The Best ... in New Zealand
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If you do happen to get past the roadblock north of Auckland another 'foodie' experience is to stop at one of the kumara growers that abound out of Dargaville and buy some fresh baby kumara. I know you can buy small ones in the supermarket now but they are stored and old. The fresher they are the sweeter and if you roast these little suckers up in a wood fired oven or over a fire they turn into candied awesomeness.
Eat with a dollop of butter, a freshly grilled snapper and put some salad on the side for the sake of it. -
@Crucial said in The Best ... in New Zealand:
If you do happen to get past the roadblock north of Auckland another 'foodie' experience is to stop at one of the kumara growers that abound out of Dargaville and buy some fresh baby kumara. I know you can buy small ones in the supermarket now but they are stored and old. The fresher they are the sweeter and if you roast these little suckers up in a wood fired oven or over a fire they turn into candied awesomeness.
Eat with a dollop of butter, a freshly grilled snapper and put some salad on the side for the sake of it.Nugget!!!
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@Bovidae said in The Best ... in New Zealand:
I like me some Whittaker's rum and raisin chocolate.
I prefer Italian-style gelato and there are some really good options around. Giapo in Auckland, Gelato 2U in Napier and Duck Island in Hamilton to name three.
Approaching 'best in world' (well, top 10). It's amazeballs.
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For boutique chocolates, Schoc Chocolate in Greytown really can’t be beaten. I’ve had chocs from dozens of places in Belgium and Switzerland and none come close. It’s tight on the main road too so very handy if you’re just passing through.
Best Farmers Market has to be Hastings on a nice summer Sunday morning.
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@Bovidae said in The Best ... in New Zealand:
@nzzp Giapo is a victim of their own success and become too commercial now. Still very good although I haven't been there in a few years.
Been 2-3 times this year already. Spot on about the commerciality, but ermagerd it's next level gelato. Seriously good stuff.
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@Bovidae said in The Best ... in New Zealand:
I like me some Whittaker's rum and raisin chocolate.
I prefer Italian-style gelato and there are some really good options around. Giapo in Auckland, Gelato 2U in Napier and Duck Island in Hamilton to name three.
Hmm, missed this earlier, you'll love Sydney, this city is stupid for it and new ones are popping up everywhere. I used to eat a lot of Messina, which is probably the most popular here, as a mate of mine worked there so she used to give me freebies. Haven't had one since she stopped working there though.
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These guys make some bloody nice port but it aint exactly cheap.https://www.ruahineports.co.nz/
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@taniwharugby yeah bro been a while eh! Will do.
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@jegga fck Jegga, you too?
It's got $4 fishburgers at GT's still!
I was back there with the kids recently, its actually a haven for them. So much space, awesome playgrounds with proper space and no nanny state provisions (compared to Sydney). At the Lido they got the use of 2x water slides to themselves for an hour (with not even an attendant present). That's just insane fun for a kid that grew up in Sydney where queuing for an hour at Wet'n'Wild is not uncommon.
When I went for a run along the newish river path, all but 1 person waved or nodded or said hello to me in a 10km trot. And he was wearing a Wallaby cap 🤷♂️
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Back to the thread, I'm pretty keen to do the north of the north with the fam over summer. I've done absolutely nothing north of Auckland myself, so lots of new stuff to see.
Questions:
- Is 2 weeks enough; and
- Would you get a motorhome (we are 5ppl) or are there sufficient basic motels, cabins, campsites etc to stay at if we just rented a car?
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+1 for rush munros. Boysenberry is boss.
Another place to stop for a killer tip top cone is the dairy in Shannon. Went there some stage in this decade probably 6-7 years ago. Was $1.50 a scoop and was hugggggeee scoops extra 50cents for choc dipped.
My local f and c has shut down apparently in Napier.
Only other ones I think i've had is in invercargill which gave you a enough chips to arouse the Irish, and Dunedin in my student days. Tui's was hard to beat providing you had downed a crate prior. $5 special of chips plus odds and ends thrown in a drink tray with paper down. Flying squid had a good $2 shoe strings, blue cod, doughnut. Mei Wahs was shit house.
Best water theme park: Splash planet > Waiwera
Most overrated burger: Ferg. Its not bad but its not half hour wait good.