Chikos Restaurant and Cafe
Where? Chikos Restaurant and Cafe (Henderson, Auckland, New Zealand) Map Menu
When? Thursday January 23, 2025
Who? Dad
Food Style? Pacific Rim Cuisine
Chiko's has been running for close to twelve years now, and the couple in charge are still going strong at their place out in West Auckland. With wife Chiko's Japanese background and husband Roberto's Filipino heritage and French training, the restaurant showcases a fusion of Pacific flavours with elegant, refined techniques. They’ve won several awards for their food, and I've been here many times with my parents to enjoy their seasonal menus.
It's a fine summer day and to start the meal off, I’ve ordered a lychee rose mocktail. It's slightly effervescent, but sweet and pleasant to drink, without the flavours being too overpowering.
Mains #1
Prime beef scotch fillet steak: mustard hollandaise, crayfish wonton, herb vegetable, crispy potato chips, beef jus
I've chosen the steak for mains. Though I asked for medium rare, it is a little on the undercooked side, with the fat needing to be more rendered. The presentation is fantastic though, with a myriad of colours and textures that blend really well together. The lobster wonton is super tasty, without losing the sweetness of the protein inside the deep-fried wrapper. I love the puree and jus, they're rich and delectable, and the fries help to bulk out the meal. There’s always a risk that fusion causes confusion with the flavours becoming muddled or being too jarring but here they complement each other really well. Though the plate might seem a bit small, the ingredients skew rich, so it does fill you up - but I do have room for dessert, naturally.
Mains #2
Chikos style kare kare: tender braised angus beef shin, rich annatto garlic peanut gravy, selected vegetables, chili coconut bagoong, fragrant jasmine rice
Dad is a little disappointed with his meal though. It's a bit dry and his flavours didn't harmonise as well as mine. A pity, because we know the calibre of the chef and the restaurant, and they've definitely done better in the past.
Dessert
Mango pudding
We request dessert and the dessert tray is brought to the table. The samples look so good that the neighbouring table starts ogling even though they have yet to receive any of their food. I’ve ordered a mango pudding because I can't get enough of that summer vibe, and it’s a wonderfully hot day, which makes me super happy to be here in Auckland and not Toronto. The pudding is creamy and well balanced with some great crunchy textures mixed in. I love the passionfruit custard. At $18, I do think it's quite overpriced, but it was a nice, sweet way to end the meal.
Overall, it feels like the standard has dropped over the years, but it's tough for the hospitality industry at the moment, and we're trying to support local as best as we can. The cost of living has gone up, especially fresh produce, so it's no surprise that it's harder for restaurants to survive and make profit in this kind of economy.
Posted by Jeremy at 5:05pm on Thursday October 23, 2025 :: 0 comments :: 
Margie’s Candies
Where? Margie’s Candies (Bucktown, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America) Map Menu
When? Sunday December 1, 2024
Who? Me
Food Style? Ice Cream
I have a six hour layover in Chicago so I’ve run out of the airport to go to this world famous ice cream parlor. Unfortunately since I’m by myself, I can’t truly gorge on Margie’s most well known creations, like The Royal George (25 scoops of ice cream) and The World’s Largest Terrapin (15 scoops of ice cream). If you finish the Royal George alone (first of all it's $95.95USD, and second of all, it's not just the ice cream, there's whole cones, whipped cream, cherries, nuts, and additional toppings you can choose from), you get a free box of terrapins - the terrapins here refer to the chocolate and caramel-coated pecans, shaped like the animal it's named after. I'm imagining that they're similar to the New Orleans pralines. Instead, because I am no longer a 20 year old with unlimited metabolism, I’m going for a single Terrapin Sundae, one of the classics.
Dessert
Terrapin Sundae: Two scoops of ice cream (vanilla, pistachio) covered with butterscotch, a side order of fudge, topped with a turtle
Unsurprisingly, this is far too sweet and so I’m glad that I limited myself to just the two scoops. The terrapin chocolate quality is terrible, as is the fudge and the ice cream is basically just that disgusting sugary trash kind as well. There's no creaminess, there's no balance, there's no complexity to the flavour. This is not good. I even have beef with the shell-shaped bowl, because it’s not stable enough to dig into the ice cream on the side. I cut my losses and leave. The novelty is not worth it and I’m going to go get some pizza to take back to the airport.
PS: the pizza was also bad.
Posted by Jeremy at 3:10pm on Thursday October 23, 2025 :: 0 comments ::
The Daily Catch
Where? The Daily Catch (Saint Lunaire-Griquet, Newfoundland, Canada) Map
When? Thursday June 27, 2024
Who? John, Sunshine and David
Food Style? Seafood
Our time in Newfoundland is coming to a close. It’s pouring with rain and quite cold now, but we’ve been lucky with the weather so far. Our final meal is a local restaurant down the road with a very appetising name - the Daily Catch. I’m super down for some fresh seafood on our last night here.
Appetiser
Crab cakes: Atlantic snow crab blended with sauteed peppers, served with dill sauce
Not gonna lie, I think two is a bit of a small portion. They’re okay, soft but not a strong crab flavour. I kinda feel like they should be more crispy on the outside. It does make me a bit nervous about my mains though.
