Al Brown's Depot

If you slip down Federal Street between the Sky City’s valet parking entrance and Sky Grand’s entrance you’ll see a raft of new restaurants and bars spear headed by celebrity chefs and bursting with happy diners. It’s easy to miss though if you’re not a regular to the casino or one of the inner city commuters who hot foot it down Federal. Buses line the street like a train at any given time and a taxi rank stretches for at least half of it. But when they “move that bus” (Auckland Council please make it permanently so!) the big reveal is quite simply fabulous.

Today I lunched at Al Brown’s Depot. He opened his doors at the same time Luke Dallow opened Hummingbird (read our opening night review here) next door and Sean Connolly opened The Grill just on the other side of the Sky Grand’s new entrance. Like Hummingbird there is outdoor seating for those brave enough to sit amongst the bus fumes, but we decided on a table next to a new window that has been blasted through the Sky Grand wall to reveal their swanky lobby.

Just slide these suckers off the shell in one

Nick (from somewhere in the north of England by the sounds) was our waiter and after hearing about the Depot’s most popular dishes until a little pool of drool collected on the table in front of me, we let him come up with a selection of small plates and one main for us to share. I was also keen to try the wine on tap. Yes, pinot noir out of keg from Mt Edward in Central Otago’s Gibbston Valley. It was 17.5˚ (which I find quite suitable for a red) and is done especially because Al is a mate. It pays to be mates with Al, who was sitting behind me, because he’s been selling barrels of it. That and Spy Valley sauvignon blanc and Mt Edward rose, also on tap but chilled like beer.

While poring over the menu a little plate of complimentary and deliciously smooth babaganoush arrived with flat bread. But it was the raw seafood bar that grabbed my attention.

The fabulous warm peach and proscuitto salad

I’ve never seen tuatua just sitting on ice like oysters before. Let alone tasted them. The only way I’ve eaten tuatua (after doing the hip swivel in the sand at low tide) is to throw them on the barbie in their shells with a little white wine when they pop open. But no. Here they come raw and shucked with a little vinagarette to drip on and “schloopp”. That’s the sound you make when you suck them off the shell. (NB: Not first date fodder). The texture is tougher than an oyster, but the flavour mild, like a scallop maybe? You’ll have to try them and decide for yourself. $2.50 each.

A plate of raw salmon sliced thinly was our next dish with wasabi mayo, $15. Nice but not as wow as the rest of what was about to come.

These tiny fish burgers are FAB

The plate of the day for me was the white peach and proscuitto salad. It was a surprise and I have already tried to emulate it at home putting peach slices on the bbq. This was sublime: warm charred peach slices, salty proscuitto, rocket, toasted macadamia nuts and tart blue cheese with a cab sav dressing. I think it’s only a special so you’d better get there quick.

Next was also fab and I’d already read Tweets about it: Turbot Sliders, 4 for $15. This light fish is similar to flounder, lightly egged and pan fried, served with aoli in tiny burger buns that are a little sweet. But we still weren’t done.

Slow cooked pork and potato skins

A swig of my tumbler of pinot and the 6-hour cooked pork hock which fell off the bone served with crispy skin, grated apple and a parsnip puree arrived. This is a main dish ($29) and would be great to share with a wine for two.

I’d almost forgotten that we also ordered the potato skins – most likely deep fried, they were that delicious, with shaved chevrago cheese and dusted with porcini powder giving it a truffle taste, $10.

Done and dusted and heading home for a lie down! I’m going back with my Bloke as soon we can

Depot Eatery and Oyster Bar, 86 Federal Street. Ph 09 363 7048. But you can’t make a booking, so just call if you’ve left your wallet!

www.eatatdepot.co.nz

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Mmmm, 6 satays for $5. Dinner

With The Bloke away and me enjoying a sunny Saturday pottering about, my big outing was a visit to said market. And I wasn’t disappointed. They’re open 6pm till midnight every Saturday, rain or shine because they’re under cover. In the Pakuranga Warehouse carpark, to be precise.

Not sure what Bunch of Mutton is...

Since I first wrote this blog in March 2011, the market has quadrupled in size.

Come hungry because you’ll find all sorts of food sizzling away from Malaysian satay to Pad Thai noodles to dumplings, Hangi pies, steamed pork buns, curry and plenty of sweets in the form of churros, donuts and even a cupcake stall.

