October 24, 2024 • 5 mins
Tony Astle is back in New Zealand, and this week he ate at Ponsonby’s San Ray.
They serve bistro classics with the vibrant flavours of Southern California and Mexico, all cooked over coals and woodfire.
Tony sampled both the Fresh Waiheke Oysters, the Oysters Natural, the Octopus, and the Wagyu Bavette, among others, each dish ranking well.
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Recipe of the Week: Panforte
Ingredients
- 150 g almonds, toasted
- 130 g hazelnuts, toasted
- 180 g dried peaches or apricots, chopped
- 40 g candied peel, chopped
- 125 g flour, sieved
- 25 g cocoa powder
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp allspice
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground gloves
- 180 ml runny honey
- ¼ tsp salt
- 200 g white sugar
- 115 g dark chocolate
Method:
- Heat oven to 155 deg C. Grease and line a 23cm cake pan with non-stick paper.
- Sieve together the flour, cocoa, spices, and salt. Combine with all ingredients EXCEPT the honey, sugar and chocolate.
- Combine the honey and sugar in a clean saucepan, and heat until it reaches the soft ball stage, 115-dec C, using a sugar thermometer.
- When the honey/sugar mix reaches that temperature, remove from the stove and cool for 1-2 minutes. Then pour over the chocolate, stirring to melt the chocolate and combine the honey/sugar and melting chocolate together. Do this quickly.
- Add this mix to the other ingredients.
- Combine, and then press into the lined cake pan. This will take some strength!* Again work quickly ensuring all dry ingredients are well incorporated.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30 mins. Cool.
- Remove from mould, dust with icing sugar. Cut into thin wedges.
- Eat and enjoy!
*Panforte means strong bread, a reference to its taste rather than its firmness.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Finding the hidden gems at the hospitality scene where I
ate last with Tony Astell on Kerry WOODAM Mornings and
a very good morning to you, Tony.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Estal and good morning to you and d how are
you very well?
Speaker 1 (00:14):
I went to a gorgeous rooftop bar last night for
a workdo, schmoozing our advertisers who were just lovely people
and doing well. Even though you know, times have been tough,
They've been doing well. So it was great. But I
just don't think there can be enough rooftop.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Bars, as you said, I mean to Auckland's got so
much to offer.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
When the whole point of Auckland is either being on
the water yep or being up high looking across at
all the different I mean there were rooftop bars and
rooftop bars, but this was really beautiful bar Albert. It
was just lovely. And the qt's have got a lovely one.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Took the rustles. They run a beautiful hotel. I mean
I go, yeah, quite a lot because it's quite close
to the Chinese restaurant across.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Oh yes, that'sus.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
And of course I just often the one and then
climb the stairs to the other. I quite like that
you know, you.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
Do not climb the stairs to the top floor. That's
a complete fit.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
They have a buzzonder bush.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
They do have a button bushi to the top. Yes,
So where did you eat last?
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Well, I've been three times at this restaurant. So it's
called San Ray and it's one hundred and eighteen Pontsanby Road.
And what did it used to be in the orphans kitchen? Oh?
It was best as many many many years ago, which
you and I will remember, Yes I do, we're old
enough to remember.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
No, I remember it.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
But I mean, this is a San Ray is a
restaurant's open all day, and it's you can go in
there and have a champagne breakfast, or you can just
go in there and have a have a glass of
wine and just a tasting menu.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
It's just used like a proper European.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
But then you can also go in and have serious dinner.
But the pricing is fantastic, it's actually not over the top.
The service is unbelievable. You've just got people that know
they just love hospitality and they've managed to get them
all to go in that place. And the people that
own it own cazardor as well.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
Oh, that's been a run thing.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
And of course I used to go there when the
father owned Cador and now of course the son owns
it with my wife. But they've now opened San Rai,
and look, you just can't I've been three times and
I thought first time, first time they just opened, it
was just you know, it just wasn't quite right, but
you could notice. And I was taking there for to
(02:27):
be presented with my book by Bateman, so that's the
reason I went there that time, excuse me. And then
of course I decided to go back because it's and
we had the most amazing evening. We arrived there at
six and I must have been leave for about eleven.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
Night.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
And the food it's just it's interesting food because it's
not it's not a huge menu. They also have a
set price for about five courses of an eighty five,
which is actually very reasonable.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
For five courses five courses.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
But as I said, you can just go in there
for a tasting and a good glass of wine, and
the wine list is amazing.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
So what would you taste if you went in there.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
Well, of course we had the tumuku mattaku oysters from Wahki,
which are fantastic but the natural ones, I mean, they're
alwaysters natural, but we had them with tequila and lime
grenita nice and that was just that cold zesty, you know,
just just that and the saltiness was like having a
little bit of a bit of a sniff of it
(03:28):
was unbelievable. And then the chekutery, Now he doesn't Darius
does his own curing of meat, and so there was
a checuterie platter that was fantastic. Then of course octopus.
