Bedford Soda and Liquor

I've been meaning to write this post up for quite a while, and by now half of Auckland seems to have already visited Bedford Soda and Liquor. But - for those of you who haven't made it there, let me tell you all about it.

Nestled in Ponsonby Central, on the Richmond Road side, Bedford Soda and Liquor is an American style meatball and cocktail haven.

Hannah and I visited Bedford for a drink one afternoon, but I naturally I couldn't resist trying the food. But, first things first- the cocktail I tried from the 'Bedford Daisies' menu was a delicious concoction of Tanqueray gin, rhubarb, ginger, pink grapefruit and soda. It was a perfectly balanced (and very pretty) drink that went down dangerously fast.

The drinks menu is enormous, and features re-worked American classics like Tanquery Iced Tea, Bourbon Shakes, Mint Juleps and dozens more. It is a very impressive list, executed by skillful bartenders.

But it's the food menu that's one of the best parts about Bedford- you are given a menu and a non-permanent pen to tick your choice. Very simple, very cool.

We only ordered a few sliders, but the menu is pretty limited so that told us enough. The first slider was the 'special' beef and bacon meatball covered in a naughty hollandaise sauce, cooked to a beautiful pink in the middle. Next up was the pork meatball with a spicy tomato sauce. This one was delicious, although the pork was a bit overdosed on fennel for my liking. The last slider was the delicious beef and gravy- which was definitely my favourite.

The sliders were all pretty good, but competition around here for sliders is tough, and I don't know if these guys would hold up against the likes of Depot or The Roaming Dive. But- the meatballs are great, the cocktails are fantastic, and there is no other meatball joint like this around. You go get 'em Bedford.

Pork and Fennel Meatballs

Feeling a little inspired after my meatball bonanza at Baduzzi, I wanted to cook up one of my favourite dishes: pork and fennel meatballs. I know meatballs might seem like a rich, wintery dish- but they don't have to be. Serve up your meatballs with zucchini ribbons, or on a bed of rocket to make it into a perfectly easy summer dinner.

This recipe is a winner, and for a while I made it pretty much every week. Now I have gotten the girls at work onto it too, and they all agree that it's a keeper.

Pork and Fennel Meatballs (adapted from a Jamie Oliver member recipe)

approx. 450 grams pork mice
2-3 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cracked pepper

Mix all above ingredients (excluding the pork) in a mortar and pestle, to form a rough, dry, paste. In a bowl, gently combine with the pork to mix through.

Roll small handfuls of the mixture into balls, about the size of a large walnut.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups white wine
1/2 brown onion, diced
1 clove garlic, chopped
400g tin of chopped tomatoes

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan, and brown meatballs all over (do not cook through).
Remove the meatballs, and add the remaining olive oil, garlic and onions. Cook gently until soft, and beginning to colour.

Add the wine, and cook for 5 minutes of so, to de-glaze the pan and reduce the alcohol.

Add the tomatoes and the meatballs, and cook on a gentle simmer for about 10 minutes, until the sauce has reduced.

Meatballs traditionally are served with pasta, but if you're looking for a lighter option (summer's a -coming!), then they are also great served on blanched zucchini ribbons, which are easy enough to make with a grater or mandolin.

Garnish with some parsley, fresh fennel fronds (if you have them), and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
Go on, give it a go. I promise they are good!