There’s only one problem with our annual feijoa windfall – there’s far too many of the little buggers. Emily Holdaway has some ideas to use them up. The way we go on about feijoas in New Zealand you’d think it was a native. It’s not – the feijoa is actually native to central South America … Read more
Tens of thousands of New Zealanders have serious food allergies, and hundreds are hospitalised each year, often because hospitality staff have mistakenly served them something they’re allergic to. A new law was supposed to stop that happening – so why has so little changed? When my husband, who is allergic to dairy products – like, … Read more
We review the entire country and culture of New Zealand, one thing at a time. Today, Alex Casey cracks open a can of horror in Fanta’s new Jelly Fizz drink. It’s time to admit that Big Fanta has gone too far. I entertained their past endeavours into grape and lime with a wry smile. I … Read more
We review the entire country and culture of New Zealand, one thing at a time. Today, Ātea editor Leonie Hayden taste tests the new Heartland hāngi flavoured chips. Heartland potato chips are my favourite potato chips, hands down. They’re often on sale, not too oily and are a sturdy, low-breakage chip which makes them great … Read more
We review the entire country and culture of New Zealand, one thing at a time. Today, does the celebrated new bakery from the Orphan’s Kitchen team live up to the Instagram hype? The good burghers of Point Chevalier have been spoiled over the last couple of years. Excellent cafes like Twisted Tomato, the Beach Cafe … Read more
Last week food critic Simon Wilson took rookie fine diner Madeleine Chapman to upmarket restaurant The Grove. Then she took him to her restaurant of choice – here are their reviews of KFC. This piece was first published in December 2017. Read part one, The Grove, here. Madeleine Chapman The wicked wing was divine. Served … Read more
We sent Simon Wilson, who’s been writing about Auckland’s best restaurants for years, and Madeleine Chapman, who regularly wears a KFC tracksuit to work, to dinner at fine-dining restaurant The Grove. Here are their reviews. Read part two of The Critic and the Rookie: Simon and Madeleine go to KFC, here Simon Wilson The quail … Read more
A New Zealand man was charged this week with drink driving after a chicken nugget-inspired rampage in a Sydney McDonald’s. As a quick Google reveals, he wasn’t the first and he won’t be the last to lose his shit at the Golden Arches. McDonald’s is truly the great equaliser: no matter what car you take … Read more
We review the entire country and culture of New Zealand, one thing at a time. Today, Henry Oliver drinks a Crate Day’s worth of LaCroix, millennials’ favourite sparkling water, which has just arrived in New Zealand. Napkins are dead: to begin with. And crowdfunding is dead. McWraps are dead. Golf, holidays, the wine cork, they … Read more
With Christmas party season almost upon us, an anonymous waiter at an acclaimed Auckland restaurant explains how to avoid pissing off your serving staff, and shares some tips for getting the most out of any dining experience. Going to a restaurant is one of the great joys of life: you don’t have to cook, there’s … Read more
Simon Wilson has been eating at Pasture, the restaurant that cooks with fire and fermentation and a very singular vision. This is what obsession looks like. Five very small, thick oval slices of a bird’s breast, skin on, in a row on a large plate, with a leg and a large piece of skin. The … Read more
We review the entire country and culture of New Zealand, one thing at a time. Today, staff from The Spinoff gorge themselves on giant pieces of fried chicken. Before you read this review, go somewhere you can listen to this at the same time. Trust us. Today The Spinoff lunched on more than $50 of … Read more
We review the entire country and culture of New Zealand, one thing at a time. Today, the Spinoff’s resident youths Madeleine Chapman and Don Rowe try out the latest summer beverage. Don: So it turns out Coke events are a lot like Coke advertisements – beautiful people standing around just generally stoked about living a … Read more
We review the entire country and culture of New Zealand, one thing at a time. Today, Madeleine Chapman’s life is changed by mi goreng potato chips. Before you start reading, please think back to your strongest and fondest mi goreng memory. If you don’t have one, get one. If you don’t want one, leave. In … Read more
Who had the clown cake? Who had the terrible duck with chips for a beak? Who had that bloody train cake? Georgia Munn revisits the book that defined the birthday parties of your childhood. If you grew up in New Zealand or Australia in the 80s or 90s, your household probably had a copy of … Read more
