One of the inside seating areas at De Nada in Mt Eden, Auckland. Photo/Babiche Martens
Tuna fish nachos and a cocktail for every occasion? Kim Knight says salud to a Mt Eden newcomer.
In their own words: "No fuss Mexican."
First impressions: White tiles, ochre accents, curved organic lines and upturned cane baskets as light shades - De Nada radiates warmth and literally says, "You're welcome." And then you're led to one of those squiggly tables. Your low, backless stool is small and hard, there is nowhere to put your knees and when they bump into that stupid table, it slides like skates on an ice rink. "We hate them too," said the waitperson. I liked him immediately.
On the floor: See above, with bonus points for taking a mispronunciation of quesadilla and running with it. "Jalapenos?" he asked, with a hard "J" and considerable charm.
The menu: Aotearoa has come a long way since Mexican food was nachos (corn chips, sweet chilli sauce, sour cream and cheese) at the pub, ordered by people who were too sophisticated to order wedges (potatoes, sweet chilli sauce, sour cream and cheese). In these enlightened times, we know there are at least two types of chilli, that tacos can sometimes be soft and cactus is edible. De Nada does all these things and enchilada-ensalada-et al.
The neighbourhood: Did hospo get together and decide all the new openings should be in Mt Eden? After years of the same-old, a culinary change has washed through the village centre. Locals appear to be loving it - make a booking or you may not get a table (and when you make that booking, consider requesting a table with proper chairs).
Best bite #1: The menu says "no fuss" but considerable effort has gone into the tuna sashimi nachos ($24 and easily my favourite dish of the night). Raw tuna was transformed into gleaming dark ruby jewels; a lolly mix for adults. The slightly soy-sweet fish had a jube-like texture, cubed and scattered generously over fabulously crunchy corn chips that bore zero resemblance to anything I've bought from the supermarket. It all came together with dollops of chipotle-spiked sour cream, guacamole and the fresh zing of pico de galla (think raw relish or chunky salsa). Scoop-crunch-salud!
Best bite #2: Taco ensalada ($16) is the vegetable you have when what you really want is a bigger corn chip. The country's main avocado harvest is underway, and it's a good time to order anything containing the pale green fruit that launched a thousand millennial toast jokes. Megan declared her salad delicious, even if she was ultimately defeated by the sheer size of the crispy shelled edible "bowl". It overflowed with fresh veges, a small orchard's worth of avocado and - note to non-vegans - regular cheese (and steak) is mercifully available on request.
The jury's still out: Contrary to lazy cliche, all Mexican food does not taste the same (go to Mt Albert's Taco Loco Cantina, order the pulled beef birria with consomme de birria and be prepared to eat all those words). De Nada does, however, offer a couple of deja vu dishes. The small plate flavours of halloumi and beans (recommended) reappear in a halloumi taco; braised chorizo and mushroom is both a nachos topping and an enchiladas filling ($30). I ordered the latter and enjoyed chorizo on the first bite and Mexican rice on the second. And then ... Nothing else happened. The occasional mushroom was not enough to spark joy in what was, essentially, a plate of repetitively spicy, gloopy, tomato. I didn't hate it, but (unless you really like tomato) don't make it your main event.
On the side: If circumstances ever require a liquid diet, you might try starting with a chilli margarita before moving on to a main of strawberry and lychee margarita and finishing with a creamy pineapple and coconut margarita. The cocktails were really good and our waitperson's dissertation on tequila versus mezcal was a much-appreciated bonus.
Dessert: Would this be the Tres Leches that finally convinced me sponge cake soaked in milk is suitable for adults? Nope, because the kitchen was fresh out. We had the churros and I can confirm the flaming chocolate sauce that comes with them is so rum-heavy it probably should be restricted to adults.
Perfect for: Your tacos and tequila (and mezcal) crew.
How much: We spent $429 for four, including cocktails.
Address: 2/476 Mount Eden Rd, Mount Eden, Auckland, ph (09) 666 0645.
by Yvonne Lorkin
De Nada showcases an impressive selection of tequilas and mezcal, spirits that people often assume are the same. But that's like saying single malt and bourbon are the same – so here's how they're different. Tequila and mezcal are made in different designated regions in Mexico. Both are made from the agave plant (a type of succulent), however, tequila can only be made from blue agave, while mezcal can be made from different types of agave. Blue agave "hearts" are steamed, then crushed to release liquid that is then fermented and distilled two or three times to produce tequila. For mezcal, the agave hearts are instead roasted in underground fire pits before being crushed, mixed with water and transferred to oak barrels to ferment before distillation. Therefore, mezcal has more distinct, smoky characters than tequila. Both tequila and mezcal can be matured in oak barrels after distillation and before bottling. Tequila styles can be defined by barrel age - blanco tequila (sometimes called silver or plata): 0-2 months; reposado tequila: 2-12 months; and anejo tequila: 1-3 years. You can also find "diamante"' examples, which are a blend of multi-year aged tequilas. Mezcal definitions are joven (or "young man"): 0-2 months; reposado: 2-12 months and anejo: 1-year minimum maturation in oak barrels. Tequila is terrific in cocteles like margaritas and mojitos, and fun in shots, while higher-quality styles are also sexy sipped neat over ice. Mezcal, however, is so uniquely stylish and smoky that I prefer to sip it neat, no ice please.
Zenkuro was one of two non-Japanese breweries to be recognised at the challenge.