Elite Event at Kiwiana

This is my very first Unilocal elite event as an elite and I love every part of the event including all the Unilocalers i met, amazing food prepared by Chef Mark and awesome ambiance of the restaurant!
I love both sangria and moscow mule prepared w 42 Below, the last time i had moscow mule was when i was in Japan, I had such a wonderful time, and this event reminds me of equally good times i have w my fellow Unilocalers! I also love the tiny burger full of flavors, corn chowder totally melt and warm my heart up, love the texture of fried oyster. oh fried chicken, how i miss you!
I am so proud of my new status and look forward to goto more future events and meet more cool Unilocalers: P

As per usual, after labeling ourselves with sweet name tags, we headed directly for the bar. Manuka Honey vodka and ginger beer? New Zealand Sangria? Yes please. The barkeep representing 42 Below Vodka gave us all sorts of useful tidbits (Kiwiana = New Zealand heritage. 42 Below=The polar coordinates of New Zealand), as well as some tasty drinks.
We took a seat and started chatting up some fine Unilocal ladies… and then they rolled out the foods. Poached beets on lavender-​ricotta (ya’ll know how much I love my beets), Corn and Crab chowder, Mussels in a thai curry broth (HAD to go for seconds), fried oysters, mini burgers with beet relish, AND the item that will bring me back; the fried chicken.
A few of us went back to the kitchen to meet Chef Mark Simmons as he was preparing this fine poultry. He was so friendly and sweet, letting us sample sauces, introducing us to new smells, and giving us a first go at the freshly fried chicken drizzled in truffle-​honey.
Truffle-​Honey.
Overall the food was A+, the atmosphere was clean and cozy, and the hospitality was unmatched. It’s obvious that Chef Simmons intends to make himself a neighborhood fixture, and I am more than happy to spread the word. Have you heard? The word is Truffle-​Honey.

lil burgers = yum
moscow mule = yep
fried chicken = hell yea
Thanks again for another great event, Peter!

All I have to say is I TOLD YOU SO!!!
Clearly you all have been too busy to read my reviews or else you would know that Chef Mark is the MAN! (Hiiiiiii Mark).
The food AS USUAL was delicious an made me happy!!!
The kiwi burger was outstanding, the fried chicken is slap– yo’- momma– and– possibly– hit –her– with– some-​kind– of– kitchen– utensil GOOD!!! The warm corn soup with crab. yummmmmm!
The honey infused 42 Below vodka served with ginger beer and lime could quite possibly replace Ripple as my favorite drink… I kid, I kid. High five to you Paul!!!
Bailey deserves an award for working the room and making sure we were all fed and all the while with a super pleasant demeanor!
This restaurant is one of my top 3 favorites and when you all finally get around to reading my all important reviews and finding out what else you have been missing, it will be yours too!!!

Rather than take a torturous (to me) 17 hour flight to NZ, I opted to accompany my cyber-​mom, Bridget, to the elite event at Park Slope’s relatively new Kiwiana.
I was hesitant because it was supposed to be a «intimate space/​elites only,» which for me translates into tiny, cramped and full of sweaty Unilocalers.
I couldn’t have been more wrong.
High ceilings, brightly light and just the right amount of people, no vying for a spot at the bar, now that’s my kind of event.
High five to Bailey the attentive waitress, who, after I mentioned I was a vegetarian, made sure I had a veggie pot pie (which was buttery, potato, broccoli goodness!), and lots of roasted beets with walnuts, goat cheese and thyme (drool). Could the chef, Mark Simmons have been any cuter when he hopped up on the bar to thank everyone for attending? I think not.
Congrats to Pita D. and everyone who organized the event!