I just wherever I go, I just have to have octopus,
and I must say that was probably one of the
best octopus I have, octopi, octopuses, whatever you want to
(03:50):
call it. That I've had an Auckland. There's some very
good ones, but this one was melting the mouth and
it just happened to be on puaid white being picked
to it with a bit of chili. Yeah, melt in
the mouth. So that was a four ticker.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
So I watched My Octopus Teacher, which is a great documentary.
It's won many awards, and I was terrified after watching
it that I wouldn't eat octopus skin. So I went
to a deli in Melbourne and got some beautiful octopus
and mercifully I could enjoy the documentary while still continuing
to eat.
Speaker 2 (04:19):
Octopus because they're an amazing it's beautiful, I mean, but
that's you can ruin optim Yes, octuplese. I mean, you
could be so damn tough you can't eat it. But anyway,
once you get to know how to do it, it's well
worth it. And it's well worth eating sandrays yep. And
of course then I had the chargrilled wagu balt A
beta's skirt or flank I think, yep. And it was
(04:42):
caramelized butter with a cognact. You've got to be very
careful with a flank steak because it's quite flat and
it can be grainy. But they are cooked well. Of course,
I have very rare and sometimes that can be a
bit tough. However, they just managed to cut it on
the right angle. You've got a cut on the right angle.
It was melting the mouth.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
L Brown does it very well too. He does very good,
doesn't it depo? They like he refuses to buy the
expensive cuts because he said, anybody can make that taste
good taking the cheaper cuts and make it tasting.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
So you have to be a good chef. To do that. Yeah,
otherwise you go on there sort of you know, you
end up with five toothpicks for the rest of the evening,
you know, and it's just not pleasant. Any Yeah, so
that was absolutely amazing. And then of course, oh and
I had a mushroom skewer, which I thought, really do
I really need that? But anyway I didn't. It was
shaitaki and it was crisp and crunchy and absolutely marinated beautifully.
(05:33):
Everything got four ticks, so I have to give that
and I give five ticks to the staff.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
That is fantastic. That's well okay, Well that will definitely
be by on my list. Thank you, Tony. This week's
recipe of the week go to Newstalk, saidb dot co
dot n z And oh that looks.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
Beautiful and you should make this. It's quite difficult, but
it's well worth get your son in all to make
it for you.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
Yeah, well he'll be good at this. Thank you so much, Tony.
Finding the hidden gems at the hospitality scene where I
ate last with Tony Astell on Kerry WOODAM Mornings and
a very good morning to you, Tony.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Estal and good morning to you and d how are
you very well?
Speaker 1 (00:14):
I went to a gorgeous rooftop bar last night for
a workdo, schmoozing our advertisers who were just lovely people
and doing well. Even though you know, times have been tough,
They've been doing well. So it was great. But I
just don't think there can be enough rooftop.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Bars, as you said, I mean to Auckland's got so
much to offer.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
When the whole point of Auckland is either being on
the water yep or being up high looking across at
all the different I mean there were rooftop bars and
rooftop bars, but this was really beautiful bar Albert. It
was just lovely. And the qt's have got a lovely one.
Speaker 2 (00:49):
Took the rustles. They run a beautiful hotel. I mean
I go, yeah, quite a lot because it's quite close
to the Chinese restaurant across.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Oh yes, that'sus.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
And of course I just often the one and then
climb the stairs to the other. I quite like that
you know, you.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
Do not climb the stairs to the top floor. That's
a complete fit.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
They have a buzzonder bush.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
They do have a button bushi to the top. Yes,
So where did you eat last?
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Well, I've been three times at this restaurant. So it's
called San Ray and it's one hundred and eighteen Pontsanby Road.
