What We're Eating and Drinking: Issue 120

There’s no rest for the food-obsessed... when the dish team isn’t bringing you delicious recipes, we’re out there trawling far and wide in search of tasty fare. Below, we share our favourite go-tos.

Recently I had the opportunity to check out a new arrival on the Melbourne food scene, while on a whistle-stop trip to visit my eldest son. Suupaa is outrageously cool, providing a Japanese ‘konbini’ convenience store and dining experience in one. The whole restaurant is incredibly well thought out with exceptional attention to detail, and the food...utterly addictive. On our visit we had the massive slab Fried Egg, Toasted Shokupan (Japanese milk bread) Sando, with Curry Ketchup and Black Garlic Relish, the Pork Loin Tonkatsu with Vegemite Bulldog Sauce and the Smoked Eggplant with spicy Suupaa Mushroom XO. The sando with its combination of toasted, fluffy, mile-high bread, crumbed wedge of omelette and spicy sauces was decadently good, and while it was great to take a perch and enjoy the buzz of the dining area, fresh and pre-prepared meals are also available to take away. Drinks include everything from a Banana-infused Cold Brew (available through a self-serve tap), Iced Matcha with Milo Foam, Wasabi Margaritas and a Mango Negronis! In true convenience style, there is also a range of drinks, sauces and pantry staples and homewares for sale. suupaa.au

Churly's Brewpub & Eatery, Mount Eden, Auckland Churly's Brewpub & Eatery is a beer lover‘s dream with Behemoth Brewing Company’s prolific New Zealand-made craft beers front and centre along with excellent food from Hannah Miller Childs aka A Lady Butcher. As expected, the charcuterie boards are top-notch, with all the offerings made in-house by Hannah, and the tacos, tostadas and quesadillas will appeal to family and friends. Very dog-friendly — we love the wall with all the polaroids of their hairy friends. @churlys_brewpub

In what looks to be a house nestled amongst neatly pruned trees, are Embra’s two intimate dining rooms, decorated with photographs, books and a hand-painted outline of the Kaimanawa Range. One shares its space with the restaurant’s open kitchen, so you can enjoy dinner and a culinary show.

The set menu combines French and British techniques with local and sustainably sourced ingredients. I’m always amazed by the intricate plating; even moreso by the incredible flavours and textures. While the menu changes frequently, their rich, cheesy and salty spelt risotto remains constant (thank goodness because I’m obsessed), albeit with new garnishes. Their sourdough is my weakness, and I could eat their salted malted butter by the spoonful. Some highlights from my most recent meal include Poached Monkfish with Heirloom Tomatoes, Tomato Consommé and Guanciale Focaccia; a dessert of Lemon Verbena Mousse, Apricot, Blueberry, Financier and Vanilla Ice Cream; and a Three-cheese en Croûte with Cherry, Port and Pistachio. Dinner at Embra is always a cherished experience! embra.nz

Can I just ask, if I’ve eaten somewhere at least once a week for the last couple of months, does that make me an addict? Because when it comes to getting my Beef Tataki fix from Origami in Napier, nothing shall stand in my way. Their patisserie cabinet is truly eye-popping, too. Row upon row of immaculately crafted sweet treats are bundled into cute boxes and taken away post-dinner, for a sneaky sugar-fix at home. I love their Heart of Gold, a red chocolate heart filled with white chocolate chantilly, raspberry compote and hazelnut crunch; their Orchard Apple, a perfect apple- shaped chocolate containing caramelised apples, roasted vanilla whipped pannacotta, catalana creme and brown butter walnut crunch; and the Matcha Stones, filled with matcha white chocolate mousse, raspberry jelly, matcha raspberry frangipane and lemon matcha sable. All totally drool-inducing. origami-nz.com

Whether you’ve visited Melbourne or not, you’re likely aware that Lune isn’t exactly an unsung wonder. However, sometimes that makes these visits all the more exciting as we get to find out for ourselves whether the hype is justified. So, at the convenience of my body-clock still being in NZDT, I was able to trot down and join the line with ease before 7:30am. Now, I can say this with my chest — that was the best almond croissant I’ve ever had. @lunecroissant

Kerikeri’s Farmers’ Market (Sundays, 9.30am-12pm) is packed with local growers and producers selling fresh produce, pies, barbecued meats, buttery pastries, condiments and crafts. We did a good job of making our way round as many food stalls as we could, however the stand-out dish for me was the Mysore Masala Dosa from Natesh’s Dosa Kai, a perfectly thin and crispy pancake with masala potatoes and spicy red chutney. Dosa would be in my top five favourite dishes of all time and this was the best I’ve ever had. It was absolutely packed with flavour and a dish I dream about eating again sometime soon. After doing a bit of research, I found they also have a restaurant in Kawakawa (northindianfoodkawakawa.com), which I can’t wait to try. Side note — no trip north of Auckland is complete without a quick stop at the Kaiwaka Cheese Shop (kaiwakacheese.co.nz). The old Amsterdam is my favourite, a nutty and sweet mature gouda with crunchy calcified salt crystals. bayofislandsfarmersmarket.co.nz

Exploring the streets of Dunedin while shooting ‘Southern Hospitality’ (page 106, issue 120), James Hall from Enterprise Dunedin and one of the minds behind Buster Greens café, got a mischievous look in his eyes and asked “want to try an angry cheese roll?” I have never said yes faster. What makes it angry? Jalapeños. A slice of bread with molten cheese, jalapeños, rolled up and baked to crispy perfection. Such a delicious and unique take on a classic New Zealand snack, not to be missed. bakehouseonbond.com