Review: Ortolana Restaurant Britomart

I had a really lovely weekend eating wonderful meals with friends and family. A friend suggested Ortolana and I can't resist. We got there for Sunday brunch and was surprised that it wasn't heaving. There were a few tables around that are available and we found ourselves in a cosy nook. Ortolana is the latest instalment from the Hip Group that runs The Store, Cafe on Kohi, Takapuna Beach Cafe and St Heliers Bay Cafe.

As with all the other cafes by the Hip Group, Ortolana is well-staffed and you don't have to try hard to get any service. Everything on their menu sounds interesting and after scanning through their menu for a good five minutes I ordered a crayfish, apple, cucumber, lemoncream salad ($22). I didn't expect much crayfish for $22 but wasn't disappointed when it arrived at the table. In fact I was pleasantly surprised how generous they were. I love the abundance of fresh herbs and romaine lettuce in my salad and the lemoncream is divine. I can imagine Manu saying "The sauce..it ties the dish together...but I would like more sauce". The lettuce were so crunchy and sweet. Maybe it's because they claim that they grow their own vegetables. Anyhow, I enjoyed my light and healthy choice.

S ordered beetroot, feta, cumin, hazelnut lasagnotte ($19) and I had food envy when I saw it. I actually like his dish more than mine. All the components went well and the lasagnotte was so smooth and al dente. I love all the different textures in the dish and the toasted hazelnuts adds a nice sweet crunchiness to the dish. S was in love with his choice of dish and wasn't very happy that I keep nibbling on his food. I would definitely come back soon for this dish.

I didn't order an appetiser because I wanted to save some room for dessert without feeling sick afterwards. When I saw our neighbour eating a mini bombe alaska I couldn't resist. It was lovely. I  really liked the luscious italian meringue. 

When we finished our meals, I asked the waitress about Milse, which is a small dessert kitchen right behind Ortolana. Currently it supplies the desserts to Ortolana but they will be available for 'fine dining desserts'. Oh my! My heart skipped a beat when I heard that. Three courses of desserts would be insane. Good sugary insanity. 

After our brunch, we hopped over to The Store to get some ice-cream because they are just too good. We will definitely be back soon to try out their breakfast and to check out Milse when it open its doors. Happy days.

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Pop-up dining Bao at DOC Bar K'road

 The eating scene in Auckland is getting merrier as the weeks passed. Coupled with the most amazing summer that we just had it was a real treat. I was meant to post this a couple of weeks ago but it forgotten. I know I have to post this because this new cool concept has taken NYC, Sydney, Melbourne, London, Chicago and many other cities by storm. Many restaurateurs in Australia has jumped onto the bandwagon; diluting the true experience of the concept. However in Auckland it's still relatively new although the Pop-up dining guys has been around for a bit over a year now. The best place to find them is on a Wednesday at D.O.C Bar in K'road. They are not always there but if they are cooking up something good, chances are they will be there. I have been there a couple of times and these guys can cook up some wicked dishes for $10 and you can't even find similar food in a restaurant. How cool is that? But don't expect to be seated and presented with a wine list. DOC Bar is a student bar and it's not flash but bring along a few mates and you are in for a cheap and cheerful meal and come cheap beers.

Pork Belly Bao with Sriracha sauce

I came here after yoga and I was starving. The options were easy- vegetarian or pork. Both are divine. For the vegetarian option, it was mushrooms braised with a lot of yummy flavours and you will not miss meat after eating it. It's succulent, creamy and packed with loads of flavours. The pork belly option was pretty damn good as well. The meat was so tender and cooked with the right amount of hoisin sauce so it's not sickly sweet and sticky. I am not sure if the buns are handmade or store bought but they are pretty good. They are mostly uneven in size and shape so I would guess that it's handmade by the talented duo of Andreas and Ben.

The dish is a popular dish from David Chang of Momofuku NYC which later generated a cult like following and copycats has been appearing everywhere since. It has even become one of the most popular food in NYC in 2012. Yes, food can be trendy too and one day in the near future you might find a Food Runway. Don't laugh.

For $10 I got two baos with gorgeous fillings and a small side salad. Pretty good deal for $10 I would say. Beats the boring subway sandwich anytime.

Pop-up dining will appear at DOC at 6p.m 27 March. My advice is to get in early to get a seat. Come late and there won't be anything left. They will be serving up Korean Tacos. Check out their website for other upcoming food events.

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Hot Saturday lunch at Maldito Mendez, Ponsonby Central

The Auckland food scene has been pumping  in the last 6 months with numerous new food joints popping out every other week and I can't be happier. I have to say I am getting really spoilt by the choices, so diverse  and exciting. There is also a new wave of casual dining eateries / bistros with some young talents behind it. One of the promising new joint to look out for is Maldito Mendez in Ponsonby Central serving central South American food. The first time I came across their food was  at  Grey Lynn Festival 2011when they were operating from a food truck.They must have done really well and now have a permanent  place for their followers to find them 7 days a week.

The place is not very big therefore it feels rather cosy and welcoming.There's an open kitchen where you can see all the food being prepared. The kitchen looks basic and I love watching people preparing the food that I am going to eat. You have to order and pay for your food at the counter. The staff are really easy-going and approachable even though it was a very busy Saturday afternoon. Service is basic but it doesn't leave you feeling unappreciated.  I kinda like that because it freaks me out when the staff keep coming back to ask how my meal is going but they actually don't really care.

The prices are very affordable, between $10 to $15 for most meals and around $28 for bigger shared plates. Since I didn't know how big the portions are here and there's only 2 of us, I ordered conservatively because the tables are small and I didn't want to look I was a participant on Survivors. I ordered a Grilled Fish Taco with capsicum, limes and chillies. It was delicious. The portion is not big but leaves you satisfied with the fresh ingredients. You definitely need more than one taco to fill your hunger if you are not eating anything else.

Next up was the dainty Watermelon Salad with feta,coriander and green tomatoes. I have never eaten watermelon with anything else other than itself. It is refreshing and not weird at all with the feta cheese. It fact it highlights the sweetness of the watermelon.

Our favourite dish was the Fish Ceviche with blood orange, watercress and mango. The whole dish just comes together so well without any of the garnishing taking too much attention away from the tender fish. Just like how Manu from MKR would say 'magnifique'.

I would happily come back with a couple of friends any time. The atmosphere is casual, the food is fantastic and prices are very reasonable for the fantastic food that is being served. Ponsonby Central is becoming a melting pot of great food and I am not complaining. Just wish that parking around here would be easier but it's never too much hassle for some great food with friends.

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