Here at Denizen, we’re always on the hunt for accounts that will freshen up our feeds. And whether it’s via aspirational photos of fashion, food or design, funny memes or parodies on modern life, one thing remains constant: most successful Instagram accounts seem to focus on one very specific, very niche thing. Something that sets them apart from riff-raff of social media. And recently it’s @interiorsofnorthland that’s captured our attention.
With photos of interiors that look like something out of a bad house ad from the 80s and a bio promising ‘interiors to inspire,’ this account is a love letter to terrible 70s wallpaper, novelty bedspreads, squeaky leather sectionals, and kitchens painted in colours so bold it’s hard not to admire the original designer’s take-no-prisoners attitude. It’s an assault on the senses for anyone with any kind of taste, but it’s also pretty glorious. In a weird way, it taps into our childhood memories of visiting those quintessential Kiwi baches that felt like walking into a time capsule. And its dry captions are almost guaranteed to elicit a giggle or two.
Words Albert Cho | PHOTOS Jono Parker | 4 Dec 2019
Hugo Baird was only 24-years-old when he opened his first cafe, Crumb in Grey Lynn. Not long after selling it, he took over another hospitality space that once housed Were Bros, turning it into what would become the incredibly successful cafe, Honey Bones. And after two years of growing Honey Bones into one of Auckland’s favourite daytime spots, Baird along with Otis Gardner Schapiro and Willy Gresson have opened the doors to a new venture just a few doors down.
Meet Lilian, the osteria and wine bar offering Grey Lynn a cosy new after-dark haunt. In line with the traditional idea of an osteria, Lillian is simple, elegant and affordable — a welcoming, neighbourhood spot that is set to become a hub for locals and postcode-jumpers alike. Its interiors, by Hugo in collaboration with Ctrl Space, were inspired by the wine bars of Europe and exude a sophisticated and comforting atmosphere. From its textured, ecru-toned walls to its deep-burgundy leather seating, stepping into Lilian feels like stepping into a Parisian wine bar, an impression only helped by the tables and chairs that line the pavement out front — perfect for people watching or to catch the final few rays of the day.
The menu was crafted by Gardner Schapiro, who has cultivated an in-depth knowledge of simple yet bold flavours from working in the kitchens of Copenhagen, San Francisco and Mexico City. The dishes showcase authentic, no-frills European cuisine with small plates such as chicken liver parfait and burrata taking centre stage — the perfect grazing accompaniments to Lilian’s generous selection of wine (offering varietals from New Zealand, France and Italy).
Fresh and seasonal ingredients are a central focus on the menu at Lilian with each dish endeavouring to showcase its ingredients’ natural properties. The asparagus, for instance, is wood-fired for a smoky aroma but given complexity via the addition of tarragon, almonds and pecorino and the final touch of crispy chicken skin crackling.
For those seeking a proper feast, Lilian certainly delivers with its more substantial offerings. These include wood-fired octopus with romesco, fried potato and fennel salad, as well as a bavette steak served with tomatoes that have been smoked in beef fat. Not to mention, the grilled market fish that’s served with courgette flower, Meyer lemon purée and a light yet decadent ricotta.
Lamb ribs, black garlic, pistachio
The wood-fired pizzas also steal the show at Lillian. The bases are cooked perfectly in a speciality pizza oven imported all the way from Italy. The toppings come in six different variations, ranging from the simple tomato, oregano and confit garlic to pork sausage with tomato, mozzarella, oyster mushrooms, enoki mushrooms and finished with aromatic truffle oil.
And if you’re hankering for something sweet, the buttermilk panna cotta with rhubarb and merlot offers a fresh and flavoursome kick to bring your meal to a satisfying close.
Buttermilk panna cotta, rhubarb, merlot
The 70-seater osteria and wine bar is open for dinner from Tuesday to Saturday, with the team telling me that they have plans to start service from midday in the near future. A bid, I assume, to take advantage of Lilian’s sun-drenched location. Whether you go for the food, the wine or the sun (or all three) Lilian is set to become a go-to spot this season — and it only takes one visit to see why.
Considering that summer lends itself to long, luxurious lunches, it follows that Waiheke Island is one of the most popular spots of the season. And as far as its vast and varied vineyard offering goes, it doesn’t get much better than the elegant restaurant and craft brewery at Tantalus Estate.
Seeking to elevate the experience of heading over to Tantalus for a meal with friends, Heletranz is offering a unique heli-dining experience that will not only see you alighting on the lawn right outside the winery’s main dining room, but will also include a glass of Tantalus’ Methode Traditionelle sparkling wine on arrival and a delicious four-course à la carte lunch.
