Ampersand Eatery

One of my last outings prior to having baby Charlie was to the newest, and hippest addition to Orakei Village. Ampersand Eatery had been showing up all over my social media pages and I was dying to know what the fuss was all about.

Although the space is large, Ampersand is filled to the brim with brunchers and lunchers. The restaurant doesn't take reservations for lunch so I put our names down on the 30 minute wait list. It was the first time I had been to the newly constructed Orakei Village so I was happy to have a wander around the boutique stores that fill up the little complex. 

Iced Chocolate - $5.50, Spicy Chai Latte - $5.00, Hot Chocolate - $5.00

We started off with some warm drinks to combat the windy weather outside. The chai latte was lightly spiced and not too sweet while the hot chocolate was rich but a little watery. Not pictured is a ginger latte which I enjoyed the most.

Sourdough and burnt butter - $3.90

The littlest bruncher in our group was being fussy that day and only wanted to eat bread. Luckily, there was some soft pieces of sourdough accompanied by some beautiful burnt butter. We loved the butter so much that we spread it on anything bread-like on our other dishes!

Smoked Trevally and Potato Omelette - $19.00

I was quite impressed with the serving size of the omelette when it arrived on the table. The smokiness of the fish gave off a lovely aroma and paired well with the saltiness of the pesto. I felt that the egg could have been seasoned a little more as the dish as a whole tasted a bit bland, even with its salty components. 

Benedict with Bacon - $19.00

The eggs benedict came with a generous amount of bacon and lashing of spiced hollandaise. The eggs were poached perfectly and the bread was nicely toasted without being difficult to cut through. 

Colombian Corn Cake - $19.00

The Colombian Corn Cake was soft and creamy. The mushrooms imparted a great earthy flavour while the feta provided some much needed saltiness. The best part was the perfectly poached egg which tied the whole dish together.

Fresh Pasta Stuffed with Sweet Potato - $22.00

My favourite dish that day was the stuffed pasta. Everything about this dish was just perfect. Texture wise, the light pillows of pasta, creamy apple sauce, and yoghurt were offset with crispy bacon pieces and pinenuts. The sweet components were balanced with bacon, parmesan, and dots of pesto. The little pops of chili were also a welcome surprise. 

Caramel Slice - $4.90

By the time we were ready for dessert, one of the only sweet items in the cabinet was a caramel slice. The buttery base and gooey caramel made for a deliciously rich dessert. It would go perfectly with a bitter cup of coffee but, as we all ordered sweet drinks, splitting the slice into quarters turned out to be the perfect portion size.

Ampersand 'Snickers' Bar - $15.00

I'm a sucker for house specialties and the Ampersand 'Snickers' bar jumped out at me as soon as I opened the dessert menu. The peanut parfait was as good as any I've had before and the chocolate mousse was incredibly smooth. As with the caramel slice, I'm glad we split this between four as there wasn't quite enough of the bitter mousse to counter the sweet parfait.

Ampersand is a nice space to catch up with friends. Based on my visit, some of the dishes could use a tad more seasoning but the stuffed pasta is just perfect. 

Ampersand Eatery can be found at Orakei Village, 228 Orakei Road, Auckland.

Fika With Me

Tucked in the heart of Birkenhead is the most delightful little place. What was once one half of Dutch Delight has now become one of my favourite cafes. Judging by the amount of regulars that visit, it is obvious that it has become the new favourite in the area.

The interior is simple and welcoming. The wooden tables and white stools are inviting. The big chalkboard explains their dining philosophy:

"'Fika' to us. It is a social phenomenon, a legitimate reason to set aside a moment for quality time. It is a window of opportunity to appreciate good things in life."

Below are a few of our favourite dishes.

Spicy Chai Latte - $4.50, Orange Juice - $5.00

The coffee here is always on point. The spicy chai here is the best I've had in Auckland - creamy and not too sweet. The juices and smoothies are also great picks - Green Power is my favourite.

Chili Scrambled Eggs - $17.00

Your usual scrambled eggs gets a makeover with the addition of chili peppers. The chili adds a touch of freshness to the creamy eggs but does not add an excessive amount of heat. The eggs are well complimented by the gourmet pork sausage and crunchy ciabatta. I must admit that I didn't touch the tomato relish very much as I thought the dish didn't need it.

