My Kitchen

So, I've recently been back to Auckland over the weekend to witness a wedding of a dear friend. During that short time there, I managed to spend time with mum at a cafe enjoying what I love best which is sitting out in the sun sipping on my soy mocha and breaking the eggs on my eggs benedicts. mmmm it really makes me miss Auckland more.

One new place I did visit due to the recommendation of my sister in law was this taiwanese place they ventured out and really really liked! When I first arrive there, it looked like a takeaway booth but there's actually stairs that goes up and you will find tables and chairs to sit on! This place reminds me of other taiwanese cafes like J's tea or Momo Tea but bigger. They have a great choice of food on their menus, and their bubble tea is definately comparable if not better than the others I've tried in Auckland. My sister in law being the bubble tea QUEEN has stated that this is better because of their pearls!

The menu comes like e bento box with side dishes such as tofu and vegetables and a slice of orange. The popular dishes was definately the fried chicken type and their rice was topped with mince pork which is one of my favourites!

I'm definately glad I went there and if I was living in Auckland I would definately be there to fight my taiwanese cravings!

I am amazed to find new places to eat each time I return and am always in the look out for more new places and bakeries for sure! However, during my trip back I was crazy over my bakeries and remembered how Classic bakery does all the flaky mooncakes so that the FIRST thing I bought and ATE it anytime I could squeeze it in my day! WHAHaha

Back again next month so I can start dreaming about going to get my sweets again =D

Enjoy something sweet today! =D

Name:
My Kitchen Express

Location:
543 Dominion Road
Auckland

Price:
Reasonable

My Stop

I should have taken some photos of the food but I didnt...instead I was too busy eating and taking photos of my family instead =)

If you're looking for another malaysian place to dine in, check out this place hidden away inside the New Market Railway. I know, it's odd to be inside a railway station but it's definately worth the try. I only came to know about this place because mum comes here quite often and promised me she will bring me there!

We had their coconut prawns which was HUGE, their fish vermicili noodles, fried char kuay teow, marmite pork chops, and fried beans. It is definately one of the good malaysian restarants I've been to and the price is definately comparable.

The staff are very friendly and they take time to ask how we are.

The only down side was they had no more ingredients to make ice kachang which I was looking forward to!

I'm looking forward for my next STOP at MY STOP when i return!

Address: 28 Remuera Road (shop 16) New Market

J's tea

Prior to my short trip back to Auckland I heard all about this yummy taiwanese place that my sister in law really really adores! She craves about their bubble tea and their chicken popcorns, tofu and their beef stew on rice!

So, when I was there, she made a date night to bring me there!
I ordered stew beef on rice and they had pickled veges at the side as well as one very nice soft soy sauce based tofu. The beef was not fatty and the sauce was delicious although they could have provided more beef or tofu because I finished the meat with only less than half the rice!

Beef Stew:


Pop corn chicken:


The bubble tea was nice, comparable to hulu cat in the city but somehow I preferred hulu cat's bubble tea.


What's great about here is there are car park spaces available and they do have pretty decent meals not just toast or snacks which you commonly find at other bubble tea outlets. I would definately return again when Im back there!

Address: 919 Dominion Road Mt Roskill

Tanuki

Tanuki is located along Queen St at #319. There are a few nice japanese restaurants around city but I wanted to eat at Tanuki because of the little appetizers and selections you can choose from instead of a main dish.

Below is a chef selection of appetizers which includes Tuna tataki,prawn & cucumber dressed with mustard vinaigrette miso sauce, Teriyaki flavoured fried chicken, Grilled eel wrapped in egg omelette, Diced salmon fillet in citrus flavoured soy sauce and California rolled sushi


Salmon Avocado Sushi


Deep Fried Egg plant with sweentened miso glaze


Fried Soft Shell Crab


Beef Tataki which is seared thinly sliced fresh rare beef served in a delicious tataki sauce


Website: http://www.sakebars.co.nz/tanuki/index.html
Price: Pricey but nice selection of small side dishes to share with everyone
Service: Friendly but were quite rushed as it was packed so they want you to get out fast
Food: 7/10

Number 5

Last night we had dinner at Number 5 which is said to be one of Auckland's best fine dining restaurants. We thought we would give this place a try before we leave on Friday to Sydney & say that we've been to a fine dining in Auckland if anyone ask =)
When we first entered the restaurant it seemed abit quiet but the service was great! The table that we sat at was by the window and the chairs and lighting made the whole place glamourous and high class! The waitress really knew her wines and she was very good at selling the food as well.

