Chowon officially marks my 3rd Christmas in a row, eating out at a Korean restaurant. It was…read moreunintentional, I swear. When I spent my Christmas week in Auckland, I didn't realize most businesses would be closed (especially the day before Christmas). I went to Auckland with the mindset of having New Zealand cuisine (whatever that is). After circling around CBD on Christmas for what seemed like hours, trying to resist Korean and halal food, my mother and I finally kept heading south to see if there was anything mildly interesting--but ended up giving in when we saw the amazing $20 AYCE Korean barbecue deal. It seemed too good to be true, but it was. For the price of $20 NZD, it is a complete bargain from where I come from (where you pay upwards of at least $30 USD with limited options). This place is small and quaint and resembles a cheap Asian restaurant--doable if you don't care for decor. It is all self-service and DIY. The selection is great--they have such a great variety of different meats, like pork loin, pork belly, lamb, kalbi, to name a few. No complains since they had all the kbbq essentials. I also loved that they offered a few Korean staple dishes, such as kimchi and japchae, and they even had greenshell mussels (though quite limited), which everyone fought their way through for. All was going well and it was becoming a good experience for a dinner we did not anticipate at all. My mother is traditionally Chinese, so she likes steamed veggies. Because the grills had to have foil sheet changed, my mother put a new sheet over and thought she could try cooking a lettuce leaf with a small amount of water. An older Korean man (whom I assume is the owner) saw this and started going berserk on us and pulled a staff member in, yelling in Korean. Of course, this caused most of the restaurant to turn heads on us but we had no idea what he was so angry about. The staff member kindly told us that we shouldn't cook the veggies on the grill, as the water might leak through a hole in the foil sheet and damage the grill, but I'm pretty sure the oil the meats excrete may do much more harm. Other than that scenario, I had no problems because I was very full at the end. I will say that the meat batches were inconsistent--they would bring out frozen meat and fresh meat interchangeably.

Whenever we used to go to the Video Ezy in Mt Albert shops I would look at this little kebab van in…read morewonder. Was the food there actually nice? It wasn't until last year that I actually found out the answer to my question. YES. The food from this weird van in the middle of the Video Ezy carpark is delicious. Like most kebab stops, Delicious Turkish Style Foods offers lamb, beef, chicken and falafel kebabs, as well as rice dishes, salads, burgers and an array of sides including chips and Turkish garlic bread. Unlike most kebab stores however, this van also has pieces of fish, onion rings, and milkshakes available. All the food prepared in the Delicious Turkish Style Foods van is Halal and all the salads always look fresh, crisp and delicious. If you're in the mood for something Turkish, stop by the little icon of a van in Mt Albert and try some food from Delicious Turkish Style Foods, you won't be disappointed!

I have this preconception, and I'm guessing I'm not the only one, that any food sold out of a…read morecaravan is inevitably greasy, stodgy, and riddled with diarrhoea-inducing germs. I don't know why I have this idea - probably from British television, where everything sold out of a cart is grey and comes with peas. It's not fair though, because in real life my experiences have all been positive. White Lady is fine if a little overpriced, and this place is actually pretty good. If you ignore the fact that it's a caravan this could be any Turkish takeaway, and it'd be quite a bit better than a few I've tried. And once you accept that the food isn't full of botulism the fact that it is a caravan gives the place a certain roguish charm. I haven't tried their burgers (call me a traditionalist) but you can't go past a kebab and chips on your way home from the video shop.

We had a good experience with the food we ordered at their downtown location. It is famous for…read moreAuthentic Hyderabadi Biryani and Halal Foods. Our food was prepared fresh and had a great taste. Portion sizes were very reasonable. This is not a dine in place, just a take out. Here is the website of this place: http://www.akbardarbar.co.nz/

This is the first time went to this place. First off there is literally nothing to write about the…read moredecor. It is boring. The menu is bizarre, on one hand you have flatbreads with meats of various kinds. I had a meatball flatbread sandwich. It was a slightly spicy, super juicy quite yummy three napkin mess. The other thing that is the gimmick of this place was the gourmet milkshakes. I was skeptical that this would be good, it was awesome! So awesome I had another one to takeaway. I got a chocolate cake milkshake and it tasted just like a liquid chocolate cake. My takeaway one was an Oreo milkshake. That one was a bloody winner. The problem I have is that they are $7.90 each. I'm afraid but that is quite a cost especially for the size of the milkshake. Truth is I don't know when I will go back, but I might consider if I'm bored of drinking NZ natural milkshakes which to be honest are bigger & compared to the ones I had, more chocolatey. Sandwich yummy, but messy. Milkshake, delicious just small & costly.