Good 'V'agel - $14.00

The second page of the menu has a great selection of toppings for Best Ugly Bagels. The option of halloumi, vine tomatoes, basil pesto and cream cheese is one of the better vegetarian options I've seen around Auckland. The pesto and tomatoes are full of flavour and the ciabatta is perfect to soak up the delicious juices.

Fika Bene - $17.00

The Fika Bene is Jason's favourite dish. The eggs are perfectly poached and the creamy hollandaise goes well with the streaky bacon. Despite all of these wonderful tasting components, the homemade hash brown is the hero of the dish. The incredibly crunchy outer shell is thicker than normal and covers a roughly mashed potato with varied texture. Mmmm...

Hot Chicken Bagel - $15.00

Lastly, my favourite dish - the Hot Chicken Bagel. No matter how much I want to branch out, I mostly always end up ordering this dish. The seasoning on the crispy chicken is better than the Colonel's secret spices and is accompanied by a fresh mango salsa. This is what I would recommend to anyone who visits for the first time - whether you are there for breakfast or brunch.

Fika With Me is definitely worth a visit. The food is fantastic, the coffee is great and the staff are super friendly.

Come and say hi to the friendly owner and barista :)

 Fika With Me can be found at 5 Birkenhead Ave, Birkenhead, Auckland.


 

Scratch Bakers, City Works Depot

Over the past few years, the City Works Depot (CWD) has seen some remarkable changes. Originally a bunch of factories, these buildings on Wellesley Street have been transformed into some of the trendiest, industrial-chic eateries in the Auckland CBD. CWD is home to Dry and Tea, the TV famous Food Truck Garage, and a range of ventures by Al Brown including Best Ugly Bagels.

This weekend, we are trying Scratch Bakers because I had heard really great things about the food. Everything in store is baked from scratch, hence the name, and the menu is quite unique. As with the other buildings in the CWD, Scratch Bakers is industrial looking with a high ceiling, concrete walls and exposed pipes. The Of Monsters and Men soundtrack was playing so I knew I was going to have a good experience.

There was a small queue when I arrived so I spent a little time oohing and aahing over the selection at the counter.

Pork Belly and Apple Cider Pie - $9.50, Carrot Juice - $7.50

Although it was a lot pricier than other cafes, my Pork Belly and Apple Cider Pie was unique enough to be worth it. The soft flaky pastry was filled to the brim with a generous amount of pork belly.  The apple cider, a perfect pairing, had completely penetrated the pork which fell apart with the slightest press of my fork. My only complaint is the wooden disposable cutlery that was offered because it made cutting the pastry very awkward.

I ordered a fresh carrot juice to accompany my pie. I'm always impressed when cafes make their own juices.

Fish Burger - $7.50

By the time Mors had arrived, there were only a few burger choices left. He went with the fish burger which had a crispy fish fillet in a tumeric batter. It was well seasoned and encased in one of Scratch's hand crafted buns.

Pork Belly and Kimchi Burger - $7.50

Pei went for a Pork Belly and Kimchi Burger which looked absolutely amazing and well put together. As with the pie, the slices of pork were very generous and all of the ingredients went right to the edge of the bun to ensure each bite is consistently delicious.

Creme Brulee Tart - $4.50

By the time we had finished our food, there was not much room for dessert so we decided to share the Creme Brulee Tart. Our server took it out the back to brulee and it came back with a perfectly crackable top.

Scratch Bakers is located at City Works Depot 90 Wellesley Street West, Auckland CBD, Auckland

Scullery, K Rd

I get a little panicky whenever someone asks me for a recommendation for lunch or dinner. My brain goes into overdrive trying to figure out what kind of food this person likes and what kind of setting they like to eat in -because, lets face it, their experience will be a reflection on how good my taste in food is. 

I am happy to report that, when it comes to cafes, I can now give a recommendation without any hesitation.

I first heard of Scullery last year, when it opened up near my workplace, and it had been on my "must visit" list ever since. The interior is industrial and hipster looking without being pretentious and the staff are are super friendly. 

Banana, maple and cinnamon smoothie - $7.00

I started out with the banana, maple and cinnamon smoothie while I browsed the menu. The three flavours were in perfect balance and it was just like drinking a pancake! This has become a real favourite of mine.

Forest mushroom ragu, buffalo haloumi and smoked garlic toast - $16.50

The mushroom ragu was absolute heaven. The soft mushrooms were a nice contrast to the crunchy crust and I was able to mop up the yummy sauce with the toast. The salty haloumi went well with the mild mushrooms.