The food was well presented and the portion was nice. Every bite that I took went well together and makes you want to take the next bite again! The meat was very tender and the wine was delicious! I had a Spatlese riesling that the waitress recommended & it was light and definately sweet! Definately would recommend this wine for those sweet wine lovers!

We ordered panfried pork fillet black pudding, pumpkin gnocchi, spinach leaves and port apple coulis, market fist of the day which was pan fried hoki with mash potatoes and beans and we were too full to order any desserts but we couldnt resist not having one so we chose this chocolate fondant with vanilla bean ice cream and orange tuille.

The dessert was quite sweet but hubby enjoyed it so it's all good. The chocolate sauce that came oozing out of the pudding had a very strong orange flavour to it so don't order this if you don't like orange chocolate!


I would definately come back here again if we had the money and splash it on more wines while we are at it!

Food: 10/10
Service: 10/10
Price: Pricey but worth it for a romantic date or just to pamper yourselves ;p
Location: 5 City Road, Auckland, New Zealand
Website: www.number5.co.nz

Orbit

We wanted to use up our points on our action card before heading over to Sydney and thought we will dine at Orbit which revolves around 360 degrees with its great views!


The food wasn't bad, I had the salmon on top of rissoto rice which tasted very curry like. Eating the food made me not feel the spinning of the restaurant even though it was SO slow (takes 1 hour to rotate completely) it gave me a headache! - but it's not that bad honest!

It's a nice place to dine especially if you're a tourist and want to check out Auckland City.

Early Saturday morning

It's been awhile since it was just me and Liz hanging out & since we are both early birds (coz I can't see to sleep in!) we decided to have breakfast at Jones (Liz's fav cafe). When I meant early, I really meant early because we were the FIRST customers of the day! After we ordered, it became busy.
We had their mochas which was special because instead of the normal cocoa powder or syrup that they mix with their milk, they put a heap of chocolate buttons at the bottom of the glass and then top it up with the milk which gives it a richer chocolate taste.


Their banana chocolate bread is also very nice toasted but i felt quite sick with overindulgent of chocolate for the morning


After breakie we decided to go for a walk to the markets and we saw some really interesting carrots that were purple and yellow: you can cook it and eat it the same way as normal orange ones =)


There were the usual cheese, veges, fruits, coffee, wines, turkish delights, fritters, olives, bread, but my sweet tooth led me to one of these small macaroons. Somehow, they did not look as BIG & as NICE & definately did not taste as good as the Sydney Lindt ones I had.

I look forward to checking out the markets in Sydney and see what they sell there. It was a great morning spending time reflecting about the year and enjoying each others company. Oh and Liz taught me red bean soup today, don't add the sugar while it's boiling otherwise won't soften! Thanks, I finished the red bean soup she gave me & it tasted like the ones in the restaurants, I was satisfied!

Zarbo

It's been awhile since I've been to Zarbo in New Market & it's always food galore when I enter because they have nice scones & cabinet food & coffee is not bad too!

Zarbo is similar to NOSH or JONES were they have a cafe as well as a deli with fresh bread, cheese, spreads, chocolates and gift basket to buy!

Before I go to Sydney end of the month I have to catch up with friends and enjoy the cafes here. Had a great brunch time with Yu Hwee & will definately miss our daily catch ups & she's my coffee buddy and God given encourager and sister who has helped kept me close to God. Thank God that I'll be flying back and forth hopefully and there is always skyp =)

I went for a normal Flat white instead of my usual soy mocha:


Sweet French toast:


Mocha:


And I cant not try a scone! I know I have to really stop this scone addiction coz its BAD lol so I thought try bacon n cheese instead of the usual dates! Scone as you can see is more cookie like sigh feeling guilty now from eating it Blah...anyways I wont find much scones in Aussie that's for sure!

Favourite date scone at the moment...with a twist of ginger

I brought my dear friend whom I met while working at World Vision to Ironquie cafe along Mt Eden road because I wanted their date ginger scone from there! I'm still very addicted to scones and I know it's a bad habit to have...Nevertheless here is the scone and it's just soooo delicious! It's not the usual date plain scone as it has a twist of ginger to it with dry crystalized ginger between the scone. As you bite into the moist scone you taste the chewy ginger and dates too which makes it a very nice 'different' taste and texture - It is definately for you if you want to be adventurous with your scone, and if you don't like ginger then I don't recommend it =)


Spread with butter:

Ironique

On the day I flew out to Singapore I was craving for a nice brunch at a new place so we tried Ironique at 448 Mt Eden road.

