Overview
Burmese cuisine is fairly unchartered territory in Auckland. So welcome news then — for both first-timers looking for an introduction and devotees yearning for a repeat — that a restaurant loosely based around the Southeast Asian state has opened in Ponsonby Central.
Honeybear takes the place of Mexican cantina Maldito Mendez and arrives courtesy of acclaimed hospitality duo Mark Wallbank and Che Barrington. The pair already claim fellow Ponsonby eateries The Blue Breeze Inn, Chop Chop Noodle House and Moochowchow and Parnell's ski-lodge/ancient temple mashup, Woodpecker Hill.
Sandwiched between India, Thailand and China, Myanmar's cuisine was always going to have an interesting sense of commingling. Honeybear takes the fusion theme further with an East-meets-West angle that becomes particularly apparent in the form of: poutine with cheese curd and curry gravy.
Indian street snacks are high on the list including the strongly pitched dosa — South India's version of a crepe. For $7, it comes served with mint and coriander chutney and a coconut and chilli sambol. The concept is to use your hands like a true Honeybear, so things are going to get dirty. You'll also find reinventions of classic street food like panipuri, pakora with the upgrade of soft shell crab, 24-hour masala spiced beef and papdi chaat.
To wash it all down, a range of kombucha cocktails have been modelled around famous Maharajas, including one whose horse could outrun a train and another who was a huge fan of Louis Vuitton baggage. Expect the immortal health elixir to be spiked with honey syrups and hard spirits. There's also four variations of lassi and a concise selection of nano-brews, including a German honey wheat beer made in collaboration with Kuaotunu's Blue Fridge Brewery.
As Honeybear is adding its final touches, you can find it inside Ponsonby Central at 4 Brown Street.