Stories

The Great Kiwi Beer Festival returns to Hagley Park on January 26 for another celebration of sun and suds set to a rock and dub backbeat. Epic Beer will be among the breweries keeping the punters happy, so Cityscape asked owner and founder Luke Nicholas what he has in store. What’s new at Epic Beer? This summer we have a new lineup of cans. We have been a little slow to jump on the can train but that was because we wanted to make sure we could continue to deliver the consistent high quality that we are known for. We also have our new mixed six-pack. This not only includes our Armageddon IPA but also Hop Zombie. Also, every beer in the pack has won a gold medal. What’s your beer and food match for this summer? It definitely has to be spicy barbequed spatchcock chicken and our new Epic Shotgun XPA....

Paul Donaldson calls cider-making a hobby but that doesn’t stop him growing his own orchard of apples to give his Scoundrels and Rogues label its own special flavours. And it certainly doesn’t get in the way of winning gongs at the New Zealand Cider Awards. He tells Cityscape what he has on the go for this summer. Are you pleased with how your orchard is going? I got enough for a couple of test batches, to see what it is going to deliver, but it’s hundreds of litres rather than thousands. I only make 6,000 litres a year over five or six ciders. I’m one of the smallest producers at the awards. The ethos is to make a high-end boutique product rather than a volume product. The way I make cider it’s more like a wine – it spends 1½ years in the barrel. I’m bottling the 2017 vintage now. I put...

Tracy Banner and her team at Sprig & Fern Brewery continue to ride the craft beer wave, picking up another swag of medals in September at the 2018 Brewers Guild of New Zealand Awards, including the coveted Morton Coutts Trophy for innovation and service to the industry. She shares with Cityscape the beers trending this summer, and why Kiwi customers keep brewers on their toes. What’s your beer and food match for this summer? At the moment it’s our limited-edition Dry Hopped Pilsner, which has beautiful floral and fragrant aromatics. It’s lovely with some fish and chips. What are some interesting trends in beer? The IPAs and APAs were a hit a couple of years ago and we are still seeing growth in that market. Also session IPAs and XPAs are still very trendy. Sour and flavoured styles are also growing. They are a step for women from wine to ciders...

Fancy dropping in to Three Boys Brewery for a beer and a chat? Ralph Bungard tells Cityscape about their plans for offering customers just that, and what his picks are for the best beer and food match this summer. What’s new at Three Boys? We had a relatively good winter amongst all the hard work in hospo in the city, and now we’re looking forward to a great summer. We have a little bit of a buffer because of home consumption. It tends to be that people don’t stop buying what they like, they just choose where they buy it. In Christchurch there’s a bit of a lull because we are through the rebuild so there is less money sloshing around with consultants and contractors and now the second wave of hospo is starting up. But the city is starting to look cool, people are realising they can go out again....

A 40-year veteran of the Christchurch hospo scene, Richard Sinke has been instrumental in getting healthier food on the city’s menus, through the influence of the original Dux de Lux and the restaurant‘s more recent iterations. Cityscape finds out how he has done it. As a pioneer of healthy eats and vegetarian fare in Christchurch, do you feel the world is catching up with you? I feel that it is and I am so thrilled to see that people are recognising the importance of diets and eating healthy, fresh, clean food, and to know the everyday health benefits of their diets. How would you describe your own diet of choice? And has that changed over the years? My diet has drastically changed from when I was a young lad, from eating steak and lamb chops every day to being a pescatarian. I haven’t eaten meat for many, many years now. Dux...

Aim to get the jackfruit slightly black – that’s how you get that wonderful charred flavour. Recipe by Tom Riley, Green Dinner Table. Ingredients 300g new potatoes1 red onion4 cloves garlic1 tin green jackfruit in brine1 carrot1 medium beetroothalf a cucumber3 large pita breads80g souvlaki spice100g spiced ketchup120g tzatziki  Souvlaki Spice 50g tomato spice10g soy sauce15g brown sugar1 tsp cumin seed1/2 tsp oregano 1/2 tsp ground cloves1/4 tsp ground cinnamon 1/4 tsp dried thymepinch of salt Spiced Ketchup  80g tomato sauce20 - 30g sriracha Tzatziki 100g coconut yoghurt 3 cloves garlicjuice and zest of 1 lemon20g fresh mintpinch of salt Method 1. Bring a small pot of salted water to the boil.2. Scrub the potatoes in cold water – you don’t need to peel them.3. Combine all the ingredients for the souvlaki spice in a small bowl; set aside.4. Combine all the ingredients for the spiced ketchup. Taste and add more sriracha as needed;...

