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The Spinoff
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Spinoff
Three ways of eating, bound together in one perfect room
At Amuse Snack Bar, the lines between ambition, tradition and comfort blur into something extraordinary. There are so many different reasons to eat out, and so many different ways to enjoy restaurants. I am not ashamed to admit that I absolutely adore it when a chef gets all silly and cheffy, mucking about with produce in ways I never thought possible. You know the kind of place: all manner of things being dehydrated, rehydrated, fermented and pickled. A three-word description on the menu in a sans serif font. In the middle, there are those places that do it traditionally in the very best sense of the word. Parfaits worth their weight in silk next to sauces so shiny magpies tap at the window to get at them. Recipes from a hundred years ago brought up to date. And then there are places you pop into because you know it's honest, proper food. That cafe that spreads actual butter thickly right up to the edges of fresh bread, a pot of pickles next to everything, because of course you want pickles. A whole ham on the bone cooked up at the start of the week for sandwiches and salads. Sometimes, we get all three in one. We get Amuse Snack Bar at the top of Willis Street. Opened by Dori Raphael in March, Amuse is the culmination of a life of hospitality experience and the realisation of a dream she has held for years. Born in London, she moved to Aotearoa at the age of 15 and dedicated most of her life to music. Travelling the world and ending up back in London studying for her masters in music, the one constant was service. She worked the floor at the famous Strawberry Fare in Wellington, then went on to work at the historic Poilâne bakery in London and found a home among the all-female staff at 26 Grains in Neal's Yard, where she was head barista for two years. When Covid hit, she moved home and began planning for a new challenge. Roles at People's Coffee and Hillside rounded off her training, and in 2025, she decided the time was right to take the leap. Situated on the ground floor of a university hall of residence, the space itself is Tardis-like. To walk through the door is to enter somewhere totally unexpected, like your eyes have glitched momentarily from the urban sprawl of upper Willis Street and into a historic space somewhere in Italy. A concrete room, which, in the wrong hands, could feel clinical and unlived in, becomes warm and right. Antique furniture and jars of ferments and pickles fill the space, the kitchen and pantry jutting out into the room. Anyone who has spent any time in either France or England will know of the jambon beurre, a sandwich so simple that there is simply nowhere to hide. Bread, butter, ham and cornichons. That is it. Here, the bread is a traditional demi-baguette. It is golden and blistered with two small burnt ends to nibble away at. The butter has been whipped up until it is light and frothy and spiked liberally with sea salt. Next, Raphael braises ham hocks before shredding the meat away, leaving something fatty and salty and intensely decadent. A final peppering of sharp cornichons finishes the whole thing off. This is a truly world-class version of an iconic sandwich. This is no fluke; all of the sandwiches are beyond anything this city has seen before. Egg mayonnaise is laced with tarragon and chives and served on a plump brioche roll with a fistful of greens. Salmon is cured in beetroot before it is cut generously and served on seeded bread with cream cheese and greens. There is the Snack Plate. Yes, I am putting it in capital letters, for it is singular and profound and deserves to be recognised as such. It is the lunch we all dream of; a plate filled elegantly with all manner of picky things. There are wedges of properly crumbly cheese stacked up next to a little bunch of red grapes and a pot of brightly coloured pickles. A fistful of chopped salad full of red cabbage, greens, chewy grains and thinly sliced radish. Tomatoes dressed simply in salt and oil, a thick smudge of salty butter and a chutney that is the spirit of a European Christmas distilled down into something spreadable. All this next to four doorstop slices of their homemade malt and seed sourdough. You can add house-cured salmon, that ham hock or other bits. For me, I can't quite get past the nostalgia of a thinly sliced boiled egg. This all sounds so simple and comforting, which is why the eating is quite so magical – like going to your gran's for lunch, but your gran just so happens to be one of the best chefs in the world. Come four o'clock, the menu changes – the amenable and polite Dr