Spiced wagyu mince on toast, avocado, cashews - $17.50

We thought the spiced wagyu mince was quite an unusual item to have at a cafe and naturally had to try it. The mince was subtly spiced with a nutty flavour and was quite nice on toast. A very nice way to jazz up mince on toast.

Chicken pie, white wine, chirvel - $16.50

What I loved most about the chicken pie was that it was filled to the brim with actual chicken, instead of being padded out with a lot of sauce. The flavours were quite mild but came to life when paired with the pickle. I would have like the pastry to be a bit more flaky as it kind of sagged when I tried to cut into it.

Beef short rib tacos, avocado, kimchi, mayo - $17.50

The beef tacos took the prize for the tastiest dish of the day. The beef short rib was delightfully tender, flavoursome and just went so well with the kimchi and pickle. The crunch and tangy flavour of the kimchi worked very well to offset the richness of the short rib.

Scullery is the perfect place to visit when you feel like something fancy. The menu is full of unique items which are all really delicious. It also has a zero waste policy which means nothing is wasted so you can feel good about going too :)

Scullery is located at 166 Karangahape Rd, Auckland CBD

Cafe People

I don't often wander into Ponsonby for breakfast but when I do, it has to be good. 

Jason and I visited Cafe People on a cold Sunday morning because we had a Zomato voucher and were in the area for a little shopping. I first visited a few months ago for a great lunch and was quietly optimistic for this breakfast experience.

The interior is modern, with simple furniture. We admired the spray painted murals on the wall while we waited for our drinks. 

Hot Chocolate, Chai Latte

We were quite pleased with our drinks which were not sickly sweet as we've experienced at other cafes. Jason's hot chocolate had a good amount of cocoa while my chai was wonderfully spicy.

Hash Cake - $17.50

I have to admit, I was a little disappointed when my Hash Cake arrived. The plating looked a bit sloppy and the bright yellow hollandaise sauce scared me a little. 

Luckily, the flavours were spot on. The hash cake was made up both diced and mashed potato which gave it a great texture. The mushrooms were well seasoned and the egg was perfectly poached. The only let down was the slightly sour hollandaise.

Classic Breakfast - $22.00

Jason's Classic Breakfast was quite similar to my breakfast with the addition of a pork and fennel sausage, roasted tomatoes and toasted ciabatta bread. The plating was more appetising than the hash cakes and the taste was great! The sausage was delicious while the tomatoes added a nice burst of flavour to the rest of the meal. 

We left Cafe People very full and pretty satisfied. The hot drinks were great and the food, despite the plating, was great!

Cafe People is located at 38 Ponsonby Rd, Grey Lynn, Auckland



Lucy and Jason dined with a voucher from Zomato.

Circus Circus

Having grown up on the North Shore of Auckland, I naturally had no knowledge of other suburbs except the fact they were all very very far away. In fact, it wasn't until I had started university that it even occurred to me that people even lived outside of "the Shore."

My lack of knowledge on Auckland geography meant that, for the first few months of university, most conversations were followed by a Google maps search and a realisation that I really needed to get out more. Since then, my eyes (and my stomach) have been broadened and I'm now lucky enough to have a job which takes me all over Auckland for lunch.

I was super excited when I first stumbled upon Circus Circus in the heart of Mount Eden -what kind of cafe is guarded by lions and has clowns hanging from the ceiling?! I had to venture in and, I must say, it did not disappoint!

 Circus Circus is made up of what seems like many different rooms pieced together by walkways. There are spaces for all sorts of diners -spacious areas for large groups or tables in the smaller rooms, or even in the walkways, for a more intimate affair. Every single space has a table in it and it's a good thing too as it's quite hard to get a table sometimes!

Bubble and Squeak - $15.90

My first visit to Circus Circus was with a couple of girlfriends who had been often and declared it the bestest cafe in Auckland. We all had a very early breakfast that morning so were all quite hungry by the time lunch rolled around. 

I ordered a Bubble and Squeak which was served deconstructed style with fried potatoes, bacon, onions, cheese and poached egg. I was immediately impressed with the portion size and then the perfectly poached egg on top. The dish was very well seasoned and the potatoes were expertly cooked with a crispy outer and super soft center.

