New Zealand

Ahi

Auckland, New Zealand

This was an anticipated restaurant for me, as the chef carefully curates a menu of exclusively New Zealand products, but building dishes that meld traditional and contemporary approaches to how the plates are created. 

The restaurant itself is beautiful, although housed within a mall. Nonetheless, there are full length windows that can be drawn open to allow fresh air to surround diners while looking out on the harbor. 

The plates that I ordered are pictured below, each attractively presented. Although the dishes were enjoyable, the flavors were not very memorable for me, with strong preference for complex and layered flavors. 

Wallaby tartare, puffed wagyu tendon, fermented hot sauce

I have had wallaby in the past, but it is not frequently on a menu, so I opted for this plate. The wagyu tendon was crunchy and easy to snap into pieces, but without providing additional depth of flavor. I really enjoyed the hot sauce and would have liked many more little dollops on my plate! 

scampi corn dog with american-style burger sauce

The starters were creative and I was enticed by this take on a corn dog. The sauce was tangy and sweet, but with the scampi portion really just a lightly fried tempura texture that was easy to dunk and crunch, rather than lending an additional flavor component. It was fun to eat, but I would not order it again as the profile of flavors was straightforward for my palate. 

duck breast with kohlrabi sauerkraut, nettle chimichurri, and puffed daikon

Unfortunately, I did not expect that many of the entrees at the restaurant to contain ingredients that I am allergic to, as they were in sauces, et cetera, so I could not determine this by reading the menu. Therefore, I was limited to ordering the duck. I do enjoy duck and the accompaniments on the dish were pleasant. However, my primary memory of this entire experience was that the duck was not a palatable meat. It was quite tough so that I could not cut it even with the gorgeous steak knife that was placed before me. Having had many different types of game, I did not expect the lack of memorable fattiness nor lack of grill flavor.

After observing my awkwardly long attempts to chew the meat, the restaurant apologized and attributed the texture to the duck being wild, but I have consumed game many times and this was a very different experience. To my memory, I do not recall explaining a plate this negatively in all of my writing on food, but I share this only to be honest and true to my experience. 

pavlova with papaya

This was not what I expected, as the restaurant's creativity meant that the pavlova was created by the tiny dots of meringue rather than being a single large harder shell pavlova. However, it was a enjoyable dessert as papaya is sweet, but with a musky tanginess. 

Ada Restaurant 

This restaurant is housed in a building that was once a convent and is now a boutique hotel. It boasts a menu that highlights indigenous foods, which is why I sought it out! 

Cured market fish with salted cucumber, coconut, and chervil 

I found this to be a familiar flavor profiles across several menus in the city of Auckland, utilizing local produce with the cured fish. It was light and easy to like, but mild in flavor. 

cured and smoked duck breast, cabbage, black garlic, sweet potato

This dish was perfectly balanced with smokiness, fattiness, and crispiness! I enjoyed the gentle creaminess of the garlic sauce and would have liked to order the same thing once again!

Cazador

Auckland, New Zealand

This is a family owned restaurant with craft sherry and beer and well as a selection of unique charcuterie, including items such as venison, pork, and duck, sourced locally. Further, the had a carefully sourced wine list, including many imported wines and really lovely outdoor dining area, in addition to the indoor restaurant. They had a take away counter during the day for purchasing their various homemade goods. 

The service was incredibly memorable. I was given a warm welcome that lasted my entire visit. I never felt I was a bother, although I was dining alone and love to ask questions. They offered to make a charcuterie board for me that did not include any of the foods that I am allergic to, as their set charcuterie board did. The server was well versed in the menu, including each of the wines. 

The charcuterie board was entirely homemade, including pickled items and sauces. It was the best charcuterie board that I can remember having, perfectly balanced with salty, sweet, and acidic.

Jurassic Ridge Vineyards

Minimal intervention natural wine with entirely pure varietals with hand picked and sorted fruit. Unfined wines with whole berry fermentation. 

This was my favorite find while wine tasting in New Zealand. The wine maker is a retired neurologist and so I was not surprised by his attention to detail in his wine. Each one he carefully described before pouring me a taste, repeatedly explaining that he does not provide intervention for the grapes, but instead allows nature to shine through undisturbed, resulting in an illumination of the attributes of the fruit and the terroir.  My personal favorite was the ten year Sauvignon blanc aged on the lees. It was complex but also rich without anything that I found to be unpleasant, as I do sometimes detect cat pee like aromas in his varietal. 

