The gado gado salad. Photo / Jason Oxenham
Address: 2 Graham St, Auckland CBD
Phone: 021 121 561
Website: calipress.co.nz
Open: Weekdaysd 7am-4pm, Saturday 8am-4pm
We spent: $38.50 for two people
SET UP & SITE
Cali Press has just opened below the Herald's offices, and every day it's packed. A workmate and I head down one lunchtime to find nearly all the signature cold press juices gone and just a handful of salads left. Sadly there's no Indonesian gado gado (a
cabbage salad with boiled egg and peanut sauce $14) but we make do with a Baja Beets cold-pressed beetroot juice ($8 for 350ml) and two $5 "tonic shots" — the Beautifier which is supposed to help your skin and the Glow, which I think is supposed to do the same thing. The space itself boasts the now ubiquitous exposed beams and industrial low-hanging light bulbs with which Auckland cafes seem contractually obliged to decorate, as well as several large and inviting-looking framed photos of the Californian coast.
SUSTENANCE & SWILL
Cynical journalist that I am, I kind of wanted Cali Press to be bad. As the name suggests, the cafe's concept was dreamed up by a group of Sydneysiders after a trip to LA, and the #clean #living aesthetic is one that is easy to revile for being too earnest, too aspirational. Unfortunately, the food is really good. My workmate and I shared three slices of toast from the "toast bar" (just a section of the menu): the beets toast with beetroot hummus, goat feta and pistachio dukkah ($6.50); the salmon smash with smoked salmon and an edamame and pea mash sprinkled with chilli flakes and squeezed with lemon ($7.50); and the avo toast with kale pesto, cherry tomatoes and sunflower seeds — called pepitas on the menu ($6.50). All the toasts are served on deliciously tangy sourdough and can be ordered in pairs, but I would recommend trying a range of single slices. All three flavours were fresh and the bases were whipped and airy. The dukkah had an aromatic nuttiness, the chilli on the salmon had a decent kick and the avocado toast, available everywhere, stood out thanks to the kale pesto, which gave it a slightly earthy taste.
