So many of my food memories from childhood stem from taking what pocket money I had (never more than a couple of dollars in 10 cent, 5 cent and 1 cent coins) and after school shooting along to the Chinese Takeaways up the road from where we lived. Wasn't interested in the cultural delights of Fried Rice or Chow Mein back then. Nah, was all about Fish and Chips, and more specifically the bits and bobs you can order along with your Fish and Chips. The Kiwi Icon - the potato fritter. A spring roll. A pineapple fritter. A battered sausage. The list goes on. How did they ever make any money from me? The work required to cook 1 potato fritter, all for the measly sum of 10 cents, was probably a massive pain in the ass for the owners but to me, it represented amazing value for money. Yes, I was a potato fritter fiend, always keen to see how many extras they might give me, but I also had an addiction back then to the ubiquitous crumbed squid ring. I loved them. So so so so much. And I still do. Best squid ever? Tough decision but there's no way I can go past the char-grilled calamari you get in Greece. It's simplicity personified but they know how to treat it. Apart from the Greeks though, the Asians have cornered the squid lovers market. There are some pretty awesome dishes in Auckland to go and hit up. - The XO Squid at Bunga Raya in New Lynn. Oh man....

- The Honey & Soy Tossed Squid at Madam Woo in Takapuna. Shot Josh. - The Special Black Chilli Squid at Canton Cafe in Kingsland. Generous. - The Salt & Pepper Squid at Soul Bar on the Viaduct. Legendary.

- And now one more to add to the list....the Calamari Pancake at Han. Anytime I hit up for some dine-in Korean, it's pretty much mandatory to order some form of Korean pancake, usually at most eateries alternating between the seafood korean pancake (Haemul Pajeon) or the kimchi korean pancake (Kimchijeon). I love both. Dip it in the sweet, tangy, spicy dipping sauce and you've got a winner. Slosh it down with a cold Hite or Cass beer and it's party time. On closer inspection though, it's hard to know how fresh a lot of that seafood in the pancake is? Most of the time, I'm sure some take short cuts and use those marinara mixes where everything is the size of a fingernail. Further more, there's no doubt, there's a fine line with overcooking the seafood, regardless of what you're using. Which makes this dish from Han, all the more genius.

Han's crispy calamari pancake differs from its traditional namesake. Typically the batter mixture is poured over the pancake's contents that have been lightly frying in the pan. Here though, honey buttered calamari is cooked separately and placed on top, along with dollops of calamari mayo and pickled red onion. What this method results in is a harmony of textures pairing the light but crispy base perfectly with the most exquisitely tender calamari. If there's a more tender calamari on a dish in Auckland, let me know. The addition of the flavour elements in the mayo and pickle is subtle. Enough to give the dish some balance but not to overpower the natural taste of the calamari. It all works together on the plate. A beautiful dish to pair with a glass of chardy or gewürz if you're that way inclined. But ultimately this dish is all about that calamari which is clearly the star of the show. Having had it multiple times now, it still continues to evoke those childhood memories of our local chippie. No crumb on this puppy but it is 100% some next level squid ring. Keen on checking this dish out? Go to: Han Restaurant, 100 Parnell Rd, Auckland | www.hanrestaurant.co.nz

There’s something pretty darn satisfying when you’ve experienced a really good bowl of noodles. I can name off the top of my head a bunch of them within many of my greatest food experiences of all time. - There were the Ba Mee Haeng [Thai dried noodles] Dad used to make us for our summer picnics at the beach growing up in NZ. Amazing.

