Little Bird Unbakery | ThumbsForFood

Hello from New Zealand! I’m on a Working Holiday here and thus, will be sharing with you guys the eats and attractions here in Kiwi land, approximately 5000 miles away! My co-writer, Z, will still be continuing food reviews in Singapore. :)

Today, I will be sharing with you guys this very unique café in Auckland. Little Bird Unbakery is nestled in the café-laden area of Ponsonby. We happened to chance upon it while searching for a place to have some food and seek shelter from the rain. 

Little Bird Unbakery is a café that branched out from the Little Bird Organics. You can find out more about the founders and more about their concept here.

The food at Little Bird Unbakery is made from raw organic ingredients and they do not use any filler ingredients. You would be surprised that their delicious tasting cakes do not have any gluten, dairy, sugar or soy in it! You’ll see below our review on one of their delicious cakes.

When we stepped into Little Bird Unbakery, it was crowded on a Weekday afternoon during lunch hour. The décor of Little Bird is simple, cozy and welcoming. With the brick walls, potted plants and simple pictures on the wall, the whole place gave of a fresh and comfortable vibe.

Interior

Interior and Displays

In the café, you will also notice displays of Little Bird Organic own range of food that you can buy home to prepare your own healthy yet wholesome meals. 

Little Bird's range of food for takeaway

The menu was really extensive and there were so many choices available. It was our first time in an Organic café and thus, we were not very familiar with gluten free and organic food. Little Bird serves breakfast from 7am and lunch menu from 11am. We decided to choose something from their lunch menu.

We chose Kumara Gnocchi with Oyster Mushrooms, Tarragon Cream & Pine Nut Parmesan ($19). We love gnocchi and thus, were attracted by it. For those who are not familiar, Kumara is like a sweet potato. Our appetites were whet by the appearance of the dish that was donned in various bright colors. The dish was actually really appetizing and delicious. The pickled onions added a balance of sourness. We thought that the portion was reasonable and felt it was a wholesome meal! Even though the ingredients were simple, the dish tasted fantastic. We heard that their Portabello Eggs Benedict is highly raved about. Do try it and let us know!

Kumara Gnocchi with Oyster Mushrooms, Tarragon Cream and Pine Nut Parmesan

For beverages, they have a wide range to choose from. From smoothies to nutmilks, from coffee to teas, it’s hard not to find something suitable. We decided to choose the Rest and Relax Tea ($3.50) from the Herbal Tea range. It consists of Passionflower, St. John’s Wort, Lemon Balm, Licorice Root, Chamomile and Lavendar. It was calming, relaxing and soothing. We felt the chamomile was the most distinct in flavour.

Tea in the Foreground

Their desserts and pastry range was wide as well. We finally settled on their Raspberry Cheesecake. It’s appearance is a bright pinkish color topped with some dried raspberry bits. It was soooo good! We were quite surprised that they did not use any dairy or sugar in it. Both my friend and I were thoroughly floored by how yummy it was. It wasn’t too sour not too sweet. I think I can easily eat a few slices on my own without feeling any guilt. We strongly recommend to try out their cakes.

Raspberry Cheesecake

Overall, it was a wholesome experience at Little Bird Unbakery. For a guilt-free, delicious yet healthy dining experience, Little Bird has the whole package.

Cashier & Drink Counter of Little Bird 

Do continue to follow our blog for more recommendations of food and travel in New Zealand! Follow us on Instagram @thumbsforfood for latest updates!


Little Bird Unbakery

Contact number: 09 5553278

Address: 1A Summer Street, Ponsonby, Auckland

Open: Monday to Sunday; 7am-4pm

Cheers, 

Y

The Tiramisu Hero Cafe | ThumbsForFood

As most who have been following The Tiramisu Hero's news would know, The Tiramisu Hero has officially opened a cafe in Jalan Besar. 

Jalan Besar is a recent hotspot for the sprouting of new cafes. Other than The Tiramisu Hero, do check out our upcoming posts on other cafes we visited in the area! 

It is not difficult to spot Tiramisu Hero from afar! As you can see from the photo below, when you arrive at the shop, you will spot the big signage as well as the garden-like alfresco dining area. I really like the entrance of the shop as it is spacious and inviting. It also has a smoking area for patrons who wish to take a smoke break.

