Those in the know in central London head to the tiny Honey & Co cafe restaurant, behind the Warren St tube station, where owners Itamar Srulovich and Sarit Packer turn out some of the tastiest Middle Eastern food you can find.
Award-winning and revered by reviewers, the food is inspired by the streets of Jerusalem and the kitchens of their mothers and extended family — think unpretentious food made with love.
Closer to home, the owners of a restaurant with a similar ethos, Grey Lynn's Siostra, cite the Honey & Co cookbook as their favourite of 2015.
Sisters Beki and Esther Lamb (above) are launching a new series of evenings where they will cook meals from their favourite books.
The first is on Saturday March 19 and head chef Esther and her sous chef David Bach will prepare a three-course dinner from the Honey & Co book.
The Lambs say they chose that book to begin with because they have been enjoying including new Middle Eastern flavours in their menu over summer. “The fact that the book comes from cafe owner-operators strikes a chord,” says Esther. “The food is simple yet interesting. Plus, the book’s cover is resplendent with quince, which is just coming into season.”
The sisters plan to run the event every month and will invite guest chefs to cook from their favourite books later in the year.
Look out for Jimmy the Fish (ex-Harbourside and Ponsonby Central) cooking up a storm from the pages of Escoffier.
• The dinner costs $60 a head for three courses including a welcome cocktail. To book, ph (09) 360 6207 or hello@siostra.co.nz
