different for today's blog. Rather than writing about eating out, today's post will consist of a simple recipe for pesto. Pesto is so much nicer when it's homemade, as opposed to buying store-bought pesto from the supermarket. I find store-bought pesto to be extremely overwhelming and too strong in flavour. One of my brothers had shown me how to make it a few years ago, and it has become one of my favourite things to make since it is so easy to make and hardly takes any time to prepare. I really like mixing it through with pasta and lamb!



Pesto
2C basil
1/4 C parmesan, grated
1 big clove of garlic (or else, 2 small cloves)
2-3T of pine nuts
60-75ml extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste (optional)

Note: I use a "mini wizz" to make my pesto, which is essentially a mini-blender. If you don't have one of those appliances in your kitchen, then you could a blender I guess (or a mortar and pestle, but you would have cut the basil finely to save time).



1. In a small pan, toast the pine nuts on medium heat. Keep shaking the pan (or use a spoon) to ensure that the pine nuts don't brown too quickly or burn. You'll know when the pine nuts are really, once they reach a nice brown colour and once you can smell the nuttiness of the pine nuts. Mmmm. Once brown, leave them to the side.

2. In the mini wizz, toss in the basil, pine nuts, garlic, and a little bit of the olive oil. Grind (or pulse if you're using a blender) for 10seconds. Use a bowl scraper to scrape off the sides of the mini wizz bowl.

3. Add the parmesan, salt & pepper if you desire, and a little bit more of the olive oil. Grind/pulse. Similar procedure to #2 basically.

(I wish I had a nicer photo. My camera started to act really shitty. Ugh).

4. Add the remaining olive oil, and grind for about 15-20 seconds. You can add more or less oil than the amount allocated above. It really depends on the type of consistency you want. Less oil, thicker consistency.

How to store pesto
When storing pesto, store it in a mini plastic container or mini glass jar (i.e. a jam jar). Once the pesto is in the jar, pour extra virgin olive oil over the top of the pesto (about 2-3cm worth). By having that extra layer of oil on top, it preserves the green colour of the pesto and keeps it fresh!

Next blog: Ponsonby Food Blog (I actually went there last night, so a post should hopefully be up soon!) & a guest blogger will review Ponsonby Road Bistro! Woo.

Spago

My franchising law class is SO awkward. Awkwardness.*

Spago

46 Customs St East, Auckland CBD

My friend and I (lets call him "Rapper T" - his words, not mine) went to Spago for lunch today, located right next to the General Store in the city. The decision to go to Spago was based on a food review that was written in the New Zealand Herald about a month ago, in addition to a sudden craving for Italian food (a craving that has lasted for days and days). Spago is open everyday from 11am, yet it was relatively empty once we arrived after quarter past twelve... instantly worrying Rapper T. Because it was relatively empty, service was superb. Waiter was extremely attentive - always refilling our water (but one would hope that such service would be retained if there were more customers at that time).

The name of each dish on the menu is listed in Italian, followed with an description of the dish in good plain ole' English. As a starter, Rapper T and I shared a Garlic + Reggiano Pizza Bread (aka Garlic + Parmesan Pizza Bread, $7). I was really hungry and had initially forgotten to take a photo until Rapper T told me to whip out the camera (so I did...pizza bread minus two slices). Rapper T's initial thought was that the pizza bread was light yet salty, but that is more due to the parmesan reggiano that was finely grated on top. I was expecting the base to be a bit more crustier (is that even a word?) than it was, but I still enjoyed it. I've had better though -- Mecca's Garlic Bread springs to mind.....mmmmm.

My friend and I both chose pasta dishes. I ordered the fettuccine with fresh egg carbonara, pancetta, mushrooms and parmesan (entree size $17, main $24) based on the recommendations the waiter gave (following my demand for mushrooms). Rapper T ordered the pappardelle with organic pork belly, spicy sausage, and tomato (entree size $18, main $25). I ordered the entree size, he ordered the main.

