A Meal in Brief: IKA Seafood Bar and Grill *CLOSED*

[Added 25 April: IKA has closed to transform into a "very special new restaurant"]

We came here because we had read good things about this seafood restaurant, including in Metro magazine's 50 Under $50. The previous restaurant O'Sarracino was a favourite of ours, and it took that kind of encouragement before we could bring ourselves to try the new place.

The menu had plenty of seafood, as you would expect, but also steak, ribs, and vegetarian on request. It offered a couple of dishes from some very different cuisines (Malay sambal stingray, for instance), which made us hesitate, the way we are generally filled with scepticism when we see a menu with a split personality (though we approve of the Vietnamese and fish and chips place in Wellington).

Seafood on display by the front counter.

The setting was trying to be casual, with handwritten blackboard signs, brown paper over the tablecloths and felt tip pens on some tables, but there were still ornate light fittings and other incongruous bits in this former funeral parlour.

Interior of the restaurant.

The service was warm and helpful. We knew Laila Harre was involved in the previous restaurant, because she helped bring in a living wage to O'Sarracino, but we didn't expect her to be taking our order at the table. She let us know that there was a persimmon mocktail not listed in the menu, and that a main dish would probably be enough to feed two because it comes with a selection of sides.

Fresh persimmon mocktail, and pot of felt tip pens behind the salt and pepper shakers.

What we ate included:

• Warm Italian flatbread with garlic, herb, olive oil and rocket ($10) - this was hot and crisp, fragrant with plenty of garlic.

Freshly baked Italian garlic flatbread.

• Scallops with mixed leaf salad and lemon herb dressing ($14) - fresh and flavourful, beautifully seared.

Scallops with lemon herb dressing.

• Charcoal grilled flounder with potatoes and greens ($30) - who knew such a plain and simple dish could be so tasty? The fish was cooked with skill, the potatoes crisp; the seasonal greens were unexpectedly made up of choi sum, Shanghai bokchoy, green beans and bean sprouts.

Grilled flounder, skilfully cooked.

Overall, we can highly recommend the simple yet flavourful cooking we sampled. Chef Brendon Peterson clearly knows what he's doing, and we look forward to trying some more from the menu.

Restaurant Details

IKA Seafood Bar and Grill
3 Mount Eden Road, Mount Eden, Auckland
(09) 309 3740

A Meal in Brief: The Lunchroom

We came here because we had heard good things about this cafe, including that chef-owner JJ Holland was the former executive chef at a couple of the Hip Group eateries. It also has a unique position in a corporate building above street level, diagonally opposite Britomart Station.

The menu had two food sections, labelled "earlier" and "later", in addition to "sides". The former contained brunch items like pancakes, eggs and mushrooms; the latter had a small but diverse selection of food, with salads, seafood dishes, and a beef wellington sandwich. There were also ready-to-go sandwiches and pastries in the counter, which we did not check out.

With just a little note at the back of the menu, you could easily overlook their use of local, fair trade and organic ingredients.

Back of the menu.

The setting was cool and spacious, with high ceilings in the new extension by the (unfortunately blue-tinted) windows. You can get a great view to Britomart, or look in more detail at the facades of the old buildings lining Queen Street. There is an open kitchen area near the centre of the floor, if you prefer to watch the chefs at work instead.

Cool and spacious cafe.

The service was attentive—we were greeted as soon as we got to the top of the escalators and promptly seated and provided with water. Most tables were given their own water jugs with strips of cucumber inside, but presumably our table was too small for that, so someone poured for us instead. In addition to a pepper grinder (no salt), each table had a container of golden grains of coconut sugar.

What we ate included:

• salmon nicoise ($21) - this was tasty and actually larger than it looked, as the fish came with a boiled egg and plenty of potatoes, along with the salad leaves, black cherry tomatoes and mustardy dressing.

Salmon nicoise.

• brioche bagel with mozzarella and tomato ($9) - no danger of being hungry with this either, as the ring was puffy as well as buttery. Nicely toasted, it was served with pesto, heirloom tomatoes and a slice of fresh cheese. It seemed like an unusual combination to me; I suspect I would have preferred just a plain bagel, or perhaps the brioche with the preserves and mascarpone filling. Maybe it was the colour of the light that threw me.

Brioche bagel with mozzarella, pesto and tomato.

• banana, date and walnut smoothie ($9) - to be honest, I wouldn't have guessed any of the ingredients listed. This smoothie was very thick and not really sweet at all, topped off with crunchy cocoa nibs, and a sprig of mint. You barely need lunch after drinking this.

