Milse

Foodies, here's one for you. Milse is a tiny but exquisite dessert restaurant hiding away in Auckland's Britomart area. You enter through an ornately carved cocoon-like tunnel and pass the counters of freshly baked goodies before reaching a tiny atrium containing just four tables for two.

Tables can't be booked in advance but it's worth waiting for one to become available and savour the full Milse experience. While you're waiting, you can sit on one of the bar stools overlooking the kitchen, watch the patissiers at work and take in all the delicious aromas. They move about so calmly (unlike in my kitchen!) and make it all look so easy.

It was incredibly hard to decide what to order. The patisserie menu is extensive and describes the contents of the counters you walk past on your way into the restaurant. Get ready for some serious drooling.

After much deliberation, and because it was a hot sunny afternoon, we settled on the special sundae of the day along with espresso and iced chocolate to drink. Caramel gelato with caramelised orange and marmalade topped with chocolate biscuit pieces and crumbled toasted macadamia nuts, this sundae was more than enough for two to share. It was simply amazing, not too sweet and with each flavour complementing rather than overpowering the others.

Special sundae

The a la carte menu is available after 6 pm and the gelato sticks also looked good to take away. Dessert at Milse is everything you've heard and more.