How Iconic Eats dishes up foodies’ delights

Aucklanders can now vote for the city’s top menu items – and be in to win a chance to taste them all. By

Nominations for the 2022 Iconic Auckland Eats have officially opened, giving Aucklanders the chance to share the story of their favourite cafe, restaurant or food across Ta¯ maki Makaurau.

First launched in 2020, the annual list celebrates the diversity of food the supercity has to offer, highlighting that toptier food experiences can be found anywhere in Ta¯ maki Makaurau, whether it be a restaurant, a market or a food truck.

2021 Iconic Auckland Eats winner Adriana Ferdian said being named on the list last year ‘‘had a huge impact’’ that extended beyond her two restaurants, Bali Nights and Java.

‘‘We are immensely proud that a bunch of first-generation Indonesian immigrants have been able to break through into the tough Auckland culinary scene,’’ Ferdian said.

Ferdian is proud to be one of the few establishments in Auckland offering Indonesian food, and prides herself on educating diners about ‘‘how Indonesian dishes are supposed to taste’’.

Previously a software developer, Ferdian made a drastic career move three-anda-half years ago, when she opened Java.

‘‘It was a very small space, tucked behind Vinegar Lane. At that time, no-one else [was] doing Indonesian food like we were. We wanted it to be really authentic, food that we ate at home, that our grandmas cooked for us, but with no compromises.’’

For Ferdian, who was born in Indonesia, this meant nailing the fundamentals of Indonesian flavours.

‘‘This means the chillis are really searingly hot, we don’t skimp on the spices. Our food is complex and takes a long time to make, but at the end of the day it is just really wholesome food,’’ Ferdian said.

‘‘Food is very much connected to our culture, and every dish has its own origin. It’s pretty cool that Aucklanders are open to broaden their palettes and try something new.’’

To keep their restaurant offerings authentic, the Bali Nights and Java team source a lot of their ingredients straight from Indonesia, as well as much of the restaurants’ decor.

‘‘We brought everything from Bali, all the decorations. We wanted to give back to people in the villages as well – the people who were making these lamps and making these fabrics,’’ Ferdian said.

After being named in Iconic Eats, both Java and Bali Nights had an uptick in customers, causing the restaurants to run out of stock of their most popular options.

A note before you rush to sample Ferdian’s mouthwatering dishes – they don’t serve alcohol. ‘‘Because we are Muslim, we can’t make money off the sale of alcohol. But you are welcome to drink, and we are BYO wine and beer.’’

Owner of Pacific Island

bakery Sweet and Me, Bertand Jang, had his famous coconut buns make the list of Iconic Eats 2021.

‘‘Being a Pacific Islander and being recognised as one of Auckland’s top eateries was a massive honour, especially since our shop was only two years old at the time,’’ Jang said.

‘‘We were shocked – as a chef, I knew about Iconic Eats but I didn’t think we’d make the list, so it was really special.’’

After the coconut buns made the list, Jang said he was baking trays and trays of the sweet treats, and their popularity created ‘‘massive awareness about our culture’’.

This year, Jang thinks his pineapple pie could be a crowd favourite.

‘‘Pacific Islanders come into the shop and say that their aunty or grandma makes the best pineapple pie, and that ours couldn’t beat it – but they often change their mind,’’ he said. Ta¯ taki Auckland Unlimited head of visitor economy Annie Dundas said if you have ‘‘an absolute favourite food experience in Auckland, one that you can only get here, we want to hear from you’’.

‘‘Tell us your story and give us all the details – the quality, the flavours, the place, the talented chef or the friendly team – that made your experience so memorable,’’ Dundas said.

‘‘The past two years have been incredibly tough for the hospitality industry and this initiative is one way we can support local food and beverage businesses that are important to Auckland’s economic recovery and central to visitor experience.’’

Aucklanders have already nominated 400 of their favourite dishes to become an Auckland Iconic Eat, but there is hope the awards will beat the 1000 nominations they received in 2021. To nominate your favourite food experience, head to the Iconic Eats website before November 2.

Each nomination will also go into the draw to win a chance to eat at all 100 Iconic Eats that make the coveted list – if your stomach is up for it.

Foodie sibling duo AG and Aleana Fernando were the grand prize winners in 2021, and have spent this year sampling 100 iconic eats across Auckland.

If you’re keen to judge last year’s finalists yourself, the list of 2021 winners are on the Iconic Auckland Eats website.

Following nominations, a team of food moderators narrow down submissions to reach the goal of 100 Iconic Auckland Eats to launch before the end of the year.