Taste of Auckland ... the results

By TP Big Bro

After experiencing the wonders of the Taste of Melbourne, I was excited to once again dig into the culinary goldmine and be dazzled by the gastronomic magic at the Taste of Auckland festival. As someone who is trying to conquer Auckland's Top 50 restaurants, to have the heavy hitters of the local culinary scene concentrated together was a victory in itself. It evoked the feeling of productivity, similar to when Sunday night whizzes by but I've caught up with my mates, hit the town, gone to the gym, done the washing, the errands, the shopping, everything on the to-do list.

Having learnt to dismiss the "go late to miss the crowds and get free stuff" theory after it backfired at Taste of Melbourne, I hit the Sunday 11-4pm session at around 1:30pm. That way, it wouldn't be peak feeding, but there should be enough food to last the day. The theory worked, but to be honest, it was probably more of a "it fitted best in my day" convenience rather than a stress-tested Sun Tzu military strategy.

Unfortunately, after avoiding the first pitfall, I fell for the other trap. Hook, line and sinker. The bank account was shaking it's skinny head, but the full, fat and over-fed belly was having a good ole time. Unlike the Melbourne ticketing currency, the Auckland crowns were like thin poker chips that came in small see-through money bags, and with the Sky City casino standing tall in the backdrop, I quickly got the torn feeling of excitement mixed with knowing I was about to burn some serious cash. After some internal rationalisation and the silent chanting of "it's been a hard year" (that old chestnut!), I have effectively given myself a license to splurge. So with the sun unexpectantly shining, the live music lifting the energetic ambience, I slowly lost myself in the smokiness and smells of the foodie wonderland ...

Similar to Melbourne, I managed to taste 8 dishes in total (6 mains, 1 dessert, and I was so full but still had crowns left that I spent it on a cocktail). So counting down from lowest to highest, here were my findings.

8. Saffron gin cocktail (Cocktail exhibitor)
This was an outstanding cocktail (it would be a top 3 or 4 contender), but as it is a drink I am excluding it. Also, it was at the end of the day, and I couldn't remember what was in it, and didn't take a photo. I actually wanted to spend my last crowns on the Clooney's Lemon & Elderflower Tart, but I was so bursting-at-the-seams full, that I couldn't walk straight let alone eat any more. The tartiness and zing of the lemon would have pressed an eject button in my stomach. I have been foolish in the past, but today I was in control and disciplined. Instead of more dessert, I was intrigued by a cocktail stand, and decided to try their Saffron gin. It was the cool refreshing hit I needed. There was some cherry liquer, but I can't find it listed in the guide.

7. South Island Salmon, smoked scallop, iced fennel, orange & nasturtium (Clooney) - 12 Crowns

The dish sung with freshness. It was clean but slightly bland as if it was missing something. I would however, say it won plate of the day. And by that I mean, literally, plate of the day - it was paper but looked like a food tray with entree cutlery. Extra brownie points for presentation

6. Simon Gault Alaskan King crab & prawn in jalapeno crème fraiche sauce topped with tuna wafer (Euro) - 10 Crowns

I was sold by the name. As in, name of the dish, and name of the restaurant. It was probably the dish I wanted to try the most, just by looking at the program. When I got to the Euro stand, besides the two beautiful young cashiers, it was empty. I was surprised. I was also surprised when the dish came out, as it looked much different to what I imagined. The flavours were good, and it was creamy and rich. By the time I ate it though, I was pretty much overloaded and creamy was the last thing I wanted to taste.


5. Crispy wild boar with heirloom beets, apple & hazlenuts (The Grove) - 12 crowns

This dish made me feel I was eating strange but tasty pork and mushroom balls at a Sunday Yum Cha session. There was a chewy elasticky texture which was actually pleasant, combined with a crispy crumbed texture on the outside. It was different, the flavours married together well at the end, and it made me think "a successful progressive dish".

4. Yellowfin tuna , Salmon and Snapper 'New Style' Sashimi (Soto) - 12 Crowns

In hindsight, I should have asked about the "new style", because I kind of didn't get it (Soto are known for their traditional cooking but with modern presentation). As confused as I was, the combination of flavours was harmonious and beautiful. I felt clean and refreshed after eating it, and just wanted more.