Banana, date and walnut smoothie.

Overall, this cafe has good food at a central location, with extra brownie points for its commitment to sustainable and ethical business practices. If you find the blue light too disturbing, you can always get something to take away. We would be keen to return to try the intriguing-sounding beef wellington sandwich ($28) and some of the lighter dishes as well.


Restaurant Details

The Lunchroom
Level 1, 45 Queen Street, Auckland Central
(09) 379 6924

A Meal in Brief: The Garden Shed

We came here because we were looking for brunch in Mount Eden, and The Garden Shed had newly opened where Thai Eden used to be.

Garden themed decor throughout.

The menu was in a hardcover, fabric-covered ring binder, using all the right phrases like "sourced fresh from local suppliers", "higher welfare meats" and "organic milk". The "fine bistro fare" on offer was divided into multiple menus: Share with Friends, Weekend Brunch, Lunch, Mains and Dessert. These listed a large variety of food, from fried snacks like deep-fried ham and gruyere sandwiches, to brunch options with eggs, pancakes, etc., to wild boar dogs to chicken schnitzel to home made pansotti. There were also plenty of drink options, as this place also has a bar at the front.

Intro in menu.

The setting was bright, airy and garden-themed, with a large courtyard out the back with a water feature trickling down corrugated iron. Every table had fresh flowers, and there were hanging pot plants, pitchforks and plenty of wooden fittings. It was also beautifully smoke-free, including in the outdoor area.

Courtyard area.

Bar area.

The service was very good even though the wait staff all seemed very young. Water was topped up periodically.

What we ate included:

• Buckwheat Pancakes with maple roasted stonefruit and Whitestone butter ($16.90) - this was delicious, but came with too much syrup and too little butter. We ordered extra bacon and were disappointed with how little there was, but we were charged only an extra $3.50, rather than the $5.90 printed in the menu.

Buckwheat pancakes with added bacon.

• Garden Breakfast with soft poached eggs, topped with crispy quinoa and garden herbs with sugar snaps, oven roasted tomatoes and toasted sourdough ($16.90) - this had good flavours, and felt light and vibrant. If you are used to a large breakfast, you might need to order something else to supplement it though.

Garden breakfast.

Overall, this was a great place for a summer brunch, with an emphasis on quality over quantity. The food was well presented and skilfully cooked. We weren't sure about the garden theme initially, but they have made it work, and there were plenty of other customers from a range of age groups.

Restaurant Details

The Garden Shed

470 Mount Eden Road, Mount Eden, Auckland

(09) 630 3393

The Garden Shed from the street.

Review: Ortolana, or 26 words you never knew

Ortolana means "market gardener" in Italian, which is apt as this restaurant in Britomart always offers a good selection of vegetables from their own farm. It has an inclusive menu in that they cater effortlessly for vegetarians, but can also be daunting in that you might need to ask the staff to actually explain the words on the page.

Beautiful decor and high ceilings at Ortolana.

I thought I was a bit of a sophisticated foodie already. I've eaten cavalo nero and quinoa (though I have a complex about pricing native peoples out of their own grains). I knew the meaning of aioli years ago, before BurgerFuel started serving it with their chips. I've tried making my own paneer and labneh is on my to-do list. But every time I go to eat at Ortolana, I have to check on the meanings of a more than a couple of words.

Open kitchen area.

How many of the following terms do you know? If you eat out at high-end restaurants a lot, you may be acquainted with some of them already, but I'd be surprised if you understood them all. I mean, really, nduja? I had no idea that Italians even made that sound combination. And painisess, which was on the menu in April, was not a word that Google knew about at all!

1. bagna cauda
2. bistecca
3. burrata
4. chitarra pasta
5. choggia
6. cotoletta
7. crema fritta
8. crudo
9. fazzoletti
10. gnocchetti
11. gnudi
12. kieffer
13. lardo
14. lasagnotte
15. nduja
16. pangritata
17. piadina
18. pillus pasta
19. polpette
20. nooch
21. remoulade
22. rillette
23. salsiccia
24. spatchcock
25. stracciatella (in this case not a type of ice cream)
26. strangozzi pasta

How many of those did you get? I would have guessed that lasagnotte is similar to lasagne, but it is actually a narrower ribbon pasta that is ruffled on one edge. I've eaten burrata enough times now to be familiar with this creamy fresh cheese, but did I really equate it with mozzarella stuffed with stracciatella? I correctly supposed that crema fritta meant "fried cream", but what came out wasn't how I expected it at all!

