The Commons
21 Hurstmere Road
Takapuna, Auckland
Hours: Commons Bistro open 6:30pm – late Thursday to Saturday. Garden & Bar open 12pm-late 7 days. 

A very, very good surprise. Although The Commons has been open in Takapuna for a couple of years, I have managed to live 5km away without ever paying it a visit – friends had a bad experience a few years back, it was viewed (at least in my mind) as a bit of a flash burger-oriented bar space to go for drinks, and perhaps a little pricy for my student budget. An error of judgement, I now know – and my only regret is not visiting sooner.

Now one of the longer standing restaurants in the up-and-coming eating area of central Takapuna, surrounded by the likes of Josh Emmett’s Madam Woo, Bird on Wire, Zomer, Mexico, and Takapuna Beach Cafe, The Commons has two sections: the outdoor, heated ‘Garden’ and downstairs bar area, as well as the more subdued Bistro area upstairs. The latter was where we ate – a spacious, relaxed ambience created by high timber ceilings, floor-to-ceiling views over the Gardens bar area, and uncrowded seating – no bumping elbows with your neighbours here, unlike many eateries.

The evening we dined was one of the first days of The Common’s new spring menu, which showcases some of New Zealand’s best spring produce –  new season peas, asparagus, zucchini flowers and spring smoked lamb all make an appearance. Divided into ‘to snack’, ‘shared beginnings’, ‘large plates’ and ‘to share’, the menu is wide ranging and creative, with an Italian slant – start with smoked salmon tartare Tuscan style with charred ciabatta ($14), or porcini anancini with heirloom tomato, gremolata & parmesan ($14). Shared beginnings are plates – spring vegetable mezze, kitchen charcuteries, or raw fish, all with accompaniments. Large plates are main size, though if in a smaller group you could share – the pig belly with beer, fennel, grape & charred carrot ($34) and the wholemeal gnocchi with ricotta, zucchini flower & heritage tomato ($32) were particularly tempting. Daily primal cattle cuts are also offered, as are the larger Savannah dry aged prime rib (700g- $79) and slow roasted lamb shoulder (800g- $75). Vegetables come as sides, and are worth ordering – charred spears of asparagus come with a golden crumb topping, new potatoes are simply dressed with sea salt & lemon chive, while heirloom tomatoes are highlighted by sesame & basil (all $8).

We began with the eggplant caviar – smoky and babaganoush-like with deep eggplant flavour, basil and toasted sesame, it was a good start. The crisp olive oiled flat-breads it came with were possibly a little too crisp, flat and oily, however – maybe a house-made toasted foccacia would have been a better fit. Roasted scallops came next – large and perfectly golden, they were accompanied by a herby rosemary & garlic butter that I could have smeared on anything, anytime and been happy.

The day boat fish sounded too good to bypass: served with charred squid (the tenderest we had ever experienced, thanks to a kiwifruit marinade), heirloom tomato salsa, avocado puree and chorizo oil. The lighter flavours put the spotlight on the fresh, crispy edged fish, and it was one of our favourite dishes, though I still have qualms about the use of avocado puree in dishes, as it continues to seem to lack the flavour of the real thing.

Rich, charred-edged chunks of King salmon were artfully arranged with asparagus, acidic pink grapefruit, and a mint emulsion – though a complete contrast to the softer, delicate flavours of the former fish plate, the salmon and grapefruit just seemed to work, and the charred, wrinkly asparagus pulled it all together.

Finally, the smoked lamb was like spring on a plate – tender and pink, and served with fresh broad beans, peas and grilled zucchini on a base of a creamy garlic emulsion.

Dessert was not even a question – I had to try the malt icecream with soft chocolate, honeycomb and oat crumble. For a dark chocolate person, this was out of the ordinary. A scoop of dark, rich and chocolately as chocolate gets mousse was covered with a light, foamy malt ice cream and sweet, crisp textures of honeycomb, almost cornflake-like to look at. The photos and initial appearance do not do justice to the chocolate explosion it is – I would go back just to eat it again.

Service was very attentive and friendly, if a little disjointed, and dishes arrived quickly without being on top of each other.

The Commons seems to cover a gaping hole in North Shore dining – the upmarket bistro model, serving sophisticated, modern seasonal food – slightly less fine-dining than The Engine Room, yet more so than Mexico. The sort of place you could take your parents, a date, or just have a satisfying dinner out.  I can’t wait to try the summer menu.

Rating: 8/10
Don’t miss: the chocolate malt dessert.
Do: book ahead, and ask for a table overlooking the Gardens
Features: takes bookings, bistro area and menu + bar area and menu

* We dined courtesy of The Commons, but all thoughts, ideas and opinions are my own.

