We came here for a dessert after dinner. Had to wait 20 minutes for a table for two, which wasn't…read morebad since we left our number with them so we could wander around. I chose to have the lemon and yoghurt bombe alaska that was fantastic. The right amount of sweetness and tartness. There was a bit of confusion that kind of spoiled our experience as we also ordered the passion fruit and peach chocolate bon bon and was only told after the dish arrived that the passion fruit and peach were only available as shards, which was eight dollars more. We would have appreciated the waitress explaining that some of the chocolates came as shards and the others as bon bons, so we felt like we were tricked into ordering something. The cookie dough macaron was good but didn't remind us of cookie dough, more of a chocolate macaron. We left wanting a lot more from our experience chocolate- and pastry-wise.

The lemon yogurt bomb Alaska is the best "popsicle" ice cream bar I've had. It's not too sweet or…read moretangy and balances our dessert well. It has a crispy lemony coating over a frozen yogurt middle, finished off with stripes of meringue on the top. It all case together so well! The cookies and cream rocher was also very delicious. It was topped with edible gold, had a crunchy cookies and cream outer layer before you hit a velvety chocolate mousse later. Finally, the inside had bits of cookie. It sounds very sweet and sickly but was pleasantly well balanced. I wish they had a Milse where I'm from! Actually maybe not, or else I'd be so broke.

Everyone has heard of Milse. Now famous for the long queues outside the little shop, I can still…read moreremember the first time I stepped inside. Now taking it into their own hands, husband and wife duo Brian and Roselle Campbell have created Sweet Cuisine pop-ups as real time crowd funding for their own dessert shop. I met them and interviewed them earlier this year and they are just the sweetest and most talented team. Clooney had always been on my radar for special occasions but other places had always gotten in the way. When word got out that we would get to dine at the flash Belle Epoque room downstairs with the open kitchen, all my excuses seemed irrelevant. It was the first time Sweet Cuisine had a communal dining format with a long table seating only 18 people. At the beginning, most people talked within their groups but being opposite interesting strangers, it was easy to start conversations. I went with fellow foodie and blogger Amy from My Dining Journey and we found out we were right next to amazing chefs and bakers. Convenient right? Turns out it was all planned with the thoughtful intentions of Brian and Roselle. Haha! Talk about knowing your customers well :) First course: Granny smith apple, feijoa, Heilala vanilla and ginger. Once I got over the initial thought that the egglets were not white chocolate, it was even harder to get over how cute they were. As a first course, I loved how light it was and almost teasing because soon everyone was scraping their eggs to get to that beautiful ginger which lay at the bottom. The combination of granny smith, vanilla and feijoa was a winner. Second course: Pineapple, passionfruit, coconut, banana and dulcey. It had the look of a beautiful Milse dessert but it didn't have the dark imprint of the overshadowing HIP group. I LOVED the small moichi-like balls on the side. Luckily the red chocolate ball was already halved. The rest of us just had to exercise our demolition skills as we tried to calmly break the case without sending shards across the table to our new friends. Third course: Figs, quince, honey, chestnut and oats This is where the flavours got interesting and complex. I'm not a fig person so I wasn't sure where my tastebuds would take me. If it was a normal degustation, I would consider this the mains. It was quite filling from the oats. The conversation took a funny turn with someone tentatively asking whether we were meant to eat the skin on figs. Even as "self acclaimed foodies" we didn't have a straight answer! Most people though, ended up eating the whole thing. Even I enjoyed it, although I couldn't expect any less coming from the Campbell kitchen! Fourth course: Valrhona chocolate, blackcurrant, coffee and hazelnut. Oh my. Totally the climax of the night. Not only stunning to look at, I was so inspired by the different textures that Brian had created on the dish. From the marshmallow to the mini magnum, my thoughts were only affirmed by the "oh wow"s around the table as everyone tucked into it. It was a pleasure watching Brian and his team at work. There was a calm aura as they lovingly put the desserts together. All the dishes were so clever and I know I left more inspired. As I came home to finish my marking, I knew I didn't make a mistake in breaking out of my nana mode. Starting off the week sweet was an uplifting start to the week. And knowing that macarons and cookies would be my morning tea for the next day kept the smile on my face. Even if I had accidentally squashed them in my bag (sorry Roselle!). Keep an eye out for their next pop-up! There's always something interesting about each one and they're popping up at restaurants like Orphan's Kitchen, Meredith's and Ima Deli. And if you haven't already seen it, here's the interview with Brian Campbell if you didn't catch it the last time.

