It’s been a crazy busy week (the blog has been much neglected) and friends suggest a “cheap & cheerful” at a local cafe. Zavito, at 6:30 on a Friday evening, is absolutely full and there are more people coming through the door. They’re happy to sit at the bar while they wait for a table. We resist the delicious sounding special of the day and stick to the plan – a couple of pizzas to share along with a good pinot noir (some things just can’t be compromised), We indulge in an entree of calamari and realise we’re in for a good night. Very tasty, melt in the mouth, not too salty, just a little bit spicy – perfect, really.

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Passion Cafe

Passion by name, passion by nature. Owner Julene Payne has plenty of it and it shows in her cafe. The food is cooked onsite – all the old favourites, presented with flair, like cheese scones, sweet and savoury muffins, friands, brioche, club sandwiches and pies, as well as daily specials like mince on toast and quiche. Every time I’ve eaten here, the food has been delicious. The coffee is also superb – supplied by local roastery Planet Espresso.

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Paper Moon - eat, drink and enjoy the sun

Continuing the theme of eating (particularly important when you’re so busy shifting house that you don’t have time or inclination to prepare anything yourself) I have always enjoyed Paper Moon in Mairangi Bay and have eaten there twice in the past week. A colleague took us out for breakfast, which was hearty and nicely cooked (the eggs were perfect), and I dived into Mairangi Bay for a quick takeaway lunch and a coffee to keep me going with all the house cleaning I was doing. I was impressed with the take-away hot food container which was made of recycled cardboard – good on you Paper Moon for this initiative.

The restaurant (in mainstreet Mairangi Village) has an adjoining deli ideal for your morning coffee or  a bite to eat after a walk on the beach. There’s also a bar which is very popular with locals – the outdoor tables and bar leaners are packed on sunny days. Paper Moon has built up a loyal following over a number of years and they continue to provide a high level of service and very good food. Click here to visit their website and  check out the menu.

Just moved house, and we’re exhausted,  so we look for somewhere cheap and cheerful to have dinner on a Monday night. A quick stroll down the main street of Milford takes us to Kashmir of India. We’ve eaten here a few times before and always been happy with the food and the service. The decor feels authentically Indian, with lots of ornamentation, pink serviettes and carved mahogany dining chairs.

The owners are away and a couple of young women are in charge – they are quite attentive and friendly, and they don’t mind that we duck across the road to grab a bottle of BYO wine. A jug of water and complimentary poppadoms -  smartly delivered to our table – keep our hunger at bay while we peruse the menu. Samosas, lamb cooked in a spinach sauce, and paneer with tomatoes, capsicum and onions are all delicious and satisfying. We take a doggy bag of leftovers for tomorrow’s lunch. All this for just $37, plus the cost of the wine, makes for a happy evening. We’ll be back!

mmmmmmm……..Fresh Baked Bread

I have (like many people) a passion for good bread. I’m excited to have Wild Wheat on the Shore now (originally in Mt Eden) and visit a few times a week to buy my bread. This is the good stuff, mainly artisan and mainly sourdough (their apple based starter is reputedly 10 years old!). If you think sourdough bread is not to your liking, put your prejudices aside and go sample some of the Wild Wheat product. It’s wonderful! I’m slowly working my way through all the flavours, and standouts for me are the fruit bread, the baguette (ooh that deep crust!) and the kumara sourdough. The breadmaking process takes about 36 hours, which helps to develop the great flavour, as well as making the bread far more digestible. It also keeps really well – just wrap it in a clean tea towel and store in the pantry. This is bread the way it used to be made and the way bread should taste. Wild Wheat Bakery also has cakes and other sweet things, and you can pick up a great sandwich for lunch, then go eat it on Takapuna Beach. Wild Wheat is located at 1/69 Lake Road, Belmont (the Takapuna store has closed down but you can buy the whole range of breads everyday at Farro Fresh in Constellation Drive. You can check out the range of products and some background information on the Wild Wheat website.

One of the colourful Takapuna stall holders

Originally called the Takapuna Flea Market, this regular Sunday morning market had humble beginnings but is now positively thriving. Covering the whole of the municipal carpark in Anzac Street, it kicks off at 6am. There’s plenty of parking around Takapuna, but you have to be canny to get a free park. If you’re a serious shopper, you should arrive well before 9am for the pick of the day’s fresh produce and flowers. On the other hand, if you’re more interested in bargain hunting, it can pay to whizz around nearer to the midday closing time when many stallholders will do some great deals simply because they don’t want to take anything home with them.

Markets are a great place to buy fresh fruit and veges

As well as a huge selection of well-priced fresh fruit and vegetables, the Takapuna market is a popular spot for browsing the second hand goods, from tools to trinkets. Artisan products such as bread, olive oil, handmade soaps, cheeses and sausage are in abundance here, as well as some delightful cakes, local and ethnic foods (the mussel fritters are in huge demand), honey and fresh fish. You’ll also find a number of art and craft stalls. One of my favourites is the ponga logs carved with beautiful Maori motifs.

Our favourite movie theatre on the Shore – strictly for grown-ups – it has big comfy seats and lots of leg room, an intimate setting, nice foyer where you can enjoy a glass of wine or a coffee before the film, and they even let you take your wine into the theatre IN A GLASS!. It’s nice to be treated like a grown-up for a change.

The Bridgeway – 122 Queen Street, Northcote Point – has a great back story (saved from destruction by some forward thinking people) and the model has been replicated in Matakana. While they screen mainly art-house films, these are generally quite accessible, and they run short seasons of Opera from the Met, as well as live screenings of plays. Senior citizens pay just $10 before 5pm, and $12 after 5pm (exclusive of special screenings and opera).

Take advantage of the $40 pizza and movie deal (2 movie tickets, 1 pizza) and enjoy a light meal before or after the film at adjoining cafe Sausalito. They make mighty good pizza and have a comprehensive wine list. See what’s screening now at The Bridgeway.