3. Gameford Lodge King Cole Duck Breast, pickled apple, maple & mustard (Clooney) - 12 Crowns

This dish was a mythical creature. It didn't actually register on my hit list after reading the menu, but after speaking to several other foodies, the Clooney Duck was repeated that many times that I marched over to see what all the fuss was about. It didn't disappoint. The duck was flavoursome and beautifully cooked, and combined with the other components of the dish, it finished off spectacularly. Loved how the toasted nuts lifted the dish, and the melting sherbety malto was a good touch that didn't distract the dish.
2. Valrhona chocolate pavé, cookie crumbs and strawberry cream (The Grove) - 8 Crowns

Almost equal first, but a very close second place. One bite and I could tell it would be have been the standout dessert of the festival. Dark, rich, smooth and textured. Ticked all the boxes. The strawberries were a refreshing palate cleanser, allowing continous hits of deep chocolatey goodness. Mmmmmmmm..... give me the recipe.


1. Teriyaki Chicken infused with Manuka honey (Soto) - 12 Crowns

Absolute stand out of the day. One bite, and it was a serious reminder of how chicken should be cooked. "Ten-da, jooci and swet" said the Japanese cashier. He was absolutely, without a doubt, 100% right. It was amazingly tender, packed full of juices and masterfully flavoured. I wanted more, more, more. That's even when I found a long curly hair in it. If it wasn't of the hair, I would have licked the plate. Easily the longest queuing line I saw all day. Also loved how efficient it was, in true Japanese style. When I ordered, they gave me some origami and told me to wait in the barbeque line. The smell made me stand up like a grizzly bear and drool with my claws out. I then exchanged my cute origami for my food. Great system, great dish, great service and dish of the day.
Winning restaurant: Soto Japanese Restaurant
http://www.soto.co.nz
13 St Marys Road
Ponsonby 1011
+64 (9) 360 0021

p.s Yes, the very first picture is heir to the Dilmah fortune.

p.p.s If you have a "taste-of" city event that you love or think is worth the travel, I am more than happy to hear about it

Taste of Melbourne... the results

By TP Little Bro

After buying tickets to Taste of Sydney and having to pull out last minute, I was excited to go to my very first Taste festival and be escorted by the finetuned palate of my big bro.

Not known to be kind on the hip pocket, Taste is a great opportunity to sample culinary creations from some of Melbourne’s top chefs. It takes away the task of having to visit each of their restaurant's individually or spend big each time. All you need to do is rock up to the Royal Exhibition Building and enjoy as many signature dishes as your stomach (or wallet) can handle. If you look at it that way, it’s a relatively cheap investment into working out which fine dining establishments you’d like to visit later on (or take a hot date to impress!).

Arriving midway during the final afternoon session (12pm – 5pm), we naively thought we could enjoy all our favourite dishes without having to fight the lunchtime rush. How wrong we were. A trap for young players – if you arrive after the lunch rush, expect to miss out on the dishes you want to try. Embrasse’s crispy pork belly, Mezzo’s Slow braised pork cheek, The Europeans' Duck tortellini to name a few. Although disappointed to miss out on my pork, I’m sure TP Big Bro was somewhat relieved after his recent forgettable experience with a pig.

The twin palates were put to good use on 8 dishes in total (6 mains, 2 desserts) so counting down from lowest to highest, here were my findings.

8. Wallaby Tataki, ginger, soy, horseradish (Charcoal Lane)

Interesting gamey meat, cooked medium rare, a little chewy but nice flavour.



7. Cured Malborough king salmon, sweet corn, chorizo, kipfler potato (Maze)

The salmon on it’s own was nothing special. Add the rest. Special.


6. John Dory cooked in squid ink served with a burnt carrot puree, beetroot puree and heirloom vegetables (Embrasse)

Don’t be fooled. The dory wasn’t burnt but covered in squid ink. It melted in my mouth and the burnt carrot puree made the dish shine.


5. Eye fillet, potato mash, sauce Bordelaise (The Palace)

Beautifully creamy mash, juicy steak and amazing Bordelaise


4. The Bombe – strawberry sorbet, white chocolate parfait and toasted meringue (Stokehouse)

Wonderful marriage of textures and flavours to produce a top class dessert. Light and creamy. Dense and smooth. Lovely.


3. Hazelnuts & chocolate parfait, forest floor (Embrasse)

Flavour goes a long way. As does creativity. Parfait was a chocoholic’s dream. The refreshing granita with the heavy chocolate forest floor, transformed this dish from a great dessert into an experience.


2. Tuna carpaccio, goats feta, rocket, ginger eschalot dressing (The Palace by Luke Mangan)

Simple ingredients. Complex flavours. Must be tasted to be believed. Seriously.


