New Zealand Report: Depot Eatery, Auckland

Instagram: @joicejlau

Today I return to writing my NZ dining series with a review of Depot Eatery, already an Auckland favourite just two years after it was opened in 2011 by Al Brown. Having seen the rave reviews of Depot everywhere, it quickly made my shortlist of places to try. Sure enough, it didn't disappoint - my mum and I loved it so much that we ended up eating here twice during our long weekend getaway.

Depot is buzzing on any given night and its popularity is evident just by looking at the happy crowd inside and the people waiting outside for a table. We were lucky to get seats fairly quickly on both visits, perhaps due to our party size being just two. Seating throughout is bar-style and relaxed, with elevated bar chairs and tables, and they've thoughtfully included bag hooks next to most seats. There is also seating at the bar itself, where you can admire the booze collection on the racks above you while ordering your tipple and food from the super friendly bartenders.

The menu, presented to us by our waitress as a large folded-up sheet of paper in keeping with the chilled-out vibe of Depot (and no doubt because they constantly rotate their offerings), is divided into sections for oysters, small share plates, large share plates, sides, and drinks. Both nights, we ordered a jug of NZ cider to sip as we deliberated on our choices.

Suzuran, Camberwell, Melbourne

Instagram: @joicejlau

It's already evident from my existing blog posts that I'm a Japanese food devotee. Authentic Japanese food in Melbourne is generally quite pricey and fancy, and sometimes I find myself just wanting a quick, cheap fix. Unfortunately, while there are sushi takeaways all over Melbourne, it's a real struggle to find an authentic one.

Suzuran, an unassuming little place at the northern end of Burke Rd in Camberwell, is welcome relief in Melbourne's sea of faux-Japanese. This is a grocery shop and sushi takeaway run by an all-Japanese team, which becomes apparent as soon as you walk in and hear the Japanese chatter and see the handwritten Japanese signs everywhere.

My family and I dropped in near closing time to pick up some sushi for dinner. The queue of customers even at that hour was a good first sign. A further glance around revealed that for a takeaway shop, Suzuran's roster of sushi and sashimi offerings is pretty impressive. You can order from a long list of platter combinations and/or from the individual piece menu. I noticed rather cool ingredients on the list, such as yuzu and whelk on the individual piece menu. I'm also pleased to report that Suzuran is super vegetarian-friendly; they offer many vegetarian platters and are also happy to do customised vegetarian platters.

The platter menu