Luxe Lunch Board

Satiated By Sticky Pork

The resounding cry of a dear friend for the past few weeks has been for some sticky pork. Specifically from Spice Paragon. Only served at the Victoria St. location, their Sticky Pork Hocks with diced avocado, roasted almonds and green chilli nam jim is well sought after by the refined palate.

Word has spread about the luxury eatery so we were lucky to rock up and snag a table after being forced to order drinks at the adjoining Khao San Road bar. It was short but sweet time waiting there before we were lead to our table where you we went for gold with the pork. Crispy on the outside, the juicy inside melts in your mouth, oozing flavor deep into your belly and your senses.

"This gorgeous sauce is the key. To die for."  Truer words couldn't be spoken by the truly pork-obsessed friend who, rest assured, left satiated.

Late Night Snack Packing via Tupperware

We packed up the goodies and some seriously strong coffee late last night to take to comfort friends. Tupperware made it tastefully possible. Pun intended. You can see that we "skullfully" decked out our coffee thermos, alongside the infamous dual-purpose cupcake/cake holder and portable dish. Perfect comforting combo. Tupperware is an essential element to your kitchen. Piece-meal it together to create your set, host a party and always hit up thrift shops for bargain finds on foods finest carrier.

Christmas Chocolate Choices

It's official. No matter if temperatures are hi or low where you are, tis the season to enjoy chocolate. All kinds of rich chocolatey treats have come through our doors this season. Our latest pre- Christmas gift are these assorted chocolates by Bohem. Festive colors and  individual wrapping make these the perfect little holiday treat. Bitter, pistachio and milk chocolate are your choices. Enjoy.

Moutere Gold Blackcurrant & Vanilla Bean Jam

Whenever we have visitors from out of town, we indulge in local fare while all together. It gives people a true sense of the place we're living in and a way to connect mind and belly. Our most recent visitor happened to be a well traveled foodie whose palette I've come to trust without question. After very conscious food shopping, we spotted this luxe treat at Breads of Europe.

Moutere Gold makes their products in small batches without additives and preservatives. Said foodie had been on a serious vanilla bean paste kick in her most recent baking forays so how lucky were we to find this indulgent jar of jam?

We paired the Blackcurrant & Vanilla Bean Jam with fresh baked bread and a wedge of goat's milk cheese. Divine.

Accidental Chocolate

In a fit of hunger I relied on the trusty middle console of my car to satiate my appetite. It's always a gamble with what you'll find in there and today I was extremely lucky. Fair Trade Dark Chocolate. Half eaten. It had been pushed upon me before several times actually but I was always dubious. The best chocolate I ever tasted was in the Swiss Alps and I've been chasing that dream ever since. That rich, fresh milk chocolate dream that's reminiscent of the opening scene in Willy Wonka. Today I awoke to another world of chocolate. This time down under with chocolate from Belgium. That part of the world very obviously has the chocolate market cornered and it got me decades later in a place I'd never thought it'd be. I've never been a fan of dark chocolate and truth be told I'm not a big fan of chocolate at all. This chance bar has changed things. It's Fair Trade so the makers of the chocolate not only use the finest ingredients but they receive a fair wage for doing so all the way down to the cocoa farmer. I munched away with a bit less guilt knowing that. 

Need to Chill Out? Enjoy An Afternoon With H&C

An Afternoon With H&C Ice Co. from Kindform on Vimeo.

Lunching at Hinton's Resturant and Vineyard

Hinton's Restaurant and Vineyard was the latest location for our middle of the week lunch date and the dining experience could not have been better. The scenic location is conveniently located just minutes away from Christchurch Airport and a short drive from the city centre. It is the location of many events because of it's ideal surroundings of gardens, vineyards and buildings laden with history. Even our table was lined by aromatic lavender (pictured below). 

As recommended, we pre-ordered our meals. We were met by owner Dina Hinton upon our arrival and our first course was promptly served shortly thereafter. The staff was gracious and welcoming despite a fashion photo shoot taking place a few meters away which we were told happens quite often at the family owned property.