Eggs Benedict - $16.90

Asia ordered what she believed to be the best Eggs Benedict she'd ever tasted -which is a very big compliment when it's coming from someone who's worked in a cafe kitchen. Again, the eggs were beautifully poached with a runny center.

Pan-fried Field Mushrooms - $17.90

Bella's order of mushrooms smelled amazing when it arrived. Not much beats bacon and mushrooms -except maybe bacon and mushrooms served in a brandy cream sauce! A great combination with very meaty mushrooms and thick cut mix grain bread to soak up all that delicious sauce!

Gourmet Chicken Burger - $17.90

After bragging to Jason about finally "entering the circus" I took him there so he too could experience the food there. We had arrived after the lunch rush that day so our food came quite quickly. There was a very generous portion of the homemade chicken patty so we could share it between the two of us. The sweetness of the beetroot and candied onion went very well with the saltiness of the brie and chicken patty.

White Chocolate and Raspberry Cheesecake - $4.90

Being with Jason meant that we had to have dessert and we finished off our delicious meal with a small slice of Raspberry Cheesecake. It had a good dense, melt in the mouth base and the flavour packed quite the punch. However, we found that the cheesecake itself was not as smooth as others and was a bit lumpy in places.

After relaying my food adventures to friends and co-workers I had, again, deduced that I didn't get out of "the Shore" very much. Everyone (well, those who frequented Central Auckland) knew about Circus Circus and had quoted it as being one of their favourites!

And to think they'd been keeping it from me all this time!

Circus Circus can be found at 447 Mt Eden Road, Auckland, New Zealand




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Theatre Cafe

Karangahape Road is famous in Auckland for having awesome bars, quirky cafes and dodgy people. Despite hearing many adventures (or misadventures) from my friends, I had rarely wandered up to K'rd myself for fear of meeting "ladies from the night" (re: dodgy people), but mostly because I didn't want to walk up the massive hill which led to it.

The cafe was once the entrance to Mercury Theatre

Now that I've started working in town (and literally 5 minutes away from K'rd), the big hill is no longer an issue and I have found the most fantastic little shops and cafes. 

One of my greatest finds is Theatre, which is a little cafe tucked neatly in between my regular sushi place and what I think is a tattooist shop. I had often found the urge to enter but my fear of being seen eating along had stopped me from venturing within.

My curiosity eventually got the better of me and, let me just say, that this was one of the best decisions I have made this month. Upon entering Theatre, I was immediately overwhelmed by the amazing staircase and ceiling. As the name hints, this cafe was once a theatre and, throughout its life, has seen many transformations from a fruit shop, to a mediocre burger joint before having its ceiling lovingly restored to become Theatre cafe.   

Brain Focus - $6.50 and Banana Smoothie - $6.50

We started off with a couple of drinks while we waited. Feeling a little tired I chose the Brain Focus with the hopes that it would help me concentrate later in the afternoon. This was the perfect concoction of beetroot, carrot, orange and spinach juice which isn't as strange as it sounds, and very very refreshing.


Jason went with his usual banana smoothie and was pleasantly surprised with the drizzle of Manuka honey down the side of the glass which was "simply delightful."

Tuatara Ale Grilled Steak - $17.50, Potato Rosti (side) - $4.50

We had both decided that steak would be the perfect lunch and there is nothing better than steak marinated in ale! This hearty dish was very satisfying and totally hit the spot. The steak was perfectly cooked and cut into bit size pieces, served on super crunchy ciabatta with roast tomato, salad and a punchy horseradish cream. The portion size was very generous with a decent amount of steak (in contrast to other cafes that appear to try and fill you up on bread or fries).

Hakanoa Ginger Latte - $4.50

Berry Smoothie - $6.50

I was so impressed with Theatre cafe (and stoked that it is only a 5 minute walk from work) that I persuaded a friend from work to come with me the following week! This time, I chose a ginger latte as we had just spent the rainy morning out on site while she went with a berry smoothie with the special Manuka honey drizzle.

Grilled Cajun Chicken - $17.50

I ordered the cajun chicken which came with toasted ciabatta, salad and honey roasted carrots and kumara. Again, the portion size was very generous with what seemed like at least a quarter of a perfectly cooked and succulent chicken, with a strong cumin flavour and the perfect amount of spice.

I am absolutely ecstatic that this little gem is so close to work and I can't wait to find another excuse to come back. If you want to admire this fabulous building and enjoy some fantastic food, come to 256 Karangahape Road, Auckland. 

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