It was my first time here and I was wondering where was I hiding these past few years? I just wished I knew of this place long time ago as these guys prepare an amazing Italian Fare. I had been to Italy many times and this place reminds me of the food there, aroma, texture, colour, ingredients etc.
Read MoreK Road has been home to many a pop-up venture and one of the more recent ones, Cotto, which started up as a three-month fixture in the old 69 premises, has now become a permanent restaurant.
The layout is essentially the same, with wooden tables and chairs, a cosylooking booth, the tiniest sliver of a deck to watch the sun go down and an open kitchen at the rear. The space is warm and welcoming without being fussy.
Read MoreCotto is the newest restaurant to join K’ Rd’s community of restaurants serving serious food with a casual lean – it won Best New Restaurant last year. Already, scoring a seat is a gamble on any given day. We’ll happily take our spot on its wait list for chefs Hayden Phiskie and John Pountney’s takes on fresh Italian pasta, which changes so often, their religious following on Instagram is no doubt born from wanting to see what they’ve come up with next.
Read MoreWe’ve unearthed new flavours, hidden gems, old favourites and the restaurants that are bold, brave and hot to bring you Cuisine’s list of the very best dining experiences in New Zealand for 2018, as nominated by our team of assessors who visit restaurants across the country, unannounced, and pay for every meal. Our annual inventory is now complete.
Read MoreAt the end of a restaurant meal, after I’ve paid the bill, I tell the person behind the counter that I’m a reviewer with Viva, and that I’ll be writing about my experience in an upcoming issue. It’s a necessarily uncomfortable conversation made worse if they ask “so how did you enjoy it?” and I reply by smiling mysteriously, shrugging my shoulders and saying something like “I guess we’ll both find out next week”.
Read MorePop-up restaurants are terrific for the punters: they provide an experience whose appeal is, in part, a result of its evanescence, which lends it an air of exclusivity (it's not "Have you eaten at ...?" but "Did you eat at ...?").
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