The Archive (at Mudbrick Vineyard)

I studied all of the restaurant menus on Waiheke Island, hoping to land on something unusual, local, and complex. This restaurant was highly reviewed and the menu descriptions captured my attention. My visit began memorably, as the minute I was being seated, the wind surged and caused me to be covered in small splatters of wax from a nearby candle. Tiny dots of wax were peppered all over, but the staff was very kind and even too my bag a ironed the wax off of it while I was seated at a new table. 

Once settled, I began with the market oyster, as I felt that I had not tried enough seafood while in the country. It was very enjoyable, served with a traditional mignonette, but I savored it with just a touch of lemon. 

Trio of eggplant (caponata, pomegranate, sunflower), which came highly recommended and, I do agree was tasty, but not unusual, as is typically my preference. 

I finished with the rosewater panna cotta, which was beautiful to gaze at, but to me was a nicely made panna cotta without me being able to detect the rosewater above the fruit, but I do appreciate that it also did not lean to far towards erring on having the rose water being overpowering, as it is a delicate balance to achieve. Nonetheless, the texture of the panna cotta was lovely and very thin in the plate, making it a nicely portioned dessert. 

Soul bar and bistro

strawberry meringue, matcha white chocolate cremeux, strawberry consommé 

This was refreshing and beautiful to look at. The meringue was harder than I like, being crunchy all the way through, but was balanced by the strawberry sauce surrounding it. I only wish that I had a way to ensure that no sauce was left behind on the plate. The matcha was earthy and true to traditional flavor rather than being too sweet, as some matcha desserts can tend toward. This made for an enjoyable treat as it was refreshing and light. 

 

Lucerne and Mt Pilatus, Switzerland

Mt Pilatus, elevation 7,000 feet

It is remarkable to view the earth from above and this mountain was no exception. It is challenging to impart the experience of grandeur in words with views that make even the largest trees appear as small dots. There were sweeping green landscapes for as far as the eye could see, but with lakes nestled between mountains for a contrast in vibrant colors. 

Mt Pilatus is certainly a popular destination for seeing some of the amazing views of the Swiss landscape. I rode the steepest cogwheel train in the world to the base of the hiking area and then spent time going to each viewpoint lookout. The elevation was such that at times it was damp and chilly as I walked through foggy clouds, but with other areas hot in the sun! The panoramic viewpoints were all impressive! 

Riding down in the gondola allowed for more beautiful vantage points to admire the landscape. I especially enjoyed seeing the grazing cows that dotted the hillsides as I heard the irregular clanging of their bells floating up to my ears as a soundtrack to the gondola ride.

 

After alighting from the gondola ride, I took time to get quite near to some of the cows before leaving for another city! These cows were responsible for all of the incredible cheese that I was enjoying on the trip! 

This day was worth the effort to get to the top of the mountain and back. Despite being slightly confusing prior to arriving (even after I had read a bit of information on navigating up to the top of the mountain), both the cogwheel train and the gondola were part of the experience rather than being merely forms of transportation. 

I made my way back to Lucern and briefly enjoyed walking around and seeing the Kapellbrucke wooden footbridge, which is pictured below. 

The interior of the bridge is adorned with detailed paintings on triangular spaces between ceiling cross beams. Images depicted are both from the history of the Swiss confederation as well as patron saints of the city. These paintings are considered remarkable because they are in open air to the public as well as being created within the confines of triangular spaces. 

This above view is looking out into lucern from the vantage point of being on the bridge. After a quick walk around this area, which is right next to a train stop, I jumped back on the train and made my way to Basel. 

Zurich, Switzerland

My expectation of Zurich was that it would feel industrial. I was more than pleased to find that I was wrong. The part of the city I stayed in was delightful. There were winding and hilly cobblestone walkways lined with shops and restaurants that lead to the riverfront. Yes, there were more modern business district areas, but I spent my time in the aforementioned area. 

My first meal was a traditional restaurant were I tasted veal liver with Rosti potatoes. This tasted exactly as one would anticipate, slightly pungent mineral flavor to the liver, but tender, which was complimented by the crispy and richly fried potatoes. Simple and hearty. 

I did not tire of walking past the river running through Zurich. Each time of day and each angle afforded a slightly different gorgeous view. 

I ate at a less traditional restaurant in the city as well. I had a roasted corn salad with smoked ricotta and mole, to be eaten like a taco from cabbage leaf. I also enjoyed a glass of Swiss made orange wine that was reminiscent of an Aperol spritz with intense bitter notes. 

I walked much of the city on one of the days that I was in Zurich, getting to some planned stops including local coffee roasters and foodie stores, but most of the day was my personally curated "Chocolate tour". I had delineated a number of chocolate makers that I wanted to visit while in the city. Honestly, the prior cities I had been to were disappointing to me regarding their chocolate options. They all had prominent storefronts for large producers, which I knew to have lesser quality products overall. In this way, Zurich did not disappoint.  