Most of you would have heard of Milse. The amazing dessert bar and patisserie that opened up in…read moreBritomart a few years ago. Serving gelato on sticks, gateaux, chocolates, sweet tarts, plus their stand out macarons, Milse has become a bit of a phenomenon. Because really, who doesn't love chocolate and dessert?!?! The mastermind behind creating all of Milse's desserts is pâtissier, Brian Campbell. He has 15 years' experience working in Michelin star restaurants in the United Kingdom and at award winning restaurants here in New Zealand, at the likes of Kermadec and The French Cafe. Most recently, Brian has left Milse and has started up his own company, namely Sweet Cuisine' A Dessert Pop Up. So far, he and his wife, Roselle Campbell have hosted a dessert night at Fred's Espresso in Ponsonby where they teamed up with Giapo to create ice cream sandwiches, sundaes and drinks and they also had a dessert pop up at Merediths last week. And, a few nights' ago, I attended their second dessert pop up (however this one was special because all the desserts were made using Valrhona chocolate - the best quality chocolate in my opinion, you can buy it here) AND it was held at Sidart in Ponsonby. I have always wanted to dine at Sidart however it is quite expensive - will definitely need to save up one day! Brian and his team used the kitchens at Sidart and for about 20 minutes, my friend and I had the whole restaurant to ourselves, which was a pretty great feeling! The dessert pop up at Sidart involved a 3 course degustation - $45 per person, and an optional 4th course for $9, however sadly we were too full for the 4th course! All the dishes were beautifully presented and almost too pretty to eat! To accompany the desserts, they were also serving sweet Italian dessert wine, sparkling water, teas and coffee. My friend and I decided on a glass of the 'Prunotto Moscato d'Asti 2013′. With aromas of peach and honey, this was the perfect drink for our dessert night. The first dessert was a white chocolate panacotta, made of Ivoire 32% Valrhona chocolate. Surrounding the panacotta were bite-sized raspberries, blueberries and peaches, all topped off with freeze dried raspberries and fresh basil. It was a refreshing way to start the meal and the basil brought out all the flavours. I never thought to use herbs in baking, but I will definitely try it out now! The second course was a sponge like pudding with stewed apricots, hazelnut praline and a sauce inside using Dulcey 35% Valrhona chocolate. While the apricots were delicious, my friend and I could hardly taste the Valrhona chocolate - we felt like the apricots were too overpowering. This could possibly be due to the fact that the chocolate is only 35% - it might have a very subtle flavour. Last but not least, a to.die.for chocolate sphere, made entirely of Guanaja 70% Valrhona chocolate. Dark chocolate being one our favourite foods, my friend and I were amazed by this wonderful creation. Roselle explained the dish in great detail - two mousses, one with hints of tonka beans (vanilla bean substitute), and the other being rich and chocolatey. There was also a chocolate 'soil' surrounding the sphere, consisting of macadamia nuts, nougat and cacao nibs. But Roselle left out one surprise... Yes, popping candy! We were not expecting that at all, and it was truly the most exciting dish I have ever tasted. Every mouthful was full of joy and my friend and I couldn't stop smiling! It was a great night overall, with brilliant and creative desserts, a lovely host and a stunning venue. I cannot wait to see what is next in store for Sweet Cuisine! Note: If you would like some more information, check out Sweet Cuisine's website and Facebook page ("Sweet Cuisine' A Dessert Pop Up by Brian Campbell"), so you can keep up to date!