Why is it a 5-​star event? Apart from the fact that I got a «present» from Unilocal aka Peter D!!! Let’s do the rundown!
1. Intimate — the event and the space. Low lighting, 20 – 30 people? I like the tea light concept, probably a good dinner date place.
2. Old and new faces — that’s always good, right? :)
3. Drinks — I like the two drinks offered — the sangria and the Moscow Mule — 42 below honey with ginger ale. I must admit the latter smelled a little like a Yankee candle but the taste was sweet yet not overly girly.
4. Food — I loved the mussels with the coconut curry, I wish there were more! :) The corn and crab soup was surprisingly good, real chunks of crab in there. Like I asked the waitress, «what kind of crab soup is that?»
The fried oysters… tasted like any other fried goodness, I still had myself two of that. Fried chicken with honey truffle was lightly fried, my chicken was still bleeding internally… so go with the drumstick next time. The dessert cake looked like an Indonesian cake with coconut shavings, but it was so light and fluffy the bartender had it in a mouthful! I heard the veggie pie was creamy… I passed on that. Kiwi burger– fried quail egg, lamb patty and beet? It was sweet and good, no weird lamb gamey smell.
5. Bartender from 42 below was entertaining, friendly and I had a good time learning how he makes his Kiwi burger (with a slice of pineapple he says) and we talked about his home country… and his sentiments about. Australia! lol
6. «Present»!!! Unilocal time bling! :) Red — my favorite color too! I should just dress up as a Unilocal mascot next time… with my Unilocal shirt with Unilocal pins, my Unilocal lunch box with chopsticks in them, hold on to my buffer stick, Unilocal sweat bands and Unilocal watch! Maybe for the Unilocal Halloween party??? :)
7. Peter D. — For organizing yet another wonderful event! It was cozy, intimate… I actually got to talk to him more than at other events, I suppose there was less of us Unilocalers trying to get some of his time. Peter, I still think you need to hang up the shirt you wear to each event with our name tags on there… then you can keep track who came and who didn’t…and remember the good, possibly drunken times! :) Thank you again!
Tip-​bits:
If you look into the kitchen, it’s glaring cause it’s all white in there… as in the walls and the people working!!! :)
Mussels in coconut curry a must!
Unisex bathroom by the kitchen to the L of the bar.

The space is minimalist and intimate. Thanks Bailey, outstanding work handling the hungry Unilocalers on your own.
The food just kept right on coming, didn’t want to use the bathroom for fear I’d miss out on something exciting and delicious exiting the kitchen!
The bartender was a riot and the drinks were delish. The Sangria was awesome and hot damn that honey Vodka was sweet and dangerous!
Great meeting new people, seeing a chef I’d seen on Top Chef and trying new cuisine. My favs were the crab soup, mussels in coconut curry and the fried oyster… OMG! I thought the fried chicken could have used a bit more spice to balance the sweetness of the truffle honey glaze and a little more cherry coulis on the sponge cake would of kicked it up a notch. But hey I’m not the Top Chef now am I?

Special thanks to P. Diddy* and the always incredible Jessie for checking out one of my main spots. I am soooo happy that you hooked up this event based on my review. Hey this Elite Squad deal is really paying off!
Paul, I have to bow down to you for doing your thing at the bar. That 42 Below vodka, lime and ginger beer drink was straight bananas! And the sangria was definitely a hit too. I love drinks infused with jalapenos and that drink was the truth.
Bailey, you were working that room, girl! And I love you for recognizing my name and reading my Kiwiana review. You are truly a sweetheart and I have to tell Mark to keep you around.
And an extra special thanks to Chef Mark for hooking the Elite up with his top notch noshes. I already knew the Elite would love your food. The buzz around the restaurant was that the fried chicken and kiwi burger were tied for first place. I love the new twist on the corn soup, making it hot and adding cilantro. That was a show stopper.
This event was a home run and I am so glad the Elite got a chance to come out and represent at Kiwiana.
*P, I saw you scarfing down that burger… I told you so!!!

That crab soup had me at hello. But the mussels distracted me by swimming in curry-​filled shells and belly flopping into my mouth. How could I resis– what? Fried oysters? Mussels who?
My love affair continued to the kitchen as my friends and I introduced ourselves to the head chef, Mark Simmons. Super nice and taught us all about the evening’s cuisine. Also served us fried chicken (complete with honey truffle sauce) right in the kitchen. Honey truffle!
A+ food, staff and atmosphere. Bring a date here, but don’t expect them to pay attention to you with that stellar menu.

This was the night of the Moscow Mule for me. I had heard of the beverage in the past, but hardly dabbled. My mate behind the bar was mixin’ up the Moscow’s for me all night and I am hooked now! In the future, I will have to seek out high-​grade Jamaican Ginger Beer, and Honey Infused 42 Below Vodka, because those dranks were just so proper.
The food was incredible. I loved how every dish that came out was beautifully presented in an aptly-sized-taster’s-portion to each guest. The lovely Bailey was quite accommodating, she made sure to hook up my new friend Paul and I posted up at the bar, and explained each dish to us oh-​so-​eloquently.
My favorite dish had to be the buttermilk fried chicken with truffle infused honey. Fried chicken is one of my favorite things in the world, and I almost always dose it with honey. Props to the chef for not only dishing up such perfect fried chicken, but also hitting it with TRUFFLE HONEY!
My other highlight was the coconut-​curry mussels. I love anything that can be slurped out of a shell. And I also love coconut, and curry, so this dish was a big-​ol’ WIN for me. Not to mention, this wasn’t your run-​of-​the-​mill mussel. These mussels were huge, with blue in the shell. I had to holler at Bailey a second time on these.
The corn and crab soup was über-​tasty. It was perfectly balanced. Too many corn soup’s just taste like crème and bacon. This was delicate and did each ingredient justice. I could have eaten a 7 – 11 big gulp full of it. I’m glad they only gave me a small cup though, so I could save room for the other deliciousness that ensued.
Sadly, I didn’t get to try the fried oyster. It had to do with my tucked-​away-​spot in the corner at the bar. Ya know what, I AINT MAD ATCHYA KIWIANA! Y’all showed me an amazing time, treated my palate, and sent me off into the cool October night with quite a healthy buzz. THANK YOU to the staff of Kiwiana, Unilocal,and of course Peter and Jessie!

