Auckland Diner's Diary: September 2016

Market Stalls

• South Ceylon NZ - Sri Lankan street food, with their first market day at the Mount Albert Market
• Tacos Los Mijotes - taco vendor which will be at the Otahuhu Food Festival
• [Added 30 October 2016: Uni-Ko - "unique Korean flavour" at various markets, with such dishes as spicy pork pancake, vegan bibimbap, and Korean fried chicken]

Eats in the City

• Kindred - a "modern creative dining space" at Wynyard Quarter from the Wiley Boys
• The K'Rd Food Workshop has opened where the Bacio night club used to be, with the following vendors:
• Moustache Milk & Cookie Bar - new flagship store with the fitout built by hand and a limited edition cookie cup to celebrate
• El Sizzling Lomito - Argentinian steak sandwiches (vegetarian option available) from Corradino Anselmi of Ponsonby Central's El Sizzling Chorizo, with hand cut meat which will soon be available for purchase from a butcher's window at the back of the restaurant
• Popped - flavoured popcorn using GMO-free, Gisbourne grown, mushroom-shaped popcorn
• Holm - new cafe and workspace hybrid on K'Rd, with sandwiches and pastries from next week, and coffee comes in espresso, FETCO, Kalita (“like a flat bottomed V60”) or Chemex
• Al's Deli Brewhouse - the O'Connell Street cafe has moved next door into the new brewhouse, with their own craft beer, cider, craft gin and vodka, traditionally brewed root beer, cocktails, and breakfast along with their usual menu
• O'Connell St Bistro has finally re-opened, with the menu refined during the chef's seven months' paid leave 
• &Sushi - second branch of the spot for pretty sushi has opened at the City Works Depot where Weirdough & Tuck used to be
• Curator Espresso Bar - cafe opposite the Art Gallery with nitro cold brew on tap
• Bocado - takeaway near the Viaduct selling "pillow-like flatbread" they call "bocci"

Fringe Food

• Burger Geek - burger joint in Eden Terrace with house-smoked bacon, "smash grilled" Wagyu and Angus patties, and stellar sides
• Morepork BBQ - American BBQ joint in Ponsonby with meat 100% wood fired in a custom made smoker, tasty sides, homemade sauces and an in-house chocolatier
• A'meza - Asian fusion restaurant in Mount Eden with such dishes as pandesal, purple kumara soup and prawn beignets
• Saigon - Vietnamese restaurant in Kingsland
• Food Truck Garage - third branch opened in Ponsonby largely intended for takeaways, headed up by Anthony McNamara, former head chef at Waiheke’s Oyster Inn
• Kopio - Malaysian restaurant has returned to Parnell after the owners decided to retire, then changed their minds and opened up in Takapuna due to trading restrictions
• Kowi Chicken - new branch of the Korean fried chicken takeaway in Mount Eden Village, where Bonzo Burgers used to be
• [Added 3 November 2016: Andino - Peruvian restaurant in Parnell]

Thirst Things First

• Nusantara Indonesian Tea Cafe is popping up in Grey Lynn from 10 October
• Karajoz Coffee Company has opened a shot bar at their roastery in Eden Terrace, with a custom built viewing station
• Drummer Boy - Millers coffee and toast across from the Portland Public House in Kingsland
• Pineapple on Parnell - opulent cocktail lounge and bar in Parnell
• [Added 5 October 2016: Tantalus Estate - vineyard on Waiheke Island with a brewery and a new restaurant designed by Cheshire Architects]

Out and About

• Crave Cafe in Morningside has moved across the road - new building, new menu, new staff, and will be open for dinner from 27 October
• Marua Road Cafe - industrial chic cafe in a new development in Mount Wellington with coffee beans freshly roasted thrice weekly next door
• Bald Eagle Diner - American diner in Mission Bay from the owner of Dos Amigos next door
• [Added 30 November 2016: Cuff Cafe - cafe, bistro and patisserie in Howick, by Moldavian chef Eugene Sokolovski and his wife Suzanna]
• [Added 7 December 2016: Yummy Yummy Chicken - more Korean fried chicken, in Mount Wellington]
• [Added 4 May 2017: Paradise Buffet - Paradise Indian Food in Sandringham has opened a 2-storey buffet location around the corner]
• [Added 2 July 2017: Yu Tea 御茶 - Taiwanese bubble tea, snacks, meals, desserts and drinks with googley eyes in Henderson]