Jekyll changes form and a rambunctious Mr Hyde appears. I'm handed a menu consisting of small plates, platters, bar nibbles and a comprehensive, curated drinks list. A couple of decent bottles from Aotearoa and a few Italian gems. Cans of craft beer from across the country and a tight roster of classic aperitivo. Of all of these, it is most difficult to look past the good selection of vermouth that comes served over ice and topped up with a light soda. You can almost hear the dominoes being tapped down on the tables by the old gentlemen while the nonnas fuss around. The small plates, much like everything else here, are so good they defy logic, expectation and all common sense. Take the rillettes with pickled cherries. Pork and duck rendered down in the oven for hours with spices and aromats before being set in a pleasing tower. On its own it is bold and wintry with big chunks of shredded meat rippled with fat. On the plate whole, and in a liquor such a deep and vibrant red that it feels as though you have accidentally stumbled on the aftermath of some terrible crime, they are all things sweet and spiced and sharp that the terrine is not. The list of brilliance is endless. There is a mushroom parfait, lighter than is strictly possible and served with foraged mushrooms. Platters are beautiful and invoke a sense of childlike wonder, like walking through the forest with your family: cheese and cured meats nestle among pickled artichokes and seeds that have been baked in honey and are now sweet. A roulade has been made here and is enriched with tarragon and rosemary folded through. An artichoke dip sits in the centre and is a molten pot of pure luxury, and all of that bread in a pile to one side. Some places in this world truly confound my understanding of what food and eating out can be. Amuse is a room I think about every time the opportunity to eat out comes up and a space I find myself spending more and more time in each week. It is not one single thing, but rather every single last microscopic thing I love about eating out all somehow bound tightly together in one room.
Herald Sun
02-05-2025
- Business
- Herald Sun
Tiny Timboon townhouse likened to Dr Who's Tardis could be yours for $310,000
A Tardis-esque townhouse in regional Victoria is for sale with a $310,000-$341,000 asking range. The one-bedroom home is located at 51 Leahys Lane, Timboon — a town on the 12 Apostles Gourmet Food Trail that's known for its artisanal food offerings, music festivals and the nearby Port Campbell National Park. Set on a 714sq m, the residence was created by the Melbourne-based prefabricated modular abode designer and builder Anchor Homes. RELATED: Forever suburbs: Areas where Melbourne homebuyers stay the longest revealed Inner city bayside vibes rock at clever Tardis-like townhouse: Geelong Warrnambool: Gothic-style former school, church hits the market as an expansive home Ray White Rural Timboon principal Gerard Delaney said the 'funky' home was like Dr Who's famous time-travelling Tardis because it appeared larger on the inside than the exterior would suggest. 'It does lend itself to a single person, a couple, short-term stay or an investor,' Mr Delaney said. The living and dining area features fuel heating and a split system, while the kitchen is fitted with grey subway tiles and a pantry. Block-out blinds, a glass sliding door with a custom-built retractable screen door, an office space and bedroom with two built-in wardrobes are among the other highlights. The laundry opens to the garden that showcases a deck, shed, water tank and wood storage box, and there's even a solar system. Mr Delaney said the owner had asked Anchor Homes to modify one of their usual two-bedroom designs into a one-bedroom abode. 'It's on a beautiful block and is right next to the hospital and school,' he added. Pending council approval, another home could be installed on the block or even a pool. 'You could jump straight from the deck into the pool,' Mr Delaney said. In 2024, Timboon won the 'Top Tiny Tourism Town' category in the Victoria Tourism Industry Council's annual awards. The area triumphed over other towns with a population of 1500 residents or less, including Arthurs Seat, Dookie, Koondrook and Trawool. 'This the new Daylesford, it's going off,' Mr Delaney said. The townhouse will be auctioned at 3pm on May 10. Sign up to the Herald Sun Weekly Real Estate Update. Click here to get the latest Victorian property market news delivered direct to your inbox. MORE: Blairgowrie: Pad with sculpture garden the ideal location for White Lotus-like parties Restoration Australia: Beaumaris mid-century marvel restored on television show for sale Revealed: What happened to Freddie Mercury's fortune, $58m home?