Entrance of The Tiramisu Hero

As you step into the shop, The Tiramisu Hero's mascot, Sir Antonio greets you at every corner of the wall. What we really like about the interior is the ladders hanging upside down from the ceilings. Lights are wrapped around the ladder which helps illuminate the places as well as add a creative touch to the design. The whole place gives off a relaxed and comfortable vibe while achieving a chic minimalist stance. We could feel that the owners really placed a lot of effort in decorating the shop to bring out it's own unique character and style. 

Seating area 

Beautiful lights hanging off the ceiling

Unique designs

Sir Antonio painted on the walls

The must-try when we are in The Tiramisu Hero's cafe is their signature Tiramisu. Here in their cafe, they offer various sizes of Tiramisu that will match your group's size. Also, they have all the flavors and some special ones include Horlick, Lavendar, Lemon and such. Sadly, when we were there, only Original and Milo were available. We decided to try the Milo flavoured, MommaHero ($7.90), good for one.

MommaHero- Milo flavoured

We ordered a Creme Brulee Latte ($6.50). Personally, I found this not strong enough for my liking. However, for my friends who prefer something sweeter, they really liked this coffee. The coffee was really fragrant and something quite unique. For those who are looking for something different and not as strong, this would be a good choice!

Creme Brulee Latte

We were really surprised when we saw that the menu consists of dishes like Tom Yum Goong and Thai Basil Pork Rice which we don't really see appear on the usual brunch menu. Piqued, we decided to order the Thai Basil Pork Rice ($12.50) as we wanted to try something different. Looking at the photo below, it doesn't look very photogenic, but, the dish was really appetizing and quite tasty. We would recommend this dish to those who prefer something other than your usual brunch.

Thai Basil Pork Rice

 Jayne Mac & Cheese ($8.90) seems to be a favorite among the patrons. We noticed that almost all the tables around us has this dish. It was presented simply, in tandem to it being a common comfort food. As expected. it is a simple dish with no complex flavors which makes it a comfortable choice. There are also many other choices that you may like to try.

Jayne Mac & Cheese

Our brunch choices

The Tiramisu Hero Cafe also displays some products from other independent retailers. We saw some handmade jewellery as well as other unique products on display.

Little details in the shop

Displays on the shelves

Overall, we feel that The Tiramisu Hero Cafe is a great place for friends to hang out and we will be back to chill out with our friends over some coffee. Do drop by if you are in the area even if it's just to grab some tiramisu to takeaway or look at the beautiful and well-thought decorations!

The Tiramisu Hero's cashier and desk top

Do check out our upcoming posts on other cafes in the area! Follow us on instagram to receive first-hand updates on new food places as well! :)

The Tiramisu Hero Cafe
121 Trywhitt Road
Nearest MRT Stations: Lavendar and Farrer Park
www,thetiramisuhero.com

Till then,
Y

Wellington Central: Sushi Bi | ThumbsForFood

Wellington is definitely a place that I will return to. Even though it is a busy city, it gives off a strong cultural vibe that attracted me very much during my short stay there. I love this city, for the strong coffee culture it has. I love this city, for the many vintage shops and even a vintage street that it has. There are so many reasons for me to come back to this beautiful place, the capital of New Zealand. I am so glad that I went ahead with my travel plans to Wellington.

As a foodie, I was pleased to find many treasures in this city. There are endless number of cafes along the street. Choices of restaurants were so wide that I had difficulty in settling my meals there. A tip from my traveling experiences so far tell me that the best place could often be found in a random coincidence. And, it is so true for us that day. It was our first day there and we were starving. We then decided to grab an ice-cream to tide our hunger over. While walking on the streets, we came across this alley where I could see a long queue popping out. As an extremely curious traveller, I decided to check the queue out.

And, I am so glad that I checked this place out. It turned out that this was a famous sushi chain in Wellington and they were having 50% off at that time! I was so happy at that moment to be able to catch the deal. Yes, Sushi Bi has a 50% discount for their sushi after 4pm everyday! 

Random alley where we found Sushi Bi

So apparently, Sushi Bi won the Best of Wellington 2011 award. Well, this was the FIRST box of sushi that I got for myself. Of course, it wasn't enough for me as I was feeling greedy so I got myself another box later on. This box probably cost me around $5 NZD. Isn't it a great deal? 

Oh, and I have to say that this is probably the best sushi I have had in New Zealand so far. The sushi is fresh, and definitely worth the price! 

Yes, most people have takeaways so the waiting time was not too long. Well, you can always buy the sushi and grab a bench outside/nearby the shop. It is certainly a good place to settle dinner fast and quick!

