Overview
Already celebrated for their unconventional approach to food (and focus on social and sustainable eating), Orphans Kitchen are instinctively throwing another locally-grown-carrot-shaped-spanner in the works. Upon the arrival of Autumn, the Ponsonby bistro will begin a month-long exploration into the world of plants, with the candid objective of making everything "delicious as fuck".
Forgoing the prime cuts of meat often found on the menu, the Root-to-Petal initiative will see the kitchen give their undivided attention to edible plant life, creating a range of vegan and vegetarian dishes for brunch and dinner.
While domestic roast spuds would be a sure-fire dining room champion, the dishes will instead showcase some unconventional native ingredients; expect karengo seaweed alongside slow poached eggs on spelt; kawakawa sourdough in harmony with spinach, cavolo nero and macadamia; bull kelp in potato dumplings with fungi and bok choy, and harakeke flax seeds amongst cucumber, karengo and kelp.
Further captivating menu items include: black bean, aubergine, potato skins and sour cream, sheep milk halloumi with roof honeycomb, onion, pinenut and scaloppini, and duck egg noodles, heirloom corn, buttermilk and marjoram.
Along the way the restaurant hopes to expose new flavours and techniques, as well as inspire diners to elevate their own plant life cooking at home.