Full disclosure, a good friend partly owns Grill and Shakes, however we agreed that I would write…read morean unbiased review and if he didn't like it I wouldn't post it, but I wouldn't change it. So with that out of the way, we went to a menu sampling evening on one of the coldest nights in the 2014 Winter. Grill and Shakes has an attractive front of shop, with slightly rustic decor, Auckland's Kingsland is not known for its modern appearance so in a way, it adds to the feeling you've walked in for dinner to someone's home. That feeling is slightly marred by the massive grill you can see as you walk up the stairs (if you're dining in) but at the same time its fun to pause on the stairs and watch a meal being made. Speaking of meals, we had both chicken and beef which were well cooked, came with delicious seasoning and arrived to our table with sauces that almost overwhelmed the palette if you had dipped too much. Honestly, it was sometimes hard to choose between the seasoning on the meat and the rich flavourful sauces that came with it. The cheese filled pastries were freaking amazing, and on a cold winter night I could have eaten those snacks for the rest of the evening, but it was not to be, we were asked to try the milkshakes ... we had the grill, but it was time for the shakes. We tasted five flavours of the eventual sixty nine. Some were not to my taste, but my wife tells me they were delicious. The three that I did enjoy were well made, blended nicely and left me with a smile and a predatory look at the other tables to see if people had drank all of theirs. Grill and Shakes has a natural element to it, the soft drinks are not the normal commercial stuff, their ingredients are specially sourced and the flatbread dough is made and baked right there, every day. I can honestly, hand on heart, say that I will be back for the food and I fully intend to work my way through the 69 flavours of shakes in the next year or so. Without opening myself up to claims of favouritism, I think I might have found a new favourite place to eat. Highly recommended.

Just checked in the hotel and came here before it got too late. The Depot had good reviews on Yelp…read moreso I tried it. It's about 15-20 min walk from the warf. It was busy so I was seated outside. They had overhead heat lamps so I was comfortable without a jacket one (this is in June). The menu is geared for sharing dishes so ordering for one is a challenge. I had the local Lagar on tap, 1 of each of the 2 oysters offered, and the NZ green-lipped mussels with chiriso. They also gave me a complementary pita triangles with hummus. Overall, everything was delicious. I could have gone for more oysters, but didn't want to overdo it. The mussel dish had 7 good size mussels so I was satisfied without feeling stuffed. Glad I came to the Depot.

My friends and I went there for my last day in Auckland. We went around lunch time and we were able…read moreto get seated very quick. The ambiance was still so chill and not as packed because it was early afternoon, which was nice. The staff again were super friendly and answered any questions we had. Sadly, we didn't get the fish sliders because they were sold out! But we did get some of the same dishes I had ordered before but got oysters as well. The oysters were fresh and tasty, especially with their vinegar sauce. My friends also loved the charred eggplant and a couple of them don't really eat eggplant. The crispy potatoes were so good! The truffle wasn't too overpowering and they were perfectly crisp. The steak was super tender and juicy and the wedge salad helps cut the fat and compliments the steak as well. Can't wait to come back to Depot. Already miss it so much!

We were in Auckland for a week and stumbled on this bakery. It quickly became our go to place for…read morebreakfast each morning before going out to explore Auckland and the surrounding area. The barista was quite friendly and quickly recognized us on Day 2. Recommend the mutton (goat) puff and steak & mushroom pies. The crust is flaky and light, and the filling has a pleasant mix of Indian flavors.

Dayummm!!! Best pie I've had in a long time!!!…read more Definitely best Indian flavoured... BP Butter Chicken pies ain't got nothin' on these!!! I know where my next pie feasts are coming from. Return visits are a must!!! Might have to schedule the gardens around here to fortnightlys!!! Or weeklys... Or dailys!!! A hidden gem!!! Recommend!!!

THIS. IS. MY. FAVOURITE. FOOD. I. HAVE. HAD. ALL. YEAR…read more  It is insane! You eat communally with your hands, the curry like dishes are served on fermented teff enjera that are like if crumpets and crepes had an amazing sassy sour offspring.  I'm gluten intolerant (not coeliac though), tried a little of them and could not control myself. Even though I pay for it for a week, this is beyond worth it, and I keep coming back!!! We always eat so much that we are in pain.  The dishes are all pretty great, crazy amounts of flavour, ranging from medium spicy to super sour. The Menchit Abish is the one I particularly lose my mind over. The chicken Doro Watt is also very good. We just had the Kitfo tonight, and while pate always squicks me out just with the idea of eating raw meat. But I got over it (we had it cooked medium) and lost it over that one too. Surprisingly spicy and full of flavor.  The only ones we haven't liked was a lamb one that I think was the Yebeg Alicha Wot? I think it was probably perfectly good compared to most curry sort of food places, but when compared to getting my mind blown it didn't stack up as much. That and the Vege dish Yetsom Beyaynetu we were mixed on. It actually comes with several smaller dishes, and some in our group liked a couple of them a lot and others not as much. Never a dish that we disliked, but some that were lesser. Decor wise it's clear it's a family set-up. Clean, new and perfectly fine cafe. Nothing super swanky, but that's not what you're coming for! I believe there may only be one person waiting tables, taking orders and cooking all the meals, so service can be delayed depending on how many other patrons are there. It's never been busy when we go (Which I hope this review can help rectify!) But could see that being a problem. She did note that if at all possible, make a reservation ahead of time. It sounds like the enjeera take 3 days to prepare with like fermentation ahead of time so it helps her to not run out. I have also put in a special request for her to experiment with a gf flour enjera. She wasn't sure if the rising and fermenting would work the same, but if she manages to make GF enjera, I think I'll never leave and bring all my GF friends because everything else is natally GF.  I will report back if the stars align and she manages to make my dreams come true. TREAT YOURSELF. GET. YOUR. TUCHUS. HERE. AND. TRY. IT.