We keep returning to Ortolana, not for the linguistic challenge, but because it has lots of things going for it: a central location close to the Britomart train station, a pleasant atmosphere with polished service, and above all, delicious food at reasonable prices. The portions are on the smaller side, so you have an excuse for some excellent dessert. Oh, and there's unlimited free sparkling water—bonus!

As if you might forget the meaning of the restaurant name, practically every dish is strewn with micro-greens. Not that I am complaining—I always like to have some vegies with my food.

Kingfish carpaccio and chicken cotoletta with plenty of greens.

The piadina is a constant fixture on the menu, and can be eaten for lunch or dinner with a variety of fillings. This thin Italian flatbread is a great option for a light meal.

Mushroom and mozzarella piadina.

As the menu changes depending on what is in season, not everything is guaranteed to be available. A few weeks ago, we were told that the chestnuts in a dish would be replaced by walnuts, and the jerusalem artichoke and hazelnut soup that I enjoyed last year is not offered at all right now.

Jerusalem artichoke and hazelnut soup, back from April last year.

It's not all about vegies at Ortolana. Their cheeses are beautiful, whether you order a fresh cheese as a main or entree, or savour a washed rind one with honey as part of your dessert.

Mozzarella fior di latte, olio nuovo, apple, sorrel.

The pastas are skilfully cooked, and come in a variety of different shapes, as you can tell from the list of foreign words above.

Rigatoni, nduja, sorrel.

You can choose from a range of great meat dishes too, from fish to chicken to red meat. Most recently, they had the very gourmet-sounding "spatchcock" on the menu, served with quinoa, pear, rewarewa and walnuts, though no one at my table ordered it.

Rib eye bistecca, fried green tomatoes, oregano relish.

Pretty much everything we have ordered has been spot-on (though we didn't care for the kale crisps with nutritional yeast), but don't forget to save room for dessert as these are amazing too. A few months ago, they let people order anything from dessert-only restaurant Milse next door (yet another inspiring eatery from The Hip Group). That proved to be problematic, however, so you only get to pick from a cut-down list of choices again. You can, of course, add yourself to the queue at Milse if you want the full experience.

Panda Recommends

The menu changes regularly, so make sure you talk to the staff to find out what the specials are, and to get a better idea of how things are served.

Drinks: There is an unusually large selection of non-alcoholic drinks. Their hot spiced apple drink ($5) was particularly apt for a cold winter's day, and we have enjoyed their refreshing sodas and other drinks too.

Vegie Pandas
You generally have a couple of entrees ($18-$19) and pastas ($20-$23) to choose from, and if you are not very hungry, the piadinas ($15) are great too. The potatoes are cooked with lardo and therefore not vegetarian, but the cheese options will be quite filling.

Lunch menu - July 2014

Dinner menu - July 2014

Dessert and drinks menu - July 2014

Note

This restaurant does not take bookings. Turn up early and leave your name and number, until a table is free.

Restaurant Details

Ortolana
31 Tyler Street, Britomart, Auckland Central
(09) 368 9487

Opening hours:
Mondays to Sundays 7am - 11pm

Modern bistro in Britomart.

View Nom Nom Panda in a larger map

Review: Auckland Art Gallery Cafe, or Auckland is Finally Growing Up

[Added 16 October 2014: This blog post was about the Auckland Art Gallery Cafe run by Dawsons. The current cafe in the Art Gallery is now operated by Mojo.]

I love Auckland more each day.  The city is alive now in a way it has never been before, even as little as five or even two years ago.  I guess the Rugby World Cup brought about the biggest changes.  Even though I mocked the tram on its tiny loop in Wynyard Quarter, I have total respect for the work that has been done on North Wharf.  Go on a Friday night, when the Silo Market is on, along with a free open-air cinema session, and you will know what I mean.

Friday night Silo Park Market.

Then there are the changes in Federal Street, including the ever-popular Depot eatery, and the exciting little shops in Ponsonby Central.  The Auckland Night Market is expanding beyond the Pakuranga Saturday market and Glenfield Sunday market to include Friday nights at Hunter's Plaza in Papatoetoe and Thursday nights in Onehunga now too!  The Britomart area, which had once been "those dilapidated buildings opposite Showgirls with graffiti and broken windows", is now a pleasant place to be, both for the ambiance and the food options available.  Even the cheap Chinese eateries on Dominion Road have stepped up, with brand new signage highlighting their names in illuminated, colour-changing glory.