During my chocolate explorations, I found a number of bean-to-bar producers with the highest quality chocolate bars, denoted by three simple ingredients: organic single origin chocolate, sugar, and cocoa butter.

Some of the shops I went to included: Oro, Max Chocolatier, and Moon, a newly awarded vegan dessert shop. I selected a chocolate bar with miso pumpkin filling. 

Another day, I had the happy incident of discovering locally made liquors from rare wild foraged fruits, which the store owners said is unusual to everyone, even locals. The products are small production, as the maker forages and makes the liquors based on what she finds, so it is ever changing. Also at that store, I found the most delicious hazelnut liquor, Studor Nussknacker. It literally tasted like toasted hazelnuts, but was not sweet. Decadent and delicate and rich and intense, but without being cloying as it was not sweet. Highly memorable! In conversations at that store, I also learned about a foodie restaurant that I had not discovered on my own.

The restaurant was Opelchammer. It is a historic restaurant, but was also recently awarded best food in Zurich, 2021. While there, I had their veal, a phenomenal interpretation of the traditional food I had had prior. This version had a sweet, slightly smoky flavor. It was accompanied by a trout sauce, as well as apples, radish, and pickled onions. 

Next, I immensely enjoyed an onion tart with broccoli and port wine cooked shallots. The shallots were peppery and the tart was a light egg texture with a very thin pastry. The sauce was rustic, as it was slightly textured rather than smooth with a mild sweet flavor. I decided that there must be nuts in the sauce and learned that it was pumpkin seeds! 

Before leaving the city, I also stumbled upon a chocolate shop that curated only bean to bar chocolate from around the world. I carefully selected a number of chocolate bars of european origin that I have not found easily in the United States, in addition to some that were Swiss made. 

What a find and definitely one of my favorite stops of the entire trip! While there, I learned about a pepper with which I was not familiar, called a Timut pepper from Nepal. I was able to purchase some at a nearby shop. This is why I love my explorations! I learned something entirely unexpected from chatting with a stranger in a foreign country. 

 

Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland

My last night in Lausanne was somewhat restless. I was trying to decide what town to visit the next day. I was exhausted from my first few days in Switzerland and I had tentatively planned a day that would involve a bit of walking and hiking, which would be complicated by the walking boot that I was wearing as a foot injury was healing. 

I finally decided on the very small town of Lauterbrunnen. I read that it was quaint and had a waterfall view, which sounded like a nice quiet day to experience the tranquility of the mountains. 

As I was on the train to Lauterbrunnen, I passed the train stop that I would have taken had I stuck with my prior to plan, which in the end did not look as complicated as I had imagined, but did involve more train transfers and more walking. 

Picturesque is the best way for me to describe the town of Lauterbrunnen. It was surrounded by sweeping mountain landscapes with flowers in bloom and waterways. A train ran through the hillside dotted with quaint houses. It was peaceful and open with fresh air engulfing everything. 

As I wandered around the town just enjoying the views, I happened to see a sign indicating a waterfall viewpoint. I decided to explore and realized that it was the Staubbachfall, a location that I remembered reading about when I was first planning my trip.

As I drew near, I remained skeptical that I would be able to climb up the stairs to the top of the falls, but decided that I would try and turn around if needed. However, it turned out to be accessible enough for how I was feeling that day. 

The actual waterfall was not particularly large, but the height from under the falls afforded an unforgettable view. 

I was only in the town for a few hours, as I wanted to catch a train early in the day to avoid arriving into Zurich after dark. 

The only disappointment as that I did not find any food worth taking the time to discover. There were several food carts offering treats for tourists, such as donut holes, as well as several little restaurants with simple hearty items listed on the menus. As I was excited to get to Zurich, I decided to hop back on the train and be off! 

 

Lausanne, Switzerland

Visiting Henri Cruchon winery was one of my favorite memories from the entire trip. I left my luggage at the train station and hiked through quiet streets lined with vineyards until I arrived at the top of a small hill. I found that the road took a curve that was surrounded by several buildings. One of these was the tasting room that I had read about. Henri Cruchon in a biodynamic winery with all of their wines made on their estates, a risky endeavor as the winemaker must rely on the fruit of each small portion of land, rather than mixing grapes from various areas to compensate for any lack of fruit or poor fruit quality in a given year. However, the woman hosting me explained the extreme rigor that they use for all of their practices, making the product an excellent quality, albeit taking many chances along the way as nature can be so unpredictable. 