2000th review goes to family love on Yelp review! I do it for the fam and fan bam!…read more Freshly puffed up and fluffy! It's nice and light for a cheesecake - almost like a spongecake, but made with cheese! One can see the makings through their clear windows! The smell of baking it up, can be alluring as well! I like how they offer chocolate cheesecake as an option for the chocolate lovers. They offered the imprint of the good fortune guy for new years on the cheesecake for the festivity on Lunar New Years! There can be a line to wait for these lovelies since it is made on the spot! It's a good welcome for the Queens street in main downtown Auckland. From Japan, this one marks a great spot to obtain some cheesecake puffed pastry for a snack or for a festivity dessert - like Lunar New Years!

Finally got the chance to get my hands on the famous cheesecake here!…read more We arrived around 8pm and luck for us there was no line, ordered a cake and sampled it the next day. I can understand the hype and this is a very light and delicious cheesecake. Typical I am not a fan of cheesecake due to the heaviness but this cheesecake from uncle Tetsu is nice and fluffy! It actually resembles more of a cake that cheesecake. If you're a lover of cheesecake you'll definitely need to try!

This ice cream place is so good. My husband and I always gets the Nutella banana crepes with vanila…read moreice cream yum we also had the Nutella banana rolled ice cream, mango rolled ice cream and the melon banana ice cream. Super Yum This place deserves more than 5 stars. It is so good. Coming from a place that's super hot, we would love for this business to be at our hometown. Now with the Nutella Milkshake! It gets better and better! You won't regret it!

Roll up, roll up. There's a new ice cream joint in town. Smoothly blending into the cassata-like…read morecacophony that is K road, Bangkok gives no clue as to why it serves frozen treats rather than red curry. However, it puts on a better show than a ladyboy, letting you choose from over 30 flavours (including combinations), preparing your ice cream from scratch - fresh cream and dollops of chosen flavour, and multiple toppings before stirring, chopping, rolling and serving your chosen delicacy with greater dexterity than its namesakes finest craftsmen. This place is as good for little kids as it is for big ones, for daytime refreshment and at night for swaying, cone in hand, beer goggled through the circus of K Road delights.

Thanks Gateua House for a memorable chocolate moose experience. Will tell all my chocolate addicts…read moremates to visit the Gateau House! You chaps are friendly and easy going; thus keep humble people like us coming back to Gateau House!

Ever walked into a cafe & promptly fainted with sheer delight? This is a distinct possibility with…read moreThe Gateau House. Situated on Queen Street, opposite Aotea Square & within drooling distance of the Civic, Auckland library & the Art Gallery, this treasure weaves it's magic on an unassuming, daily basis. The selection of freshly baked goods available for purchase, is truely mesmerising. One can spend hours oohing & aahing over the contents of their impressive display cabinets but, as the saying goes - the proof is in the pudding. Do not come here for a coffee & a slice - come here for a celebration of visual creativity & taste sensations! If you are able to contain yourself and have only 1 of these delicious morsels with your coffee, & resist the urge of ordering another, congratulate yourself - you possess a willpower stronger than that of the Vestal Virgins who guarded the ancient temples. Unlike the Virgins though, you can come & go as you please...& linger for hours to savour your experience if you so wish. Do so soon! Takeaway is available & encouraged...

