All posts filed under: Drinks

Andy’s Burgers & Bar – with Robots!

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Andy’s Burgers and Bar are back! I was recently invited to dine at the newly refurbished Andy’s Burgers & Bar, so I took along two of my burger and cocktail loving friends to check it out. Located in the SkyCity complex, Andy’s Burgers & Bar have a slick new fit out (love the geometric tiles!), an updated menu and a new QR code ordering system. And the best part? Robots!!! Friendly service robots (namely Bella & Buzz) who bring your order right to your table. We really enjoyed our night at Andy’s Burgers & Bar and can guarantee everyone will love something on their menu, whether it be their EPIC burgers, famous wings, or loaded nachos with a side of Mac ‘n’ cheese. Although the restaurant is connected to the main gaming floor, and it does get noisy due to the live sport on the big screens, don’t be put off by this. This casual burger joint serves tasty burgers, excellent cocktails (or a Traffic Light Float for the young ones), plus the service is …

5 Reasons Why I Love Hello Beasty

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If you haven’t been to Hello Beasty yet, then you are seriously missing out! I must admit, I’m very late to the party, but thanks to my boyfriend’s love for the restaurant, we had a date night here recently… it was everything I imagined and more. Here are five reasons why I love Hello Beasty and why you should visit pronto! 1. The Service, Ambience and Layout. From the moment we walked in, service was welcoming and friendly, not to mention, excellent throughout the night, with the usual things I look out for – drinks and food arriving promptly, water glasses topped up regularly, and wait staff attentive and always on hand to explain the dishes and make suggestions. Kudos to Emma Rogan, co-owner (along with award-winning chef and husband, Stu Rogan) who was running front of house the night we were there – she was friendly, professional and lovely to chat with. We were seated in Hello Beasty’s open-air courtyard overlooking Market Square – the best spot in my opinion and great for people …

Cocoro – Ponsonby

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If there was one word to describe Cocoro, it would be… well, to be honest, it would be many words. Exquisite. Superb. Spectacular. Faultless. Sensational. Perfection. In March of this year, I was invited by Pamu New Zealand to dine at Cocoro, one of the three finalists in the nationwide ‘Pamu & Cuisine Deer Milk Ice Cream Competition 2020’ where chefs were tasked to create their very first Deer Milk ice cream dessert. You may have heard of Deer Milk… it is like the caviar of milk. Rich and creamy, yet fresh and light. Fun fact: it is actually double the fat and double the protein of regular cow’s milk, making it the creamiest milk you will ever taste. It is also the first of its kind and is made by Pamu on their farm near Queenstown. Co-Owner and Head Chef of Cocoro, Makoto Tokuyama’s creation was Deer Milk with Shio Koji Ice Cream Manuka Smoke, inspired to reflect Pamu’s deer farm on a Spring morning. The combination of deer milk with shio koji (salt …

#NZContentCollective Margarita Masterclass with Mexico

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Last Thursday night, #NZContentCollective and I hosted a Margarita Masterclass at Mexico in Britomart.  One of my other loves (besides food) is T E Q U I L A! I mostly like it straight, and of course, in Margaritas – my favourite cocktail! Since travelling around Mexico two years ago (including visiting the Jose Cuervo Distillery in the town of Tequila and learning about the history and how it is made), my passion for all things Mexican (hello calaveras!) has grown and I am an even bigger fan of the spirit.  So, when the opportunity arose to collaborate with Mexico by organising a Margarita Masterclass with Herradura and El Jimador Tequila, we were in! Plus, the idea of becoming a master in the fine art of making and consuming margaritas simultaneously sounded like our type of evening, so why not share it with 37 other like-minded people, namely content creators, bloggers, foodies, and business owners! On a chilly Thursday night, we arrived at Mexico in Britomart and were led upstairs to their super cool Mexican-style …

Bottomless Brunch at Wu & You

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A few weekend’s ago, #NZBloggers and I hosted our Xmas Soiree at Wu & You in Mount Eden. This was our last #BRUNCHCLUB for 2019, so we celebrated it in style! Wu & You are known for their exciting, dynamic and delicious Asian-Fusion dishes, and on the weekends, they offer Bottomless Bubbles and Brunch🍾🍾 Prior to the event, we loved the sound of their WFC Burger with Wu fried chicken, kaffir lime mayo, lettuce and coriander, the Five Spiced Pork Hawker Roll with hoisin and star anise glaze, Malaysian slaw, fried garlic and peanuts, and the Chili Scrambled Eggs with spicy mayo, fresh herbs, crispy shallots and toasted sourdough. YUM. Check out the rest of their menu here. On the day, we were seated in their outdoor courtyard and had this to ourselves! We priced our tickets at $40 which included Wu & You’s Bottomless Bubbles & Brunch (usually $49), sweet treats during the event (like Sweet Little Favors Christmas cookies and Krispy Kreme doughnuts), plus a FABULOUS Goodie Bag to take home at the end. …