There were a couple of stalls selling antiques (read second-hand), some cheapie jewellery stalls (which will be perfect when I bring my 8-year old god-daughter here for her birthday treat). Artists painted kids names to be framed, and kids $2-shop style toys make it fun to bring the kids with a bit of pocket money. People were selling soaps, others socks and pantyhose. A candyfloss man was making floss on a stick bigger than a kids’ head, the Avon lady was there and so was The Coffee Guy. There are clothes for sale and fresh fruit and vegies. A sound system was being set up which I presume was for some markety tunes, but I’d had my fill by the time he got it all plugged in.

An octopus anyone?

I bought The Bloke a battery powered fly swat from a stall selling toys and electronic games, and I’ll be grateful not to consume any more giant puffs of Raid every time a fly enters his personal space.

Oh and I also bought a bag of fantastic seasoned salt mixed with smoked garlic and chilli which will go just grand on roast chook, barbecued salmon or as a dip with bread and oil. In fact this was the purchase of the night and I am now an internet purchaser of the stuff.

If you’re in the area, pop in one Saturday, The Auckland Night Market, Westfield, Pakuranga Plaza, Auckland.

Here’s the low down of what’s on where:

Jake Gyllenhaal in Source Code

Mercury Energy Movies by Moonlight

Inception – with live music by Bond Street Bridge: Friday Feb 10 – Tahaki Reserve (Mt Eden) – 7.30pm

Young at Heart – with live music by Family Cactus: Saturday 11 Feb – Tahaki Reserve (Mt Eden) – 7.30pm

The King’s Speech – with live music by Bond Street Bridge: Friday Feb 17 – Auckland Botanical Gardens (Manurewa) – 7.30pm

Johnny English Reborn – with live music by Family Cactus: Saturday Feb 18 – Auckland Botanical Gardens (Manurewa) – 7.30pm

The Social Network – with live music by Macombee & the Absolute Truth: Friday 24 Feb – David Lange Park (Mangere) – 7.30pm

Surf’s Up – with live music by Family Cactus: Saturday 25 Feb – David Lange Park (Mangere) – 7.30pm

Midnight in Paris – with live music by Oval Office: Friday 2 Mar – Dudding Reserve (Little Shoal Bay) – 7pm

Puss n Boots – with live music by Macombee & the Absolute Truth: Saturday 3 Mar – Dudding Reserve (Little Shoal Bay) – 7pm

Avatar – with live music by Oval Office: Friday 9 Mar – Milford Beach Reserve – 7pm

The Smurfs – with live music by Macombee & the Absolute Truth: Saturday 10 Mar – Milford Beach Reserve – 7pm

Source Code – with live music by Oval Office: Friday 16 Mar – Luckens Reserve (West Harbour) – 7pm

People’s Choice – with live music by Bond Street Bridge: Saturday 17 Mar – Luckens Reserve (West Harbour) – 7pm

For more info on the films and driving directions jump onto this link to the Auckland Council Movies in Parks website >>>

The new Santa with silenced finger and eyelid

Auckland’s hulking Santa is 51 this year and love him or hate him, you can’t miss the big guy. He’s 21-metres tall with a tremendous 27m girth and looks knowingly down from the Whitcoulls building. But his dodgy wink and come-hither finger had brought him much flak over the years and more than a little bad press, so last year he visited the fibreglass surgeon and now  holds his head high as the age-defying jolly old man.

But ask Santa what he’s seen since 1960 and he’ll tell you a lot of naughty and nice since he first stood on the old Farmers Building (now Heritage Hotel) on Hobson St.

He remembers how easy it was delivering presents to boys and girls when Auckland’s population was half a million in 1964, and then how he had to put new stream-lined delivery systems in place when it reached 1 million in ’96. He remembers the naughty towaway zones being introduced in 1967 and the rioters on Queen Street in ’84, the same year (nicely) that tolls were abolished on the Harbour Bridge, and he also sees exactly who those boy racers are each night!

The old winky Santa with the creepy finger

Indeed Santa sees everything. (That’s how he knows who to bring gifts to each year.) But there was a time when he was down and out and found abandoned in a rubbish dump in Mangere (he didn’t want to talk too much about this).

What I managed to find out later was that he and his reindeer were dumped from the Farmers Buildings and a kindly gentleman bought him for $1. He then met some Whitcoulls big wigs who helped find the thousands of dollars needed to rebuild him and give him a new home.

