All posts filed under: Summer

Auckland Fish Market

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I absolutely love seafood. Oysters, mussels, prawns, hoki, kina, gurnard, crayfish, whitebait, clams, flounder, scallops, tuna, snapper, paua – you name it.  I would eat seafood for every meal if I could… maybe just not for dessert as that is reserved for my other favourite food – chocolate. So, when I was invited to the official opening party of the Auckland Fish Market last Monday, I was super excited! Most of you will already know, but for the last nine months’, the Auckland Fish Market in Wynyard Quarter has undergone renovations, to include eight new eateries, a courtyard bar, a world class fishmonger – Sanford & Sons and seating for 400 inside and out, making it an ideal dining destination for Aucklanders and for tourists alike.  The newly refurbished Auckland Fish Market is a celebration of New Zealand seafood – in fact it sells the widest range of the freshest seafood available, straight from the boats to your dinner table.  At the opening party of the Auckland Fish Market, we sampled freshly shucked TeKouma Bay oysters, fish sliders from Market Galley, swordfish, green …

Georgieats’ Guide to New York

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New York. A few months’ ago, I visited The City That Never Sleeps – New York. I am already dying to go back. Why you may ask? Well, New York is like no other place I have ever visited. The majority of my time spent in New York made me feel like I was on the set of several films I had ever seen. Yes, I admit, the majority of films and television shows I have watched inspired me to visit New York. Coming from a small scale city, New York was draw-dropping in real life. From the skyscrapers, to the office buildings, the wonderful street art, the eclectic mix of people… plus the fact that you can get any cuisine you want any time of the day AND the endless amount of things to do. Every day I spent walking around this exciting city, I felt like I was in a dream because it is a truly magical place! One of the main reasons why I travelled to New York was because a few years …

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, …

Hawke’s Bay Travel Diary

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Over the summer holidays, I spent a week in Hawke’s Bay, a region in the North Island of New Zealand, which is home to fresh, delicious produce and beautiful wines. In fact, Hawke’s Bay is the oldest wine region in New Zealand and the second largest (after Marlborough). There is lots to do in Hawke’s Bay, from dining at the many restaurants and cafes, sampling local wines, climbing mountains, exploring beaches, or picking up your produce for the week at the amazing farmer’s market. Check out my highlights for my favourite things to see, eat and do in Hawke’s Bay… #1  Hawke’s Bay Farmers Market Hawke’s Bay Farmers Market is one of my favourite markets to date for its abundant range of produce, and the fact that everyone is catered for. Highlights included: FIGS from Te Mata Figs, plus fresh locally grown fruits and vegetables, nutty and wholesome gluten free breads, organic blueberries and ice cream from Bay Blueberries, gluten and dairy free treats and products from HAPI, mouthwatering macarons from Monsieur Macaron, hot chilies like jalapeños and Padron …

Hunger Monger, Napier

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If you love seafood, then you will love Hunger Monger. We found this restaurant by chance, while walking along Marine Parade in Napier. The restaurant was full and the ambience alive, so the next day we went in to book a table for our final night in Hawke’s Bay. Run by Polish couple, Fraser Slack and Agnieszka Wills, the menu is predominantly seafood, where diners can enjoy oysters, Aussie prawns, grilled fish, Cook Strait octopus, squid, sashimi and salmon to name a few. Also, 98% of their wines and beers are local to the area – many I had never heard of before. We had a glass of the Beatrix Rose by Alpha Domus (Bridge Pa) and Brookfields Pinot Gris 2016 (Ohiti Estate). The Pinot Gris was a stand out, so much so, we went to New World afterwards to purchase a few bottles of it!  For starters, we enjoyed their Tempura Prawns with dipping sauces – big, fat, juicy prawns, which were gone in a flash. For mains, we ordered the Grilled Fish with Salads, …

Hapī, Napier

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Hapī is WOW. Their ethos “you are what you eat” and that “physical and mental wellbeing is a true reflection of how you fuel your body” rings true to my New Year’s Resolution for this year, so I was really excited to check out this cute cafe, while on holiday in Napier. At Hapī, their food is plant based, full of nutrients and very delicious. If you are vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, dairy free or just love eating one or all of the above, then Hapī is your place! Their menu is extensive – for such a small cafe, they sure have a range of everything on offer. Their cabinet display is also one of the best I have seen in New Zealand, with all the food well presented and the staff continuously preparing all the goodies just behind the counter. I could literally stand there for ages, watching them make sandwiches! For breakfast, there are Acai and raw granola bowls, tofu scramble, omelettes and eggs your way on their beautiful paleo bread.  For lunch, you …