Forbes
01-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Urban First For IKEA As It Opens Highest Profile Store In The World
After over four long years shuttered, London's iconic Topshop store is back but not with the fashion retailer's name upon it – though rumors of a retail return for Topshop do abound – but as an IKEA. Right in the heart of London's West End the much-awaited IKEA Oxford Street store debuted on May 1, following a very lengthy renovation of the Grade II listed building at 214 Oxford Street which sits on the intersection of Oxford Street and Regent Street. It's the second urban store to be opened in London by IKEA and when it threw open its stores this morning there were large crowds outside gathered to see just what the Swedish furniture and homewares retailer could cram onto a footprint far smaller than its huge out-of-town big box units and also catering for an audience that will largely live in smaller homes and will be in need of space saving solutions. So just what can shoppers expect? Well the Tardis-like IKEA actually spans three floors of the 239,000-square-foot, seven-story building, with offices above, and it has two other retail tenants within the block it owns. Nike is revamping its famous Nike Town and will temporarily take over Microsoft's vacated store, which sits diagonally opposite and next to Apple's store. A 4,600-square-foot Space NK will also join the line-up as a new tenant. And perhaps the biggest surprise is that despite being on a smaller footplate and in the middle of a city, the IKEA experience feels remarkably familiar – right down to the one system around room sets, the market area and, of course, a deli serving Swedish meatballs and other IKEA favorites. Topshop had owned the historic building from 1992 and its store earned legendary status among its youthful fan base, but when it closed its doors in January 2021 IKEA quickly acquired it for a veritable bargain at just over $500 million, working for four years to transform the building. While IKEA has not shared much on the reasons for the delays hoding up the opening up the store, it's fair to imagine that the building was not in great shape when it bought it. The 62,400-square-foot store space is similar in size to its other urban IKEA in west London borough Hammersmith, which acts as the anchor to a shopping center acquired by IKEA's property sister business Ingka Centers andreinvented as the Livat centre. Oxford Circus is divided into a first floor of edited products, then two basement floors house the traditional room sets, design services, plus a 130-seater Swedish deli and take-out offer. The first floor is for curated rooms and products. IKEA The ground floor is the smallest and merchandising has been deliberately kept at low levels to showcase the curated products – but it feels like a luxury in a high rent location and it would be no surprise to see this element change. By contrast, the lower floors feel far more familiar and the operation is slick, well presented and sure to be a huge hit with IKEA fans. The Oxford Street store also features a Live Studio for broadcasting or events, plus a 'Re-Shop' and 'Re-Use' section for second-life, second-hand and discontinued IKEA products, while a deliver service will also be available. It brings IKEA's U.K. portfolio to 21 full size stores, two city stores, one order and collection and three plan and order points and the retailer has already pledged that it is committed to opening more outlets in the U.K., with plans for a major new site this summer in Brighton at the Churchill Square shopping center it acquired in late 2023 and smaller outlets in Norwich, Chester and Harlow. It's most recent urban projects have been in the U.S. and it has made no secret of its desire to keep exapnding in North America and with larger formats in Asia. The high profile opening comes at a time when retail broker Savills has said that Oxford Street, one of the major casualties of the pandemic as retailers deserted the street in their droves, is effectively full, with a wave of new brands due to open or already trading having just opened, including Abercrombie & Fitch, New Balance, Mango, Moss Bros, Uniqlo, Foot Asylum, Holland & Barrett, Pandora, and Puma, which could bring vacancies down to less than 1%. For now though the story is all about IKEA and its most high profile and urban location anywhere in the world. Meatball and a wardrobe anybody?