Maybe Santa was just misunderstood. His bad press was, quite frankly, because he was ugly. Shame on us, that’s not polite! But he is expensive to run and avoiding arthritis in that finger was only the start of the costs.

Three years ago he was nearly a gonna with Whitcoulls having to make a tough call about whether he would even make it onto the roof in 2008. A dramatic rescue plan was hatched with Heart of the City and thankfully he is still here today – facelift and all.

So pop down and say hi, before he disappears for another year into his secret Santa storage for another year.

With multiple cook books, TV shows in nearly 80 countries and a groovy gold blouse over skinny jeans, she opened the Taste of New Zealand festival at Auckland’s Victoria Park and reckons New Zealand is the premiere food basket of the world.

A quick break from book signing

But Annabel Langbein insists she’s not a chef she’s a cook. What’s the diff, I asked? A cook is “more about home craft, nourishing people around you. Not about high performance culinary gymnastics. More love, resourcefulness, expedience and nurture.” Got it.

She’s a bit Nigella Lawson and a bit Rachel Hunter and has more time for people than her PA can handle. Her book signing session was like lining up to meet Santa and unless I physically man-handled her out of the tent, I wasn’t going to get my interview. I man-handled and got 8 minutes during which time she jumped up to say hi to friends, but still managed to keep her train of thought on my very intelligent questions.

Actually we just chatted really about her “overnight” success which has taken 20 years, but after 3 minutes I thought I’d better ask her one of the questions I had prepared earlier or I’ll have nothing to blog about.

Outside of New Zealand, her favourite destination for cooking is southern Italy for its peasant traditions. “For me it’s authenticity and integrity in food. No industrial food chain.” (There, that gets the travel side of this blog in.)

Her latest book comes hot on the heels of the TV series (that made kiwis sit up and take notice) and the incredibly successful Free Range Cook book based from her bach (crib?) in Wanaka.

Free Range in the City

This new one is Free Range in the City. I keep thinking Sex in the City – and I’m sure Annabel and Nigella would make an excellent TV series together. But I digress. This book (which I bought and had her sign like one of the groupies lined up earlier) has a whopping 220 recipes for city living – for those of us who don’t have acres of fresh produce in our gardens and maybe even have fussy kids to navigate around and lunchboxes to fill.

How long did it take you to develop the 220 recipes, I asked intelligently. “I could have got up this morning and made three new ones,” she replied. Hmmm, writing that down.

The lady clearly has talent. Recipes roll out of her head like a poet with a pen or a singer in a shower. Her kids have no family favourites to draw on because each meal has a new twist. And yes, she likes family cooking. When her kids were young and nutritious nightmares (my words, not hers!) fridge fillings saved her. That way, she says, you can add sauces and extra garnishes to dishes for the adults without having to cook 5 different dinners.

A big fan of farmers markets and artisan food stores like Nosh and Farrow, she loves poking about for new products – like blueberry sorbet from Omaha, she said waving in the general direction of their tent, down here at Taste.

So you have until 9.30pm Sunday October 22 to get along, sample, sip and savour and get amongst some of the best cuisine on offer at restaurants around Auckland all in one venue. Take about $30-$50 to buy $1 crowns. Then choose which mini plates you want to try. Prices range from 8 – 12 crowns per plate.

See annabel-langbein.com for more insight and a few online recipes.

Be in to win some hob nobbing with Victoria

To be in with the chance to experience the culinary talents of three of Auckland’s top rising chefs aka … The Next Crew ART … as MY guest (yes, that’s right me, Auckland Scene’s funny, charming, knowledgeable and modest Tasty Food Blogger), just follow this link to our Facebook page and hit LIKE. Simple

The Next Crew ART will be putting on one of their famous menus as part of Taste of New Zealand for lunch at The Cloud Saturday 22^nd October, themed “World Cup”.  Word has it that tickets to this event are selling fast, but fear not Scener’s, we at Auckland Scene have two tickets to give away.

The chefs of Next Crew ART (Aotearoa-Raw-Talent) are developing a reputation for pushing the boundaries of food innovation, and they’ve been doing it with themed, degustation dinners in pop-up venues.  Both their previous dinners sold out in a matter of hours – leaving crying fans all over Auckland (click on these links to read about the Deception or Back to the Roots events).

