Auckland's Iconic Eats is such an inspired idea, you wonder why every city doesn't do it. Started in 2020 to help the city's pandemic-ravaged hospitality industry, the annual programme invites Aucklanders to nominate their favourite local dish. The result is a wonderfully eclectic list of 100 culinary treats that's an invaluable guide for locals and tourists alike.
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On a recent visit to the City of Sails, I put it to the test, choosing three dishes to sample from this year's list: something fancy, something fast and a perennial favourite.
First up, the braised organic beef cheek at Onslow, the elegant flagship restaurant of Michelin-starred Kiwi chef Josh Emett.
Served with charred chunks of Hawke's Bay sweetcorn and topped with parsley puree and buckwheat, it's one of those heavenly, fall-off-the-fork dishes that appears to defy the physics of cooking.
A few days later I find myself in an anonymous Asian food court on Auckland's notorious K' Road (Karangahape Road).
I'm here to try Sneaky Snacky's hot chicken donut burger - a piquant, deep-fried chicken thigh smothered in dill mayo that's wedged between two iced donuts.
The verdict? A sticky, spicy, sweet and salty taste grenade. Or, as nominee Xaviar Rego put it, "Hands down the strangest, most delicious thing I've encountered in Auckland."
There are only four dishes that have appeared on all three annual lists and one of them is the lamington at Sugar Cafe, a popular harbourside brunch spot in the Chelsea Bay Sugar Factory. Arrive early because they often sell out and bring friends because it's enormous.
As a lamington loather I was sceptical, but even I'll concede that its light, fluffy sponge and indulgent lashings of raspberry jam and cream justify its loyal following. As nominee Robyn Churchill said, it "makes you proud to call yourself a Kiwi". iconiceats.co.nz
