Auckland Diner's Diary: May 2016

Central City Openings

• Amano - Britomart onsite bakery on Tyler Street, with handcrafted bread, pastries, sandwiches and pizza by the slice, all made with love, a joint venture between the Hip Group and Geeling Ching
• Giusto - Sale Street bar and eatery with a new take on healthy eating and a coffee roaster on site
• Hello Mister - quick and healthy Vietnamese street food inluding banh mi, summer rolls and pho, as well as thirst quenchers like fresh watermelon juice, on Hardinge Street
• Black Dog Burger - burger joint by the Empire Tavern, entrance on Nelson Street
• Green Time - vegetarian and vegan cafe in Fort Street, from a former lawyer
• Popoco - flavoured popcorn shop by the Civic, where the original Moustache Milk and Cookie Bar used to be
• Moustache Milk and Cookie Bar - new shop opened at The University of Auckland (actually opened on 1 June) with a massive queue, but they are apparently not allowed to sell coffee on campus
• Waffle Supreme has also opened a second store at The University of Auckland
• Atomic Coffee Roasters has a new space in Wynyard Quarter, next to the new Fonterra building on Halsey Street
• [Added 30 September 2016: SushiPac has moved its downtown store to Quay Street]
• [Added 16 September 2017: Wolf Coffee - coffee (including cold drip and nitro), Best Ugly bagels and donuts at the Queens Wharf container village]

European Inspiration

• Paris Butter - French style bistro in Herne Bay, with Nick Honeyman's take on the classic dishes and a half-French, half-Kiwi wine list, where Vinnies used to be
• Osteria at Bar Vino - an extension of Non Solo Pizza in Parnell offering breakfast, a mozzarella and crudo bar, and drinks
• Artusi - Italian-inspired eatery in Remuera, from the owner of Remuera Local and sister bar Laneway

Cafes, Cakes and Bakes

• Salon de Cake - The Caker's Jordan Rondel has moved beyond made-to-order cakes to expand into a new space a couple of doors down on K'Rd (actually opened on 1 June), where you can attend baking classes, hire it out for an event, buy her cookbooks and cake mixes, or simply sample her mini cakes, admire the chairs made by her designer father, and have a sip of tea or coffee
• Mint Cakery - Michelle Bevans's market stall now has a permanent home in Point Chevalier (actually opened in April), with beautiful cakes, minis, and (soon) cake jars, as well as flowers and coffee
• Bakery 16 - Takapuna bakery from the people behind No. 6 cafe, selling bread, pizza, French pastries, gourmet sausage rolls and pies, along with raw, cold pressed, organic juices
• Raw HQ - raw cafe in Howick, offering warm "raw" date scones (made in the dehydrator), nachos, "spaghetti and not meatballs", cold brew coffee and the like
• Daily Grind on Grand - small cafe in Orewa
• [Added 23 July 2016: Little French Pastry - millefeuille vendor at the La Cigale market]
• [Added 9 September 2016: Wise Cicada has moved to a new location in Newmarket]

Asian Eats

• Sanehs - Thai restaurant in Ellerslie
• Treasure Kitchen - Malaysian restaurant in Henderson
• Smile Dessert has opened a new branch in Mount Eden
• [Added 7 June 2016: Very Good Dumplings - food truck with dumplings from around the world]
• [Added 9 September 2016: Taste of Japan - yakitori stall at the Auckland Night Markets]
• [Added 30 November 2016: HomeCooked - Filipino comfort food at the Delicious Link International Food Court in Wairau Valley]
• [Added 4 December 2016: Chat Thai - Thai takeaway in Epsom]
• [Added 2 July 2017: Yum Yum Kitchen 營養送 - Hong Kong food for takeaway at the Rialto Centre in Newmarket]

Fishy News

• [Added 2 January 2017: Fish and Friends - fish and chips in Titirangi run by an ex-O'Connell St Bistro chef]
• Fish Fish is offering cooking classes with Executive Chef and Boss Man Adrian Chilton
• Fish Restaurant has reopened with a new design and a new menu

Coming

• Meat Fish Wine - Chancery branch of the Melbourne restaurant from Executive Chef David Schofield and the Apples + Pears Entertainment Group, featuring local, seasonal produce and an extensive wine list, not to mention a chandelier in the shape of a hei matau fish hook carving made out of 2000 wine glasses (opening 27 June [Added 26 June 2016: website now says 30 June] [Added 30 June 2016: website now says 25 July])
• Acho's - this market stall selling NY style Chinese steamed buns has found a permanent location at Saint Kevin's Arcade
• Cuba Libre - Caribbean inspired rum bar and eatery on Ponsonby Road from Guy Jacobson, winner of New Zealand’s first Bacardi Legacy cocktail competition

Events

• Dessert Degustation (Wednesday 8 June and Friday 10 June) - sold out dessert popup from Hundred Acre Food at the Fish Fish Ponsonby store
• Russian Days in Auckland - Русские Дни в Окленде (Saturday 11 June) - experience Russian food and culture at Western Springs
• The Dinner Crowd (Friday 17 June) - the second of Homestead's Winter Series of dinners, offering a 3 course meal put together by Sam Mannering and friends
• GABS 2016 Beer, Cider & Food Fest (Saturday 18 June) - short for Great Australasian Beer SpecTAPular this celebration of craft beer is in Auckland for the first time, at the ASB Showgrounds
• Kumamoto Earthquake Charity Dinner (Sunday 26 June) - six different Japanese restaurants will be participating in this charity dinner at Restaurant Morita, where all proceeds will go towards restoring the city of Kumamoto
• Souk El Auckland (Saturday 23 July) - introduction to Lebanese culture as well as food, sweets and drinks, at a venue in Ellerslie
• The Food Show 2016 (28 - 31 July) - national food event with the latest products (often with tastings and/or discounts), kitchen gadgets, demos by celebrity chefs, and a new Street Food Alley, held at the ASB Showgrounds
• Chocolate and Coffee Show (3 - 4 September) - prebookings are now available for this showcase of chocolate producers and coffee roasters at The Cloud on Father's Day weekend
• Vegan Food Fair II (Sunday 6 November) - the first Vegan Food Fair in April was so successful that a bigger and better event is planned for later this year