So who are the raw talent?  Well, look at this line up:  Hayden McMillan- Head Chef at TriBeCa , Nick Honeyman- Executive Chef of Cru at Sale Street and Mark Southon- Head Chef of The Foodstore.

Be wined and dined by these 3 chefs

* How to enter: To make sure you and a friend, lover or grandmother are in the draw to be Victoria’s guests,  jump over to this link to our: Facebook Page and hit LIKE on the Next Crew Art post!  I look forward to meeting the lucky winners, introducing you to the Chefs and having a scrummy lunch together.

* Note: The competition will be drawn at 6pm Friday 21 October (that’s tomorrow night folks) and you’ll be notified on Facebook – so only enter if you’re in Auckland this weekend and will be available for lunch.

- Victoria Davy

Whether your night was a breeze – like mine, or if you were stuck in steaming hot trains in tunnels for hours and missed the performance, I reckon we’ve all got some great ideas for how the government needs to run things for the semi and the final, lest another chaotic debacle ensues.

Cold botties but a great night out

I’m going to leave the trains to someone else to comment on because we drove to Wynyard Quarter. Yes drove. Oh we had a bail-out plan should we find ourselves stuck in traffic as we weaved our way from Howick through Panmure, the back of Ellerslie, through Remuera, Newmarket and down K’Road. We looked at train stations as we passed each one, deciding to keep going as the traffic so was so light – lighter than a normal Friday afternoon, in fact. In the end we made it all the way to our car park at Victoria Park and noticed lots of meter parks available down Hobson and Victoria on our way.

We wandered over to Te Wero Island – the draw bridge section between Wynyard Quarter and the Viaduct – plonked our picnic down on the newly rolled out astro turf in front of the big screen and enjoyed our chippies and wine from water bottles in the sun. Little did we know that the screen had broken earlier in the day and half of it had been removed and that was why it was held together by a strap. It never came on.

Hearing that none of the screens were working we made the call to leave before the mass and watch the ceremony from home. Finally, amid much panic by the techies which went under the radar thanks to the palaver unfolding on lower Queen and Quay Street, they got at least 3 of them working just in time for the ceremony. By this time we were sitting on the concrete in front of the new Viaduct Events Centre. (I noticed plenty of wooden seating pushed together around the back while everyone had to sit on the ground getting piles.)

We had a great time. The fireworks were awesome and a big thanks to the bouncer at Urban Turban for letting me and my 9-year old charge use the loo as the council hadn’t thought to put any on Wynyard.

So here’s what I reckon for the end of October:

1. Move the big screen we sat in front of up to Aotea Square and open up another fanzone far from the wharves. Add live music and you can expect 10-20,000 there.

2. Move another of the big screens into the Auckland Domain for families who want to bring picnics. Allow food vendors to set up, add live music again and expect say 20,000 there.

3. The last remaining fanzone on Queen’s Wharf will be eased for the true party-larrikins who want to be yahoo-ing till 2am.

Of course the final doesn’t have a closing ceremony nor fireworks, so it’s likely the pressure on Queen’s Wharf and its surrounds will never be that huge again.

PS: Pity Mayor Lenny didn’t read this post I wrote in April 2010 about a 4-venue progressive party central…. for Rugby World Cup.

The Cloud is finally open

Auckland’s Queen’s Wharf is the proud platform of that ugly corrugated iron shed (but it’s been painted so looks a million dollars) and the much lauded Cloud. I popped in today for a pre-Rugby World Cup event to check out the multi-million dollar construction and see the Pacific Showcase which is happening while political big wigs take part in the Pacific Islands Forum.

Try the watermelon and coconut smoothie

I really like it. I hope it stays here permanently.

I was told by someone that it has a 12 year permit. I wonder if she meant 12 months. But either way, right now it is open to the public for this Pacific Showcase. A quick FREE event that has jumped in before the games start to show off all the fabulousness our neighbours in the South Pacific have to offer.

There is food tasting in the demonstration kitchen (I just missed tasting the raw tuna salad) and a little marketplace of goodies like fresh vanilla, honey, coffee beans, hot chilli sauces called Hot Samoan Boys.

Noni juice - if you dare

You can try coffee grown in Vanuatu, Tonga and Samoa (Tonga was my favourite) and be brave and gulp the very odd tasting noni juice. I can only describe it, in the raw, as liquid blue cheese. Most palates need it mixed with juice. I’d rather leave it for someone else entirely to be honest.

