I love it when out-of-town friends come to visit. It’s a great excuse to spend a bit and do all the tourist things you’d never normally be bothered with. After all, it’s a treat right? Stuck with a limited budget, no car and only a weekend to explore Auckland, we headed off to Waiheke Island.
Last year I had a great night dining at Vino Vino, their scallops were excellent and the view from the balcony was fantastic as well. The Island has the advantage of being conveniently close to the city but still far enough away to qualify as a mini-break.
Actually the biggest advantage is that you can actually WALK to places from the ferry terminal. The town of Oneroa takes roughly 20min to travel on foot and if you choose the scenic route (as I’ve mistakenly done in the past) you can experience the glory of... the... uh, bush and wildlife.
A hot, sweaty walk later, we found the Local art gallery. Ah, the AC was amazing in there. The displays are also worth checking out, with plenty of local artists making contributions.
Phoenix – Melbourne boy was impressed with the ingredients
First food stop: local vege mart. When it became obvious Bryan and I weren’t keen on all the wine tours (And there are MANY on offer), we went to find a picnic lunch. Cherry tomatoes, vita-wheat crackers, bit of cheese and sundried tomatoes went well with the organic cola.
Maybe everything just tastes better with the sea air? Just don’t try stuffing a whole load of cherry tomatoes down in one go. That didn’t go down so well for us.
Herbal Cola tastes almost the same as normal coke but with a hint of herbs. Similar to the zing of ginger in gingerbeer. We didn't feel any REE-LAXing effects expect maybe the pride of choosing a slightly 'healthier'/alternative drink. Oh, and it's made in NZ as well.
After finishing a bag of Grainwaves we felt sufficiently satisfied (and fat) to go for a walk around the beach. We did the mandatory splashing, running, getting slightly sunburnt etc.. typical beach activities. Thirsty work!
Bryan wanted to try a chai latte, but it was really too hot to go for something with steamed milk in it.
“Do you have chai lattes that are served cold?”
“In fact, as of last week, we are serving iced Chai Lattes”
To be honest, marshmallows and whipped cream just don’t go well with tea. The sweetness overpowered the normally spicy and aromatic drink and the cream on top of the latte made it too rich for my taste. Maybe heat is required to activate its goodness? Either way, it was good, but not fantastic. I’d go for the hot version next time.
Two nights later we hit Hansan, a Vietnamese restaurant on Nuffield St in Newmarket. I like the place mostly for its waterwall and its affordable price (approx $10 per dish).
Chicken? Noodles? Yes please!
Vermicelli wins my heart at Hansan, but Bryan opted for egg noodles which were just as good. I’d recommend the drier dishes at Hansan (ie. Rice, normal noodles etc), mainly because I find soupy noodles too oily to drink down.
Tidbits – Costs and Locations
Ferry tickets (return from city centre) costs roughly $30 -35 depending on whether or not you qualify for a student discount.
Hansen Vietnamese Restaurant
(09) 570 6338
525-529 Ellerslie Panmure Highway
(This is what their business card claims, the one we went to was on Nuffield St in Newmarket... hmm)
(09) 372 2273
1/118 Oceanview Road
Oneroa
Waiheke Island
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