1. Yellow curry of wagyu beef with cucumber relish (Longrain)

Close to perfect curry. Tender beef marginally balanced with fresh vegies. There was so much flavour in this dish that we nearly started fighting over the last grains of rice.

The wondeful array of food above cost $90 between the two of us. I was still a little hungry at the end but we took care of that by doing a lap of the stalls and indulging in some classics (Green & Blacks chocolate fountain) and some new offerings we'd never heard of before (Nudie’s coconut water).

Overall, it was a day well spent on scouting out what's happening in the world of fine dining. It would have been great to see a couple of 2 or 3 hatters make an appearance (Press Club, Attica, Cutler & Co) but nonetheless, it’s elevated my resolve to visit Embrasse, The Palace and of course, relive the way my taste buds sung at Longrain’s Yellow Curry. Luckily for me, Longrain has a Sydney arm, meaning that memorable event is only a quick phone call away.

Taste of Shanghai & TP Little bro finally arrives on the scene

by TP Little brother

My recent explorations have indicated that Ashfield is the dumpling capital of Sydney. I, personally, am a big fan of genuine Chinese cuisine in the form of these little pan fried packets of goodness.

Being in the area, I decided to head to Taste of Shanghai Restaurant, a restaurant that always seems to be teeming with people.

Virtually every meal I’ve had in Ashfield has included at least one serving of dumplings. This meal was no exception. Rather than run with the usual dumplings and xiao long bao combo, we ordered a serving of dumplings and whatever looked interesting or appetising.

Being a predominantly Asian suburb, the waiters in Ashfield have the ability to speak English but tend to default to speaking Mandarin. To practice my “pu tong hua”, I decided to immerse myself in the culture and order in Chinese. I began my order by pointing to the nice glossy picture of Pork dumplings and said “Wo yao zhe ge” (I would like this). With the first order done, the next challenge was ordering the Chilli Bamboo chicken and unfortunately there was no glossy picture in the menu. So in my broken Mandarin, I muttered, “Wo yao ji” (I want chicken). The waitress paused, gave me a confused look and replied in English, “Huh?.... Chilli??”.

I took that as a hint and ordered the rest in English.

The first thing that arrived were the pan fried pork dumplings.

Now, an experienced dumplingtier would know, often through the hard way, that the insides of dumplings are generally burning hot upon serving.

So it's always wise to:

a) Wait a few minutes before eating, which admittedly, can be difficult on an empty stomach OR

b) Strategically applying a series of small bites on the dumpling. This serves 2 purposes. To avoid getting burnt and any reducing soup splashback

Big Al, a seasoned dumpling eater, forgot these facts and in a desperate attempt to satisfy his hunger, eagerly bit into the freshly fried dumpling. The result? A burnt lip and later, the dumpling got a second dose of revenge when Big Al took a bite and it squirted soup all over his white shirt.

My experience was much less painful. The dumplings themselves had a nice crisp skin, which is what you want in the pan fried variety. The skin was also slightly thicker and floury than normal. The need for this became apparent after the first bite when more soup than normal poured out.

A common mistake I encounter when ordering dumplings at any venue, particularly fried ones, is undercooked meat. This place had no such issues as the pork was well cooked and coupled with the soup, was pretty tasty.

The next dish was the “Shui mai”. This was much different to the Cantonese version you get at yum cha (with shrimp, pork and mushrooms) and was basically glutinous rice in an open dumpling.

The presentation was interesting which was what initially drew us to the dish.
The taste however, was nice but lacked any other ingredient besides glutinous rice and dumpling wrap. For the same price, I'd prefer to go with another serve of dumplings.

Our last dish, the one I struggled to order in Chinese, was the Chilli Bamboo chicken, served in a bamboo cone with whole chillis, shallots and peanuts, garnished with sprouts.

If you want to be able to cook one good dish, learn how to season well and deep fry.
As expected, the first bite was fantastic. Salty, crispy, deep fried chicken isn’t the most technical dish and pretty hard to mess up. The second,third and forth pieces were nearly as good but by the time I got to the fifth piece, as expected, I started to feel sick. Probably best to share this one between 3 or 4 people to avoid the sick feeling from eating so much oil.

Overall, the food was pretty good. The only unexpected surprise of the meal was at the end. The bill came up to just over $40. Pretty standard for dinner but a touch expensive for a Chinese meal shared between two.

Taste of Shanghai Restaurant
264 Liverpool Road
Ashfield, NSW, 2131