• On My Plate – Feb

    On My Plate – Feb

    Denise Irvine takes a seat at The Green, in The Sheds, Made Market, 401 Grey St, Hamilton East. Anticipation is everything and my friend Aimie and I had waited a long time for a booking The Green, Karl Martin-Boulton’s eight-seater chef’s table at Made Market. The Green is very small, miniscule in fact, it’s been…

  • Palate 3.0

    Palate 3.0

    Palate Restaurant has taken the pole position in Hamilton’s CBD, slap-bang on Victoria St, at the entrance to SkyCity Hamilton. The third incarnation of the award-winning eatery which first opened in the city’s south-end in 2005 by owner-chef Mat Mclean, promises to set Hamilton’s culinary scene alight. Synonymous for putting Hamilton on the culinary map…

  • 2023 Wrap Up

    2023 Wrap Up

    Our wrap up 2023s food happenings in the Waikato,  Denise highlights her most memorable plates while Vicki gets on her high horse. From Vicki Te Kauwhata based winery, Invivo, were recently awarded the supreme prize at the Waikato Business Awards.  We’ll take the win in what has been a pretty quiet year on the food…

  • On My Plate – November

    On My Plate – November

    Denise Irvine welcomes two fabulous newcomers to her neighbourhood, Hamilton East. (Amazing) Made: We’ve had our noses pressed up against the window panes of Made during the long years of its refurbishment and now it’s finally here. Meeting all expectations with so many good things to eat and drink at this super-smart urban precinct in…

  • On My Plate – September

    On My Plate – September

    Denise Irvine has been eating out on the west coast, at Kāwhia and Raglan, as well as enjoying some local favourites.  Sands of Kāwhia Saturday family outing with my sister and two nieces, visiting some places in our hearts, and lunch at the flash new Sands of Kāwhia hotel in the town’s main street: pan-fried…

  • On My Plate

    On My Plate

    Denise Irvine loves her lunch at a Chinese eatery with new faces at the helm. Lunch today is at Canton Hong Kong, 32 Alexandra St, Hamilton. It’s my first visit here and although this modest Chinese restaurant has been around for a while it’s now under the new ownership of husband-and-wife team Jack Liu and…

  • The Wrap – Aug

    The Wrap – Aug

    Congratulations to Palate and Alpino who this week both picked up a hat at the 2023 Cuisine Good Food Awards. Hayes Common, Mr Pickles and The Shack were also recognised as great spots to try. We couldn’t agree more but believe there are a number of other fine places in our region worth some accolades. …

  • On My Plate – July

    On My Plate – July

    This month Denise has been eating her way around Coromandel as well as Hamilton. Check out what has been on her plate.

  • ON MY PLATE

    ON MY PLATE

    Denise Irvine eats at a new place, an old place (but a goodie), and does a shout-out for a local cookbook. Peking duck, the super-star of a tasting menu sampled with friends at the swish new Shanghai Chinese Restaurant, in SkyCity, 346 Victoria St, Hamilton CBD. First we had the duck as traditional make-your-own pancakes: …

  • The Wrap

    The Wrap

    Rice Rice Baby, a favourite spot at the Mount for delicious Vietnamese food opened their second eatery on Grey Street, Hamilton East earlier this year. This quirky, fast paced eatery also serves some tasty cocktails, but to be honest we often opt to race in and out with takeaways.Hamilton East is looking like the place…