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The French Cafe
210 Symonds St, Eden Terrace, Auckland
Hours: Dinner: Tues–Sat, Lunch: Friday
+64 9 377 1911

The French Cafe. It had been on my wish-list for quite some time (read: years!) before my parents treated me to dinner there on the weekend before I headed back to Melbourne for another semester of university. After a few dull and uninspiring food experiences in Auckland over the past month, I hoped against hope that this would break the mold: one of Auckland’s longest running fine dining restaurants, The French Cafe is currently owned by the husband and wife team of Simon Wright, executive chef, and Cheghan Molloy Wright, restaurant manager, and has collected countless accolades over the years, including numerous Metro Restaurant of the Year awards. It did not disappoint.

Located on an unassuming corner of Symonds Street, The French Cafe oozes elegance. Dark wood furnishings compliment the white tablecloths, hanging globes of light and the artwork: Karl Maughan paintings which more than make up for the lack of view. It doesn’t end there – around the corner is the kitchen, with a open panel giving glimpses of chefs hard at work to another room of diners, who are also treated on the opposite side to a glass wall through to the courtyard, used for dining in the summer months. And don’t go without seeing the new private dining room: airy, spacious and sophisticated, complete with a private kitchen, high ceilings, light wooden flooring and large sliding windows opening out on to the lush edible garden area – I dream of holding an event here.

Because our booking was from 6pm to 8:15pm, we were unable to try the six course tasting menu, which is a three and a half hour feast. No matter – the four course à la carte looked just as inviting and had the bonus of being able to choose from a wider range of dishes. A small taster of the evening to come arrived first: bite-size pieces of salty, gooey goat’s cheese encased in a thin, slivered wrap of zucchini, crumbed and fried. Confusement reigned for a moment with the next course – we had all ordered different entrees, hadn’t we? But no, this was just another amuse-bouche – bowls of delicately placed slow-caramelised onion with creamily filled interiors was transformed with french onion soup broth poured over it at the table – salty, strong and gone in minutes.

The entrees arrived quickly: my snapper cerviche, fresh, light and imbued with coconut and chunks of creamy avocado, given some bite with chilli and lime, texture with puffed rice. A triumph. The baked scallops were just as good – plated on piles of salt, the scallops meld with the creaminess of cauliflower cheese, rich truffle butter and parmesan perfectly. Dad, who incidentally ended up having many broths poured over his dishes at the table, loved the egg yolk confit, strongly flavoured with iberico ham and a meaty broth with smoked potato and buttered leek.

Warm, crusty house-baked bread rolls came out next, served with slabs of salty seaweed-laced butter and a smoked version. And the second course. A simple short pastry tart base is topped with the earthy sweetness of onion, fig and beetroot, a touch of red wine syrup and a dollop of show-stopping roasted french goat’s cheese. My carmelised pork belly arrives in a glistening slab, nestled in with roasted carrots and rich carrot puree, mildly spiced flavours of gingerbread and texture of finely chopped almond, and a langoustine (which, I realised when I saw it, is a species of lobster). The Akaroa salmon was Dad’s choice, served in a shallow bowl with crayfish, salty wakame butter and crisply dehydrated brassica leaf, completed at the table with the salty Japanese flavoured hot dashi broth. All a celebration of contrasting textures and complementary but innovative flavours – we couldn’t get enough.

Welcome gaps between the courses were offered – we might have struggled if it had been full steam ahead all evening. Friendly but not overbearing, you are hardly aware of your cutlery being changed and drinks topped up, or even of other diners around you – the service is seamless.

Of the third round, Mum’s was the clear winner: aged beef cooked medium rare, tender and rich, topped with a simple wasabi butter and samphire, a green coastal-growing edible plant, plated alongside the contrasting slow roasted eggplant, black garlic and pumpkin. The roast duck leg, permeated with citrus, was similarly devoured, with wafer-thin crispy skin and a sweet kumara mash alongside. The market fish was snapper, though perfectly cooked, flaking with a crispy outer skin, it was the least punchy dish of the night: served with a sweetcorn puree with small bites of lobster, vibrant broccoli stems and a crunchy topping of pearl barley and basil, I felt like it needed something more – though this was probably a product of the extraordinarily high bar set by every other plate.