And what did it used to be in the orphans kitchen? Oh?
It was best as many many many years ago, which
you and I will remember, Yes I do, we're old
enough to remember.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
No, I remember it.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
But I mean, this is a San Ray is a
restaurant's open all day, and it's you can go in
there and have a champagne breakfast, or you can just
go in there and have a have a glass of
wine and just a tasting menu.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
It's just used like a proper European.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
But then you can also go in and have serious dinner.
But the pricing is fantastic, it's actually not over the top.
The service is unbelievable. You've just got people that know
they just love hospitality and they've managed to get them
all to go in that place. And the people that
own it own cazardor as well.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
Oh, that's been a run thing.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
And of course I used to go there when the
father owned Cador and now of course the son owns
it with my wife. But they've now opened San Rai,
and look, you just can't I've been three times and
I thought first time, first time they just opened, it
was just you know, it just wasn't quite right, but
you could notice. And I was taking there for to
(02:27):
be presented with my book by Bateman, so that's the
reason I went there that time, excuse me. And then
of course I decided to go back because it's and
we had the most amazing evening. We arrived there at
six and I must have been leave for about eleven.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
Night.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
And the food it's just it's interesting food because it's
not it's not a huge menu. They also have a
set price for about five courses of an eighty five,
which is actually very reasonable.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
For five courses five courses.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
But as I said, you can just go in there
for a tasting and a good glass of wine, and
the wine list is amazing.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
So what would you taste if you went in there.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
Well, of course we had the tumuku mattaku oysters from Wahki,
which are fantastic but the natural ones, I mean, they're
alwaysters natural, but we had them with tequila and lime
grenita nice and that was just that cold zesty, you know,
just just that and the saltiness was like having a
little bit of a bit of a sniff of it
(03:28):
was unbelievable. And then the chekutery, Now he doesn't Darius
does his own curing of meat, and so there was
a checuterie platter that was fantastic. Then of course octopus.
I just wherever I go, I just have to have octopus,
and I must say that was probably one of the
best octopus I have, octopi, octopuses, whatever you want to
(03:50):
call it. That I've had an Auckland. There's some very
good ones, but this one was melting the mouth and
it just happened to be on puaid white being picked
to it with a bit of chili. Yeah, melt in
the mouth. So that was a four ticker.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
So I watched My Octopus Teacher, which is a great documentary.
It's won many awards, and I was terrified after watching
it that I wouldn't eat octopus skin. So I went
to a deli in Melbourne and got some beautiful octopus
and mercifully I could enjoy the documentary while still continuing
to eat.
Speaker 2 (04:19):
Octopus because they're an amazing it's beautiful, I mean, but
that's you can ruin optim Yes, octuplese. I mean, you
could be so damn tough you can't eat it. But anyway,
once you get to know how to do it, it's well
worth it. And it's well worth eating sandrays yep. And
of course then I had the chargrilled wagu balt A
beta's skirt or flank I think, yep. And it was
(04:42):
caramelized butter with a cognact. You've got to be very
careful with a flank steak because it's quite flat and
it can be grainy. But they are cooked well. Of course,
I have very rare and sometimes that can be a
bit tough. However, they just managed to cut it on
the right angle. You've got a cut on the right angle.
It was melting the mouth.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
L Brown does it very well too. He does very good,
doesn't it depo? They like he refuses to buy the
expensive cuts because he said, anybody can make that taste
good taking the cheaper cuts and make it tasting.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
So you have to be a good chef. To do that. Yeah,
otherwise you go on there sort of you know, you
end up with five toothpicks for the rest of the evening,
you know, and it's just not pleasant. Any Yeah, so
that was absolutely amazing. And then of course, oh and
I had a mushroom skewer, which I thought, really do
I really need that? But anyway I didn't. It was
shaitaki and it was crisp and crunchy and absolutely marinated beautifully.
(05:33):
Everything got four ticks, so I have to give that
and I give five ticks to the staff.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
That is fantastic. That's well okay, Well that will definitely
be by on my list. Thank you, Tony. This week's
recipe of the week go to Newstalk, saidb dot co
dot n z And oh that looks.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
Beautiful and you should make this. It's quite difficult, but
it's well worth get your son in all to make
it for you.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
Yeah, well he'll be good at this. Thank you so much, Tony.
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