I have a very fond memory of when I first tried one of Jordan Rondel's cakes. It was early 2013,…read moreand the High Street Market was on at Freyburg Square. As soon as the clock struck 1pm, I rushed down to the square, determined to try only one thing: cake. Ever since devouring a slice of Jordan's Dark Chocolate, Pear + Pistachio cake that day, I have been following her journey ever since. The same year, Jordan released her first cookbook titled '50 New and Unusual Recipes' and yes, her creations are interesting, but they work. What I love about Jordan's cakes (and other delights) is that you won't find anything similar in Auckland. They are also not your usual carrot cake, banana cake or simple chocolate cake. For example, in her book you will find recipes such as a 'Rhubarb + Black Doris Plum cake', 'Vegan Triple Coconut + Raspberry cake', 'Sweet + Salty Potato Chip Cookies' and 'Raw Hazelnut + Chai Brownies'. Her aim is to use organic ingredients and some of her cakes are vegan, dairy and gluten free. In 2014, Jordan moved into a small but well designed space on Karangahape Road, where she and her team bake all the cakes, pies, cookies and other delicious goodies made to order. The shop is not open to the public, but she has held a cake demonstration there - which I loved. I have also attended another one of her cake demonstrations at Farro Fresh in Grey Lynn, been to a high tea at DeBretts Kitchen, hosted by Jordan and featured bite sized versions of her cakes. I also won tickets to Karen Walker's birthday party last year, where Jordan presented Karen Walker with the most beautiful tiered cake I had ever seen! I also finally introduced myself to Jordan, telling her I was her biggest fan ever. Earlier this year, she released two cake mixes to the public - Triple Coconut + Raspberry and Chilli Chocolate. I have only tried the Triple Coconut + Raspberry cake so far, however it is super easy to make! All the ingredients are pre packaged and come in a beautifully designed tin. The only ingredients you need to add is coconut milk and coconut oil. The mix even comes with freeze dried raspberry powder (a lovely addition!). I thought this was a brilliant idea and especially perfect for those living outside of Auckland or overseas. I gifted one to my sister for her birthday - she is living in Sydney! Furthermore, Jordan is now making mini versions of her cakes, and you can buy these at Vulcan Lane Bagels in Auckland CBD, from Tuesday to Friday, between 7am and 3pm. You can also order cakes here and pick them up!. Jordan has just recently launched her second cookbook, consisting of 76 recipes of wholesome cakes, cookies and desserts. Last Saturday, I attended the book launch, along with a degustation. It was held at an amazing space in Karangahape Road (two doors down from The Caker's premises), where we went in and out of rooms eating delectable mini cupcakes (five flavours in total), and at the end, we bought Jordan's new book and also met her lovely sister, Anouk. It was a fabulous afternoon and I cannot wait to get baking!

I have admired The Caker's cakes on instagram for a while now. I even got to see them up close and…read morepersonal at the Go Green Expo, but it wasn't until this weekend, that I got to try the real deal. Oh. My. Goodness! We ordered her chocolate gluten free cake for our friend's surprise Hen's Do and I'll admit when I first saw it, I thought it was a little flat but when I tasted it all was forgiven. The texture was incredible - dense, fudgey, melt-in-your-mouth sort of stuff. Not too sweet and despite being dense, not overly rich. For someone who's not normally a cake person, I was impressed. Our cake came decorated with fresh flowers (originally, I thought this was because it was so flat but it turns out that's what the bridesmaids requested) and in a box sealed by a pink ribbon and a postcard. Very cute! We ordered and paid online but you can also directly call Jordan (The Caker). I should also mention that her new store on Ponsonby is by appointment only. It serves really as a pick-up point and a space for tastings if you are wanting a wedding cake or something extra special.

It's my first time ordering cake and Everything went well! I had a taro cake in fruit garden design…read morebaked on the same day as requested and delivered right on time. For some reason I'm unable to add photos here, the see through boxed packaging and ribbon and gold-mirror birthday sign was a beautiful and unexpected surprise. We had to hold back our tears. Bank account and contact details are now saved for a future business. Thank you.

Happened upon this adorable little bakery on a walk to the park. I chose a selection of interesting…read morelooking and delectable sounding treats and I was not disappointed. My favorite was the melon cake. It looked and tasted like watermelon. At $3 a slice it was not a bad deal either. They have a table where you can design your own cakes as well and it is too cute :)

We stopped by after lunch one day during our trip to try their Pavlova dessert and it did not…read moredisappoint! We were scouring the area specifically for pavlova as it's one of my faves and the adorable vibes drew us in. The dessert was lovely and so were the staff. Prices were good and their menu was massive with so many intriguing dessert options. You don't often see pavlova in the US so when I read that it's a popular dessert in New Zealand, I had it on my radar lol. They offer theirs with either passionfruit sauce or "berry" sauce. We went with the passionfruit which is quite unique for pavlova and it was a fantastic combination! The tart passionfruit sauce was a lovely compliment to the soft, sweet merengue. Chocolate Boutique is packed full of handmade chocolate bonbons, cakes, and all sorts of unique dessert gifts and options. They have hot or cold desserts and drinks and much more than just chocolate - like lemon tarts, apple crumble, carrot cake; and all sorts of other things like numerous hot chocolate drink flavors, teas and coffees too. If we weren't so stuffed from lunch I'm sure we would've tried more lol! They have options to order their chocolates online but you can also order desserts at the counter if you're dining in and they'll bring it out to your table. The seating areas quaint little nooks with wide open windows and street views of the cute Parnell area and a large red phone box - total European vibes - loved it! They're a locally owned business with numerous accolades and awards - and fun fact: even former US president Bill Clinton has stopped by!