Mains
Halibut: Grilled with basil butter
The fish is so delicious and meaty, but perhaps a tad overcooked. It’s really good though, my fears over the size and quality have been dispelled. The rice is nice and flavourful, but the salad is pretty standard fare. It doesn’t particularly go with anything else but it’s fresh at least.
Dessert
Berry crumble with ice cream: made with local organic partridgeberry
Since I had bread pudding last night, I’m going for the berry crumble today. Partridgeberry is making another appearance, so I’m keen to have some before I never see it again (until I return to Newfoundland). It’s lovely and tart, the real berry taste coming through nicely. Actually I’m really impressed by the ice cream, it’s soft and creamy, and pairs well with the crumble. A delicious way to end our time here.
Posted by Jeremy at 2:45pm on Thursday October 23, 2025 :: 0 comments ::
The Norseman
Where? The Norseman (L'Anse aux Meadows, Newfoundland, Canada) Map Menu
When? Wednesday June 26, 2024
Who? John, Sunshine and David
Food Style? Newfoundland
In the historic site l’Anse aux Meadows, the Vikings made their first landing in North America. This area is beautiful, though bitterly cold and windy today. In the distance, we can see the province of Labrador on the mainland, and an iceberg drifting in the ocean. Newfoundland is proving to be an expensive place for good food, most of the stuff we find here is deep fried seafood and we're not really in the mood to have that every day, so instead, we're going to try the award-winning restaurant close by, The Norseman.
Drink
Vinland Martini: Bakeapple liqueur, iceberg ice, iceberg vodka, partridgeberries, cranberry juice
The first thing we notice is the cocktail special on one of the placards. Sunshine loves her alcohol but won’t drink if she’s the only one, so I relent and we order two Vinland Martinis. She beams at the prospect of a nice drink after the waitress takes our order. The name Vinland was given to the area by Icelandic explorer Leif Erikson, around 1000AD, and refers to the area in North America beyond Greenland that was travelled to and inhabited by the Vikings. In addition to the appropriate name, the use of local partridgeberries and the iceberg ice makes this a very thematically apt cocktail. Sunshine wants to taste the iceberg ice but she drops it and a splash of the cocktail falls on the pristine white tablecloth. I wince and cover my eyes instinctively.
Mains
Duck confit: rutabaga gratin, partridgeberry reduction
Despite the temptation to get lobster for a second day in a row, I’ve gone with the duck. Partridgeberry is a small red berry commonly found in Newfoundland, and in fact I’ve encountered this before in Sweden, where it is known as the lingonberry. I've seen it growing in bushes around the island, especially in Gros Mourne National Park. It is very tart and has many different culinary uses - I’ve seen it in ice cream, in cakes and pastries, and here in this restaurant, it’s a sauce and a drink. As the duck is served, I immediately notice its aroma. Wow. It smells amazing and the meat pulls away so easily. It’s got that delicious fatty skin and the tartness of the reduction helps cut through that richness perfectly. I want more of it. The sweet rutabaga stack is really nice and the vegetables add that freshness and crunch to the meal. It is a bit small though, I’m going to need dessert, but that was delicious.
Dessert
Figgy Duff: blueberry, screech, bread pudding, screeh butter sauce
That’s fantastic. That sauce really has some richness and depth to it beyond the sweetness. The bread pudding is so soft and moist. Screech is a kind of liquor normally accompanied by kissing a cod - locals call this being “screeched in”. I’m still hungry after all of this, I think I’ll be eating fruits back at the Airbnb.
That was a good, solid meal with great local elements, but maybe a little small on the portion sizes.
Posted by Jeremy at 3:51am on Thursday October 23, 2025 :: 0 comments ::
Java Jack’s
Where? Java Jack's (Rocky Harbour, Newfoundland, Canada) Map Menu
When? Monday June 24, 2024
Who? Sunshine and David
Food Style? Canadian
We're on holiday in Rocky Harbour, in Gros Mourne National Park on the island of Newfoundland for a week, exploing the best natural scenery and Viking history that the west side has to offer. We haven't really made food a priority on this trip, but since the group has split up for meals due to various budgets and dietary restrictions, Sunshine, David and I have decided to head out together for something nice. The local motel’s restaurant is fully booked out with a 45 minute wait, so the three of us wandered down the road to Java Jack’s, a bright yellow coloured house with an art gallery.
Mains
Cod: Pan seared 6oz fillet, tomato confit, garlic mashed potatoes, seasonal fresh vegetables and lemon dill butter
I love the different colours on the plate, they're vibrant and lively like the paint job on the outside of the building. That tomato relish is excellent and perfectly acidic. I love the herb butter that’s soaked into the fish. The fish itself is nicely cooked, it's soft and flakey. The vegetables need a bit of seasoning, or maybe a dash of olive oil, but they’re still pleasant to eat. I’m so hungry that I just dive straight into my meal while David goes off to wash his hands. By the time he’s back, I’m about 90% the way through. It’s not that this was a small portion, I was just super speedy. But, there's always room for dessert.
Dessert
Sticky toffee pudding
Despite there being pavlova on the menu, even in the absence of an Australian or New Zealand chef, I’ve gone with the sticky toffee pudding. It’s warm and soft and moist and it soaks up that delicious toffee and ice cream perfectly. Like the cod, it vanishes even before the waitress has had a chance to ask me how it was.
Posted by Jeremy at 12:37am on Thursday October 23, 2025 :: 0 comments ::