- The Kuaitiao Ruea [boat noodles] at an outside noodle stall near the MBK Mall in Bangkok. Addictive. - The Triple Pork Triple Garlic Mazemen at Ivan’s Ramen in New York (alongside the greatest chicken wings known to mankind). Exceptional. - A Curry Laksa at a joint on East Coast Road in Singapore. Dreamy. - A Tempura Udon at a hole-in-the-wall deep in the heart of the Shinjuku underground train station. The Shiz. - And then there was the first time I had the tantan ramen at Zool Zool – a ramen bar and lovechild of one of the best fine dining restaurants in Auckland, Kazuya. I'll hold the praise for now, but you know what's coming.... This was a few years back now obviously, but being a massive fan of Kazuya and having just opened, I made a bee line for Zool Zool in its first week. Yo here’s the deal. If there’s a ramen menu in front of me and it offers tantan, I’m all over it. No point looking at any other offering. So I ordered it. I ate it. I dreamed about it. In that order. Yes, the experience was a special one and when a humble bowl of noodles has that kind of effect on you, it’s a keeper. I frequented Zool Zool a few more times in the subsequent months and each time, the experience was as good as the last. And then me and Zool Zool had a decent break from each other. For no other reason than needing to try new places and new dishes.

So after a couple of years, it was time to retest my opinion that this is a true destination dish in Auckland. 14 degrees outside. Wet, windy and cold. The perfect environment to partake in some ramen-loving. And there is no better broth if you’re needing some warmth and to heat your booty up than the tantan. Don't be looking for a light clear consomme type broth here. This is not subtle. Zool Zool’s tantan broth is exceptional. As good as anywhere I’ve had in Japan or other parts of Asia, and certainly the best in Auckland. A city with a number of super solid ramen bars. It’s good at Ramen Takara. It’s good at Ichiban. It’s good at Tanpopo. It’s also good at Ramen Do. These are all excellent ramen joints in their own right, but for me, and it is just a personal opinion, none of them have a ramen dish that surpasses this one. The broth itself has the perfect consistency and texture. Slightly fatty, slightly oily, not too thick but not too watery. But it’s the reddish-golden-brown hues shimmering from the surface that tell you straight to your face – “bro, this gravy is off-the-flippin-hook, and you're about to get mouth-slammed with some major flavour.” When ramen broth is this good, you need to give it a proper bowl-slurp to finish every last drop.

Right, so there’s 2 to 3 things which distinguish a tantan ramen from your more traditional soy-based ramen or tonkotsu styles (pork-bone based broth). First the spice level. There’s a bit of heat, not much (unless you’re a w***y) but enough to make it interesting. Secondly, the broth has a real sesame flavour profile, coming from the sesame tare in the initial preparation. Thirdly, there’s the addition of pork mince which gives the broth its generous dosage of fattiness and viscosity. Put it all together and you have tantan. The actual ramen noodles at Zool Zool are also very worthy. A good healthy portion but not so much that the ramen starts absorbing and sucking too much of the soup up. You want a slightly bitey texture and you get that here. But for me, the tantan is all about flavour. One spoon of that broth will convert you. The ZoolZool version just manages to get the balance right better than any other version in the city. It’s salty, it’s sweet, it’s rich, it’s porky, it’s fatty, it’s sesame-y, it’s full of umami, it’s a dish you need to try if you like noodles and hot liquid. And it gets me every single damn time, just like the orange choc-chip ice-cream at the Event Broadway cinema. Like the laksa at Selera Café in Newmarket, the tantan ramen at Zool Zool has the Pacino Godfather ability to continually pull you back in….trust me, it will. Enjoy peeps. Keen on checking this dish out? Go to: Zool Zool, 405 Mt Eden Rd, Auckland | www.zoolzool.co.nz

We are gathered here today to unite this beef flank and these mushrooms in the bonds of good food.

Do you <Beef Flank> take these Oyster, Swiss Brown and Wood Ear Mushrooms to be your lawfully combined dish partner? Damn straight I do.

Do you <Mushrooms> take the Beef Flank to be your lawfully combined dish partner? Yeah baby.

Then, by the authority vested in me by the group known as Good Food Lovers, I now pronounce you Killer Dish.

And killer dish this is.