Taste of Auckland 19

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HEADS UP FOODIES… TASTE OF AUCKLAND IS HERE!!! November is the most exciting month of the year, for three reasons: 1. It is my birthday month; 2. It is starting to feel like summer; and 3. Taste of Auckland has arrived – woohoo! On Thursday night, I attended my sixth Taste of Auckland, including the VIP Opening, where Taste presented the ‘Best in Taste Awards’, judged by MARCO PIERRE WHITE (and daughter), Tony Stewart (Clooney), Chand Sahrawat (Sid at The French Cafe/Cassia) and Amanda Linnell (VIVA). The winning dish was the Beetroot Taco Pao with Pulled Sticky Pork Belly, Pickled Carrot and Crispy Shallots by Nanam. Jessabel Granada / Executive Chef at Nanam Plus, a new award this year – ‘People’s Choice Award’ – judged by Nicole O’Brien, who won a VIVA competition to become the judge! Her top pick was the “Miann Hot Dog” with Chocolate Parfait, Eclair, Passionfruit and Raspberry by Miann. Read more below to see a picture! Held over four days (31 October – 3 November), Taste of Auckland is ideal for those who love food, cooking and everything in between. In other words, it is …

Little Bird Unbakery

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Attention Little Bird Organics and The Unbakery lovers, the HYPE is real… Little Bird Unbakery is now open for dinner! At last year’s Taste of Auckland, the festival’s first dedicated vegan restaurant, Little Bird Organics, announced they were trialling out four dishes which could potentially go on the menu of their new dinner offering at their Ponsonby Unbakery! Think Smoked Watermelon Sashimi, Hemp Tacos with BBQ Cauliflower and Kimchee Slider with Gochujang Black Bean Patty. Yum! Fast forward to two weeks ago, Little Bird Unbakery opened for dinners, and I can see it becoming a very popular place! It is somewhere where you can enjoy a wholesome plant-based delicious meal… and feel great afterwards.  The idea of their new dinner offering is to showcase seasonal organic bites, meals and desserts (all dairy-free, gluten-free and vegan), paired with an all-natural wine list, organic cocktails and craft beer. The menu will change and grow over the coming weeks, depending on the seasonal produce available and feedback from the public. Little Bird Unbakery have only just obtained their liquor license this …

Ditching the Dairy: Coffee Options in Auckland CBD

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Having recently started switching up my coffee order to include drinking dairy-free milk, and also having no idea which cafes in Auckland CBD were offering dairy-free milk options (and specifically which ones), I have decided to create this post, so that when you feel like dairy-free milk in your coffee, you will know where to go! For each cafe, I have also added my recommended treat/breakfast dish too, because food is life! Note: I have researched about 20 places all up, mainly visiting these places to check out their prices and if dairy-free milk is on offer. If a place is not included, it is either because their coffee with dairy-free milk is way too expensive or the coffee tasted like burnt toast.  Stolen Summer Stolen Summer is at the top of my list because it is my most recent coffee discovery and currently my favourite place to get a great coffee. The cafe is small, but cute, and fairly new to High Street. The owners are friendly, the cafe fit out will look good …

Taste of Auckland 18

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HEADS UP FOODIES… TASTE OF AUCKLAND IS HERE!!! November is the most exciting month of the year, for three reasons: 1. It is my birthday month; 2. It is starting to feel like summer; and 3. Taste of Auckland has arrived – woohoo! 2018 is a big year for Taste of Auckland presented by Electrolux as they are celebrating 10 years! This iconic food festival has helped launch brands, watch restaurants come and go, and of course, provide the public with an amazing event each year.  Taste is also being held in a brand new location – occupying the entire space of Queen’s Wharf on the waterfront! I am in love with the new seaside location, as it is more spacious, and easier to get to. You could drive, but why not walk down from work or take public transport if you can?!  On Thursday night, I attended my fifth Taste of Auckland, including the VIP Opening, where Taste presented the ‘Best in Taste Awards’, judged by Chand Sahrawat, Lachlan Colwill and Amanda Linnell. The winning dish was Xoong’s Ruakaka Kingfish Tartare. …

Poderi Crisci – Waiheke

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I love love love Poderi Crisci. Situated on Waiheke Island, about a 25 minute drive from Kennedy Point Wharf, you will find Poderi Crisci, a vineyard and Italian restaurant owned and run by Antonio Crisci and his family. Surrounded by rolling hills and immaculate gardens, together with a stunning setting including an Italian style kitchen, displays of Italian cheeses and cured meats, and copper pots and utensils, you will feel like you are in Tuscany.  I dined here for my birthday with my family and it was a very memorable meal… and day overall. Everything was exquisite – from the surrounds and views, to the alfresco dining and beautiful food and wine. The service is also very welcoming, professional and friendly. For starters, we enjoyed a glass of prosecco, accompanied by three platters, all of which were beautifully presented and each dish was savoured: Pane & Olio A selection of homemade grissini, Italian inspired bread and olives with Poderi Crisci olive oil Contorni A selection of Antipasti style side dishes, including free range egg frittata, …