There are big changes afoot at fine-dining restaurant Sid at The French Cafe, Ellerslie has a new pasta shop and wine bar, Bianca, and a new ferry will take you directly to Man O’War vineyard in Waiheke this summer.
New opening: Xie Xie in Ponsonby
From the restaurateur who brought us Eden Noodles, Biang Biang Noodles and Lao Guangzhou Hot Pot, comes Xie Xie (thank you in Mandarin), which has just opened in a spot off Ponsonby Road and fuses Cantonese dishes with French technique. Kyo Shen wants to bring Chinese food to a fine-dining level, he explained to writer Lincoln Tan earlier this year, and Xie Xie is aiming to do just that with dishes like Sichuan confit beef jerky with chilli oil, coriander, sesame and chive sour cream, or Tibet cumin lamb rack with roasted vegetables — a riff on New Zealand’s meat and three vege. A standout is the crispy pork belly with slaw and apple hawthorn puree and a mala (Sichuan peppercorn and chilli) sauce. The restaurant, tucked behind Taco Medi and Hoppers in the alleyway behind Ponsonby Road, features rust-orange banquettes, black lacquered surfaces, bright blue walls and a DJ booth for setting the party tone at weekends. Xie Xie is one to watch. Find it at Lot 3, 130 Ponsonby Road, Grey Lynn.
A new ferry route takes you straight to Man O’ War on Waiheke
It’s the popular yet remote vineyard on Waiheke Island that’s always been quite the trip from the city — but this summer the beachfront winery is that much closer. Explore has just launched its new ferry service direct from Auckland, making a day trip much easier (it also offers a coach service from Matiatia Wharf). Over summer, Man O’ War will host a range of live DJs and will open a pop-up kitchen (serving burgers, chicken wings and whitebait fritters for picnics on the lawn) to complement the MOW Tasting Room’s Mediterranean-inspired menu. It’ll also have a limited number of Pinque Jeroboams exclusive to the Tasting Room. And early next year Man O’ War will introduce its own zipline and e-bike tours (the property encompasses 1800ha of farmland, orchards, olive groves, restored native forests and beehives). To book your trip visit, Explore Group.
New opening: Bianca pasta shop and wine bar in Ellerslie
Bianca, a retail shop specialising in pasta and other deli goodies to take home or enjoy in-house, has just opened in Ellerslie’s thriving set of shops. Chef Hayden Phiskie (previously Daphnes, Ada and Cotto) plans to open Bianca for lunch (Tuesday to Saturday) and dinner (Thursday to Saturday) once his liquor licence comes through, serving a short menu of handmade pasta, small plates and desserts. For now, Hayden is particularly excited about the retail element, with a cabinet stocked with focaccia sandwiches, tarts and cannoli, and fridges filled with pre-made pouches of handmade fresh pasta and ragus. Bianca’s 500g vacuum-packed bags of housemade pasta and sauce come with simple instructions for making at home and the sauces will change week to week, with options like lamb ragu, cacio e pepe and broccoli. “We want to create a space where people can come for lunch or dinner. They can sit down and have a meal or they can take away. We’re excited about people being able to cook our pasta at home; it’s a nice way for people to get a sense they’re cooking it themselves, and eating it at the right moment.” Bianca is open for lunch Tuesday to Saturday, 11am until 5pm. From January 3, 2024, it will open for dinner Thursday to Saturday. Unit 4, 2 Robert Street, Ellerslie.
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Advertise with NZME.Viva’s wine editor Jo Burzynska experiences Ayrburn’s wine offering
Not many new wine labels literally transplant existing vineyards onto their property for a head start, but Queenstown’s Ayrburn project is not doing anything by halves. Vines from two mature Central Otago vineyards were relocated to Ayrburn’s hospitality precinct, which this weekend opens to the public and sees the Ayrburn wine range launched. Made by winemakers Jody Pagey and Master of Wine, Sophie Parker-Thomson, the wines may have been designed for drinking at the cornucopia of bars and restaurants on the historic estate, but these are not your standard house pours.
“There’s a sense of fun, but also an attention to detail at Ayrburn,” explains Sophie. “We wanted the wine to be serious enough to be a wine brand in itself.” That’s certainly been achieved: from its stylishly aromatic Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc to the “five interpretations of pinot” sourced from around Central Otago. Grapes from its own Arrowtown vineyard will be added to the mix in coming years, possibly making a Methode Traditionnelle sparkling, or even still wines if climate change bestows enough warmth to this cooler site. At present the wines are only available direct from Ayrburn, retailing online or through its Wine Society. Or they can be enjoyed at its precinct’s venues, such as the decadently decked out stone Manure Room, which also offers more fragrant tailored tastings than its name suggests.
Cook your way through Viva’s 50 most popular recipes of the year
Throughout 2023, we’ve pan-fried, oven-baked, smoked, kneaded, blended, mashed, drizzled, deep-fried, iced, tossed and wrapped all sorts of dishes each week — with recipe editor Angela Casley serving up everything from flavourful amuse-bouches to towering desserts. We’ve also hosted recipes from major international and local chefs, including the author of The Indonesian Table Petty Pandean-Elliott, pastry chef Petra Galler, author of The North African Cook Book Jeff Koehler, London-based restaurant The River Cafe, Great Kiwi Bakeoff winner Alby Hailes, chef and TV personality Michael Van De Elzen, The Korean Cookbook duo authors Junghyun Park and Jungyoon Choi and Modern Chinese author and MasterChef NZ winner Sam Low. Find all of these and much for in our roundup of Viva’s top 50 recipes for 2023.
Change is afoot for Sid at The French Cafe
Restaurateurs Sid and Chand Sahrawat have announced changes to their award-winning and Viva Top 50 Auckland restaurant Sid at The French Cafe. In February 2024, the main dining area of the Symonds Street fine-dining restaurant will become Anise, which Sid and Chand describe as a modern Asian eatery in homage to Sid’s first cheffing job at Anise, Wellington (now Floriditas). “I’ve always been a massive fan of contemporary Asian flavours, I just love the complexity and depth in Asian cuisine. While I have always incorporated Asian influences in the fine dining context, I am now looking forward to diving back into the robust flavours of this region and sharing them with our diners,” says Sid. Sid at The French Cafe will revert to its former name, The French Cafe, and relocate to the 35-seat private dining area known as The French Kitchen. Sid and Chand say this new configuration will make the most of the unique space they have to work with, with a reception and bar area, two dining areas, two private dining rooms, and an inviting courtyard. Follow @Anise_auckland for updates.