Northern Delights

• Magnolia Kitchen - seller of macarons and beautiful cakes now has a cafe in Silverdale, though it doesn't officially open until 10 October
• Bondie Designer Cupcakes - cupcake business at local markets and fairs now has a store in Takapuna, with a long queue on opening day
• [Added 7 December 2016: Kuzina - Mediterranean cafe and bar in Orewa, with executive chef Servet Kaplan coming from a family of chefs]
• [Added 2 July 2017: Fresh Bite 尋味鮮 - Chinese seafood restaurant with a great design and fitout in Rosedale]
• [Added 2 July 2017: Love Spicy 辣尚癮串串香 - chuan chuan xiang skewers cooked at the table in Rosedale]

Coming

• Little stalls in town
• Jango Mumbai Street Food on Elliott Street
• Beard Papa's cream puffs on Queen Street
• ChiWay 有姿有味 - Chinese restaurant on Durham Street West where Fruitlife used to be (from 3 October)
• Po' Brothers - Asian eatery in Ponsonby (opening early October)
• Lovebucket - "haute dive bar" from Hallertau brewery at the K'Road Food Workshop
• Amano is expanding to become an Italian-inspired restaurant next to its current bakery, and has installed a flour mill to make fresh bread and pasta
• A Russian-inspired restaurant is opening soon in Ponsonby
• Queen's Rise, a new development on Queen Street due to open early next year, will have nine eateries including a mix of a "breakfast bar, potato joint and watering hole" called Potato and Me

Other

• Robert Oliver will be crowdfunding to develop a Pacific restaurant called Kai Pasifika
• Sweet Val's is selling their business, including their 1970’s Holden Kingswood Ute, mixers, liquid nitrogen dewar, recipe notes and more
• Ortolana is offering Cork and Fork BYO Mondays with a special dish each week to go with your wine
• Open Table is closing for two weeks for the new owners to renovate
• Docs tea and coffee club - seems to be some kind of cafe at George Court which is also the scene for reality TV streamed on Mercury Lane Live?

Events

• Taste of Takapuna (month of October) - restaurant specials and a chance to win a $500 experience
• [Added 5 October 2016: New Zealand Cheese Month (month of October) - celebration of our country's cheese, with in-store tastings and events such as Sabato's Market Day on Sunday 16 October where there will be baby goats, a dairy goat milking demo and cheesemakers such as Jill Whalley from Mt Eliza Cheese who will be talking about NZ’s raw milk revolution]
• The Art of Food (8-16 October) - food-related art and events in Parnell, including a Waiters' Race on Sunday16 October and a chance to win a $250 dining voucher
• Argentinian Inspired Feast (Sunday 9 October) - feast at The Sugar Club hosted by Peter Gordon and Argentinian chef Pablo del Rio of Siete Cocinas
• [Added 6 October 2016: StreetARTDego (Wednesday 12 October) - as part of Late Night Art, five street food vendors collaborate with renowned artists to produce edible works of art]
• [Added 5 October 2016: EHN x The Oyster Inn (Thursday 13 October) - oyster degustation on Waiheke Island, including such unusual offerings as beef and oyster pie and an oyster stout]
• [Added 5 October 2016: Te Matuku Oyster Festival (Saturday 15 October) - oysters, celebrity chefs, and gourmet eats on Waiheke Island]
• Otahuhu's Ethnic Food Festival (Saturday 15 October) - street food in Otahuhu with over 100 stalls
• Souk Auckland (15 - 16 October) - Lebanese cultural event finally seems to be happening in Onehunga after being postponed several times
• Diwali Festival (15 - 16 October) - celebration of Indian culture at Aotea Square
• [Added 6 October 2016: "Got Milk?" (Saturday 22 October) - milk industry dinner during peak milk production month, asking some great questions, hosted by Scarecrow]
• [Added 6 October 2016: "A Vegan Affair" (Sunday 23 October) - for their third season, The Cult Project is presenting plant-centric menus, kicking off with this vegan meal]
• Sandringham Street Festival (Saturday 29 October) - live music and street food in Sandringham
• MexFestival (Saturday 29 October) - Mexican fiesta at The Cloud with song and dance, exhibitions and food!
• Vegan Food Fair II (Sunday 6 November) - over 100 vendors selling vegan food and products
• Taste of Auckland (17 - 20 November) - signature dishes from Auckland's top restaurants at Western Springs
• Meatstock Auckland (25 - 26 February 2017) - music and meat festival has come across the ditch from Sydney