Departing from the Heletranz heliport in Albany, Mechanics Bay or your own front lawn and returning via helicopter or ferry (you decide), the breathtaking flight to Waiheke is just the beginning of what will certainly be a wonderful day.
Like every year, 2019 was a big one as far as new cafes were concerned. It seemed as though we had a new establishment to check out every week — and sometimes we’d visit up to three in one day. And while most were delicious, there were certainly a few that rose above the rest. Without further ado, these are the best new cafe opening of 2019 (in chronological order).
Lily Eatery This Devonport gem definitely set the bar high with its homely fit-out and delicious food. Owned and operated by chef Lily Ng, the eatery has cultivated a loyal customer base thanks to its welcoming atmosphere and Lily’s skill in the kitchen. We still think about the custard loaf to this day — a one-of-a-kind dish that makes the journey to Devonport well worth it.
Lily Eatery
Ozone Coffee Roasters We can recall the first time we visited Ozone Coffee Roasters in Grey Lynn like it was yesterday. The scale of the space made our jaws drop to the floor — the kind of space we’d usually expect to find in a bigger city. The food was equally impressive. The coffee was delightful and the service made us feel welcome and excited to come back for more, which we have many times, each experience better than the one before.
Ozone Coffee Roasters
Luna’s Express Offering fresh ingredients and a made-from-scratch approach to traditional Vietnamese flavours, Luna’s Express has been one of our favourite stop-ins for a quick lunchtime bite since it opened earlier this year. And while its pho is delicious, its the lemongrass chicken banh mi sandwich that has us returning again and again.
Luna’s Express
Cheese on Toast Any sandwich-lover will know of the food truck, Guerilla Grill, renowned for serving the cheesiest cheese toasties in town. This year, the duo behind the truck, Stephen and Yang found a permanent space on the fringe of Mt. Eden and started to offer a lot more than just toasties. Now, the menu includes toast with toppings (all made in-house) and a line up of delectable baked goods and sweet treats created by the very talented Yang — the brownies are our favourite.
Cheese on Toast
Lola Lola wasn’t owner/operator Rebecca McRobie’s first rodeo, bringing her rich hospitality knowledge to the Mt Wellington venture and infusing it with a slick, professional vibe. From its modern-meets-retro interior, it certainly takes the cake for one of our favourite fit-outs of the year and was designed with a larger capacity than McRobie’s other cafes, Flour Mill and Charlie & George. There is a raft of delicious offerings on the menu, but the afghan cookie in a skillet is an undeniable standout.
Lola
Camper Coffee Every Newmarket local knows about Camper Coffee — the coffee spot that started as a hole in the wall, helmed by friendly barista, Lee. Which was why there was widespread disappointment when the original coffee window closed for good last year, seeing Lee jump behind the coffee machine at The Candy Shop. This year, however, Lee resurrected Camper in the expansive space opposite The Candy Shop, turning it into a sit-down space where people could not only sip on tasty brews but also enjoy delicious fare from both its cabinet and The Candy Shop’s famous menu.
Camper Coffee
Patch It’s not every day that Sunnybrae — a cute little area between Glenfield and Northcote — has a newly-opened anything. But Sunnybrae newcomer Patch was one of the cafes we visited this year that left us seriously impressed. Owners Allen Zhang and Jenny Che, parents themselves, created a kid-friendly space to ensure the families of the area felt welcome. They also curated a delicious menu of modern brunch fare that would cater to any proclivity. We recommend trying the lamington hotcakes drenched in a coconut glaze — absolutely divine.
Patch
Hēmi Conceived by the same owners of Mint Kitchen Catering and Thinkfood, we already knew that Hemi would deliver some serious goodness before we even tried the food. But we didn’t expect the ambience to exude such elegance and the menu to be so refined. The smoked kahawai waffle is our current obsession. It boasts a sourdough base for an extra chewy texture and is slathered in creme fraîche and aromatic slivers of smoked fish before being finished with a perfectly poached egg.
Hēmi
ONE Although it hasn’t been very long since ONE — Onehunga Neighbourhood Eatery opened its doors, our experience was pleasant enough to make this one of our favourite openings of the year. With a co-working space located upstairs and a collaborative scheme with Everybody Eats seeing dinner service turned into a pay-as-you-feel restaurant, ONE is more than just a cafe. It’s a warm and welcoming community space. On the menu, what stole the show for us was the smoked fish hash. A potato rosti is loaded with fresh slices of fennel, radish and bursting capers, and served with flavourful kahawai. You really can’t beat it.