Cityscape talks to breakthrough hip-hop artist JessB before her appearance at February’s Electric Avenue Festival. What was the turning point for you to pursue a career in the music industry? When P-Money came across some of my older music on Soundcloud and decided to hit me up. Bloom is a phenomenal album – what was the creative process like for that and how was it collaborating with P-Money? Thank you! The creative process was a journey of me finding my feet as a musician, but also as a person. All the music I write is representative of a time in my life. So the songs in the EP are all things that I was experiencing/seeing/exploring as I was writing them. Collaborating with P-Money is a hip-hop artist’s dream come true! And he is very in tune with the sort of sounds and music I am drawn to, so it makes the...

Our good friends at Botanic have whisked up a real treat with their Strawberry and Mint Gin and Tonic. This clean, crisp take on the G&T is just one of the restaurant’s iterations of the classic drink that for many is the essence of summer. Ingredients 2 strawberriesmint leaves45ml Thomas Dakin Small Batch GinFever-Tree Elderflower Tonic Water Method Cut one of the strawberries in half, put in the bottom of a tall glass and muddle.Add three mint leaves.Fill with ice.Pour in 45ml Thomas Dakin Small Batch Gin.Half fill with Fever-Tree Elderflower Tonic and stir.Fill to top with Fever-Tree Elderflower Tonic.To serve, garnish with the other strawberry and some mint tips.

From The George’s executive chef, Antony Page, comes this light and summery combo. The Negroni purée, a tribute to the Italian cocktail, adds a bitterness and tang that elevates the fish to perfection. You will need to make the Negroni purée ahead of time as it needs to chill for a few hours or overnight. The lemon oil you will need to get from Mediterranean Food Company or Solotti Food Company (it makes all the difference). Serves 4. Ingredients 4 large Agria potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunkssea salt4 Tbsp capersfresh dill or fennel, chopped4 Tbsp aioli or mayonnaise2 Tbsp lemon oilcanola oil4 pieces of fish (turbot, brill, gurnard, groper or any fresh fish), about 180g each piece1 lemonprawn meat (you can buy broken prawn meat from a supermarket or wholesale fish shop), 4–5 pieces per personsmall bunch of red and green grapesolive oil Negroni Purée 200ml rubygrapefruit juice50ml Campari400ml...

If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the way of Hot Brown Honey. Cityscape braves the flames to find the best way to decolonise and moisturise. Who is Hot Brown Honey? There’s Lisa Fa’alafi, aka The Game Changer. Lisa is a powerhouse performer as well as the co-writer, director, choreographer and designer of the show. Hope One is our internationally renowned beatboxer and a connoisseur of the dance move “The Pony”. Ofa Fotu is The Myth Slayer. She is a multidisciplinary artist with a killer voice. Crystal Stacey, aka The Peace Maker, is our outstanding aerial hoops artist. Elena Wangurra, aka The Soul Soother, is our off-the-hook dancer, with styles from hip hop to indigenous contemporary. And then me, Busty Beatz. I’m the musical director and composer as well as being the Queen Bee. Then there is The Hive Who Comes Alive. We call her The Mother. You fuse socially...

Cityscape talks to the king of creative chaos, Tom Flanagan, aka Kaput, about the importance of cold beer and the upside of keeping his mouth shut. Sounds like you must have a clowning background? I think I was born a clown. Luckily for me, years in the Flying Fruit Fly Circus, a children’s circus school in Australia, and working with clowns I admire have honed my skills so that I might now get paid for my idiocy. So how are you when it comes to real DIY? Everything in our house that is broken will get the Tom treatment before I even think about calling an expert (with the exception of electrical and plumbing – some things you don’t want to take chances on). I’ve fixed overheating engines on the beach with a pair of scissors and a fork, built houses from timber I’ve milled, and revolutionised my father’s bush dunny...

From the talented team who brought us iconic city dining institution Town Tonic, comes their new culinary venture Story. Poised to open its New Regent Street doors in the near future, well-known city chefs Jamie Bennett (pictured) and Shafeeq Ismail will continue to impress with their highly tempting eats catering to vegans and non-vegans alike. Dishes such as Spiced Tofu, Fig and Tamarind Chutney with Salted Cashews and Miso Eggplant with Edamame, Spring Onion and Grape Mist are just a mere taster of what awaits, and with meat options also available, the diverse menu will satisfy even the fussiest of eaters. A welcome addition to the eateries already present on New Regent Street, Story places diners in an intimate setting where an open plan kitchen gives diners the opportunity to marvel at the chefs’ prowess as they create each culinary creation. In the lead up to Story opening in its new...

Cityscape kicks (way) back in the refined surrounds of Hoyts Lux, where the classic date-night staple of dinner and a movie has been launched into the stratosphere. It’s the cinematic equivalent of flying first class; we’re stretched out on the dangerously comfortable buttery leather recliners (think near flatbed) sipping chilled flutes of bubbles, surrounded by that spanking new luxury car aroma someone really oughta bottle. On screen, Ryan Gosling, channelling Neil Armstrong, is getting a bead on eyeing off the groaning pop rivets in his archaic spacecraft when our starters ‘appear’ on the illuminated table. Any preconceived ideas of how intrusive dinner service during a movie might be slinks away into the darkness with Hoyts Lux manager Stuart Jones’ stealthy, black-clad ninja moves. Stuart’s welcoming smile greets us as the tinted glass rolls back to reveal the city’s swankiest new bar. Perched above EntX, Hoyts Lux is a capacious, dark and broody space working some effortless New York loft cool, where plush booth seating is orbited by satellites of tables and chairs, creating...

