Just Left

Drinking Liberally

Speaks for itself!

Scopa - Cuba St

Had a quick meal here last night, a pizza with a mate and a couple of Pilsners. It's a restaurant/bar by the Il Casino family who also do Boulot (and God knows how many other places).

Well worth a try. On Monday nights their pizzas are a flat $10, which is good value and they're tasty pizzas too. Emmerson Pilsner on tap, nice. There's a range of other pastas and mains on the menu but we weren't going there.

Auckland eateries

What is the best restaurant to eat at in Auckland?

I've been to a few now and my favourite so far is still SPQR on Ponsonby Road. The vibe and the food are great. The close second is Vivace in High Street in the CBD - again a nice vibe and really good bites.

Other nice eats are Dine, Totos, Bollywood, GPK... the list could go on.

What's your fav? Any recommendations?

Vivo

Had a nice meal at Vivo last night. Vivo is in Edwards St (behind the Manners St BNZ), and has a nice vibe a little similar to how Mondo Cucina used to be, if a bit more open and louder.

The food was very good. Entree was a brulee Salmon on a white wine risotto; main was beef medallions with polenta and salads; some dessert platters and cheese to finish. The food was well cooked and nicely presented; the wine choices made were good ones and the private dining space was nicely placed - glass facings to keep the noise but not the sights from the main space out of the room.

My only complaint was one item of service, where some people failed to get plates delivered to them - despite asking several times. Apart from that it was very good; friendly and intelligent staff who knew their menu, food and also (sometimes rare) how to talk to customers: not stilted, not matey.

Worth a look. It's the kind of place you could just have a drink and a nibble before heading out, or a place to sit down for a full meal that you'll most probably enjoy.

Website is http://www.vivowinebar.com/

Cuba Street

Just had a coffee with my friend David on Cuba St, at Plum.

I love the juxtapositions of the place.

There was a hot sun up in the sky beaming down onto our table in the middle of the street, but a nice southerly taking the edge off the sun.

There were random numbers of small children playing in among the homeless people just up the street from us, with mothers looking on quite unconcerned until a bottle got smashed - children collected, off the mothers went.

David and I were discussing how Labour makes policy; the table next to us were discussing expansion plans for their cafe; there was an Indian family at another table; another table had kids playing on the plastic tuatara and supping coffee all the while.

I love the vibe in inner city Wellington. There is nowhere in Auckland you could find such a mix of people all in one place, with a hundred places to eat and drink within five minutes' walk.

And now I'm sitting back at my desk, looking out over the harbour and listening to 'Beautiful Day' by U2 - a good day indeed.

Red Square

Has anyone been to Red Square?

I've been there twice since I came back to Wellington, both times early in the week when there was little danger of loud crowds. It's a pretty odd sort of space, with an ice ring along the bar, and long red velvet curtains secluding off some nice alcoves.

It was where we retired to somewhat briefly after a Budget night dinner last weekend -- was just wondering if others had been there, and if they had, what they thought of it.

Jordan