In July of 2015, I somewhat sporadicly decided to begin university, and therefore become an Aucklander. As a result I spent many a lazy winter's weekend lurking around some of the city's notoriously indulgent vegan hotspots (much to the dismay of my student loan).
Here is a recap of my sneaky indulgences over the first month of my city-dwelling, whether it be gooey raw cheesecakes, or roll upon roll of avocado-filled sushi. I feel somewhat ashamed to point out that this is by no means an exhaustive list - however, much to my financial relief, I am proud to say that this habit has been significantly reduced.
LITTLE BIRD UNBAKERY
1 SUMMER STREET, PONSONBY
This Apple Cream Cobbler from Little Bird's Summer Street Unbakery is seriously good. Think cinnamon-y apple pie and the creamiest vanilla ice-cream you can imagine squished into a bar of raw goodness. From what I can tell, the top and bottom 'crusts' are made from almonds and an a mix of warming spices, layered with chewy, thin slices of dehydrated red apple. The filling in the centre is the best part - creamy and soft vanilla mousse that is almost reminiscent of that soft-serve sprinkled with copious amounts of hundreds-and-thousands, and sold out the side of spluttering, rusty old ice-cream trucks at the seaside. A refreshing and nostalgic treat that I can imagine would be lovely to tuck into when lazing about on a picnic blanket with a good book during the summer months.
THE RAW KITCHEN
267 PONSONBY ROAD, PONSONBY
The Raw Kitchen's blueberry cheesecake is a sight to behold - beautiful, creamy, and super smooth. It astounds me how they managed to get it such a vibrant purple! I grabbed this one for a sneaky nibble on my way to university, eating it slowly as I plodded down tree-lined streets and into the inner city. One man saw me taking this photo and gave me a look as if asking me to question my life choices, but with a gigantic slab of raw cheesecake in hand, I think that I'm doing just fine.
LITTLE BIRD UNBAKERY
1 SUMMER STREET, PONSONBY
My passion for caramel slice runs deep and true, and this is potentially the most delicious one I've eaten over the past two years (and believe me, I've had my fair share). It pips all those condensed-milk and butter-laden ones by a mile! A bar of thick, creamy, and ever so slightly salted caramel wedged between a chewy cookie base and a slab of melty dark chocolate. Totally sinful in the most angelic way - I can forsee this becoming a real addiction...
TART BAKERY
GREAT NORTH ROAD, GREY LYNN
My childhood can be organised by mapping out all of the instances that I indulged in cream donuts, so you can imagine how ecstatic I was to find this gem - a coconut cream donut - tucked away in a gleaming glass-top cabinet just a short walk from my new house. If virtuous nutrient-dense food is what you're after, then this probably isn't the place for you, but I am a strong advocate for deep-fried bread smothered in sugar crystals and specks of cinnamon at any time of day. You can also find dripping custard pinwheels, flaky cheesy vegetable pies, and rich pains au chocolat nestled in amongst other vegan treats - a must-visit (I've heard that their pastries are a miracle cure for hangovers too, if you're that way inclined)!
ST PIERRE'S SUSHI
25 SYMONDS STREET, CBD
Sometimes I'm lazy, and sometimes this laziness leads to buying meals instead of making them, and more often than not this leads to me sitting on park benches twiddling away with unevenly-split chopsticks, working through a mouthful of seaweed and rice. This was my second experience at St. Pierre's sushi - I continue to be impressed by the pace at which they can whip up a personalised roll of sushi. Even if it's not the most the traditional variation of the popular Japanese food, it certainly suffices. And let's be honest - if you're not into double avocado sushi, then what kind of vegan food-blogger are you?
THE RAW KITCHEN STALL
LA CIGALE FRENCH MARKETS, PARNELL
A week or two before my best friend moved to Abu Dhabi to study, we went on an epic food rampage across Auckland, which led us to La Cigale French Markets among other places. Being the sweet tooths we are, and having already indulged in little orbs of glittering vanilla and nutmeg spiced coconut yoghurt icecream, there was no chance of resistance when we stumbled upon The Raw Kitchen's sprawling tables of raw delights. Cheesecakes, slices, and bliss balls galore, each scattered with various technicolor crumbs and piled high in big stacks. Being the chocoholics we are, our final choices were the snickers cheesecake with its oozing peanut-dotted caramel, and the squishy salted caramel slice that left us very thirsty, the way a quick dip in the ocean would. Visually, an absolute delight, and the perfect treat to share with a friend.
LITTLE BIRD UNBAKERY
1 SUMMER STREET, PONSONBY
I am a homebody, which results in me scooting back home to the seaside most weekends, treats in tow. This particular weekend saw me pop into Little Bird and pick a selection of treats from their gloriously expansive cabinet display - a cookies and cream cheesecake for myself, mint slice for my dad, and ginger slice for my mum. In my mind, Little Bird can do no wrong, and these insanely delicious sweets were a definite testament to that. Anything with a miniature cookie perched atop is a 10/10 in my books!