Cityscape shares a slice of authentic Italian woodfired pizza with Café Valentino’s main man Michael Turner and discovers what has made this Christchurch institution a mainstay. Shying away from taking all the credit and the limelight, Michael Turner attributes the restaurant’s stellar success to old fashioned hard work and great staff – who all share his unbridled passion for providing an unforgettable dining experience. Humble, hard-working and ever-present, he’s certainly not above rolling up his sleeves to pitch in alongside his team and son Lewis, the only objective; to leave a lasting impression that keeps their loyal customers coming back for more. While there are a swag of awards Café Valentino could brag about, like receiving the highest culinary standard in beef and lamb for 22 years in a row, the restaurant’s frontman isn’t the bragging type. In fact, so unassuming is he that when the honourable title of Hospitality Hero of...

Perched atop a mini-beach of greywacke pebbles and driftwood, the ocean-fresh Bluff oysters glisten in their half shells while their deep-fried counterparts tempt with a golden batter. We’ve opted for a 50-50 split of each, torn between the briny freshness of the natural state and the well-earned reputation preceding the No.4 Famous Beer Battered variety. The latter choice comes with an addictive malt vinegar on the side, their primo marriage of crunchy exterior and delicate moreishness beneath makes them an instant hit, while the pristine plump natural oysters ignite an intense flavour explosion when tricked up with the accompanying cucumber vinaigrette with a kick, and are brilliant between sips of the chilled charms and refreshing mineral edge of Jules Taylor Sauvignon Blanc. We’ve paired the world famous molluscs with the Panang Flatbread, a feisty fresh fusion of Asian dukkah, tofu, coriander and Panang pesto, where a sprinkling of pork crackling shines...

This super easy, savoury Spanish classic is famed for its bold flavours and at Hotel Montreal Polo Bar and Restaurant Head Chef Jay Refugia mixes things up by adding vegetables to enhance the flavour of the sausage, turning it into a comforting and filling tapas meal. Whatever you do, make sure it’s served with chargrilled bread (preferably sourdough ciabatta). Serves 4. Shopping List 400g semi-cured cooking chorizo1 carrot1 stalk celery1 medium red onion1 red capsicum4 cups dry red wine Making it Happen Slice the chorizo into 2cm slices. Heat a heavy-base pan, add onions, carrots, celery and capsicum until translucent, followed by the chorizo. Cover with the wine and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and let simmer until almost all the wine has evaporated. Serve hot with chargrilled sourdough ciabatta.

Besides being loaded with nutrition, Buddha Bowls are easy to make and super flexible. Combine any mix of cooked grains, organic produce, good quality pickles and a dressing and you have a winning dish on your hands, says Untouched World Kitchen’s Executive Chef Mark McCracken. He dresses them up with additional texture from seeds, Koji rice and crispy tofu. But you can also add in some protein like fresh smoked salmon or soft boiled free range eggs, or serve it like they do at Untouched World with Karaage Chicken and Bone Broth. Serves 4. SHOPPING LIST 100g quinoa1 thumb of turmeric100g brown rice1 stick of kombu50ml basic vinaigrette50g fresh herbs100g sauerkraut100g goodquality pickles100g baby spinach50g vegetable shoots or micro herbs4 fresh beetroot1 tb miso paste2 tb sherry vinegar3 tb The Good Oil1 head of broccoli50g mixed nuts and seeds1 tb Ethiopian berbere spice mix1 tb Koji rice Crispy Tofu 100g tofu20g cornflour20g...

This Indonesian staple is traditionally served with egg, but Green Dinner Table chef and co-owner Tom Riley mixes it up with scrambled tofu seasoned with black salt in his tricked up vegan version. Serves 2. Shopping List 1 piece tofu1 cup Basmati rice1 leek6 cloves garlic1 carrot1 cup frozen peas½ cucumber2 tomatoes½ spring onion3 heaped tbcrispy shallots Tofu Spice ½ tsp nutritional yeast½ tsp turmeric¼ tsp smoked paprikaA pinch ofblack salt Tamarind Sweet Soy Sauce 60ml tamarind sauce (Either pre done, or soaked and strained)30ml sweetsoy sauce10ml Sriracha sauce20ml sweetchilli sauce Making It Happen Wash the rice under cold running water until the water runs clear. Strain, then add enough water to cover the rice by about 1 cm and a pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer. As soon as it’s simmering, stir, cover, and reduce the heat to very low. Cook covered for 13 minutes before turning off the...