Their coffee was one of the best I've tasted and also their date scone! The date scone sold in a flash!

They have a variety of breakfast menu which was much more pleasing to the eye than those in the cabinet.


Their salmon egg benedicts was not bad although I thought the salmon would be raw but it was cooked salmon fillet. Their big breakfast was delicious but the sauce tasted like pasta sauce and really creamy so perhaps a little heavey for brunch.

Overall, definately not a bad place to visit as their food coffee was comparable to other cafes along Mt Eden road.

Slyvia Park Columbus

Today was my last day at work and I had lunch with a bunch of awesome girls from work. The food at columbus is not bad. It is rather different to the one in Onehunga. I think I prefer Onehunga cabinet food but the menu on the board is not bad overall. You can order all day breakfast and their coffee is yum too!

Eggs benedicts with bacon:


Vege fritata with salad:


Chicken and Leek filo:


Thanks girls for the company and great lunch! I miss you guys!


If you are looking for nice buttery date scones, try the one in Onehunga but you have to be there early because they do run out!

Cardrona speights ale house - Happy 25th Nette!

Haven't been blogging for awhile, yesterday just checked out another place to eat. It's called Cardrona Speights Ale House in Mt Eden.
If you have the entertainment card it's definately not bad trying: buy one get one free meal. Also, at the moment sunday special lamb shanks half price so not bad at all! Enjoy the food, sun outside the deck and with a glass of cold beer!

Lamb shanks:


Gormet Burger with fries:


Bangers and Mash:


Check out their website for more information:
http://www.cardronaspeightsalehouse.co.nz/index.html

Thanks Jeanette for having your birthday lunch there - Great food, sun, and most importantly company!

Brunch @ Circus Circus

One Sunday after church we went to have brunch at Circus Circus along Mt Eden Road. Frasers would have been the other option but it always seems to be really packed! Circus Circus is also a very busy cafe and very popular for their brunch, coffees, dinners and dessert, we found seats right at the back of the cafe.

Wafer with grilled banana, bacon finished with maple syrup:


Mixed grill - Bacon, eggs, tomato, breakfast sausages, baked beans, hash brown and toast:


Hash browns with bacon, smoked tomato, and scrambled eggs:


They also sell muffins and other cabinet food but doesn't seem to be as fresh. The spinach feta cheese muffin I tried was yum though =)

Place: Circus Circus Cafe

Location:
447 Mt Eden Road
Website: www.circuscircus.co.nz

Yum char Buffet Sky City

On Sunday we went to the yum char buffet at Ming Court which is in Sky city and paid $19.50 for all you can eat! It was literally all you can eat! The guy will push the trolley around and you just order as much as you want on your table!


There was a seperate table for desserts and other food such as noodles and congee. Desserts included things like:

Lychee and almond jelly (my favourite)


Egg tarts:


Their food there was the usual but not as nice as other dim sum places and there was not much variety in their steam dumplings and their baos. This place is good to bring your friends who has never tried yum char before and to get them to eat as much as they want and to order what they want.

Make sure you make a booking because it does get pack and there are two seatings!
Not bad to go to if you are really hungry and can eat like a horse and don't have any cravings for any other dim sum =) For me....sigh they didn't have my mai lai koh, polo buns, lotus paste buns, tau fu fa, other steamed dumplings and many more but still worth to go once =)
Price: 8/10
Food: 6/10
Atmosphere: 6/10
Overall: 6/10

Feel like Japanese?

The Don in the city is our usual jap place we go to because it's reasonably priced and they have many variety of food compared to Daikoku or Renkon. They have very interesting side dishes such as fried cheese wrapped in beef and other japanese delicacy.

I can't seem to find the address on google but it's along High Street in the city but you have to go into an alley way and walk down the stairs or something...It is quite hidden away but I recommend this place if you ever feel like Jap.


There are many udon dishes and one of my favourite is Japanese curry udon, however this is Fried chicken udon:


You can order dishes like this salmon and a bowl of rice:




I'll have to find the address and post it...

Benediction cafe

I just thought I'll put up a post to introduce another great place to have brunch or coffee is at Benediction. I first came here with nette and Ken and their coffees were great and so was their food.

We brought mum and Charmaine here for brunch one windy nice day and was totally packed with people.