The carbonara was a traditional carbonara, which means that no cream was added to the sauce. It was also refreshing to not see pasta drenched in sauce! The fresh egg yolk on top of the fettuccine added a really nice rich flavour to the dish that happened to cut through the saltiness of the pancetta. Fettuccine was cooked well, and the flavours were rather subtle. However, the mushrooms and pancetta were cut so finely that the strong flavours of the mushroom and pancetta were lost within the dish at times. I love my mushrooms, and I do not want them finely cut! The warmth of the dish was uneven as well. While none of it was cold, heat consistency is key.

My fettuccine dish. I feel like the picture doesn't accurately depict the real portion size of the entree. It's in one of those soup bowl dishes. Despite this, $17 for an entree? Eek.

Rapper T's pappardelle dish. Again I feel like it doesn't accurately depict the real portion size of the main.

I didn't try Rapper T's dish, but he gave it a 6. While the tomato was a good addition to counteract the sausage, he ultimately found the dish heavy. While the sausage added flavour and texture, the pappardelle would've been bland without it apparently. The skin was left off the pork belly which is interesting considering the amount of flavour that you can obtain from the skin. (My comment, not his. Rapper T, do you agree?)

On a random note, one thing that I really appreciated was the extremely warm plates (my hands were cold, so an added bonus). Rapper T appreciated the amount of condiments we were given (which he rated five out of five due to five condiments that were provided to us).

Tiramisu. Yum. Lovely presentation.

Rapper T's peach and almond tart. Great presentation (although the drizzle of chocolate sauce doesn't really go with a peach tart...)

As for dessert, I ordered tiramisu ($12), and Rapper T ordered the "Torte di pesche" (Peach and Almond Tart with Vanilla Icecream, $14). The tiramisu was rich and creamy. Good tiramisu, but worth paying $12 for it? Questionable. Rapper T's tart was nice, but I found the pastry base a bit crumbly. While he enjoyed the tart, he didn't think the tart was worth $14. I agree. ("Very tarty," he commented. I unquestionably giggled for no reason with that comment).

Rapper T found the decor "homey", whereas I found the decor to resemble furniture that you would often see in a magazine catalogue. Freaked me out a bit. Our chairs were very comfortable though.

Overall verdict: Confused? While the food was good (not great), the prices were rather extravagant considering the portion size. Good service, although I can't help but wonder whether we would've gotten similar service had it been busier (apparently it is busier during the dinner service...I would hope so).

*I don't know if you've noticed, but I like saying something completely random at the beginning of my posts. It's a true reflection of who I am. Being random that is.

Neighbours

Arrrrrrrrrgh, the Warriors. :(

The development of Lorne Street over the years has been rather fascinating. I've spent a lot of time in the CBD: three years for high school, nearly four years for university. Lorne St used to mean nothing to me ("eh, it's just another street"), but now it has developed into a mini food mecca of sorts. Restaurants such as Jimmy Wongs and Faro (surprisingly good by the way - surprising since Korean isn't a favourite of mine) were not here when I first started school in the city. [/random rant]

Neighbours

8 Lorne St, Auckland CBD

My most recent venture out entailed going to "Neighbours" for lunch with B2 and B3. Odd name, since I instantly think of Neighbours the TV show (ugh). While not my first or second option (or any option since I didn't know the place existed until my friends suggested it), I'm always open to trying new things. Duck tongue? Gimme. (Had it once in Thailand. Tastes better than it sounds). Neighbours is located underground and serves Taiwanese cuisine. First impression: Wow, it's green. Literally. And clean. Busy too.

A fascinating quirk about Neighbours is the menu. Rather than the standard menu given when seated at your table, the menu is set up in a corner area, with little tags attached to each menu option. With whatever you want to order, you pick up the corresponding tag and take it to the counter to pay your meal. I guess it's a cautious way for staff to maintain accurate orders (hmm, I sense foreshadowing...)

B2 ordered the Simmering Beef Noodle ($10), whereas B3 and I both ordered the Deep Fried Chicken Breast ($10 ea) -- but I ordered it with rice dish and B3 ordered it with noodles. I also ordered an ice coffee ($4.50). While the menu set up is interesting, it still needs a bit of work in terms of its drinks menu. While a tag is provided for every single food dish, a tag is provided for a whole group of drinks as opposed to each individual drink, and yet you still have to let them know what drink you're ordering at the counter. This problem was obvious, when I was given the wrong drink (but thanks to B3 it was rectified and I eventually got the drink I ordered). Food and drink arrived promptly, but I was subsequently told that fast service was to be expected.