And there are promises of even more good things to come.  The City Works Depot has been revamped, and by the end of the year we will see a new Al Brown restaurant there, as well as Michael van de Elzen's Foodtruck Garage (I saw his Food Truck parked there already).  There is a beautiful complex being built in Osborne Lane, Newmarket, with brickwork buildings and paved walkways, where I hope to see more great eateries.

One of the brightest jewels in our city's crown, of which all Aucklanders should be proud, is the new(-ish) Auckland Art Gallery on Lorne Street.  And in this magnificent building, I will have you know, is one of the best cafes in Auckland, which, for some unknown reason, seems to have garnered some poor reviews, including in the Herald (never mind that the writers complain about the temperature of the coffee or the length of the queue rather than having anything concrete to say about the quality of the dishes offered).

The cafe is on the next floor up, behind the floating flowers.

The cafe is officially on the first floor of the art gallery, but you actually have to walk up two flights of steps from the main entrance, because there is an intervening floor called the Mezzanine.  That's the one where you have a superb view of the floating flowers that open and close, which you can even see from outside the museum.

Run by Dawsons Catering, the cafe changes its menu regularly, and also offers a special menu which is themed along the lines of the special exhibit which is running at the gallery.  For instance, for the Home AKL exhibit on Polynesian art last year, the special menu included a Samoan banquet fold over, ota ika raw fish salad, Fijian chicken curry, coconut rice pudding, and an "island passion" dessert with pineapple mousse, passionfruit gel, coconut dacquoise, and mango salsa.

The main menu gets updated too.  We were impressed to find the old-fashioned dish of lamb's fry (liver) on the menu last year, served with a potato rosti that looked like a glorious, deep-fried slice of cake.  That is no longer available, but other tempting menu items have taken its place.

Lambs fry, bacon, shallots, jus, potato rosti & watercress pesto.

A highlight of the current menu is the soufflé, which had a strong smokey note, and went well with the bitterness of the radicchio and the sweetness of the roast pear pieces.  The toasted hazelnuts boosted the flavour of the dish too, and it was more filling than it looked.

Soufflé twice baked, Mt Kyeburn smoked cheddar with radicchio, roast pear & hazelnut salad (partially eaten).

Although we have an aversion to sweet breakfasts, the banana walnut eggy bread (which we would have called "French toast") was also enjoyable, if somewhat less exciting.

Banana walnut eggy bread with maple syrup, strawberry compote, cinnamon mascarpone and free range bacon.

We have not yet tried the other items on the menu, but we liked the mix of traditional cafe breakfast dishes and a range of other choices. There are also counter options available, with the usual sandwiches, muffins and sweet treats, as well as salads.

Counter food.

With their great selection of delicious and beautifully presented dishes, and a modern airy environment, including seating on the deck overlooking the front entrance, what's not to like about the Auckland Art Gallery Cafe?  Oh, and did I mention that they only use free range eggs and bacon?

Seating on the balcony.

Notes

The cafe does not take reservations.

Panda Recommends

We prefer the more lunchy items to the more breakfasty items here.

Mains: Soufflé Twice Baked with Mt Kyeburn Smoked Cheddar ($16.50), Linguine Pasta with peppered pancetta, leeks, summer greens, parmesan shavings and pistachio pesto ($18.50), Banana Walnut Eggy Bread ($14.50)

Vegie Pandas
You can have the soufflé too, though no doubt the other dishes are also tasty.  The Green Vegetable Soup ($13.50) was under-seasoned though, when I tried it. Vegetarian, gluten free and dairy free items are clearly marked on the menu.

Menu - Feb 2013

Restaurant Details

Auckland Art Gallery Café
Corner of Kitchener and Wellesley Streets, Auckland Central
(09) 379 1349

Opening hours:
Mondays to Fridays 7:30am - 4:30pm (espresso bar 10am - 3:30pm)
Saturdays to Sundays 10am - 4:30pm (espresso bar 10am - 3:30pm)

Auckland Art Gallery from the outside.

View Nom Nom Panda in a larger map

Review: Mojo, Viaduct Harbour

The problem with working close to Victoria Park is that there is not all that much to eat, at least if you are looking for a lunch that is tasty and not too expensive.  There's a plethora of sandwich chains (think Subway, Pita Pit, Habitual Fix, Hollywood Bakery) and restaurants (for instance the North Wharf eateries and the places above Victoria Park Market... oh, and the Taste of Auckland festival this weekend), but for reliable cheap eats you would have to take a long break into the central city.