Dessert didn’t need a debate – it would have been unthinkable to miss it. I couldn’t pass the first item on the menu: textured chocolate. Fragments of chocolate meringue are propped up around a spoon of caramelised milk chocolate sorbet and a cascade of hazelnut crumble with grated chocolate shards, all offset by carefully chosen, sharp, juicy segments of fresh mandarin. Best dessert was hotly contested by the deconstructed lemon meringue option chosen by Mum, where piped towers of gooey, distinctively sour Italian lemon meringue are lightly browned with a blowtorch and coupled with lemon curd, textural pastry crumb, both fresh and freeze-dried blueberries, a scoop of white chocolate sorbet surrounded by thin, crisp white chocolate meringue pieces and garnished with a sprinkle of white chocolate powder.

An oasis of calm on busy Symonds Street, it seems as if The French Cafe can do no wrong. Confident and unobtrusive service offers modern yet unpretentious French cuisine making the most of New Zealand produce, with techniques polished through years of innovation and tireless work in The French Cafe kitchen: it is a must try. The best restaurant experience I have ever had in Auckland, hands down.

Rating: 10/10
Pro tip: book ahead if you have a specific date in mind as they are in high demand
Don’t miss: anything, really, but the lemon meringue dessert is particularly good
Features: six course tasting menu (must book for 3.5 hours), functions room with private kitchen
Price range: $100-140 per person ($140 for tasting menu), plus alcohol

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Peasant
191 Dominion Road, Mt Eden
09-638 6403

Vietnamese is one my favourite cuisines: a culture of street food, it features fresh, zingy herbs, snappy sweet-sour fish sauce, lime and palm sugar dressings, soft piles of handmade rice noodles and crispy, fluffy baguettes stuffed with banh mi fillings. News of the opening of Peasant, a Vietnamese eatery in Mt Eden, followed by a few stellar reviews recently in the NZ Herald  and last October in Viva, then quickly caught our attention.

In terms of fit out, Peasant is just what it suggests. Floor to ceiling windows and white-washed walls are simply adorned with a couple of old family photos, while plain light bulbs with knotted cords hang from the ceiling, a subtle reminder of the tangled power lines of Vietnam. It isn’t warm, with relatively harsh lighting and and minimalist wooden and stone furnishings, but it works – you wouldn’t find much more in Vietnam either.

The menu is deceptively long: a small sheet of brown paper hides a range of share plates, priced from $12-19. The more traditional Vietnamese dishes of banh mi and bowls of pho are available for lunch only, though a range of share plates are around all day, from smaller dishes of rice paper rolls and chicken wings to larger offerings of sirloin steak and roast duck.

Salmon rice paper rolls started out strongly: fresh and healthy, the rich hot-smoked king salmon coupled nicely with rice noodles and herbs, though more of the latter were needed for an authentic Vietnamese pop of flavour. The pork rolls with dried shrimp and woodear mushrooms were expected to be similar, so we were surprised when they came out deep-fried. However, these were another highlight, with a hands-on method of wrapping the hot, crispy spiced pork mince roll in a lettuce leaf bundle before devouring. 

A bowl of sticky chicken wings and drumsticks arrived next, thickly coated in a sweet and salty soy sauce marinade. These, along with the cornflake chicken, where schnitzel-like pieces of chicken were covered in a crispy cornflake coating and set in a smear of rich lemongrass aioli, went down a treat with the boys but lacked a freshness and depth of flavour that would be expected from Vietnamese.

The crispy pork belly was disappointing: crispy, yes, but dry, chewy pieces swam in a slightly sickly-sweet hoisin sauce – it wasn’t the thick, slowly caramelised pork cuts with fresh herbs and sharp apple flavours of other Asian-fusion eateries. The lamb skewers were decent, but soy was again a dominant flavour. Crispy squid was Dad’s pick: a generous serve of squid was served on a layer of sriracha mayo, but crispiness was missing from the squid and the expected fiery blast of chili never came.

We fared slightly better with the larger plates: angus sirloin, thickly sliced and covered in a garlic rice wine sauce, was cooked medium rare and went well with the side of broccolini and almonds we had ordered – though here again, innovation was absent in the slightly overdone broccolini presented with a pile of raw sliced almonds.

The most authentic dish of the night – and my favourite – was the market fish, similar to the Vietnamese bun cha ca. Perfectly cooked tarakihi marinated in turmeric and pepper is served with rice noodles, roasted peanuts, a herby green salad and a sharp nuac cham dressing. I could have eaten the whole plate myself.

Service was unhelpful – clearly on perhaps her first night on the job, our waitress was unable to tell us whether what we had ordered would likely be enough, or even identify what dish she was delivering from the kitchen.

