Auckland Diner's Diary: November 2017

Markets & Pop-Ups

• Wen &Yen - ice cream sandwiches at various night markets
• Thai By Night - Thai specialties from chef Ryan Pearce at The Botanist in the City Works Depot until Christmas
• Smooth Strawberry - chocolate coated strawberries to order
• [Added 27 December 2017: Peach's Hot Chicken - Nashville style hot chicken using a traditional southern recipe]

City Eats - Health Craze

• The Raw Kitchen - new branch of the raw food business has opened in Strand Arcade, and caters for those on plant-based and ketogenic diets
• Cali Press - Auckland flagship store with Sydney roots offers cold-pressed juices and toast on Graham Street

City Eats - Other Food and Drink

• Parasol & Swing - two-level rooftop Viaduct bar from Jason Rosen and Adam Neal of Mea Culpa,with a "USA meets Asian fusion" menu
• Spize - Indian and Indian fusion cuisine at Wynyard Quarter
• [Added 28 December 2017: First Ade - tea, "ade" and coffee from a hole-in-the-wall on Lorne Street]

Fringe Feeds - French & Fine

• Lillius - named after the Latin word for purity, this "casual fine-diner" from Fraser McCarthy and Shannon Vandy offers only three or five-course menu options, favouring whole beasts and underused species, and using plants from root to tip, in Eden Terrace where Khyber Tandoori used to be
• Le Bistro des Gourmets - French bistro in Parnell, with an upcoming Loire valley dinner 

Fringe Feeds - Asian & Ace

• Chicka - fried chicken and beer with an 80s party vibe in Kingsland, from Paul Anakakul, the owner of Ponsonby's Po' Brothers and Kingsland's Bangkok (despite what The Denizen says, they are definitely not the first people to bring the chimaek concept to Auckland!!!)
• Ichiban - second branch of the ramen joint has opened in Newmarket
• Fryday 炸翻天 - Taiwanese fried chicken and bao in Mount Eden, from Rounny Lin and her friends
• [Added 27 December 2017: Da Long Yi Hotpot 大龙燚火锅 - first overseas restaurant of the Chengdu hotpot chain has opened in Grafton]

Fringe Feeds - Cafe Cravings

• [Added 14 January 2018: Munchery - Mount Eden cafe located inside The Grocer's Market]

New in the North

• Xiaolongkan 小龙坎 - Albany branch of the Chengdu hotpot (or "Chinese fondue") business, where you can cook raw meat in a spicy broth
• Din Din Eatery 叮叮記 - Asian fusion food (including oysters?) in Rosedale
• Eden Noodles 四川担担面 - Sichuan eatery famous for their dan dan noodles has opened a second branch with an upmarket fitout in Albany
• El Greco - Greek Italian restaurant in Campbell's Bay
• [Added 30 December 2017: Tides Kitchen Torbay - food, coffee and Movenpick ice creams by the beach in Torbay]
• [Added 2 February 2018: The Place 소문난 그집: Korean cuisine in Takapuna]

Suburban Openings

• Greenwoods Cafe & Eatery - "boundary-pushing" Epsom cafe from Charles Belcher and Raph Pepin (Corner Burger, Onehunga Cafe)
• Ōrākei Bay Bistro - Brothers Beer has transformed The Barnacle into a modern bistro to shake off the seafood restaurant misconception
• Hawker & Roll - Malaysian street eats with a custom Garage Project brew at Sylvia Park, from Chef Josh Emett and restaurateur Fleur Caulton (opened 5 December) 
• [Added 12 December 2017: Leña Urban Eatery - family business in Mount Roskill, named after the Spanish word for firewood, with cafe food on the daytime menu, including house-cured salmon bagel and ricotta pancakes]
• [Added 30 December 2017: Hong Kong Tea Hall 香港茶餐廳 - Hong Kong style cha chaan teng in Mount Albert, now also houses Cafe Rice Noodle 砂锅米线 which used to be on Dominion Road]
• [Added 11 March 2018: Guan Cafe Botany - vegetarian food in Botany]

Coming

• OBar and Grind on Chancery look set to open soon in Chancery Square
• The Candy Shop - Newmarket eatery from David Lee (Major Sprout), Woo Hyung Lee (Camper Coffee) and Tom Hong (Geeks on Sainsbury), with a sneak peek of their potential dinner menu at Major Sprout
• The Grove dining precinct at Sylvia Park will have more tenants including:
• The Little District micro-precinct containing
• The Municipal Coffee Company - cafe with craft beverages, such as kombucha and their signature Espresso Martini, on tap
• Parklane Bar and Dispensary - changing range of local and imported craft tap beer, as well as boutique wines from New Zealand’s leading wineries and a range of seasonal signature cocktails
• The Market Square Kitchen - relaxed wood fired eatery offering gourmet pizza, antipasta, salads and shared plates
• Birdie's - bar and New York style deli
• Cleaver & Co - another branch of the barbecue restaurant
• Hot Hot Asian Eatery - hot addition to Kingsland
• Reuben Cafe - cafe on Upper Symonds Street where Arcadia used to be, which looks like the one which used to be in the old New Gallery on Lorne Street/Wellesley Street
• Jun's Grill Fish 君記烤魚 - Chinese grilled fish eatery in Mount Eden
• Mentatz - popular ramen eatery has a new branch opening on Anzac Ave
• HITEA - possibly a bubble tea shop on Wellesley Street
• Bunnys - stall in the Royal Oak food court
• Krispy Kreme - first New Zealand store of the global brand is set to open in Manukau, with a processing plant averaging 2400 doughnuts an hour (mid-2018)
• Commercial Bay will have restaurants from Mimi Gilmour, Al Brown and Josh Emett (2019)

Closing/Selling

• Tuihana Cafe - Mount Eden cafe is closing on 15 December as Nate has been unable to negotiate a new lease with the landlord
• Tatsumi - Newmarket modern Japanese restaurant from Yoko and Koichi Kigami is closing its doors on 16 December, as they plan to open in Queenstown
• Angie's Kitchen - Mount Street Malaysian eatery looking to sell due to ill health
• Soul Bar & Bistro - the iconic Viaduct Harbour eatery is on the market

Other

• Pirie's Butchery - Mount Eden butchery from competitive butcher Phill Pirie, with cuts you never knew you needed, farm to fork traceability, treats for dogs, organic chicken liver pate, and flowers out the front
• Eat My Lunch is making their meals available in store at New World Victoria Park, so you can feed a hungry kid without ordering in advance
• The Science Kitchen Cookbook has reached its Kickstarter funding target
• The Kitchen Project is a new food business incubator from Panuku, starting with a pilot in Henderson
• The Metro Top 50 Cheap Eats in Auckland 2018 has been announced
• FICO Eataly World, "the Disneyland of pasta" has opened in Bologna, Italy, with 24 acres of farms, factories, classrooms, restaurants, and markets

Events

• Night Noodle Markets (1 - 10 December) - ten days of food stalls in Victoria Park, including famous gelato company from across the ditch, Gelato Messina
• [Added 9 Dececmber 2015: Carlsberg Pie Pop-Up (12 - 15 December) - Heaven Scent pies at Imperial Lane, with beer stock in the filling, malted barley in the pastry and yeast extract under the cheese topping]
• Ormiston Family Market (Saturday 16 December) - little market in Ormiston Primary School in Flat Bush
• Tamale Tuesday and Friends (Wednesday 20 December) - vegan eats from Las Masitas and others at The Midnight Baker