Parnell is the oldest district in Auckland and in my opinion, the most beautiful. You really…read moreshouldn't miss spending an early afternoon here, shopping its many boutiques, browsing through the art galleries or simply just exploring. Of course, one of the first places I had us go to was the Chocolate Boutique. It might be tempting to eat your way through all those nearby markets (like at La Cigale), but you'll want to save some room for dessert. This shop sells what I consider the best hot chocolate you'll ever taste called the Italian Denso. It is thick, rich and decadent hot chocolate with whipped cream on top and chocolate flakes. Think of it as a cup of a molten lava cake. And the best part, nobody will judge you for drinking your dessert. Okay, maybe SOME skinny model from LA? But she isn't here!

I do not think I have ever spent this much on ice cream before, but it was well worth it. My…read morefavorite thing here were the ice cream cones. The cones are just so unique, whimsical, and just outright fun. We got the helicopter cone and the picture frame cone. If you are like me, then you might be spending quite a bit of time taking pictures with the cone. I was a little sad when my ice cream started melting so I had to start eating it. My sadness than became joy because the gelato is excellent here. I tried a couple of different flavors and it was so difficult to not just get all of them, but we ended up getting the hokey. The gelato was smooth, creamy, and tasty. This is definitely worth the one time visit if you are in the area. I do not regret spending this much on ice cream at all.

Ice cream as an experience, heck yah. New flavors made 2x a day. Free tasting on wooden sticks…read more(eco friendly). Crazy shaped toppers, cones or cups. You can even split flavors in a cup because you won't be able to pic a favorite. Tried some Kiwi favorite and a few true US flavors. The ice cream, gelato?, is made by an Italian and it is so creamy, rich and flavorful. There are also cookies and pastries. Well worth a trip to find this gem of a dessert. The JW Marriott reception recommended it and I do as well Highly recommend and will go back when I return to Auckland in 25 days. Ps - spray bottles of water to shew the pigeons.

This place is RAD…read more Formerly in Grey Lynn, WP relocated to this *sweet* Newmarket shop at the beginning of the year, making it extra handy to my workplace. I love this....my "physique", not so much ;) Entering here is basically like entering Whoopie Pie Heaven. They've taken an American classic and added a kiwi twist with flavours such as Hokey Pokey Chocolate, Anzac Cookie, Tangelo and Mixed Berry, Lamington...and the list goes on. They have two pie sizes, too, depending on your hunger/sweet tooth levels. "Whoopie Pops" are also on offer- a mixture of the pie and filling dipped in white chocolate. Can't reallllly go wrong there. Also awesome: dairy free, egg free and gluten free options available #winning.

I had no idea what a whoopie pie was until I read about this new cafe opening up in Newmarket…read morecalled 'Whoopie'. I had actually never even seen a whoopie pie either, so I was quite excited about this new Kiwi take on a classic American treat! Once I heard it was two cakes sandwiched together with a creamy filling, I was absolutely hooked! My sister and I decided that we would try this place out and we are very glad we did. [Side note: make sure you go on an empty stomach because one Whoopie pie is filling!] We tried the 'Heroic' whoopie pie which is hazelnut and chocolate flavoured and the 'Playful' whoopie pie which consists of peanut butter and chocolate chunks. I was somewhat expecting a dry cake, but in fact it was incredibly moist! The filling just makes it a whole lot better! As well as selling whoopie pies, they also sell 'Whoopie Pops' (which look so nice in-store), hot drinks, milkshakes and ice cream sundaes - would could be more perfect?