When there’s the promise of sharing a kitchen with one of Ireland’s most famous TV-chefs, you know you’re in for a memorable experience. Ballymaloe, nestled within the green landscapes of rural Eastern Cork, is a sprawling 400-acre estate owned by prominent Irish chef, TV personality and writer, Darina Allen.
The cookery school itself, set on the nearby 100-acre organic farm, focuses on sustainably-sourced, farm-to-table fare and offers everything from cheese-making courses to intensive, 12-week certificate programs. Just as much about the rearing of the food as they are the cooking of it, Ballymaloe also runs courses on the likes of beekeeping, chicken rearing, home butchery and organic gardening — each of which is a hands-on experience enjoyable for cooks of all grades, whether Michelin-star, sous, or kitchen novice.
Accommodations are as vast and varied as the courses, and heads can be rested in a multitude of places, including a stoic Norman tower or a welcoming farmyard cottage. When guests aren’t cooking up a storm or kicking back in their premium abodes, they can while away afternoons strolling around the pristine gardens, trying their hand at croquet or soaking up the Irish atmosphere in the charming township.
When to visit There are never any promises when it comes to Irish weather, but April, May, June, September and October tend to be relatively mild and with fewer crowds.
How to get there Ballymaloe is approximately 40 kilometres from Cork Airport, where all major car hire companies and taxis operate out of. If flying into Dublin, a connecting flight to Cork takes just 50 minutes.
Tip The world-famous Jameson Distillery and Museum is just 15 minutes away by car — be sure to celebrate all your hard work in the kitchen with an exploration of one of Ireland’s finest whiskeys.
As you enter the month of December, you’ll find yourself thinking more and more about gifting. Whether it’s secret Santa at the office or finding a present or a special someone, searching for the perfect gift is tricky. There are numerous factors you must consider when you’re searching for the ideal gift and it’s not just what’s inside the box that matters, it’s the entire package. So, in a bid to help you get it right, here’s a guide on how to master the gifting game this festive season.
If it’s questionable, don’t do it Some people see gifts as an opportunity to showcase their humour, but if you’re questioning the appropriateness of a gift and whether it will be taken the wrong way, you’re better off going with something else. For example, last year after my mother told her brother that her New Year’s resolution was to get into the best shape of her life, he thought it would be funny to give her a scale for Christmas. It did not go down well.
Don’t bag it, wrap it Unwrapping a gift is almost as important as the gift itself, so don’t skimp out on wrapping this year. Luckily, most stores and shopping centres have gift wrappers that will the job for you. And even if you wrap them yourself in a very amateur, uneven way, it’s the thought that counts. So equip yourself with scissors, tape and some ribbon and get crafty.
Cards are a must No gift is complete without a hand-written card. Even if it’s just a few heartfelt lines, the sentiment it adds to the gift will make the whole thing feel way more personal. And if you can add in some personal anecdotes or a few words beyond the cursory ‘Merry Christmas’ — all the better.
Fashion is a dangerous game Fashion is a risky area to tackle in the gifting department as everybody’s tastes are different. Therefore, you should only gift clothes, accessories or shoes to those with which you’re particularly close. Always include the receipt just in case they want to exchange it for something they genuinely like — which, by the way, is not a reflection of how much they like you. So don’t take it personally.
Re-gifting is a no-no While exchanging a gift is acceptable, re-gifting is a big no-no. Not only is it the move of a lazy gifter (not a reputation you want to be cultivating for yourself), but In this day and age where people love to share their gifts on social media, you’re bound to get caught. This makes for an awkward situation for both the person who gave you the present in the first place as well as the recipient of the sloppy seconds.
Just because you want it, doesn’t mean they do too We’re all guilty of doing this at least once — vicarious gifting. Sometimes you just want something so much that you gift it to someone else if (for some reason) you can’t buy it for yourself. While sometimes this can prove a successful approach, most of the time you’ll end up being way more excited than they will — which is not how the whole giving thing is supposed to work. Instead, start by thinking long and hard about what they would want and go from there.
When it doubt, get a voucher For some people, an envelope of cash would actually be the best present. But sometimes that comes across as a bit thoughtless and tacky. A voucher is almost the same as an envelope of cash but it also makes you look like you’ve put some thought into the person as an individual. If your recipient is a foodie, gift them a voucher to one of Auckland’s many fine restaurants, if they’re a lover of fashion, a voucher for their favourite brand or store would suffice. This is a failsafe option when nothing else is jumping out at you.