So I didn't get too excited when I saw that the Union Cafe in the Vodafone Building had turned into yet another branch of Mojo, a coffee franchise I associated with Wellington and thick hot chocolates served in a tiny glass from a machine with rotating paddles (this no longer seems to be available in any branch).  I didn't even realise that they served food, other than the odd muffin or something.

But tales emerged from workmates of "restaurant-quality food" for less than restaurant prices at Mojo Viaduct Harbour.  I had to check it out.  And I am glad that I did.

This long and narrow cafe is stylishly decorated (though I don't understand the chairs hanging on the walls), and as soon as you are seated, you are given a carafe of free sparkling water. How very European (well, the sparkling part anyway)! There is Sicilian sea salt on the table.  I am impressed before we have even ordered.

Mojo counter.

Although there is counter food and a variety of salads for those on the go, the menu items looked more interesting.  From a pulled pork burger, to pan-fried fish, to open sandwiches, there is something to suit every taste.

Cumberland sausage coil from Westmere Butchery on smashed baby spuds with caramelised onion, two mustards & jus.

Shakshuka eggs baked in Middle Eastern cumin & tomato braise with chili & feta.

Tartine with grilled asparagus, white bean puree, poached organic egg, parmesan shavings.

The verdict?  Delicious food, refreshing menu, and beautifully presented dishes.  The meals can be slow to arrive if you have a large group, but with that sparkling water to keep you going, who's complaining?  We only wish they would open outside normal office hours.

Panda Recommends

[Added 21 May 2015: Since around October last year, though it took some time for us to try it, the menu has been a new one designed by Martin Bosley.]

Mains: Depends on whether you feel like something heavy or light.  Everything we have had has been very good.  And the menu changes regularly anyway.

Vegie Pandas
The Shashuka ($16.50) and Grilled Asparagus Tartine ($10.50) were both delicious.  Yay for options without a single pumpkin, mushroom, or spinach and feta component in sight.  There are some cabinet items you could have too.

Mojo lunch menu

Mojo breakfast menu

Restaurant Details

Mojo
Ground Floor, Vodafone Building, 20 Viaduct Harbour Avenue, Auckland
(021) 911 657
viaduct@mojocoffee.co.nz

Opening hours:
Mondays to Fridays 7am - 5pm

View Nom Nom Panda in a larger map

Review: Depot Eatery and Oyster Bar

I'm not the first blogger to write about Depot, and I am sure I will not be the last.  This newish eatery by NZ celebrity chef Al Brown (of Logan Brown fame) is one of our favourite spots to eat in Auckland, though we don't go as often as we would like, because the place is understandably almost always full, as it has been from day one (August last year), even now that the Rugby World Cup is over.

The quality of the food is way up there, but we also love the deliberate casualness of the place.  From the paper menus (which apparently you are allowed to keep) to the knick-knacks around the room to the cutlery left in tins, you just feel invited to drop in.  There are little hints of a nostalgia for a bygone era, with the signage above the front door lettered in gold leaf, the waiters wearing aprons which look like suspenders from the back, old pictures of New Zealand boys on the backs of the menus (eating fish and chips, gathering shellfish, or saying their prayers), and pseudo-historic labels on the sugar tins and cutlery holders.  But it is also modern, and if you are lucky, you can sit on bar stools overlooking one of the food prep areas.

Antique looking front doors, opening to a full restaurant.

Diners overlooking the main kitchen.

Sugar tin, as if from a bygone era.

Bar area next to where the oysters are prepared, unusually empty as we were there in the morning for a change.

While you are waiting for your meal, they bring out a complimentary plate of warmed pita bread for you to nibble on, most recently served with baba ghanoush, though I think I preferred the hummus with paprika oil they used to have.  You can also purchase Tuatara beer and a couple of wines on tap, from a small glass for the more restrained, to a jug to share.

Pita bread and baba ghanoush.  Jug of Tuatara beer.

One of the major selling points of Depot is its raw bar, where you can choose from a selection of oysters and clams, freshly shucked to order.  Where else have you seen such a thing in Auckland, I ask?

Orongo Bay oysters and Tio Point oysters, optionally with chardonnay vinegar & shallots, or bloody Mary ice.

Little neck clams, optionally with rock sugar ginger syrup.

Their cooked dishes are fantastic too.  We were sad to see that some items we really enjoyed were no longer on the menu:

Battered snapper tortillas with slaw, coriander and green tomato salsa (from old menu).

Skirt steak with tobacco onions and habenera mustard, which we scooped from a little glass jar (from old menu).

