Welly On a Plate Pro tips from foodie @Wellingnoms
August 3, 2022
Today we feature Wellington foodie legend, Kalliana (a.k.a @wellingnoms), who wrote up a guest blog sharing her pro tips on how to navigate Visa Wellington On a Plate, her busiest culinary month.
Author: Kalliana a.k.a @wellingnoms
Wellington on a Plate is a time that I strategically plan to ensure I am trying everything I want to sample. Every year I pack in a lot and share it all on my Instagram account, Wellingnoms. Last year, I packed in 6 dine dishes, 7 events and over 20 burgers.
Here are some of the things I do to make August the yummiest time of the year and some of my picks for Visa Wellington On a Plate 2022.
1/ Start with a calendar
It sounds simple, but it helps. I use an online Google sheet to create a calendar and split each day into three: lunch, dinner and other. The first thing I do is add in any non-WOAP events that need to be accounted for – birthdays, regular appointments, and other life events, so that you avoid double booking yourself. Then I add in events that I am interested in, so I know which session I want to try get tickets for and when the pop ups are happening.
Events I’m going to this year:
Bonifacio Blvd: Modern Filipino at Master Kong
One of my best friends is Filipino, which means I have a long history of loving traditional Filipino food. I’ve also always enjoyed chef Rupert Palroan cooking, which is a unique expression of Southeast Asian cuisine. The perfect way to kick start the festivities.
Lost in Space: Hong Kong to Xi’An at Atlas
The last place I travelled to before the pandemic was Hong Kong and my visit made me realise that there is so much more to Chinese cuisine than we could ever know. I’m looking forward to this pop up, which will be serving up contemporary cuisine inspired by different regions of China. Plus, this seems like something fun and different for Atlas.
2/ Book ahead
I start making bookings for the festival period as soon as the programme comes out. The most precious time in my calendar is where the dine and burger portion of the festival overlaps (12-14 August), which means I can try both things from the same establishment on one visit – two birds, one stone.
Venues I am booking:
Astoria
The dine dish, Natta Dalla Terra, sounds like it could be simplicity done to perfection. Recently, I have become obsessed with the idea of a Philly cheesesteak (Astoria is serving The Streets of Philadelphia for Garage Project presents Burger Welly), and I simply must try their take on this classic sandwich.
Apachè
No matter what the dine and burger offerings are at Apache, it is always on my list to try. I have never been disappointed and from the sounds of this year’s Nose 2 Toe dish and Dragon & Phoenix burger, this year will be no different.
3/ Utilise a workday lunch
Dinner time and weekends can be the busiest times for restaurants, so I like to fit in a few lunches during the festival. I use the wish list function to create a list of places I can visit during a lunch break and make lunch dates with friends, family, and colleagues on 1-2 days of the week throughout the festival. On the other weekdays, I bring a packed lunch and go to the gym. It’s all about balance.
Workday lunches I have planned:
Boulcott Street Bistro's Dine Wellington dish – Crayfish Pōneke
A lovely lunch at Boulcott Street Bistro has quickly become a tradition for me during Visa Wellington On a Plate and this year the twist on a beef Wellington using crayfish and groper sounds too good to pass up.
Huxley's Burger Welly – Doors of Perception
This pick is righting my wrongs from last year, the burger from Huxley was on my to-try list, but I never got around to it, so I am getting it in the calendar early this year to avoid regret. Their offering sounds like a great twist on a classic flavour profile.
This year marks my seventh year as a content creator. If you’re not sure what that means, essentially, the camera eats before I do. Follow me over on Instagram if you’re interested in following my 2022 Visa Wellington on a Plate journey.