  Lunch time service is tricky because you want your food quickly but it still must be as fresh and delicious as dinner would be. Being attended to by a quality wait staff is a must have aspect of lunch dining especially. Everyone is busy and in need of a bit of a getaway come lunch time which is where attentive restaurant staff can make the food taste just that much better. Hinton's is the spot for this. Serving lunch Tuesday through Sunday starting at 11:30, their specialization in serving the midday crowd has paid off. The food was good but the highlight of our entire experience were the appetizer and the dessert. They were the Alpha and Omega of lunch that day. 

To start, our tasting plate featured chorizo, feta in basil infused oil and home-marinated Kalamata olives. Each savory bite was a new experience as we mixed and matched the selections to top our homemade crostinis.

Dessert was this cherry flan using local ingredients to create a decadent dessert that many don't do too well. We have dined at many a restaurant that presented us with watery flan molded into odd shapes to distract from the bland flavour. This was not the case here. The cherries were plump and fresh which matched perfectly with the silky flan. The crust was light and not too buttery or overpowering. This plate was finished off with fresh cream and a sprig of mint.

Detail of the sugared fruit that topped the flan.

Hinton's Restaurant and Vineyard is located at 750a Wairakei Road in Christchurch.
For reservations and bookings: +64 3 358 8599

Food Review: Fiddlesticks Restaurant & Bar

48 Worcester Blvd

03 365 0533

Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch & Dinner
M-F 8-late (2ish)

Weekends 9-late

Fiddlesticksbar.co.nz

Last week we dined at Fiddlesticks Restaurant & Bar in Christchurch. Previously the location of Le Bon Bolli then Art Restaurant, Fiddlesticks is the new Christchurch. Where the story of many a location has been battered and then bettered.

This sophisticated eatery is located in the Art Precinct of the CBD located directly across from the Christchurch Art Gallery. You can dine outside on a covered veranda or enjoy peace and relaxing ambience inside. Featuring recycled tables and richly colored décor in a cool atmosphere, Fiddlesticks is putting their unique signature on the ever changing city.

It was a great treat to see the FFC “Famous Fried Chicken” on the menu. As a native Texan I pride myself on this dish and the restaurants we have visited all over the world are beginning to serve this either as an entree and the starter we enjoyed. Featuring green tomato chutney, our fried chicken tasting plate was the perfect balance of crispy saltiness. Highly recommended and the perfect start to our meal.

Choosing the soup of the moment which featured tofu and the catch of the day which was grouper proved to be smart choices as seasonal fare is usually the best option. The Saffron linguini was served with cherry tomato ragout and sautéed tiger prawns. We learned early in the food game not to waste money on pasta when eating out unless it was really good. This was freshly made and perfectly cooked so well worth stepping outside of my comfort zone.

We indulged and ordered duck fat rosemary potatoes. We have only been served this dish by our best Parisian friend and that was a one of a kind dining experience. Our side for the evening did not disappoint and we finished the entire generous portion.

Highs:

• Customer Service: this was exceptional and the staff did not miss a beat.
• Food quality & selection was seasonal and top-notch.
• Location is excellent.

Lows:

• Dessert menu was a bit complicated but featured fresh ingredients.
• Price point is high so expect to spend a bit more for a night though drink specials are offered.

Dining Tip: As always, we recommend making a reservation as this place filled up fast and turned away at least a dozen people.

Chardonnay Wine Jelly

Just a quick photo share story. Today, I had tea at a friends house. This was one of those rare afternoons that was just pretty perfect. All six, yes 6 children ranging ages 18 months to 8 years played joyously while 3 mothers chatted. The hostess had set all the details and this was mainly why it all worked and also why I am writing this post. In her attention to detail, separate tables were bountifully set. One low table for all the children to reach and one high table for just the mums. It was all very lovely but the stand out for me was this Chardonnay Wine Jelly from New Zealand's Herb & Spice Mill. It was so refreshing and full of flavor. It was a light luxury treat We did as the label said and enjoyed with cheese. Pretty sure it was brie. But it didn't matter, After tasting the Wine Jelly, that is all that we wanted to savor.

Our hostess knew all about the product as her pharmacy shop carries the brand. She raved about it and also shared that there was also a Pinot Noir variety. I bet it is dark and delicious. I am totally sold on both. Read about the history of this specialty food company and their natural and healthy approach to menu planning.You will love it.

Story & Photo: K. Rodriguez