Covid 19: O'Connell Street Bistro in Auckland CBD to close
A struggling restaurant in central Auckland has become the latest casualty of the fallout from Covid-19.
The popular O’Connell Street Bistro is closing its doors on April 16, ending a 24-year history.
Owners Chris Upton and Amanda Mason said the insecurity caused by Covid-19 and their inability to successfully renegotiate their lease are behind the difficult decision to close.
Unlike many in the hospitality industry they have had to continue paying fixed costs during successive Covid-19 levels, the couple said.
“With the continuing lock downs and the challenges of operating at level 2 in the first two months of 2021, and with no clear respite ahead, it is unsustainable to continue,” Upton said.
The renowned bistro, which corners Shortland St and O’Connell St, won one Hat in the Cuisine Good Food Awards in 2019 and the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for the past 17 years.
The restaurant has weathered many storms including the power crisis in February 1998 when the eatery was forced to shut down just four months after opening.
Next came a restaurant fire on January 26, 2016, which led to a seven-month closure.
Despite this setback, the couple said they kept their team fully employed and focussed on charity work and restaurant pop-ups.
But the restaurant will now close after a final dinner service on April 16.
Upton said the couple was not retiring and might look at another venture in future years.
“While the Bistro has been our life’s work for close to a quarter of a century, we have never thought of it as simply ours.
“It belongs to every one of our fabulous patrons who have supported us and enjoyed our hospitality.
“We have enjoyed one hell of a wonderful ride and our heartfelt thanks go out to all of our guests who have made the Bistro part of their life.”
Upton said the couple had been privileged to work alongside fantastic chefs, managers, sommeliers, waiters and kitchen hands, who had contributed hugely to the bistro’s success.
“We feel great sadness knowing we are at the end of an era, but we also feel joy and satisfaction knowing that together we all created an amazing and special place.”
Renowned NZ chef Al Brown of Auckland eateries Depot and Fed Deli said he was “just gutted” to hear of “the fall of an amazing restaurant.”
“They’re an iconic restaurant, been part of Auckland city for so long, and we’ve never heard a bad word said about them, and I’ve gone there a number of times, and it’s always been an incredible restaurant experience.
“I just feel for them big time. There’s a real sense of community in the restaurant business in Auckland and a lot of people struggling out there including ourselves at depot and feds.
“It’s very sad to hear that they’re closing but there are going to be more casualties.”
BABICHE MARTENS/STUFF
Mark Southon, Chris Upton, Jack Makin in the O'Connell St Bistro when it reopened after a fire in 2016
Hi Aucklanders,
What are your memories of this iconic restaurant?
Feel free to share your bistro experiences here:
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Poll: 🗑️ Would you be keen to switch to a fortnightly rubbish collection, or do you prefer things as they are?
Aucklanders, our weekly rubbish collections are staying after councillors voted to scrap a proposed trial of fortnightly pick-ups.
We want to hear from you: would you be keen to switch to a fortnightly rubbish collection, or do you prefer things as they are?
Keen for the details? Read up about the scrapped collection trial here.
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82.5% Same!
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17.5% Would have liked to try something different
7 tips for buying your Christmas ham
It’s the centerpiece of the Christmas table, so when you’re peering into the supermarket chiller or ordering from the butcher, choosing the perfect ham can feel like a daunting task.
Here are some things to keep in mind when choosing one to bring home with you.
1. What type of ham to buy
You’ve got some decisions to make when it comes to the type of Christmas ham you’re going to buy.
Cooked on the bone (COB) ham is the traditional Christmas ham. If you’re buying a half ham, you’ll have the choice of the shank or fillet end. The shank is the part with the bone sticking out that gives the ham that traditional look. The fillet end is the round part that gives more meat. If you’re deciding whether to get a whole ham or half, consider how quickly you’ll be able to eat it all. You only have about a week to eat an opened ham before it will go off, so it can be a good idea to get two halves. That way you can eat one half during the week of Christmas and save the other for January.
Champagne ham has had the bone removed and only has the hock left on, so it’s easier to carve.
Pressed ham – also known as continental ham – has had the bones removed and has been pressed, so it’s also easy to carve.
2. Check the pork percentage
The label on a packaged ham will say what percentage is actually meat. Hams are injected with brine, to keep them moist, and additives. The brine injection level for manufactured hams is usually between 10% and 35% of the ham's weight. A manufacturer that wants to produce a cheap ham will add more water to bump up the weight.
3. Know how to tell if it’s New Zealand pork
By far, most of the hams bought in New Zealand this Christmas will be from pigs reared overseas. New Zealand imports pork from about 25 countries. It’s frustrating for New Zealand pig farmers because this ham can come from farms that don’t have to meet the same animal welfare standards as we have in this country. As a result, overseas meat is often cheaper.
If buying New Zealand pork is important to you, look for:
words on the packaging like ‘New Zealand pork’ or ‘born and raised in New Zealand’
4. Have a good look at the ham
If you’re going to be glazing your ham, look for one that is covered in a finger-thick layer of fat. This will give you the thickness you need to make good score lines.
New Zealand Pork’s website also advises looking for a ham that has a meaty texture rather than one that looks wet or rubbery. It says the ham’s skin should be smooth with even colouring. “If the knuckle is sunken, it may be overcooked. If the rind is buckled or uneven, it may be a sign of dryness.”
5. Ask a lot of questions
If you’re ordering your pork from a butcher, you probably won’t be able to compare hams like you would at the supermarket. So, make sure you ask lots of questions, now that you know what you’re looking for.
You could ask:
Is the ham made from New Zealand born and farmed pork?
What will be its injection percentage?
What flavours will it have?
You could even ask if there’s a glaze the butcher thinks would work particularly well with those flavours.
6. Know what size you’ll need
If the ham is the only meat on your Christmas menu, New Zealand Pork advises allowing 1kg of ham for five people. Or if you’ve got other meat options, 1kg will feed about six to eight people.
7. Know the best hams in New Zealand
The best hams of the year were awarded at the 100% New Zealand Bacon & Ham Awards earlier in the year so you can check out which ones got medals. Some of them are only available in the city the butcher is based, but a Farmland boneless ham available nationwide won a gold award and Woolworths bone-in and boneless hams picked up bronze.
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Some Choice News!
Many New Zealand gardens aren’t seeing as many monarch butterflies fluttering around their swan plants and flower beds these days — the hungry Asian paper wasp has been taking its toll.
Thanks to people like Alan Baldick, who’s made it his mission to protect the monarch, his neighbours still get to enjoy these beautiful butterflies in their own backyards.
Thinking about planting something to invite more butterflies, bees, and birds into your garden?
Thanks for your mahi, Alan! We hope this brings a smile!
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