Combining mushrooms with meat is hardly a new idea. The combination is a natural one, case in point, all-time classic dishes such as Beef Stroganoff, Beef Wellington and dare-I-say-it, Wendy's Baconator Mushroom Melt and their Smoke 'Shroom Burger. So why do these two things when joined at the hip taste so good? Quite simply, it's a umami bomb and the principles of umami are here in full effect. This symbiotic relationship creates a flavour explosion in your mouth that never gets old. A foodie's idea of a ménage à trois: Beef, Mushrooms and Your Mouth. But you still have to execute it. It doesn't just happen by lackadaisically putting the two together on a plate and relying on umami to bring it on home.....which is why I love Madame George. Not just for this dish that we're waxing lyrical about, but almost all of their "simple" dishes revolve around great execution. Take a look at their current menu. The dishes read as simple collaborations between a few simple seasonal ingredients (kind of symptomatic of many great eateries on K'Rd, funnily enough). That's the beauty of dishes that read simple, that place all the emphasis solely on the core ingredients. Undersell and overwhelm. Everyone loves a good surprise. So as part of their Large Plate offerings, Madame George's Beef Flank & Mushrooms is just a beautiful beautiful thing. Amongst a host of great dishes (the sensational carrots with miso and spices are worthy of their own review to be honest), the beef flank, for me, is a destination dish, worthy of your travel time. A beautiful cut of my favorite beef cut, the Flank, cooked to perfection, and complimented by smoked butter and a mushroom stock (we won't use the word "jus" here) made from fresh and fermented oyster, swiss brown and wood ear mushrooms, locally grown and sourced by Out of the Dark mushrooms. Textures are as you can imagine: sultry, sexy, juicy, and melt-in-the-mouth. And it goes without saying, there won't be any sauce left on the plate once you're done. Mop that liquid gold up with whatever you've got handy - bread (damn good here too), fingers, or even some of those ass-kicking carrots. Once you've got that plate completely clean, grab your drink of choice (for this dish - I'd pair it up with a full bodied red, a full-flavored ale or even a whisky cocktail) take a good strong sip, sit back in your seat (placing hands in pants - optional) and breathe a big old sigh of contentment. Ahhhhh.......that's what the aftermath of an amazing dish sounds like. Keen on checking this dish out? Go to: Madame George, 490 Karangahape Road | www.madamegeorge.co.nz

I want to be open and transparent with you. I love fried chicken a lot. A lot. I love beach holidays. I love ice cream at the movies. I also love watching elderly people eat their food (the way they chew their food is fantastic viewing - try it some time). But I love fried chicken way way way more. KFC is pretty popular in NZ. And I'm not going to lie. 'Do you like KFC' was the 3rd and final question in my search for "the one" (she said yes by the way). So when word gets out that there's some decent fried chicken on the scene, there's no mucking around. It's a foodcraft-duty to nail that chicken-booty.

Momentary random segway. I love movies. I try to hit a flick at the cinema once every 1 - 2 weeks. So it goes without saying, I’ve watched a lot of movies in my lifetime. When people ask the question, what’s your favourite film of all time? How long would it take you to answer?

Me? I don’t hesitate. I know. It's Ang Lee's masterpiece: Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. Why is it my favourite? Hmmm, that's a whole blog by itself. But how do I know it's my favourite? Simple really. I saw it 7 times at the cinema. Seriously. Using that same scientific approach and rationale, I can easily determine some of "my" best dishes in Auckland. The ones that I go back for time and time again. The ones you try to detour from when you’re eye-stabbing the menu but with the best of intentions, revert back to at the very last second as the waitstaff wait for your order. So having had the chicken lunchbox at Simon and Lee 5 times in 6 visits, fair to say this is a dish worth talking about and celebrating. Mind you, this is not the only dish at this eatery to rave about. These guys have got some seriously good game in the tasty food department. Their bibimbap is crazy good and could easily be a blog-worthy entrant. But let’s get back on track here to the star of the show. Chicken.

Not just any kind of chicken. Korean Fried Chicken.

