After an afternoon paddleboarding, we were ravenous so I thought this a good time to check out Mt Eden newcomer Zool Zool. And am very glad we did. Zool Zool a great space with a lively atmosphere and super-friendly staff. It’s a new venture by Kazuya Yamauchi and Toru Hirae...
A Japanese girlfriend suggested this little gem out in Browns Bay so judging the Cheap Eats special in Metro magazine provided a good excuse to check it out and see if it could be a contender for this year’s Top 100. It certainly was. Having lived in Japan I am...
I have always loved Sakanaya so was very glad to be sent there to review it for someone (not this blog). It reminds me of surfy bars in Japan in Chiba where the food is good and the staff relaxed. Stark contrast to so much of the rest of the...
There are more than enough cafes in Mt Eden Village but it seems that there is room for a new Japanese food restaurant. One of the cafes recently changed hands and has been transformed into Coen sushi and donburi restaurant. Open in its new guise for only a month or...
As part of a recent judging stint for Metro magazine, I volunteered to check out a Japanese restaurant in Kelston. A place called Happy Japanese sounded like the best idea ever after the day I’d had, but I did nervously wonder if the name was an oversell. Apparently not. Excellent food and super happy service. Happy...
A girlfriend needed cheering up and I knew just the place. Noisy and fun with good food, there’s no way you can be sad at Sake Bar Nippon. I lived in Japan for a few years and this is one of those places that takes me right back there instantly. The wooden...
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