Little Easy

Little Easy is a pub that stands proudly at the top of Franklin Road; a new renovation that stretches up two levels to a sun drenched rum bar overlooking Ponsonby. By night Little Easy is a heaving bar, with lines known to snake well down the road, but it's worth leaving the high heels at home and heading in to Little Easy for a good ol' pub dinner or lunch because this food is amazing.

On opening night Allie, Alice and I visited Little Easy for dinner. We were clearly over excited by the menu and ordered both the buffalo chicken and the pork ribs to start. The fried buffalo chicken was the stand out (isn't it always?), and was delectable dipped into a creamy blue cheese mayonnaise.

The burgers are the real highlight though, and naturally we ordered one each. I love both the Double Bacon Double Cheese, and the classic fried chicken burger. The former is a medium rare tender beef patty smothered in cheese and encased in a soft brioche bun, the latter is the most tender and delicious chicken on a sesame seed bun.

I am a burger lover from way back so I'll admit that I suffer a bit of bias, but I have to say that the toasties are worth mentioning too. The Philly Cheesesteak is absolutely gooey with cheese and morsels of tender steak. This toastie, with a frosty beer in hand, would be the perfect afternoon pick-me-up.

In case you're wondering if I am trying to do Weight Watchers in reverse or something, I can assure you that this food was eaten on a few different occasions. Though I will admit that with the sudden influx of gourmet burger joints gracing our streets, I am somewhat concerned about turning into a ball that will need to be rolled between each eatery...the prices we pay.

P.S. This story was originally commissioned for The Denizen. Check it out here!

BurgerBurger

I like to think of myself as a foodie; a lover of fine dining; someone who knows their brioche from their baguette- but give me a good burger and any air of sophistication is replaced by a greedy, wide eyed burger fanatic.

So it was an agonising wait that I endured while BurgerBurger set up shop. But finally, the fair streets on Ponsonby have been graced with a burger joint that will make the hearts of carbohydrate loving patrons sing (yes, they do have a bread-less burger too Mr. Paleo).

The girls and I bravely ventured there on opening night, and nabbed a table at 6.30pm just before it was overrun with curious patrons.

It may have been a Monday night but we needed to test the drink menu too, so we settled in with Botanist gin and tonics and chocolate shakes.

We ordered the entire sides menu, but surprisingly the delicious charred broccoli disappeared first- perhaps it was the reassuring sight of greenery amongst the three plates of fries that tempted us. 

The burgers are simple, as they should be, and all served on delightfully soft brioche buns. The beef was cooked to a perfect medium rare, and ordered with an extra slice of cheese was absolutely perfect. The fish burger was another favourite- crispy, tender and refreshingly light.

The burgers are great value at only $10 a pop, though they aren't enormous so I would definitely recommend a side (or four in our case!) to go with it. 

BurgerBurger has filled a much needed burger void in Ponsonby Central, and I have no doubt that it will become a firm favourite for fellow burger lovers.  So pop along, try it out, and let me know what you think of the new kid on the Ponsonby Central block!

Little and Friday

I still can't believe I hadn't visited Little and Friday until last weekend. If I had known that there were rows and rows, and piles and piles of such amazing treats ready to be devoured I would have visited long ago.

Of course I knew that it existed (I couldn't call myself a foodie if I didn't!), but I didn't know how amazing it was.

On this lovely Saturday the light and breezy interior of the bakery was full of hungry customers enjoying the beautiful food, but when the girls and I arrived we went straight out the back to enjoy the sun in the garden.

We started off with a savoury treat each, and while it was a tough decision with the homemade pies calling my name, I chose the kumara, blue cheese and chorizo galette. The girls went for various other savoury tarts and sandwiches, all of which we thought were deliciously flaky, buttery, and everything a savoury pastry should be.

But the real hero of Little and Friday is the sweet food. From the doughnuts piled on top of one another, to the carefully arranged tarts, the sweet treats are almost as beautiful to look at as they are to eat.

We chose a selection- from a mini banana cake, to a chocolate eclair, and of course, the famous Little and Friday doughnut (which you might remember from this post of mine).

The doughnuts are incredibly delicious, and if any of you are heading to Little and Friday for the first time this is the one thing you absolutely must order. Calories Shmalories.

How To Eat Oysters

A brief guide to the fine art of oyster eating.

Step 1:
On a sunny afternoon bundle dogs, family, friends, and a chilly bin full of oysters and wine into the oldest, rustiest Land Cruiser you can find.

Step 2:
Head to the nearest beach, and jump straight in for a swim.

Step 3:
Crack open a bottle of crisp white wine (or even better, champagne) and take a sip. Ahhh.

Step 4:
Open your chilled oysters, and eat as many as you can before anyone else counts them.

Step 5:
Sit back, relax, and watch the afternoon go by. Afternoon naps are encouraged.

Easy huh?