You see, Korean fried chicken is the business. If there was a fried chicken event at the Olympics, fo’sure South Korea would be up on the podium. Simon and Lee do it justice. And one of the best ways to enjoy it is through their chicken lunchbox offering. Delivered via a school lunch canteen-type tray, the on-the-bone fried chook which is clearly the main event comes to you with its good pals – an asian-styled slaw, some yum pickles, and a handful of shoestring fries with aioli on the side. With 5 flavours for the chicken ranging from original to danger spicy, choose your own path of chicken-loving, including your very own disposable plastic glove. Suffice to say, my first lunchbox experience began with danger spicy, and has more recently settled with the garlic soy. Each to your own. Do what I do and get it in Garlic Soy and ask for a side of Danger Spicy sauce. Regardless of the sauce, this chook is tasty. And the crunch factor is right up there. Everything else on the tray serves a purpose, however, if there was one small thing I could change, it would be the fries and aioli. As much as I love that classic combo, I think a small serve of their loaded waffle fries (with kimchi, mozzarella and spring onions) would have really been on point and smashed this dish out of the park. All that said, I’m here for the fried chicken. Correction. I’ve been here for the fried chicken. 5 times. And because I like fried chicken so much, you can bet the house on it that I’ll be back for more.

PS: I have a lot of fried chicken stories. Remind me to tell you a few if you’re interested if we ever go on a tour together. Keen on checking this dish out? Go to: Simon and Lee, 115 Saint Georges Bay Road, Parnell | simonandlee.com

Who knew that the Graham cracker was originally invented to curb sex drive? Not me, but it makes sense. Anything made from wheat flour, wheat bran and ground germ, designed to be bland and dry is quickly going to smother any oysters, champagne and truffle you might have scoffed to get the party started. Thankfully, the Garden Shed’s version is nothing like the original.

And when it comes to desserts, for me, the word “fun” is what I’m looking for. It’s the fun in desserts that evokes childhood memories. It’s the fun that allows you to break out a small chuckle as you take that first bite. And isn’t that what the best food is all about? The DIY S’More at the Garden Shed is one of those desserts that will 100% take you back - in a good way. And equally as important, brings another kind of smile to your face. The one after you’ve eaten something so satisfying and comforting.

This DIY comes on a board with all the essential components. All of it house-made. Extra-large Graham crackers; extra-large cubes of marshmallow; and then a couple of creative twists in the form of a small dish of chocolate ganache along with your very own flame to melt the marshmallows with. Obviously, DIY implies that you have creative license to do whatever you want with these components but to explain the art of the S’More in case you have no idea what to do, allow me to re-quote one of the all-time classic quotes from one of the greatest kid films of all time, The Sandpit.

Hamilton "Ham" Porter: Hey, you wanna s'more?

Scotty Smalls: Some more what?

Hamilton "Ham" Porter: No, no. Do you want a s'more?

Scotty Smalls: I just got here, so how can I have some more of nothing?

Hamilton "Ham" Porter: You're killin' me, Smalls! Okay, these are s'mores stuff. Now pay attention. First, you take the graham. You stick the chocolate on the graham. Then, you roast the mallow. When the mallow's flaming, you stick it on the chocolate. Then, you cover it with the other end. Then, you scuff. Kind of messy, but it's good. Try some.

The ganache is where the flavour hit comes from and these crackers are a surprise too. Way better than the standard Graham cracker. The perfect vehicle to host the oozy hot ménage-à-deux of chocolate and mallow. Good for an ice-cream sandwich too I reckon. Improvements? Well, maybe it would add to that sense of fun by offering some skewers for the marshmallow toasting instead of the forks on the table. But really, it’s a minor gripe. What counts ultimately is that this is a dessert to go back for. And here’s the kicker. The novelty in toasting your own mallows means that it’s a sweet treat for all – both young and old. Bring your kids - 100% guaranteed they will love it. On a date night? Perfect - make S’mores for each other.

The bottom line is that this is a dessert in Auckland worth travelling for. Time to be a kid again.