The Guardian
28-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Little Angel Theatre's Miniature Travelling Circus review – tiny treats for tots
Roll up, roll up! Abracadabra! There's barely a trad circus trick missed in this one-woman puppet show, first seen in 2022, with its red and gold trimmings, accordions a-go-go and Tardis-like top hat. That vintage vibe, perfectly suiting the atmospheric Little Angel, includes the performing animals introduced by George the ringmaster (Lizzie Wort, who co-wrote and devised with director Miranda Pitcher). We behold lions, tigers and monkeys that George says – a little too nostalgically – once did stunts with the show. They have been replaced by jumping fleas and playful mice although this reformed spectacle with pet-friendlier tricks rather queers its pitch by then including bunnies who apparently ride bikes. The big finale is a canine spin on a Savitsky Cats-style routine. Aimed at children aged two to five, it's a jaunty, 45-minute whirl boosted by some lively rhymes, Wort's warm approach (matched by Sherry Coenen's lighting) and a bouncy score from Julian Butler. Neither this circus's hazy backstory nor the trifling plot pull you in: it's about the carousel of acts, most featuring attractive puppets designed by Lyndie Wright (including a cheery clown) and some involving participation from the audience. Wort does particularly well with one young volunteer who appears to have second thoughts when in the spotlight. The attention to detail impresses: a ruffing dog wearing a ruff, the sparkly eyed Miss Scratchy Cat with a luxuriously fluffed-up tail, a stamped addressed envelope handed to an audience member with a flea in their hair, for them to return the insect at their leisure. Some of the designs are too teeny to fully appreciate, at least from my row, but there is a marvellous big top that pops up inside a book, designed by Vicki Fullick, and a carefully strung thread of mini-bunting. Pitcher's set and costume design have a bygone charm and, while it lacks a real wow moment, this whimsical show has plenty of nice touches. At the Little Angel theatre, London, until 19 April
The Independent
13-02-2025
- The Independent
This bag meets Ryanair's strict hand luggage rules – and it's just £10
Whether you've found a cheap flight to Barcelona or you're embarking on a weekend sojourn in Italy, if you don't want to get stung by hand luggage restrictions (we've all been there), then finding the right-size carry-on is crucial. Airlines have doubled down on their bag restrictions in recent years – perhaps none more so than Ryanair, which requires bags to measure just 40cm x 20cm x 25cm. Gone are the days when you could freely wheel a small cabin bag on your short-haul flight. Now, you're allowed just one small personal item while travelling (unless you want to cough up cash for extra baggage). Even carrying a water bottle can load you with a fine – see the recent story of a Ryanair passenger who got charged £50 for a cross-body 750ml flask. Enter the Narwey bag. With more than 150 million views on TikTok, the cabin bag goes viral each summer for being a Tardis-like solution to Ryanair's strict rules, with its boxy design also complying with easyJet, Wizz Air, Jet2 and more. Better yet, the luggage will set you back just £10 thanks to Amazon (a fraction of the cost of adding an extra bag to your ticket). If you need further convincing, the Narwey bag comes approved by our travel experts, securing a spot in our review of the best hand luggage bags. Whether you're heading on a sunny city break or a balmy beach holiday, find out how to buy the bag below – plus everything you need to know about Ryanair's hand luggage restrictions. How strict is Ryanair with hand luggage? While easyJet and Wizz also have tricky luggage allowance, Ryanair has a notoriously strict policy. This is mostly down to smaller cabin areas, leaving limited space for excess bags. More often than not, attendants will measure your bag in a frame before boarding to ensure it complies with their dimensions. If you fail to meet the restrictions or bring a second bag, your bag will be tagged and placed in the aircraft hold subject to a fee anywhere between £40-£60. What are the Ryanair hand luggage dimensions? Ryanair allows you to carry on board a small cabin bag measuring 40cm x 20cm x 25cm, which must fit under the seat in front of you. What hand luggage can you take on Ryanair? If you need extra hand baggage allowance, you can buy a priority ticket that lets you carry two cabin bags. This includes a small personal bag (40cm x 20cm x 25cm), which must fit under the seat in front of you and a 10kg bag (55cm x 40cm x 20cm) to be stored in the overhead locker. Dubbed the best budget buy in our review of the best hand luggage bags and being awarded five stars (out of five), Narwey's cabin bag has gone viral on TikTok for good reason. Designed to meet Ryanair's maximum measurements for personal items, our tester said the bag's 'boxy shape means it's impossible to flout them (unlike some other bags, which might risk exceeding restrictions when filled to capacity)', Their favourite features included the extra-long handles (which extend down to the bottom of the bag, for extra security) and the accessible side pocket. 'We also love the way it folds flat when not in use – on occasions when we were travelling with checked baggage, we could simply empty it and shove it in our suitcase after the flight,' they added. An absolute must-have for any adventure you're planning this summer and beyond.