New Zealand is composed of two main islands when combined are about the size of Colorado. Yet within this footprint are a stunning mix of geographies… tropical beaches, temperate farmlands, rainforests, volcanic islands, whitewater rivers, snow capped mountains and coastal fjords… not to mention quick access to fertile seas. This allows for great diversity of foods and flavors, evidenced by the range of fare at Kiwiana.
It also produces generous and proud people with a thirst for adventure and exploration. Again these traits were on display by Chef Mark, Bailey, his staff and 42 Below Paul.
The food was great and the fellow Unilocalers absorbed both the spirits and the spirit of Kiwi culture. If you never get a chance to visit New Zealand, at least you can get a taste of it here.
Thanks also to Jessie and Peter for being our travel agents for the night.

I’m from the South, and I thought that meant I knew all there was to know about five-​star fried chicken*.
But after a night at Kiwiana, with the most delicious, tender fried chicken drizzled with truffle honey, a night so needless of forks or cutlery of any type because it was so easy to pick up and eat with your hands** that anything else that could be conjured by this culinary wizard would be unnecessary icing on the proverbial cake.
Cake topping there was, though, in the form of mini-​lamb burgers with quail eggs on top and a beet paste. Now, I’m not a big fan of beets usually (I prefer the redness from my burgers on the bun to be the just-​cooked-​beyond-​killing-​me juices soaking in that potato-​y bun goodness) but on this one it worked. So much so that when peter came around hawking one last burger, I couldn’t say no.
I didn’t realize the chef was television royalty until well after I had left, but what I did know was that this cute space with great lighting and a light, airy feel despite being not particularly large is one I’m going to make a return trip to. And soon.
Like, next week soon. I need some more of that chicken.
* — I do, as a matter of fact, still hold that belief.
** — As proper fried chicken should be eaten.

Mark Simmons fed me TRUFFLE HONEY in his kitchen. Three other lovely ladies and I snuck back into the kitchen, and he poured truffle honey on our fingers. Then he plied us with a freshly fried chicken thigh, also adorned with this Nectar of the Gods. Then he let us smell special imported spices. He even laughed at my mediocre jokes! Then he let me hold his knife, ifyouknowwhatImean… This guy knows how to get the ladies.
I didn’t know what to expect from Kiwiana, especially since a number of recent ‘themed’ restaurants in the area have been pretty cheesy with menus that fail to deliver. Not here! This place is the cutest. The server was phenomenal as well. When I came in, most people were finishing a beet and ricotta app. Once I got a glass of sangria & found a seat, she came over & asked if I’d missed it and brought it over. Later on the evening, when there were a few extra Thai curry mussels, she saw the lust in our eyes & brought them to us. To top that off though, the veggie pot pies for vegetarians were the ultimate in good hosting — what dining out is supposed to be all about and often is lacking in NYC.
When Mark jumped up on the bar & thanked us for coming, not only did he look like a rock star, but he really showed that he wants to be a fixture in the community. I’ve been to both of his other Park Slope spots and am definitely most excited about bringing people back to this one. Between the fried chicken and the hospitality, Kiwiana is a win in my book.
But back to the event itself! This was probably the smallest event I’ve been to and I actually loved the intimacy of it. I talked to a whole bunch of new people, especially my kitchen buddies Jillian, Maddie & Katie, and catch up with Danny, Jamel & Peter. Plus being so close to my hood, last night was an awesome introduction to this new spot.

for my 201^st review, i of course will be reviewing a Unilocal Elite event. Fitting right? with that said… who like fried chicken? Everyone. If you are part of that population, then you would enjoy the fried chicken here, because it is the best you will have, anywhere, on planet earth! Seriously, ask anyone… go ahead and ask them… they’ll tell you the same thing if they had any.
This event was amazing, very small intimate setting (30 people) with lots of 42 below vodka and delicious fried chicken for everyone to stuff in their faces. Oh and the Lamb burgers with quail eggs on them… complements to the chef… *understatement*