Ever wondered what Cobb & Co’s menu looked like in the 80s? Thanks to an unearthed staff training video, Sam Brooks knows. Now he’s ready to share the unsettling results. I have been to Cobb & Co once in my life, in 2016. On the way back from Wellington, we stopped in Taupō. Now there … Read more
We review the entire country and culture of New Zealand, one thing at a time. Today Simon Day asks: is Duck Island Ice Cream the greatest thing the Tron has ever produced? Hamilton has suffered from an image problem for decades. Suffocated beneath the weight of its own branding, the legendary city slogan “More than … Read more
We review the entire country and culture of New Zealand, one thing at a time. This time, Pani Chapman (staff writer Madeleine Chapman’s mum) reviews the best cooked taro in Wellington. I’m always looking out for the best cooked taro in Wellington because taro is my favourite food. My children try to tell me that … Read more
Indian restaurant Paradise is a phenomenon – three huge branches on the same small city block. Yet its biggest competitor is run by a co-founder, finds Duncan Greive, and their breakup has fuelled one of Auckland’s most intense food rivalries. “They paved a parking lot and put up a Paradise,” a Sandringham friend told me a while ago. He had introduced … Read more
In a world of excess and greed, Madeleine Chapman just wants everyone to get the most out of their food. When I was in my final year at university, I had my heart broken. Not by a young man, but by Hilary Barry. The spear she used to pierce my heart was this tweet. For years … Read more
Now more than ever, says Simon Wilson, critics are good for restaurants and good for their customers too. The real problem in media coverage is the exact opposite: it’s uncritical feel-goodism and the lack of critics. Everyone’s a critic. It’s always been true about restaurants, because we all eat so we all know what we … Read more
Israeli-born Yael Shochat is the owner of much-loved Fort St institution Ima Cuisine. She writes about the essential role immigration plays in her restaurant – and why the Labour leader’s vow to slash immigrant numbers by ‘tens of thousands’ has her deeply worried. Two years ago, after 17 years living here, I received my New … Read more
We review the entire country and culture of New Zealand, one thing at a time. Today: Madeleine Chapman reveals where to find the best chocolate hot cross bun in New Zealand. Karori is pretty bad. I lived there from birth until I went off to university and I loved every moment of it, but it’s … Read more
We asked retro packaging super-collector Steve Williams for his top 10 Kiwi food labels of all time, and this is what he told us. Read more about Steve Williams’ collection of historic NZ food packaging here. 1. 1969 Nestle Milky Bar Chocolate Wrapper. “Great early example of the classic “Milky Bar Kid” on a wrapper.” … Read more
Don Rowe speaks to Steve Williams, a Palmerston North man who has curated the most incredible collection of packaging materials in New Zealand – and possibly the world. See Steve Williams’ 10 favourite Kiwi food labels here. There once was a time when sliced cheese came in a Ninja Turtle box. A time when chewing … Read more
We review the entire country and culture of New Zealand, one thing at a time. Today: Some people are upset about free-range eggs. Toby Manhire is upset about ‘tasty’ cheese. In the dizzying light of the Countdown cold goods aisle, it is easy to make mistakes. Mistakes such as picking up a block of Alpine … Read more
Business is Boring is a weekly podcast series presented by The Spinoff in association with Callaghan Innovation. Host Simon Pound speaks with innovators and commentators focused on the future of New Zealand, with the interview available as both audio and a transcribed excerpt. Situated on Auckland’s Karangahape Road, Coco’s Cantina has become a favourite for … Read more
a special longform feature brought you by The Spinoff and DB Breweries Rose Hoare speaks to chefs, architects, critics and hospitality identities to evaluate the state of the art in eating and drinking – without once using the word ‘foodie’. Even trends are getting trendier Let’s address the elephant in the room right away: kale has peaked. … Read more
CONTENT WARNING: The following post contains information that may ruin your life. Are you standing? I’m going to need you to sit down. Set aside any hot liquids. Swallow any large morsels of food. Make sure there are no sharp objects nearby. Are you ready? Are you sure? I have some terrible news. The K in … Read more