Deep Fried Chicken Breast with Noodles

Simmering Beef Noodles

Deep Fried Chicken Breast with Rice (+ Soup)

My dish had potential, but final execution wasn't that great. Three side dishes surprisingly accompanied the chicken and rice. Tofu was disappointing, but both of the vege side dishes were cooked well. The highlight of the dish should've been the chicken - the coating had good flavour and wasn't greasy - yet the chicken was overcooked. I was also given soup, but I felt like the soup was there to cleanse the palette rather than to complement the dish. The soup was the best part of the meal actually: simple and full of flavour.

B2's Simmering Beef Noodle reminded me of a dish that my mother similarly makes. The stew beef tasted so similar to my mother's it was ridiculously uncanny. I almost wished that I had ordered that meal instead. It was tasty.

Decor was interesting, a fairly divided issue amongst my friends and I. They liked it, but I thought it was suited more for a bubble tea shop rather than a restaurant. $10 is a reasonable price for the amount of food given, especially with the side dishes and the soup. B2 and B3's dishes were pretty big in size as well. However, I still can't get passed the chicken. B3's chicken was overcooked too, but since she's ordered that dish before, it is likely that this may have been a rare occurrence. I sure hope so!

Verdict: Underwhelming, despite its potential. Affordable prices and good portion size cannot help me forget about my chicken. Despite feeling underwhelmed, I'm not afraid to try Neighbours again. B2's dish showed that Neighbours can cook a good dish. Maybe I'll try something different next time.

Next blog: Unlikely to be on an asian cuisine... or else I might go crazy. (I do love my japanese food though.) Or I might post a recipe? Oooh, Elliott Stables?!

Kubick.

I have a headache.

Kubick

30 Symonds St, Auckland

So today, a few of my friends (lets call them "B1", "B2", and "B3") went out for lunch at a Korean-Japanese restaurant called Kubick. Unfortunately us postgrad commercial law students (aka fake law students) from the Business School do not really get a proper break. We do not have a weekly timetable, therefore it forces some of us to stay at uni during the break (some prefer the convenience of their own home. Whatever).

Anyway, I had a craving for Japanese food and it was close to the Business School -- I'm all for convenience, you know? (More convenient would be going to the Quad, but that's another blog post for another day). Kubick is located opposite Subway on Symonds Street, so it's not that hard to find. There's another one on Queen St too.

Kubick's menu can be located outside of the establishment (or else you can ask for a proper menu inside). The sun came out for a couple of hours, so it was great to feel the heat of the sun against my pale skin while deciding what to get for lunch. After my friends and I ordered, we attempted to find a empty, cleared table. This proved to be challenging since most of the vacated tables had plates remaining from previous customers. First thing we realised was that they were severely understaffed.

We asked if our table could be cleared and cleaned, and that took a bit longer than we anticipated. She took away the plates, but didn't "clean"/wipe our tables. Luckily I have an awesome friend (B3) who is obsessed with cleaning in general and cleaned our table for us with napkins that we had to get ourselves (that's a compliment by the way, B3).

Our food arrived rather quickly and after endless photos ("You need a birdseye shot!"), we finally got into it. I ordered the pork donkatsu ($11). B1 and B2 both ordered the teriyaki chicken don (also $11 each), and B3 ordered the teriyaki sauce noodle with chicken katsu ($12). As you can see below, this is a Korean-Japanese restaurant. While katsu is predictably Japanese, the pickled radishes are not. The rice was more Korean, rather than Japanese. The others were given miso soup, whereas I was given udon soup (which is fine by me, I could've just consumed that on its own...mmm udon).

From top to bottom: All four of our dishes side by side, my pork donkatsu, the chicken teriyaki don, and the teriyaki noodle with chicken katsu.