When I arrived at the door pictured above, there was a phone with instructions to lift the receiver and call if no one was present. I did this and a woman's voice on the other end assured me she would be there momentarily. The tasting is open for people walking in all day, but I happened to be the only one at the time, so my tasting was private. 

I was impressed repeatedly, not only by the rigorous practices for optimal quality of the fruit and land, but also by the taste delivered from each bottle. Initially, I was offered several different varietals to taste, but as we talked, the woman providing my tasting experience seemed to become as excited as I was seeing my interest and investment in the experience. Ultimately, I tasted every single wine that they had available, with the exception of those which they had sold out of, but were holding the bottles awaiting pick up. It was fantastic to taste single varietals from various single vineyards, comparing the nuanced differences that could only be attributed to the terroir since they were generally in the same area with the same farming practices. As I departed, I learned that they do import a select few wines to New York and Los Angeles. How exciting to find that a store near me carries their product. The hostess was also kind enough to ensure that I jumped on a bus back to the train station instead of hiking back down the quiet roads. 

My next train stop was in Lausanne. I again dropped my luggage at the station, which was impressively large. I initially did not realize the magnitude of the station when I checked my bag into a locker. However, upon my return, I realized that there were different floors to the station that all looked identical, as well as different sides to the station. Honestly, I was lost wondering through the station trying to find my locker later in the day. It took me some time but eventually I ended up on the correct floor on the correct side of the station and found my locker in order to rescue my luggage! 

However, before I overcame that challenge, I wandered around the little streets, many cobbled and lined with little boutique sized shops, but these were nestled in amongst larger stores and bigger roads. I had made reservations at a particularly notable restaurant, Ann Sophie, of which there is a sister restaurant in Paris. This was my splurge dining for the trip. The food was delicate and beautifully plated. 

sunfire crips nasturtium powder with olive oil crackers, turbo fish and lovage mayo

tartlet of Etivaz cheese with saffron dill jelly

St Germain grapefruit with bell pepper 

gin and mezcal soup with melon, thai basil, and verbena ice cream

Pockets of pasta filled with creamy mushroom and an umami mushroom broth

(the signature dish of the restaurant) 

Grilled Turbo with tomato, green cardamom, and onion

Cheese course: goat with ash, goat with chasselas wine of Valais, cow from the Spanish alps, blue cheese with goat milk, and a cow's milk

The walnuts and hazelnuts were absolutely the best representation of each that I could imagine. It amazes me how a simple food can be so delightful when perfectly prepared and presented. 

dark and milk chocolate with chocolate mousse of rose hips and blackberry

The mouse had texture added by the seeds of the blackberry for a slight crunch. The single blackberry on the plate was absolutely the sweetest one that I can recall ever tasting. Further, there was a touch of black garlic on the top layer of mousse, which I did not feel added to the dessert, but I assumed was intended to offer an earthy component. 

White chocolate meringue with caramelized nuts inside as well as a layer of creme

Bonbons of crunchy puffed rice and strawberry 

as well as chocolate filled with a ginger liquid. These were exquisite. I wish that I could describe how fantastic they were to taste. They were packed with such flavor that the tiny bite was more than enough to have the full experience of their complex taste, but without being overpowering. 

After eating the decadent meal, I wandered around Lausanne. It was in Lausanne that I initiated the cheese gathering that I accumulated for the duration of the trip. I went to several cheese shops along the hilly streets.

I also found cheese trucks parked at various markets in the city. I was overall disappointed by the restaurants that I found in Lausanne, but it was market day when I was there, so that kept me busy. The large commercialized storefronts were hidden behind market venders displaying all sorts of fresh foods and hand made goods. 

Some of my favorite cheese from the entire trip I found in a mobile cheese truck that had cheese made exclusively from the Ticino (Italian-Swiss) region. I purchased more than I intended, but without regret. The flavors and textures of the cheese thrilled me. It was an unexpected find, but exactly what I had hoped and imagined I would discover while in Switzerland. A single tiny piece of cheese melting on my tongue revealed umami, sweet, salt, and vegetal flavors! I did not recognize the names of any of the cheeses, making it more exciting to try!  

Finally, I went to another wine tasting just northeast of the city at a place called Lavaux Vinorama in Rivaz. I had chosen this stop because I thought that they had a huge selection of local wines to taste, which they did. However, this was done by purchasing the bottle while they also offered a small selection of wines by the glass. I did try several, albeit disappointed that their entire inventory was largely unavailable to me as a single visitor. Nonetheless, it was nice to enjoy comparing more differences between similar grapes from the same region. After all of this exploring, I was exhausted and preparing to head out to the next city!