With many dishes weighed down by heavy creamed dressings and cooked in copious amounts of soy and hoisin sauce, Peasant is more of a westernized-Vietnamese/non-descript South-East-Asian eatery, lacking the essential herbs and flavours of an authentic Vietnamese meal (though, granted, we did not eat at lunch time so were unable to try the banh mi and pho). It may be a fun place to eat with friends, for a cheap bowl of pho as a lunch stop, or for a quick dinner before the rugby at nearby Eden Park – but as it stands, Peasant is not worth crossing town for.

Rating: 5/10
Don’t miss: the market fish or salmon rice paper rolls
Pro tip: dress warmly – it does get a bit chilly indoors.
Features: share-plates, bookings

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Ortolana
33 Tyler St, Britomart
Opening hours 7am – late

Dominating the Auckland dining scene, it seems that the Hip Group can do no wrong. Directors Jackie Grant and Scott Brown along with executive chef Jo Pearson are now responsible for eight of the best eateries in town: Richmond Road, St Heliers, Takapuna Beach and Rosie Cafes, The Store at Britomart, Ortolana, dedicated dessert and patisserie haven Milse, as well as the Waihi Beach Hotel and Waimauku’s Provenance Eatery. It is an impressive list. Six made Metro magazine’s best cafes in Auckland 2014, with Rosie taking out the spot of supreme winner.

The secret? Without talking to those running the show, common threads are simple yet sophisticated dishes with seasonal and locally sourced ingredients, flavour combinations diverging from the staples that grace most other brunch menus, gorgeously designed and spacious fit-outs, friendly service, some of the most reliable coffee in the city, sparkling water on the house and prices not prohibitive to a meal out.

Having not been there since its early days just over two years ago, lunch at Ortolana yesterday did not disappoint. With just as much outdoor seating as indoor, a peaked canopy adorned with fairy lights shelters diners while hanging vines and native greenery act as a barrier from passing Britomart shoppers. Inside, a glass-blown light fitting dominates the space, all high ceiling and brick walls softened by the linen cushioned benches and natural curved wooden furniture. The place was packed, but another table got pulled over from round the corner, the overhead heaters shifted and wool blankets given out to keep us toasty – all in the space of a couple of minutes.

Ordering was tricky, both because so many good options made it difficult to decide, and as dishes are listed simply by their main component and with frequent unusual ingredients (you may find yourself looking the odd one up on your phone to figure out exactly what you are getting). However, this does reflect the style of eating here – and we are not complaining.

From the brunch section came the gnocchi, butternut, almond, mozzarella and egg. Warming and wintery, crusty gnocchi pairs perfectly with roast butternut chunks, the oozy yolk of a soft poached egg and a bare coating of finely grated cheese.

Fazzoletti, a large sheet of fresh al dente pasta, dips and folds around tender, earthy heirloom beetroot and dollops of smooth cows feta, not sharp enough to overwhelm the other components. Roughly chopped roast hazelnuts lend texture, while microgreens and thin pink watermelon radish slices pretty up the dish. Wintery yet simultaneously fresh and vibrant, this is a knock-out.

The market fish of the day was tarakihi, pan-seared to preserve the delicate flavour and plated with a red cabbage and quinoa salad and swirls of a light kale pesto. The kale pesto, left mild with olive oil, married perfectly with the fresh, crispy-skinned fish without being overpowering: these were the highlights here, with the quinoa salad simply serving to bulk it up.

Rigatoni with mushroom ragu was Dad’s choice, where pasta is balanced by a generous serve of intensely flavoured mushrooms, not diluted by a creamy sauce. Small crouton-like pieces add crunch, while the omnipresent microgreens and a sprinkle of parmesan rounds out the dish.

There was no debating whether we needed dessert as we eagerly headed across to Milse to check out their cabinets. Bursting with tarts, macarons, and much coveted gelato sticks (options include salted caramel & macadamia, yoghurt & lemon curd, and feijoa, almond & Earl Grey white chocolate), the french inspired patisserie also has a devoted degustation dessert menu for those so inclined. Of the three chocolate desserts we tried, the one that really shone was the 65% Satilia Chocolate, passionfruit, vanilla & hazelnut, where an intensely dark outer mousse layer is paired with a gooey passionfruit centre and crunchy vanilla nut base. Dad went for a verrine – a small jar of 62% chocolate mousse, crunchy pecan-brownie crumble and a dominating hit of cardamon.

Ortolana is an excellent showcase of the best of Auckland dining – atmosphere, service, and food combine for an always satisfying experience. It is where I would recommend out-of-towners to visit, and where locals should visit too. Just pop by Milse on your way out. Trust me.

