1. Paradise Indian Restaurant: Chilly chicken
The unique Indian-style red chilli paste is the perfect match when it comes to chicken. The dish is served with flour-coated chicken cubes, onions, capsicum and spring onions cooked with the chilli paste which improves the overall appearance of the dish. As someone who loves eating spicy food, this is a must-have dish!
2. Frasers: Banoffee Pie
The pie is fresh, with sweet popcorn on top. As you scoop up each layer with a fork to take a bite - the whipped cream, toffee caramel sauce and mashed banana immediately melts in your mouth, leaving the bottom layer of biscuits to complete the flavour. The top layer of cream perfectly matches the unique combination. Nice choice for afternoon tea!
3. Cheese on Toast: Creamed Corn Toasted sandwhich
A beautifully toasted sandwich with rich melted cheese. The sliced green capsicum adds flavour and layers to the sandwich. Pickled onions and cucumbers are served as garnishes, balancing the rich taste of the cheese. Just one bite of the sandwich will surely leave you craving for more. Having it with a cup of coffee will set you up for the rest of the day!
4. KK Malaysian Cuisine: Sambal Eggplant
A classic stir-fry dish cooked with lean chicken strips, shrimps and chopped onions in a delicious sambal chili paste. Not too spicy, not too oily, but surely a dish that goes perfectly with steamed white rice.
5. Tianze Dumpling House: Pork Prawn and Chives Dumplings
A classic stir-fry dish cooked with lean chicken strips, shrimps and chopped onions in a delicious sambal chili paste. Not too spicy, not too oily, but surely a dish that goes perfectly with steamed white rice.
6. Eden Noodles Cafe: Dumplings in Spicy Sauce
Highly recommended! I think this is the best Chinese noodle restaurant in Auckland, and it’s very easy to find as it’s located on Dominion Rd. These dumplings are delicious, meaty and have great texture, pairing well with the spicy sauce! All you’ve got to pay is $12 for 15 medium sized dumplings, making this an affordable meal you could get on your way home after work, but do make sure to call them beforehand as it’s super popular.
7. Fatima's Lamb Charwarma
Roast Lamb lovers’ heaven! Toasted wild wheat bap bun with spiced lamb and lettuce, tomato relish and garlic sauce which makes a great meal that’ll power you through the day! The spotlight is on all the juices that come out from the well-roasted lamb with each bite.
8. Lilian: Woodfired Eggplant
I was delightfully surprised that woodfire roasted eggplant would be so silky, tender and also crispy. My starving soul nearly screams with each taste of the smoky agrodolce and macadamia, which comes perfectly with the eggplant. Strongly recommended!
9. Tiger Burger: Gang Jeong Burger
A burger made with double crispy chicken thighs, flavoured in a Korean-style hot sauce. The combination of chilli-soy glaze and the gochujang mayo brings on a taste of freshness, sweetness and mild spiciness which enhances the overall flavour of an ordinary ‘chicken burger’, which forms the uniqueness of this Gang-Jeong burger.
10. Coco's Cantina: Polenta Fries
Easy to find on K Rd, highly recommended for dining in, and a nice environment to finish the day with a bunch of friends. As a starter, you’ve got to try these crispy, chunky fries, full of satisfaction with a dip of confit garlic aioli. Come on, give it a go!
11. Sneaky Snacky: OG Donut Burger
A donut burger? YES THAT’S RIGHT, A DONUT BURGER! The OG Wagyu Donut Burger is an iconic dish at Sneaky Snacky. With the perfect combination of cheese, wagyu beef patty, kimchi fritter and milk sauce, it brings forward a completely different taste than a traditional burger.
12. Sumthin Dumpling: Beef and Cheese Dumpling
A small and cute store, even in the afternoon time there are a lot of customers. Unlike traditional pan-fried dumplings, the filling has rich melted cheese which perfectly matches with the sesame sauce! Overall, this is a place that I would definitely go back to, not only because I’m so obsessed with the crispy bottom of the dumplings but also because it's so affordable!
13. Miann Fort Street: crème brûlée
This is simply not an ordinary French caramel crème brûlée, but a crème brûlée made of caramel crust and white chocolate with the unique flavour of nuts that will melt in your mouth instantly! This is accompanied by tropical pineapple, which neutralizes the smoky taste that the caramel might have. The texture is super tender and smooth.
13. Miann Fort Street: crème brûlée
This is simply not an ordinary French caramel crème brûlée, but a crème brûlée made of caramel crust and white chocolate with the unique flavour of nuts that will melt in your mouth instantly! This is accompanied by tropical pineapple, which neutralizes the smoky taste that the caramel might have. The texture is super tender and smooth.
14. Mellow: Strawberry Shaved Ice
The Strawberry Shaved Ice in Mellow is the best shaved ice I've ever tasted in Auckland! It's so relaxing to have a break here with friends in the afternoons. The strawberry flavoured shaved ice with fresh strawberries and vanilla soft serve is perfect for two to three people to enjoy and chill out. There are also other flavours if strawberry isn't your thing. I’ll recommend my friends to come for sure!
15. Nanam Eatery: NZ Wagyu Sausage Longganisa
It's such a wonderful taste! The wagyu and lemongrass sausage has its unique unforgettable flavour and with the coriander and atchara pickle on top this makes it even more special. The sausage inside is different from others I’ve had before, it’s sweet but also has a spicy taste. With one bite, there are heaps of layers of flavour, full of tender wagyu that’s delightful with each bite. It's a dish that you have to try!
16. No.1 Pancake: Potato & Cheese Pancake Potato and Cheese Pancake
This is a very popular dish at No.1 Pancake. The soft potato mash is mixed with the melted cheese as filling inside, with a golden crispy coating. I strongly recommend having it when it’s nice and hot! The low price is unbeatable and great for lunch or as a snack.
17. Ahi: Te Mana Lamb & Cheese
Crispy and rich savoury pastry with marinated slow-cooked lamb and a layer of melted mozzarella, it’ll definitely excite your tastebuds! Maybe it’s better to eat this gracefully and slowly... But when it’s sitting right in front of you, I couldn’t help but gobble this all at once. Make sure you book a table beforehand if you don’t want to miss out on this treat!
18. Peach’s Hot Chicken: The Baller Sandwich
The Baller Sandwich is the signature gourmet burger offered at Peach’s Hot Chicken. It's just simply stunning with the perfectly fried chicken, pickles and slaw. I was also surprised by the softness and freshness of the brioche bun. The restaurant is located on the main street of Panmure and it’s definitely worth the wait as you won’t forget the greatness of this sandwich!
19. Burger Burger: Beef’n Cheese
If you're after the classics, then BurgerBurger is your best bet! Featuring New Zealand grass-fed beef pattie, pickled cucumbers, aged cheddar cheese and the combination of mustard, tomato jam and mayo, the Beef’n Cheese burger will delight your taste buds with first bite. The burger is grilled to perfection with a crispy brown crust on the outside, while it’s nice and soft on the inside. The moment it's served, you’ll find yourself falling into love with this classic!
20. Han Restaurant: Calamari Pancake
Last but not least, the Calamari Pancake from Han Restaurant! While we ran out of time to review this dish, you can check out the Auckland Iconic Eats review of this traditional Korean dish here!
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