Keen on checking this dish out? Go to: The Garden Shed, 470 Mt Eden Rd, Mt Eden | www.thegardenshed.kiwi

I'm not beating around the bush with this one. These vegetable manchurian dumplings are quite possibly the tastiest "vegan" morsels I've ever put in my mouth. And probably the best thing I've put in my mouth this year. You probably don't realise how significant a statement that is coming from my mouth. I grew up in a household where dinner guests who were vegetarian were given the stare of death at the dining table. Don't worry - nothing bad ever happened. Mum would cook the odd vegetarian dish, alongside 4 or 5 other dishes all including some form of meat or seafood protein. If they asked if there was anything else, she'd simply reply - the rice has no meat in it. Yeah - brutal. God forbid, I bring a vegetarian girl home (it did happen once by the way, but unfortunately that only lasted a day as the death stares were just too much for her). So you get the gist. And the background. Work with me here. I don't think you could convert me to veganism but I would happily eat these dumplings on a daily basis for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

When I ordered them, I honestly had no idea what was coming. I'm just a sucker for any menu item with the word 'dumpling' on them (I mean, you could put snapper and marmite dumplings on your menu, and I would probably order it out of pure curiosity). But these dumplings are of the deep-fried ball variety and are hot pillow-y balls of goodness. The texture is half the pleasure. As for the components, well, they're most likely made up of a mixture of finely blended vegetables, maybe a touch of cornstarch or flour to bind, deep-fried till golden brown, and then doused in a manchurian-style coating of ginger, garlic, vinegar, soy, chilli and tomato paste. I have no idea if that's right or not, but whatever it is, it's just so damn tasty, and best of all - they have a wee kick to them too with a lingering heat that is perfect for any of the craft beers (awesome list) or cocktails on offer.

The Manchurian thing and the entire menu theme to Satya Chai Lounge revolves around the Indian-Chinese culinary melting pot. This cuisine is for real, if you're wondering if I just made it up. So if you like both indian food and chinese food, this is your dream merger. The use of soy sauce and vinegar as core ingredients along with the holy trinity of garlic, ginger and chilli and then fused with the typical Indian spice medley results in dishes like the Vegetable Manchurian with massive amped-up flavour profiles. To be honest, I could have written up a dish of the day for several of their menu items with a very close second being their kurryaage (a super tasty creation of theirs riffing Japanese karaage 'fried chicken'). But when it came down to it, I think just the mere surprise that something that was 100% vegan-friendly could be so delicious, so flavour-packed, so texturally interesting, that left me wanting more.....well, it had to be the dish of the day winner. Pats on the back Satya Chai Lounge.

Keen on checking this dish out? Go to:

Satya Chai Lounge, 271 Karangahape Rd, Auckland Central and 515 Sandringham Rd, Sandringham)

I know what you're thinking. How can a sauce be a dish of the day? Look, good point. And to be fair, you are absolutely bang on. It shouldn't be defined a dish but this is the Foodcraft blog and at Foodcraft, if you get the chance to come on one of our eating tours, you'll soon realise there are no rules, other than to enjoy and have a damn good time. And a damn good time this chili oil is. Actually you'll notice I have already called it a sauce and an oil within the same paragraph, so welcome to my dilemma....what the hell is it? Well, it's really both but the consistency of it is almost jam-like. Regardless of how you define it, it is indeed a thing of beauty.

Neighbours Restaurant is a Taiwanese eatery in the city centre. They have another branch in Somerville, for your interest. Whether you can get this sauce there I have no idea but if you go to the CBD, get your butt here and ask to buy the large chili sauce. For $14, you will get a decent sized plastic container which if you keep in the fridge will last you as long as your spice addiction allows it to last.

My spice addiction means that I fairly (and unfairly) judge every spice condiment that comes my way from eatery to eatery and household to household. The title of best sauce I've ever tasted goes to the XO sauce prepared at a Claypot restaurant which used to be in the food court of the QV shopping centre in the Melbourne CBD. It's no longer there sadly. But it was complex, tasty and the most amazing thing you could ever put on any type of seafood. Now, most chili oils that you get at Chinese restaurants in Auckland are usually pretty timid. I highly rate the chili sauce at one of Foodcraft's all-time fave cheap eats in Otahuhu - that is right up there in the pantheon of world's greatest chili oils. It is slightly hotter than the Neighbours version, however the latter has a hint of sweetness to it along with what I think is a touch of garlic as well. There's probably other cool stuff in there but it's all very subtle. The end result is a sauce that is toasty, spicy, and tasty. A condiment you can douse on any of your typical Asian rice or noodle dishes, or add to other sauces to give it a spot of spice. I've used it on cold roast chicken sandwiches, hot roast chicken baguettes, slathered over cheap Dominos pizzas, and even over my breakfast fry-ups. It is without doubt an all-purpose sauce. And worthy winner for today's Dish of the Day. Go buy some now.

