LA CIGALE. CUISINE RECOMMENDATION.

Nothing cheers and warms us up more than a trip to La Cigale for a croque monsieur (fancy French toasted sandwich) and a white chocolate tart for desert. La Cigale is a great place to catch up with friends for a quiet gossip session and a French shopping spree after lunch. Easy to find and easy to park which is always a bonus especially around Parnell.

Just around the corner is a beautiful home-wares/furnishing store Le Monde and modern furniture specialists Design Online.

La Cigale also hosts the infamous French style Famers Market every Saturday and Sunday 8am-1.30pm.

The cafe is open Monday to Friday 9am-pm
Saturday and Sunday 8am-2pm

ADDRESS: 69 St Georges bay Rd, Parnell

MANDARIN. CUISINE RECOMMENDATION.

Prawn Salad

Prawn, Crab and Squid Ink Dumpling

Another restaurant that we tried this week has just recently joined the Imperial Lane line up - Mandarin, for authentic Chinese food with modern twists.
If you are after a replacement for Barilla to meet your dumpling cravings, Mandarin is the place to be.
Mandarin has outstanding food and a sophisticated dining experience with a super reasonable price tag.

We recommend that you try all of the dumplings (steamed to really experience the flavours), at $6-$8 for four you can't really afford not too. Also we recommend that you try to the Prawn Salad with salted peanuts.

We will be back to try the much anticipated Pork Buns (they are bringing in a specialty chef to create them) and all of the other offerings on the menu, it is very hard to choose.

ADDRESS: Imperial Building Basement, 5 Fort Lane

Open from Monday to Saturday from 12pm until late 
Sunday 5.30pm until late

MEKONG BABY. CUISINE RECOMMENDATION.

Kingfish Sashimi + Prawn Cakes

Betel Leaves with Crab + Wok Fried Squid

This week we have tried some pretty great new restaurants, the first being Mekong Baby on Ponsonby Rd for a family catch up lunch.

We love that that like their relation, Banque in Remuera, they have adopted the trend of small and large sharing plates - always makes for a fun dining experience, unless you are not a sharer.
The cuisine is a South East Asian fusion with bold flavours. We went for most of the small plates and will definitely be back to have a go at the larger ones (curry type dishes).
We recommend that you try the Prawn Cakes, Kingfish Sashimi, Wok Fried Squid, Vietnamese Pork Roll (similar flavours to the Blue Breeze Inn's Pork Buns), Betel Leaves with Crab, Grilled Wagyu in Betel leaves and to finish the Palm Sugar Ice-cream Sundae (Similar to salted caramel).

Overall we thought that Mekong Baby is a top notch edition to the Ponsonby Rd strip with lots of exciting dishes and flavours. We can't wait to get back there!

For more info go to their website

BANQUE. CUISINE RECOMMENDATION.

Introducing the newly renovated Banque in Remuera. A few weeks back this fab restaurant got a tough review that we totally disagreed with - we recommend that you make reservations ASAP. We think Banque is up there with the best of them in Auckland.

We loved this restaurant pre-renovation but the makeover has really done wonders especially with the menu style opting for the trend of small and large plates to share. Every dish on the menu had our mouths watering - that doesn't happen too often. We recommend that when you come here be adventurous and try lots, especially the duck pancakes with a glass of bubbles and the 'stand out' shared desert platter to finish.

Banque - delicious food and excellent service.

ADDRESS: 311 Remuera Rd

IMPERIAL LANE. CUISINE [BEVERAGE] RECOMMENDATION.

After a stressful week of hard work and long hours (are the emotional roller-coaster of 40 days of dating) we are looking forward to an indulgent treat again this this Friday. So we thought we might head along to Imperial Lane for one of their rich ice-chocolates. "Ice" you may say with shivering teeth in the winter cold but you you won't even notice the chill outside when cosied up underneath one of Imperial Lanes many heaters.

Imperial Lane also has great cabinet deserts made by Elske (Danish-inspired European bakery and patisserie goods from Michelin-starred pastry chef Kristina Jensen) to accompany your beverage.
If you are looking for something savoury we recommend that you have a hotdog.

ADDRESS: 7 Fort Lane or 44 Queen Street

Open Monday to Friday 7.30am until late

Saturday and Sundays from 9am to 3pm

RESTAURANT MONTH. CUISINE RECOMMENDATION.

We are ecstatic that it is currently RESTAURANT MONTH in our BIG little City (Sponsored by American Express). This is a great chance to try restaurants you haven't been to before and make the most of some super deals. 1-31 August.

We have put together a list of some of the favourites that we are wanting to try this month:

Ebisu
116-118 Quay Street
$50 Set dinner menu and $30 set lunch

Debretts Kitchen and Housebar
Level 1, 3B O'Connell St or 2 High Street
$55 Three course set dinner menu

Fukuko
48 Tyler Street
$20 Per person for small plate and cocktail
Lunch or dinner special menu

Imperial Lane (Our recommendation)
44 Queen Street
$15 Hotdog and drink
Any hotdog of your choice with a glass of house wine or tap beer

Mexico
23 Britomart Place
Fiesta Offer
Daily Fiesta special 4-6pm - $10 cocktails, $8 fried chicken and $4 tacos.

O'Connell Street Bistro
3 O'Connell Street
$36.50 Two course
$42.50 Three course
Lunch, pre-theatre dinner or supper

Shaky Isles
22 Customs Street East
$12 Packed lunch
Choose any cabinet food item (up to $8.50), any hot drink or soft drink and any cake, slice or muffin (up to $4.50)

Milse (Our recommendation)
31 Tyler Street
$25 Dessert and wine match
A special dessert of praline mousse, pear, milk chocolate, hazelnut wafers and a glass of Alpha Domus 'Leonarda' 2010

Rakinos
Level 1, 35 High Street
$15 Hotdog and drink
An Amerakino hotdog served with fries and a Samuel Adams Boston lager

The Grill by Sean Connolly
SKYCITY, 90 Federal Street
$45 Three course meal
Lunch/dinner with a glass of wine

Tyler Street Garage 
116-118 Quay Street
$40 Dinner or $20 lunch
A dinner main with side or small lunch plate.
Both with a glass of wine of beer.


For more details, full menus and conditions head to biglittlecity.co.nz

THE STORE. CUISINE RECOMMENDATION.

It is just past 8.30am and all we can think about is our lack of breakfast this morning (We know, very naughty - "breakfast is the most important meal of the day"). This got us thinking about the great breakfast we had a couple of months back in preparation for the second day of the Semi-Permanent conference. The Store (one side take-away, the other side is sit down/casual diner), another Hip Group achievement is located in the beautiful Pavilions development at Britomart. It is the perfect place to soak up the sun and enjoy some early morning people watching. Photographed above is the healthy almond granola with dates, poached pear, honey comb and yogurt. Some of the produce, like the pears, are grown at the Hip Group's orchard in Kumeu. 

On the takeaway side, they had these really good peanut butter sweet donut things that are certainly worth a try with a hot chocolate/coffee for a morning tea treat. 

Opening hours - Monday to Sunday, 6.30am to 3pm. 

On a side note, we highly recommend that if you are a creative and have not attended before, add it to your calendar NOW. Semi-Permanent is a creative conference held every year in different locations across the world - The Edge, Auckland CBD. It brings outstanding designers to your doorstep for an inspiration-packed two days. For more info.