But their current menu offers much to drool over also!  The clam broth was full of buttery goodness, the turbot sliders were light and refreshing, the pork hock very skilfully cooked (though not something you can eat much of), and the potato skins were delicious with chevrego cheese and porcini salt (the flavour of which we mistook for truffle oil).  We haven't tried everything on the menu yet, but we are confident that they are all good.

Steamed Cloudy Bay tuatua clams with garlic herb broth and ciabatta.

Turbot sliders with preserved lemon and watercress.

Crisp pork hock with apple & horseradish salsa verde and parsnip puree.

Potato skins with chevrego and porcini salt.

To balance out your meal though, you really need to order some vegetables as well.  The courgette flowers dish was particularly superb, especially the juicy courgette strips, as parts of the flower with more tempura batter can be quite oily.  The chargrilled corn was also very tasty, with a delightful lime flavour in the dipping sauce.  The beets were interesting in that they tasted like your usual purple beetroot, but were yellow and orange.

Epicurean courgette flowers with Persian feta and Pinoli pinenuts.

Chargrilled corn with chilli and lime creme fraiche.

Clydes beets with kohlrabi sticks, Castlepoint feta and purple walnuts, garnished with baby watercress.

I would also highly recommend their desserts.  The sugar pie was not nearly as sweet as it sounds (especially as it is served with unsweetened whipped cream), and was soft and caramelly, and reminded me of American pumpkin pie.  The cherry tumbler was beautiful with sherry zabaglione and espresso crunch.  The other dessert special was nearly as good, hot honey glazed apricots with homemade vanilla icecream and amaretti.

Sugar pie with whipped cream.

Cherry tumbler with sabaglione and espresso crunch.

Grilled apricots with vanilla icecream and amaretti.

Most times we've visited, Al Brown has been there as well, sometimes helping take a dish out, sometimes chatting to customers.  The one time we had breakfast at Depot (you can have bacon butties or beignets dusted with icing sugar for a decadent start to the day), he sat at the next table, working on his laptop. It's great to see so much involvement from the owner, and the positive influence of this really shows.

Al hard at work in his own eatery.

Depot's unique offerings, high quality of food focussed on local seasonal ingredients, and its central location make it one of the top places to eat in Auckland.  Sometimes it can be slow, and one time our potato skins came out nearly burnt and rather soggy, but overall the standards here are excellent.  And it's open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, great for those random times when you need a bite.  At conventional meal times, be prepared to have to wait, but hey, it's worth it.

Panda Recommends

Depot's menu is seasonal and regularly changing.  At the moment, though...

Raw Bar:  Tio Point oysters ($6.00 each)
Share Plates: Steamed Cloudy Bay Tuatua Clams with garlic herb broth and ciabatta ($22.00), Grilled Green Lipped Mussels with Akaroa chorizo, garlic and tarragon ($12.00), Epicurean Courgette Flowers with Persian feta and Pinoli pinenuts ($15.50)
Sides: Chargrilled Corn with chilli and lime creme fraiche ($6.00), Potato Skins with Ellersmere chevrego and porcini salt ($10.00) [Added 14 May 2012: corn is now off the menu, but the Brussels Sprouts with Salash Pancetta and Walnut Crumbs ($8.00) is well worth trying.]
Dessert: Sugar Pie with whipped cream ($9.00), Cherry Tumbler with sherry sabaglione and espresso crunch ($8.00) [Added 14 May 2012: the Tamarillo Bomb ($8) is like the Cherry Tumbler but nowhere near as good, as it doesn't really go with the coffee chunks; the Quince Tart ($22.00) is an unusual old-fashioned dessert, fantastic with the vanilla ice cream of which there is not quite enough, though they give you a large ball]

Vegie Pandas
There is generally only one of the smaller sharing plates which you can eat.  This used to be Falafel with Goat's Curd and Harissa ($14.00), which was fresh and not too salty, unlike the kebab shop variety.  In the latest menu, it is Epicurean Courgette Flowers with Persian feta and Pinoli pinenuts ($15.50), which were amazing.  You can also partake of practically all the side dishes.

Menu

Dessert menu

Note
Depot does not take bookings.  Turn up before the crowd hits, or leave your name and wait for a table.

Restaurant Details

Depot Eatery and Oyster Bar
86 Federal Street, Auckland Central
(09) 363 7048

Opening Hours:
Mondays to Sundays 7am - late

Depot is a casual eatery directly opposite the Auckland Sky Tower.

View Nom Nom Panda in a larger map