Keen on checking this dish out? Go to:

Neighbours Restaurant, 6 - 8 Lorne St, Auckland CBD

Octopus is one of those ingredients. There's no in-between, you either nail it or you don't. The ones that nail it tend to find themselves in my Best Dishes lists. That's just the way it goes. I happen to really like good octopus.

So many great food memories in my life have evolved around the great 'pus. My most vivid one was on the Greek island of Naxos watching this old man smash an octopus along the stone-walled wharf to tenderise it after which he whacked the poor sucker (see what I did there?) on this massive old school grill with the smell wafting across the promenade....it tasted as good as it smelled too. Clean, natural, slightly smoky from the char....simply served with lemon wedges. Man it was sensational.

If you've ever had an authentic version of the great Spanish dish, Pulpo a la Gallega, you'll also know how good great 'pus can be. It's a simple dish with only four ingredients: octopus, olive oil, paprika and salt - and generally served with boiled potatoes. I reckon Azabu's Grilled Octopus is their take on it, riffing on the traditional elements of the dish and replacing them with yuzu pepper soy, shichimi pepper, and purple potato mash. It's bloody delicious. Pure yum. And one of my favourite entree/small plate dishes in Auckland. Visually it looks fantastic too. Oh yeah, and did I mention it has octopus in it? Nothing like good 'pus.

Keen on checking this dish out? Go to: Azabu, 26 Ponsonby Rd, Grey Lynn | www.azabuponsonby.co.nz

The small shopfront that is Eden Noodles next to the Target Furniture store on Dominion Rd is not the easiest of places for an eating tour. Mainly because no matter what time of the day you hit it, it's just so damn busy. People know good food when they eat it. So good, that you will have no qualms standing in line out the door, waiting for your turn. Been there, done that....at different times of the day too. But the payoff is totally worth it. As soon as you slide that dumpling down your throat for the first time, I guarantee you you'll let out a wee groan - whether consciously or subconsciously.

So what of this so-called spicy dumpling? Unlike the plethora of dumpling eateries in Auckland these days whose sole purpose is to give us a variety of steamed, boiled or fried dumplings, Eden Noodles god bless them, give us their take on the Sichuan staple, Suanla Chaoshou (hot and sour sauce over folded dumplings), also commonly seen on English-written Sichuan menus as Wontons in Chilli Oil. These bad boys are something else. Juicy, slippery, chili-oillery (I'm aware that's not a word), and that ultimate balancing act of sweet, sour, and savoury. At Eden, you can get the actual dumplings wonton-style or just stick with the good ol' half-moon shaped ones. It really doesn't matter which way you go to be honest. If you order these, you 'will' win.

Perfect accompaniment to a bowl of 20 of these precious pillows of goodness is your mouth and your mouth alone. Don't share them. You'll regret it.

Keen on checking this dish out? Go to:

Eden Noodles, 105 Dominion Rd, Mt Eden, Eden Noodle's Facebook Page

To me, you can tell the depth of flavour and down-right umptuousness of a traditional curry laksa purely through the colour of the broth. Selera's version (much like it's sister restaurant Mama Rich Cafe in Greenlane) is the stuff my dreams (and that of many other Aucklanders) are made of. In this case, the colour of a flaming sunset.

Selera's Laksa has been talked about ad nauseum for several years now. And even with the rise in amazing Malaysian eats in this city (quick sidenote: pound for pound, I would argue that Malaysian restaurants consistently put out the best quality and most authentic ethnic cuisine in the city, definitely amongst the Asian cuisines anyway), it still ranks as the best, perhaps very closely followed by Mamak Takapuna's Sarawak Laksa.

