Sarita from Ayurveda New Zealand
HELENE RAVLICH:
CELEBRATING OUR LOCAL HOSPO HEROES
It’s been said before and it will most definitely be said again: the past two years have created a scenario that we could never have planned for—and the pandemic's impact on the local hospitality scene has been monumental. Favourite dining spots and bars have been forced to close, whilst others have pivoted (to use a well-worn cliché) to a whole new business model. In order to celebrate and highlight our own local hospitality heroes, we asked some of our favourite local people to name their top picks from around our inner central neighbourhood. Read on, take note, and get planning that next date now. Sarita Solvig Blankenburg is an Ayurvedic medicine
practitioner and yoga therapist, and the founder of Ayurveda New Zealand and the Sattva Botanicals brand. She works with private clients from her Freeman’s Bay clinic, and also recently hosted her first Panchakarma retreat on Kawau Island, which I was lucky enough to attend. Naturally, Little Bird in Summer Street is one of the glowingwith-health local’s favourite spots, “because the food is perfectly in line with my preferred diet; it's fresh, organic, locally sourced and super delicious. All the raw cakes
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and treats are to die for and my fave hot drink is spicy hot chocolate with hazelnut milk and pinch of chilli”. She adds that “during lockdown we lived off all our favourite Little Bird dishes and ordered them in. It kept us afloat!” When it comes to family lunches and brunches, Sarita loves Foxtrot Parlour in Ponsonby Central, saying: “we all love sitting outside in the alley socialising with all the locals, having a chat to the owner and friendly staff. Our favourite dish is the Akaroa salmon on seeded bread. My husband enjoys his coffee and my kids their hot chocolate. All the bakery treats are pretty delicious too." Family dinners are often at Prego, where the “buzzing vibe, friendly staff and delicious food always makes for a special experience. When the weather is nice, we love sitting outside on their veranda. It has a bit of a European atmosphere which I personally enjoy coming originally from Germany”.
PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)