Garden Picnic with Uber Eats

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The Parnell Rose Gardens are just a stone’s throw away from my house. A favourite spot of mine during summer for its beautiful roses, Pohutukawa trees and close proximity to Judge’s Bay and views overlooking Auckland Harbour. A bonus is that you can lunch right next to the roses, making it the perfect spot for a picnic! Thanks to the Uber Eats app for making this possible! Last weekend, the weather had cleared and the sun was shining, so my sister and I headed across to the Rose Gardens for a picnic. I opened the Uber Eats app on my phone, and was excited to discover the many eatery options available for a picnic. We chose Bird on A Wire. Their aim is to simply feed the world with handmade and sustainable food – their menu includes free range rotisserie chicken, fresh salads, sandwiches and sides. Sounded like the perfect picnic food to me! We ordered a Chicken Feed For One – a quarter free range rotisserie chicken and a medium salad of Raw Beetroot and Japanese Slaw, plus a Small Salad …

Peanut Butter Acai Bowl

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I recently purchased Hippie Lane: The Cookbook by Taline Gabriel. It is filled with deliciously ‘luxe’ wholefood recipes, split into four sections – Rise + Shine, Lunch Vibes, Dinner Dates and Sweet Fix. I have been an avid follower of Taline Gabriel on Instagram for a while now. Her food inspires me daily and thus, have put this into perspective for 2018. I have never been one for New Year’s Resolutions, but I thought this year, I will finally jump on the bandwagon. Mine is to follow and maintain a healthy lifestyle by focusing on wholefoods (like fruits and vegetables, wholegrains, healthy proteins and fats), cutting down on refined sugar and processed foods, exercising daily and keeping up my water intake.  I have a mega sweet tooth, so it will be a challenge, but one I am willing to give my 100%. I will still be posting about eats in Auckland, new products and adventures on here and on my Instagram and Facebook pages, plus will have the occasional treat now and then (my weaknesses are ice cream, …

Summer with Uber Eats

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Summer has officially arrived in New Zealand! When I think of summer, I picture swimming at the beach, chasing waterfalls, hiking through native bush, going strawberry picking and visiting my favourite vineyards. And for those simple days, relaxing by the pool with friends… eating delicious, fresh and healthy food of course, without having to leave your sun chair! Thanks to the Uber Eats app for making this possible! Last weekend, the sun was shining and there was not a cloud in the sky, so we headed down to the pool. I opened the Uber Eats app on my phone, and was excited to discover one of the app’s newest eateries – Cali Press. Their aim is to create a fun and natural way of clean living, by serving healthy and delicious juices, smoothies, superfood breakfast bowls and wholesome meals. Sounded like the perfect breakfast to me! We ordered two Superfood Breakfast Bowls, two Toast Bar – Toppers and the Ah-Sah-Ee (Acai) Smoothie. The Superfood Breakfast Bowls are the perfect poolside breakfast – you can have a few …

Night Noodle Markets

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Over the weekend, I headed down to Victoria Park to check out the Night Noodle Markets. Held annually, this event celebrates mouthwatering Asian street food from around the country. This year, the Night Noodle Markets are being held over 10 days (Friday 1st to Sunday 10th December). There are 20 street food vendors to choose from, with dishes ranging from $5 to $15 each. I love the variety of the food too – think dumplings, BBQ’d meat, summer rolls, ramen, bao, loaded fries, spicy karaage fried chicken, pakoras, roti rolls, donburi, poke bowls, noodles, gelato, deep fried ice cream and smoothies in pineapples. Check out my foodie highlights below:  Hoy Pinoy – it was my first time trying Hoy Pinoy at this year’s Night Noodle Markets and they did not disappoint! They are a Filipino BBQ vendor, selling juicy pork and chicken on sticks. My favourite is the Inihaw na baboy – BBQ Pork Belly.  House of Dumplings – handmade dumplings in a variety of flavours. My favourites are their Nepalese Spiced Lamb and Korean …