I love everything about this dish. The moist chicken, the tofu puffs, the bean sprouts, the yellow noodles, the little wet morsels of fried shallots, the egg, but really, it comes down to the flavour of that broth. It's a little bit spicy (although no doubt spice wusses will say it is hot), a touch on the salty side, but it's the complexity of ingredients used in their laksa spice paste that is IMHO superior to everyone else's versions. The team at Selera know that, because they haven't deviated from it since word got out years ago that this was a laksa in Auckland to make a pilgrimage to. The only thing they have deviated from is the slow burn on the price. Used to be a cheap eats classic and one could argue that it still is at $15, but you can't blame them to get a bit more coin out of the dish - I mean, it's just so damn good. Like all noodle based soups, you are left with the dilemma of what to do once you've consumed all the noodles and the other bits and pieces. But this one's easy. Dab that flaky roti if you must but let's get real....you need to put the chopsticks and spoon down, grab that bowl with a 2-handed grip and show it who's boss. Slurp that broth baby. Down to the bottom. Leave nothing left. I do anyway.

Keen on checking this dish out? Go to:

Selera, 487 Khyber Pass Rd, Newmarket, Selera's Facebook Page

We were full but thought everyone could do with just one more dish to top it all off. And top it all off we did.

Sadly if you live in or near Royal Oak in Auckland, you'll have realised that Nanam has recently moved to the Shore. Hope you Shore peeps go and support what I think is one of the top 5 best value restaurants in the city. For the price you pay, the quality of the food at Nanam is awesome. I don't think I have had many dud dishes there over several (very enjoyable) visits. And to be fair, I could include a bunch of their more popular dishes to cast the spotlight on, but this dish is killer.

The Bicol in the dish's name represents the namesake of a popular and traditional dish in the Philippines, which comes from.....the Bicol region. Boom. Didn't see that coming did you? The classic, more commonly known as Bicol Express, brings together chillies, coconut milk, shrimp paste, onion, pork, and garlic in the form of a stew. Nanam's modern reinterpretation (not that I've had the original) riffs on that combo and makes the final result - super duper tasty. Starring the grilled octopus, it's paired with lemongrass, chilli, braised pork cheeks, and then hammered home with a double whammy of fish sauce caramel and a coconut green chilli sauce.

It's got a bit of heat. In fact, I actually remember being (pleasantly) surprised with the extent of the heat as it's not something I normally associate with Filipino cuisine. But yeah, when I think of dishes where on a warm Summer's Day, I need a tasty, spicy dish to plonk on some rice and to go along with a nice cold beer or glass of Gewurz - this one is right there in the consideration stakes for top of the leaderboard.

Keen on checking this dish out? Go to:

Nanam Eatery, 178 Hurstmere Rd, Takapuna | www.nanamrepublic.co.nz

You like oysters? OK, read on. We did 15 dishes today on a tour across 3 top-end eateries and as great as each dish was, this is the one I desperately want to taste again (roughly 8 hours later). Riffing on the old school concept of a carpetbag steak (essentially a steak stuffed with oysters), these puppies are a damn site lighter, fresher (it's tempura-battered man, it doesn't count) and can I say this.....way tastier than its namesake. The Culprit crew take freshly shucked Orongo Bay oysters (up there in Russell) which are then fried in tempura batter. At this point, I'm pretty cool with them leaving it right there. That and a wedge of lemon will do me. But we get a couple more layers of flavour added, what with the topping of a cute dollop of horseradish mayo and a thin shaving of cured beef bresaola. Don't know your bresaola from your breasts? I don't blame you. Let me help you out. Bresaola is just air-dried salted meat, normally beef but I've had pork and venison versions of it too before. In this case, it's only a sliver, so it's subtle but it all works. So. Damn. Well. This is maybe my favourite oyster in town, especially paired with Culprit's dark and stormy cocktail slushie. Awesome way to kick off a meal.

Keen on checking this dish out? Go to:

Culprit, Level 1, 12 Wyndham St, Auckland CBD | www.culprit.co.nz