Their ice coffee was really sweet but they served it in this really cool metal long cup:


My mum in law was really impressed with the food they served as she was not used to this back home where everything is fried noodles or teh tarik style.

Scramble eggs on toast:


Eggs and bacon on toast with hollandaise sauce, you got to love hollandaise sauce!


They also serve cabinet food such as sandwiches, paninis, slices, and sweet stuff.

Location:
Benediction Cafe
30 St Benedicts Street
Newton
Auckland City

Price: 8/10 the same as other cafe food
Atmosphere: 9/10 can be quite packed
Hours: Mon - Fri 7am to 4pm, Sat - Sun 9am to 3pm

MKOP

Tonight we went to somewhere we haven't tried before and because it was raining and traffic jam, we decided anywhere along Mission Bay will be good.
So, looking through our entertainment book we decided on MKOP. MKOP is short for My kind of place is located in the heart of mission bay along 95a Tamaki Drive. I quite like the name.

It overlooks the beach and has a nice atmosphere to the place although it was really quiet!

We had their seafood chowder


Salmon fillet served with rocket salad, avocado salsa and jalapenos creamy sauce


Pork Sirloin on potato mash, roast tomato, corn cob, apple and rocket salad and cos sugar jus


We both felt that the food was done really well and the food taste great! The only down side was it was WAYYYYYYYYY too quiet! We were the only ones in the restaurant!!!!

I would definately go back again but not sure if I would want to be the only one there eating again - it was just way too quiet and abit uncomfortable but overall the food was GREAT! The waiter's attention was fully focus on us for sure!! It just felt like our whole conversation was overheard by him! Oh ya, also this place seems to be owned by Indians and apparently the owner owns the restaurant Masala upstairs too.

Verdict:

Food: 9/10
Price: 7/10 costly but the food was great - you can use your entertainment card like we did.
Atmosphere: Besides being quiet 7/10
Website: http://www.mkop.co.nz (The food looks better than what is shown on the website)

Another Classic Bakery opened

For those interested, there I just found out a new classic bakery opened around the corner by foodtown Dominion Road! I think it's along Valley Road at the end near the lights. They sell the same bakery as other Classic Bakery but has one or two items that are not found in the other shops.

Yay for more chinese bakeries but dangerous for my wallet =( I went in there and came out with 3 cakes that I have to now finish.....sigh

Talking about food....I was thinking about this verse and the word Yoke (relating to food) came to mind and I thought i'll just post it up.

Matthew 11:29-30

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

What does Yoke mean in this, why use yoke as an illustration?

“In Biblical times, the yoke was a device of great assistance to those who tilled the field. It allowed the strength of a second animal to linked and coupled with the strength of a single animal, sharing and reducing the heavy labor of the plow or wagon.

we're not made to run this race alone but to lean on Jesus's yoke and by being in relationship with him we know that he removes our sins that so easily entangles us and our burdens that weighs us down making life seem so complicated and heavy.

C.A.C Bar and Eatery

I've never adventured into tapas before until Lydia and Ronald's engagment at C.A.C Bar and Eatery and again at Baz's birthday. It's like dim sum where you order dishes and share it with everyone else...and an over abundance of yummy warm bread like Cibatta bread I think.

Their coffees were not bad too and also have a number of cocktails too enjoy!

RISOTTO BALLS sundried tomato & mozzarella


(This dish seemed to be very popular amoung the table I think because it's FRIED!)

TWELVE HOUR LAMB pickled pepper, chickpea relish


(This dish was very nice too but a little spicy and curried for my liking)

PRAWN sauté w. tomato, basil & haloumi


(The gravey for the prawns was so nice that I could just clean the plate of sauce with my bread!)

MEATBALLS veal & pork w. laban, lemon & parmesan


(This was really nice and great with the bread!)

BOQUERONE fried stuffed anchovies, sweet onion & pepper relish


(This was a little different tasted like sardines..)

Blue Cheese w. preserved figs


(I never knew blue cheese tasted so nice!)

GATEAU OPERA coffee & chocolate:


(This cake was so rich and nice you really only need 2 mouthfuls and savour it slowly!)

This place is great especially at night to hang out and enjoy great atmosphere and fun and food if you don't mind indulging a little bit more that night. Great place to bring your date to =)

Location: 26 Normandy Road, Mt Eden
Price: 7/10 but worth it to go in a bigger group so you can try more dishes.
Food: Different to what I'd normally eat but it's GREAT and tasty!
Atmosphere: 9/10
Website: www.cacbar.co.nz
Overall: 9/10