Read the shirt: no crap added

Conveniently you can wash your noni experiment down with hand crafted Matutu beer brewed in the Cook Islands (with the help of some boutique kiwi brewers) and with no additives or preservatives.

Air New Zealand Holidays are there with special Cloud deals to Rarotonga, Samoa and Fiji. In fact to all the Pac islands Air NZ flies to.

There’s also artists here painting live.

So head along Wednesday Sept 7th and Thursday Sept 8th (from noon till 8pm Wednesday; 10am till 3.30pm Thursday). Browse the night market on Wednesday and throughout both days you’ll tap your feet to the drumming of dance groups and pan pipers from the Cook Islands, Solomon Islands, Samoa and Tahiti.

It’s certainly exciting in Auckland right now. But come Friday night the Islanders will be packed away and the Cloud will become a Rugby World Cup fanzone with big screens – so big that I’m told they need to be divided up lest Ma’a Nonu charges you down and you spill your beer in fear.

Jump here for more info and the programme for the Pacific Showcase which runs in the Cloud on Queens Wharf from 6-8 Sept.

This one-off event is organised by Travcom (Travel Communicators) with 3 inspiring travel photographers sharing their tips and experiences.

Speakers:

© Serena Stevenson

Serena Stevenson
Former Cathay Pacific Travel Photographer of the year, filmmaker and founder and director of Transmedia production company, Serena has worked for 15 years as a photographer for magazines, design and advertising agencies and teaches photojournalism at AUT. Serena’s work is seen on the internet, TV, cinemas, magazines, music concerts, and mobile phones.

© Juan Mon

Juan Mon
An emerging photographer from Sydney, Juan has worked on an a range of projects from the international MOOKS campaign to shooting in ghettos. He has been part of 10 exhibitions around the world and has had two solo exhibitions. He has achieved much in a short career and his edgy and exciting shots make him one to watch!

© Adrian Malloch

Adrian Malloch
Over a colourful twenty-four year career, Adrian has established himself as a freelance photojournalist, commercial photographer and teacher. Clients include NBR New Zealand Opera, Metro, North & South and the NZ Human Rights commission. Adrian teaches and mentors photographers in developing their art, vision and skills.

Venue: Heritage Hotel, Auckland

Date: Monday, September 12th, from 6-8pm

Cost: $35 (non Travcom members). RSVP helen.davies@clear.net.nz by 9 September 2011.

One of the first things you’ll notice about Red Hummingbird is that it’s eclectic in the way that some might say it’s been designed within an inch of it’s life – but there’s really nothing wrong with that, considering the mantra of the place. “Discover, collect, return” has long been the catch-cry of Dallow establishments but it’s done with unashamed deference to the cornucopia of experiences he’s picked up traveling around the world. It’s intentionally, loudly and proudly a little bit of everything.

The menu covers everything from Kiwi classics – Dallow family recipe pies with a crust made with sour cream (yummo!) – to European platters of smoked and cured meats, olives and dips. The range of seafood and particularly smoked seafood on the menu is intriguing but suits this City of Sails. I’m intent on going back for more of the hot-smoked salmon, one of my favourite delicacies when done well.

But of course, once you’ve sated the hunger, you’ll need to quench the thirst. The cocktail list is simple but clever, highlighting a few great New Zealand products to the international clientele about to land in the place – the Broken Basil is made with Broken Shed, a NZ vodka you’ve probably never heard of but should start drinking considering the awards it’s picking up overseas. Followed by the Stolen Rum libation “Murray’s Dream” – spicy with a kick of chilli and ginger balanced with the sweet/sour sting of passionfruit.

There’s a lot of fruit on the cocktail list, but I’m always excited to see someone making dry and sassy Manhattans – Red Hummingbird’s features chocolate bitters, one of my favourite ingredients.

And fear not – they’re serving Mumm and Veuve Clicquot by the glass, so there’s always bubbles if you can’t find a wine on this list to entice you. Can’t see how though, all the favourites are there.

So – go on, get yourself downtown whilst parking can be found or grab a cab and settle in for some tasty treats. Enjoy the intriguing décor and slightly European/Asian influenced surroundings and do a little discovery and collection of your own!

The Red Hummingbird,  84 Federal Street, Auckland City

www.redhummingbird.co.nz

Monday 3pm-late
Tuesday to Sunday Midday-late

- Tash McGill