New Restaurant Update

Ain't that the truth! Goal #22 in my 30 before 30 is to try a new restaurant every month. I've tried a tonne already and instead of going for one a month I'm just trying to knock out as many as I can. Every time I'm planning on eating out. I try to go to a new place, if it's feasible (read: it's always feasible to eat).

There are still some definite places that I'm dying to try and I want to make a plan to make sure I get there - fancy schmancy places!

For now, here's where I've been to in the last little while.

Paasha Turkish Cafe ticked a lot of boxes for me, heaps of people from around the area love it, it was a cuisine I don't normally have (or have ever possibly...?) and it was an excuse to get out with my book club, talk about books, and just have a general chin wag.
Everyone at the table was super impressed by the size of their meals and thought it was good value for money - definitely a place I can take my husband where he won't moan about big plates and small meals. The atmosphere and environment was lovely (those pretty lamps!) and allowed the book club to have their much needed chat, when we weren't scoffing food in our mouth that is.
I had a seafood casserole and it was YUM. Big flavours, lots of seafood and very hearty - warmed me up on a cold night. Dessert was a lovely chocolate hit. It was a great place to pop my Turkish cherry.

Keeping along the local (to me that is) theme, the next place is the Karaka General Store & Cafe. We stopped here for Mother's day lunch last month and I was certainly happy with my meal.

It's not fine dining, but it's nice enough, and (must be the theme of this post) the meals are HUGE and well priced. Since going on Mother's day I've stopped in to get a hot chocolate and hubby has stopped in for breakfast and loved both. Here is my seafood platter from our first stop. Too many hot chips for even me to eat!

Last but not least was China Yum Cha in Auckland City. A great place to go if you are heading to Vector Arena for a concert (FYI - Backstreet Boys was AMAZING, thanks for asking...I may need to do a blog post on this...). I like the tapa style of yum cha dining and all of our meals delivered on flavour. I was super stuffed by the end of it, opting out of something sweet. Anyone who knows me even a little bit knows that's a feat. The best dish of the night was the pork belly, picture below. NOM! Apologies for the bad photos - yucky lighting.

My school holidays are coming up shortly and I'm planning on dining out at a few fun and funky places during that time. Mr Man and I are having a childless weekend in Rotorua so there might even be a gem there for my next restaurant update. SUPER excited to be going to The Auckland Fish Market for a tasting platter and wanting to plan some trips to fancy restaurants too.

God I do love food.