Aburi Salmon!

Well, so I went back to Sushi Bi again 2 days later as the temptation of half-priced sushi was too great for me to overcome. Luckily for me, Sushi Bi has more than 1 outlet in Wellington Central. 

Check out this bargain shop yourself! It is not easy to find a good japanese meal for this price right?

Sushi Bi

2 Woodward St 
Wellington Central 
Wellington City

Do contact us at thumbsforfood@gmail.com if you have any enquiries! 

Cheers,

Z

Hidden Gem of Napier: Cafe Ahuriri | ThumbsForFood

Today, I am going to share with you guys about this pretty little cafe called Cafe Ahuriri hidden in a little corner of Napier! How did I manage to find it or even get to know about it? Well, one night in the lounge, I was flipping through the magazines and I came across this article on Cafe Ahuriri. I think it was on Napier Life Magazine (2012). But well, it was also featured on the travel page of the New York Times (2010). So, I figured out that I had to check this cafe out! 

Well, it wasn't easy to find as it wasn't on the main Ahuriri Street. I cannot really remember my directions there either. But, just ask around! People in the stores should know this cafe! Or you can google map the place [: 

I was so happy when I finally found this place. It gives off a really old school feel from its exterior. Love that it is not in a shopping mall or a building but just standing alone in the street. 

Well, I have to say that I was a little disappointed when I stepped into the cafe. I was expecting more for the interior design and decorations. Well, nothing too wrong about simplicity I guess! Oh, but they have this outdoor area which I liked. We didn't take the outdoor seats as we wanted to hide from the strong winds.

Cafe Ahuriri is famous for its custard squares, the Sunday Family Breakfast Buffet, and great coffee! I didn't get to try the custard squares but I would really like to try it! If you have had a chance to try it, please share with me about how you find it!  

Mochaccino. It was like a mix of mocha and cappuccino which we really liked. A good combination if you are tired of the usual breakfast drink!

Lamington. This is basically sponge cake covered in chocolate with a layer of desiccated coconut. Well, I am not a fan of coconut so I don't really like this. Lamington originated from Australia! 

Chelsea Bun. When I saw this on the shelf, I knew I had to try it. Okay, I really have an obsession with cinnamon rolls. Perhaps that was why I was so attracted to this. It looked so much like my favourite cinnamon roll. When I was in the States, I could bake the instant cinnamon rolls every night for breakfast and supper! It was basically bread with raspberry fillings and icing sugar. But, I would highly recommend you to try it as the texture and the taste of the bread was sooooo good that I could remember it till now.

Okay, there were really a lot of choices for the pastries and sweets. I was really at a lost as to what to order. Go with a bunch of friends and then you can order more to share!

Corn Fritters. We asked for recommendations and this was what the staff recommended! We also decided to try this as it wasn't a common find in Singapore. Well, brunch menu in Singapore is pretty limited compared to the ones in New Zealand and Australia!

I am not a corn lover but I find their mixture of ingredients and sauces really amazing! The corn fritter on its own is sweet but it went well with their bacon and avocado with a splash of mayo!

BLT sandwich. I was really starving when I ordered and I decided that this could very well fill my hungry tummy. It turned out to be good! Simple item; sandwich with bacon, lettuce, tomato and mayo. Did I mention that I really love how most of the fries in New Zealand come with aioli sauce? I love the aioli sauce! Thinking of all these food now makes me so hungry!

We went at around 3 plus in the afternoon so we didn't get to catch everything on the shelf. If you want to have a glimpse of the cafe at its peak hours, wake up earlier to grab breakfast and a cup of coffee for a more energized day!

One last thing to add is that I have to say that I was not very impressed with the service of the staff that served us. She wasn't very helpful and friendly despite the cafe being rather empty. Oh yes, we spent around 20 NZD per person. I think the price was quite reasonable!

Overall, I would still say that Cafe Ahuriri is a cafe worth checking out if you are in Napier or passing by Napier!

How was your experience in Napier? Do you have any food recommendations in Napier? Feel free to share with us your comments and experiences at thumbsforfood@gmail.com or simply comment on this post! [: 

Cafe Ahuriri
16 Mahia Street
Ahuriri
Napier, 4110

Operating hours:
Mon-Sun 6am-345pm
Public Holidays 7am-3pm
Closed Christmas Day and Boxing Day

Cheers,
Z