Rating: 9/10
Don’t miss: market fish, dessert at Milse
Pro tip: go early to avoid waiting for a table and bring a coat in case you sit outside
Features: fresh, light food, outdoor seating, no bookings

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Little and Friday
43D Eversleigh Rd, Belmont
Ph (09) 489 8527
www.littleandfriday.com
Hours: Monday-Sunday 8am-3:30pm
9/10

Now an Auckland institution, Little and Friday started out in a tiny shop on a quiet suburban street, prepping and baking cakes all week to sell on Fridays only – hence the name. Since then, owner Kim Evans has grown her business exponentially through the completely unique, high quality, and lavish cakes, tarts, pies and famous cream donuts sold. No longer confined to one room, Little and Friday has expanded into the whole block of 5 shops as well as a separate cafe in Newmarket, two cookbooks have been published, an After Hours dinner menu has been established, over 70 staff are now employed, and in the last few weeks they have adopted a breakfast and lunch menu in addition to the original cabinet fare.

To say that I am impressed would be a colossal understatement. Inspired and in love, maybe.

After spending many study periods at Little and Friday through high school (with Takapuna Grammar being only a few hundred metres down the road), I always make time for a visit when home on university break. This time was no different – having heard about the new menu, I made it a priority. Although short, the menu made deciding what to get ten times more of a challenge – sweet or savoury? big or small? small plus a cake? share? could I take something home too? – you would think these dilemmas might get easier on repeat trips, but at least for me, that is not the case.

The roasted bacon and egg stuffed avocado with coriander, cherry tomatoes, lime and avocado salad on toasted multigrain was a winner. The standard avocado smash was transformed with the unusual technique of roasting a bacon wrapped egg in each half of the avocado, with the original inside avocado flesh presented in a fresh and summery salad on the side. The avocado salad on multigrain was our favourite part of this dish: though exciting and different, the charred avocado halves were a little tricky to eat and the roasting time meant the egg yolks weren’t as gooey and runny as a soft poached egg would be.

Another hit, the toasted coconut bread was devoured: warm slabs of a not-too-sweet coconut loaf were covered in a fresh and juicy mango lime salsa and elevated by the perfectly wobbly vanilla pannacotta with fresh passionfruit pulp on the side. Eaten together, this is a flavour explosion in a mouthful and a flawless combination of textures.

The next week I paid Little and Friday another visit with friends, trying the fig and walnut bread with thyme butter and fresh honeycomb on recommendation. I was slightly disappointed when presented with a plate of toast with the butter and honey comb on the side, having imagined a sweet bread more similar to the coconut bread I had tried the first time. However, the dish and its accompaniments were delicious (you can also choose to have the toast served with hazelnut butter and plum raspberry jam) and meant I had room for a treat from the cabinet afterwards. Sophie tried the bircher muesli with poached plums and homemade quark – while she enjoyed it, it was deemed to really be more of a porridge than a muesli in taste, texture and components. Casey and Alice both headed for the cabinet food, ordering a toasted sandwich and a cherry tomato galette respectively. Aside from a couple of service hiccups over the two trips (which I would put down to teething problems as it was within a week of starting the new lunch menu), the new options make a great addition to the cafe, giving customers a few healthier options to the amazing but very indulgent cabinet fare.

From the cabinet, the chocolate, beetroot & salted caramel is one of my all time favourites – a deep chocolate enriched by the subtle addition of grated beetroot, filled with a thick salted caramel that blends into the cake and covered with a rich and gooey chocolate ganache. The fruit tarts with layers of sweet, buttery shortcrust pastry, almond frangipane and cream patisserie are also particularly good, especially the summer plum and winter poached rhubarb versions. And don’t forget the passionfruit coconut and chocolate caramel slices, the walnut and date brioche, the raspberry and chocolate bread and butter pudding, or the myriad of savoury galettes, pies, and tarts…need I say more?

Being situated on an otherwise quiet suburban street, parking is free and is never too hard to find. In recent times I have not had to wait for a table, but at peak lunch hour, particularly on the weekend, be prepared for a decent queue to order at the counter (often lengthened by people like me who can’t decide what to try!). Tables are both inside and out the front: you used to be able to sit out in the back garden where they grow their own herbs and vegetables for the cafe, but due to noise complaints from neighbours that seating is currently on hold.

Little and Friday is certainly a stand-out cafe in Auckland and one that I would highly recommend. My copies of their cookbooks are well worn and with good reason – their recipes are unique and always stand out. They do generally involve significant effort, time and care, however, which is why customers continue to pour through the door and will keep Kim Evans busy for a long time yet.

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