Bailey was a superstar, explaining every single item she offered in great detail… as a result of her coaxing, I decided to try the Lamb Burgers, which were great. Whole conversations discussing the fried chicken with truffle honey on the outside ensued. I did not try the fried oysters, though Bailey insisted that they were great. Others seemed very happy with them.
I also enjoyed the cocktails from 42 below. I learned that 42 below is where New Zealand is. The chef was kind and gracious and was nice enough to come out and tell us he enjoyed cooking for us. The cake they served was very much like the Zingers from your childhood.
The small and intimate setting at Kiwiana makes it an ideal place for a cozy winter dinner or a cool summer lunch. I can see someone popping the question there…
If she says no, order a fried oyster and go have you a good time somewhere…

:enter Rod Sterling:
There is a fifth dimension, beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man’s stomach and the summit of his intoxication. This is the dimension of foodstuffs. It is an area which we call The Unilocal Zone.
I can’t say I wasn’t warned …
But I took one home anyway, and after midnight a preternatural chirping announced: It’s Unilocal time! It’s Unilocal time! It’s Unilocal time! It’s Unilocal time! It’s Unilocal time! It’s Unilocal time! It’s Unilocal time! It’s Unilocal time! It’s Unilocal time! It’s Unilocal time! It’s Unilocal time! It’s Unilocal time! It’s Unilocal time! It’s Unilocal time! It’s Unilocal time!
It haunts my dreams.
I think the only way to sate its appetite is reviewing. So, now I sit, day in and day out, reviewing events like this YEE.
Insane friend oysters, massaman curry oysters (what evil genius comes up with something like this???), Joolz’ face lighting up with joy as the sweetest waitress of all time brings her a pot pie made for the vegetarians, the juicy delight of fried chicken that made me wish I was less of of a girl so I could have eaten more of it, those to-​die-​for honey-​ginger vodka creations …
if only these delights were enough, but not in The Unilocal Zone … where It’s Unilocal time!
All the time.

This was probably the most intimate Unilocal Elite Event I’ve ever attended. It felt like meeting up for drinks and a bite with friends after work. What more would you want to unwind on a cold-​ish Monday evening in October?
The intimate setting made for some great conversation and some rather unique moments. Where else could you have an interesting disquisition about Adinkra symbolism in tattoos and street iconography in Southern States (thanks Florence, Jasi, and Jamel), and watch the chef climb on the bar and addresses the crowd by thanking everybody for eating his delicious food for free? Only on Unilocal,people…
Mark the chef served some really fantastic food. Like the kiwi burgers (delicious lamb meat served with a pickled beet and a quail egg on top). Or the fried oysters. Or the wonderful mussels with coconut curry. Or the amazing friend chicken with truffle oil and honey glazing.
Shout outs to some Unilocal friends I hadn’t seen in ages (Bridget, Clint) and to new Unilocal friends I finally had the chance to meet in person (Victor).
Thanks to Peter and Jessie for the impeccable organization. And to Bailey, Mark, and everybody at Kiwiana for making this a truly memorable event.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — -
PS1: I am not particularly smart; I thought that kiwi referred to the fruit, not the country. In fact, I was expecting some sort of hairy fruit bar… Thanks to Chris, Clint, and Victor for pointing out that I’m an ass and that Kiwiana is indeed a New Zealand restaurant.
PS2: I got a little tin container of Unilocal mints, which are actually shaped as the Unilocal symbol. Cool!

Moscow mules? Using a delicious, honey-​infused vodka? Yes please. LAMB burgers with QUAIL eggs? Damn right. Fried Chicken with TRUFFLE HONEY? Are you serious?
Great job all around. Very nice first elite Unilocal event for me. Mad props to Marc the chef, Paul the 42 Below man, and Peter the main Brooklyner. Amazing time.

I had such a great time at the event tonight! Thanks to Peter and Jessie, and the whole Unilocal crew for setting it up. The food was really delicious. I am a fried chicken fiend, and Mark’s fried chicken with truffle honey sauce blew me away. Also, mad props for his «dark meat only» policy. It’s so much more flavorful!
The mini burgers with beet relish and fried quail eggs, served on a toasted brioche bun were also standouts. I never would have thought to put either of those on a burger, but they were just so yummy!
Also loved the sangria with manuka honey infused vodka.
Really, a wonderful, fun event. Special thanks to Mark for showing us around the kitchen!

They went out of their way to make me my very own veggie menu items! And the «Kiwi» sangria was different – with a kick. Loved it, and love this place. Thanks to Peter and Jessie for putting this fab event together… and only a few minutes away from home to boot. The chef actually came out and PERSONALLY THANKED US for attending in addition to allowing us back into the kitchen. I have never felt so welcome and so well-​cared for at a Unilocal Elite event. This may just be one of my favorite Unilocal events so far. Awesome!