Agood dish has the power to titillate the taste buds. But a sensational dish can do that while also taking you back to a certain time or place filled with fond memories. In today’s competitive culinary scene, chefs often feel an underlying pressure to be as inventive as they can with their creations, but sometimes, this raw sense of comfort is all we seek. Here, we capture the dishes showcasing nostalgic flavours in deliciously unique ways. Dishes that embrace the past, but live for now.
Lobster & Snapper Piefrom Ostro Widely considered as one of the ultimate Kiwi comfort foods, the fish pie is a delicacy that has often taken centre stage at our dinner tables. At Ostro, the classic dish is being simultaneously honoured and elevated via the addition of juicy chunks of lobster and a hearty cream sauce, so that while it retains the qualities we all know and love, it brings a whole new dimension to the table. The pie’s potato top has been baked until golden and finished with kumara crisps for an indulgent crunch.
Ginger Kissfrom Culprit When it comes to putting a contemporary spin on Kiwi classics, the team at Culprit hit the nail on the head every time. Their nod to a biscuit-tin staple — the ginger kiss — goes beyond the usual lightly-spiced sponge cake and dollop of buttercream. The top and bottom layers of Culprit’s ginger kiss are made with coconut sugar for a deeper flavour and are slathered in rhubarb jam. Duck Island ice cream in strawberry condensed milk flavour takes pride of place in the centre and the whole thing is topped off with a generous handful of fluffy, pink candy floss.
Ginger Kiss from Culprit
Lamb Shank Piefrom Akarana Eatery The meat pie has become an integral part of New Zealand’s national identity. It’s flaky casing carries a cultural significance that has seen it replicated at cafes and eateries (in various iterations) across the country. And while there might be an argument about whether the pie originated in Britain or New Zealand, new Okahu Bay eatery, Akarana has decided to embrace both sides of the dish’s heritage with its hearty, lamb shank version. Comprising crisp, buttery pastry filled with succulent lamb from Hawke’s Bay and served with a typically British side of gravy and mushy peas, this tasty dish exemplifies why the humble pie remains a national treasure.
Lamb Shank Pie from Akarana Eatery
Smoked Fish on Vogel’s from Luncheonette In 1967, when Alfred Vogel baked the first loaf of what would become the iconic, eponymous bread at his Farmhouse Lane bakery, a movement was born. Nobody had ever experienced a slice of bread so dense and moist, and one that could carry as many toppings as Vogel’s, which saw it quickly become a staple in New Zealand homes. Fast forward 50 years and its place in the Kiwi home is no less important. Recognising this, Luncheonette by Culprit uses slices of Vogel’s for its smoked fish dish, seeing the bread topped with smoky babaganoush that complements the salty piscine flavours. Finished with chopped chilli and mint, this dish cements Vogel’s place in our national culinary vernacular.
Smoked fish on Vogel’s from Luncheonette
Strawberry Pavlovafrom Soul Bar & Bistro Ever since its birth in the 1920s, the origins of this dessert that consists of vigorously whipped egg whites and sugar, topped with fresh slices of fruit has been a sensitive topic. One thing everyone can agree on is that the Kiwi Christmas is cancelled if the pavlova fails to make an appearance. Soul Bar & Bistro’s Executive Chef Gavin Doyle’s nod to New Zealand’s sweetest rivalry features the traditional crunchy meringue shell with the mandatory chewy centre. Inside sees layers of housemade strawberry jam, a mixture of fresh and compressed strawberries from Clevedon and tart yoghurt sablé crumble for crunch. The final dollop of crème anglaise has been laced with elderflower, elevating the hidden notes of the summery fruit.
Some pieces of furniture are designed to blend into the surrounds, their sole purpose merely being one of function — not form. Other pieces of furniture, however, are designed to teeter the thin line between home furnishing and objet d’art, often immediately capturing the attention of whomever wanders into the room it resides. The Girgenti sideboard falls into the latter category. Anything but inconspicuous, it’s opulent design ensures it makes a long-lasting impression, even to those desensitised by bold interior additions.
The piece, crafted by Italian furniture atelier Arte Veneziana, is inspired by the quaint town of Concordia Saggittaria in Venice, and is the epitome of dazzling Italian design. Fashioned from extra-clear glass, that’s been partially mirrored with antiqued finishing, and featuring a robust metal structure, the sideboard is at once elegant and luxurious, with an entirely unique aesthetic. The glass is elevated by the addition of hand-applied gold leaf decoration, which sits alongside shades of white colouring, rendering the standard furnishing a glistening work of art.
The Girgenti delivers a masterclass in luxe, daring design, simultaneously reminding us why there’s no place for wallflowers when it comes to conversation-starting furniture.
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