With Kubick, you get what you pay for. It's nothing spectacular, but it's not entirely terrible either. While I enjoyed my dish, there are some obvious improvements that could've been made to the dish. For example, the crumb on the pork katsu could've been better. The panko breadcrumb (that I assume they used, if not - blasphemy!) was not as crisp and crunchy as I normally expect with katsu, but at least it wasn't soggy, right? My friend's chicken katsu was fine though. The chicken teriyaki tasted fine, but a bit forgettable.

$11 (for my dish) is a good price to pay for the amount of food that you get to eat, but at the same time, you wouldn't want to pay anymore than that. The price range is approximately $10-20, a pretty handy price range for a student like myself.

The interior was...interesting to say the least. Small, not dainty. Perfect description, no?

Overall verdict: if you want an affordable japanese-korean meal, this option isn't too bad. While not spectacular, you won't feel entirely disappointed with your meal. Although service could be improved, it is still a nice place to go to with friends.

Welcome // The Engine Room

Contrary to what my friends say about my food eating habits, I don't really consider myself as a 'food snob.' Sure I'm a bit picky -- but I just know good food when I see/eat it. Then again, I guess everyone would think that of themselves.

I was exposed to different culinary techniques and cuisines at an early age, thanks to my two older brothers. When I was a kid, my parents worked full-time, seven days-a-week. This ultimately led to my brothers taking me out a lot, and a portion of that involved eating some really good food. Now that I'm older and hopefully wiser, and on the brink of graduating soon (....again), I hope I can share some of my food experiences to other people. In mid-November, I'm spending a month in Asia (Thailand, Japan, and Singapore) and just thinking about the food over there ....ahh mouth-watering.

The Engine Room

115 Queen Street, Northcote Point - -(09) 480 9502
http://www.engineroom.net.nz/

Sooooo this year, I turned twenty-one. Finally. My brothers and my sister-in-law wanted to take me out for a "fine-dining experience" on my birthday at The Engine Room in Northcote. My brothers gave me a list of restaurants to choose from, and I chose that one. Don't know why (but hey, I don't regret it).

To cut to the chase: it was gooooooood.

My first course was a twice-baked goats cheese souffle.

The other first course dishes that were ordered by my brothers and my sister-in-law-were:

From top to bottom: Lamb Ragu with Polenta; Fish Soup with Saffron, Fennel, and Aioli; Duck Salad with Fresh Figs & Mint

It was pretty unanimous that the souffle was the best dish of the lot. From the reviews that I had read prior to visiting, they all pretty much indicated the same thing as well. The ragu was tasty, but the polenta didn't have much flavour. The fish soup and the duck salad were both better than I expected. The souffle still won hands-down though.

After the first course I thought...how is my main going to top the souffle? Verdict: it didn't. But it was still pretty good.

For my main, I ordered Steak Frites: "Hereford Prime", Maitre D'Hotel Butter. Mmmmm. (Did I mention that I'm not exactly the most eloquent person?)

Everyone except one ordered the same - we all agreed that the steak dish was pretty good. I'm extremely critical with restaurants that cook my steak incorrectly (medium-rare by the way). I mean, it's their job to cook it correctly, right? 90% of restaurants get it wrong and it is extremely frustrating. I was pretty much happy up until the last quarter -- which was slightly too rare for my liking. The green stuff by the way? Herb butter. Sooo good!

The other main that was ordered was salmon fillet, lentils, beetroot and horseradish cream. I didn't actually try it because of my dislike for beetroot. (Beetroot - seriously?)


When my brother called to organise a booking, he mentioned to them that it was my 21st birthday & asked if they could organise something special for my birthday. Result: churros con chocolate, and profiteroles with icecream and choc sauce. Wasn't exactly "special" since its straight from their dessert menu, but they personalised it for me and was still pretty awesome. Excuse me while I drool. There are so many adjectives I could use to describe its deliciousness...but I think you guys can tell from the photos below.



Yuuuuuuuuuum. Especially the churros.

So overall verdict: really, really good. Great service, great wine (too bad I can't remember what it was), great food, great company. Atmosphere was really nice. For my first "proper" fine-dining experience, I had a spectacular time. Highly recommended if you're wanting to go out for a special occasion.

Next blog: unknown. I'm cravin' Tanuki's though.