Ethiopia isn't exactly a country culture known for it's food. So I was interested to try this…read moreout-of-the-way wee cafe in the heart of Mt Roskill. Run by an Ethiopian husband & wife, the decor & menu are pretty basic. When we visited, there were only 2 other tables of diners, and the place was half-full; it's quite small. Being completely clueless, we asked for suggestions on what to try. We were happy with their choices of Doro Wot - chicken marinated with fresh lime juice & simmered in a mixture of freshly chopped onions, garlic & ginger, as well as Yebeg Alicha Wot - lamb sauteed and then slow cooked with chopped garlic, ginger, onions & turmeric until the meat is soft & buttery to the touch. The menu is quite descriptive which is probably helpful for most people who have no idea about Ethiopian cuisine. And no, I didn't attempt the pronunciation! Both meals are served with enjera, a type of Ethiopian flatbread with a texture between a crumpet & a pancake. Our hosts explained the traditional way to eat was to tip the dishes onto the enjera & rip off pieces to scoop up the bread - no cutlery needed. Hey, when in Rome! Both dishes were tasty & reminded me of Moroccan/North African flavours with a slightly hotter zing to them. The lamb was boneless & tender, but the chicken was bone-in and skin-on, which wasn't as enjoyable. The chicken dish also came with an whole hard-boiled egg. Cafe Abyssinia gave me the feeling of eating in someone's home - its definitely a small, family-run business. I'm glad I've tried Ethiopian food, but I won't be visiting regularly.

Although it's not something that springs to mind when the usual 'what do you fancy for dinner'…read morequestion arises, I love Turkish food. This is a popular place on the Northern end of Ponsonby road and it's usual to see it buzzing. The menu is full of mouth watering temptation and I struggled to narrow down my choice but ended up with a HUGE portion of Moussaka - there was no need to have a starter! I wasn't brave enough to try one of the platters available, but know already that when I return in future I won't have to read the menu further than checking they are still available.

Went there for lunch and had a good experience. Staff were attentive and friendly, menu had a good…read morevariety of food for the '$12 Ponsonby lunch' standard that seems to be the rage with the other local restaurants. I had the donner kebab and it was well presented and tasty. Would definitely return :)

This place have just gained a new regular customer with me... despite living close by, today was…read morethe first time I popped into this store. Although I had noticed it in passing I guess I never really paid much attention to what it was all about, it looked like just another dairy with all the milk signs and vegies spilling out onto the footpath for sale. Inside however I was delighted to find some bulk food - spices, grains and nuts, in good quality (I can tell the freshness by the smell of the spices, colour of the dahl and appearance of the nuts). I love to cook, but this year have lost the passion for it, feeling like it is more of a chore than a pleasure. So, in the last few days I have tried to reinvigorate the foodie in me by puling out some interesting recipes. Tonight it will be a tandoori chicken with lots of vegetables and rice. I bought a bag full of goodies from here today and it all cost less than $10. The staff, and a regular customer whom happened to be a chef that passed on some hints to me, were very friendly and helped me feel a bit more at ease in a new and quite foreign shop. Ohhh, and conviently next door is Muhammad Halal Meats, AND they have large traditional middle eastern rugs, very nice indeed.

Quandahari Bazaar ("The name means quality") stocks mostly Middle Eastern and Indian supplies,…read moreincluding quite a range of spices and tinned goods. As well as more specialist items, they also stock basics such as milk, flour, and the like. If you cook a lot of rice, you can pick up 10kg or 20kg bags here pretty cheaply. I think they may have new owners or managers, as recently I went in looking for barberries, which I've bought from them before, and the shop assistant vowed that they did not have them and didn't keep them in stock. Please bring back the barberries!

We came in and they sold us old, cold, mold. Not very tasty in my experience. Wouldn't come back if…read moreyou paid me

Such friendly service at this chicken house. You might worry that fried chicken sitting under…read morewarming lights might not be fresh and wonder how long they've been sitting....but we dined at 8 pm on a Monday evening, well after any dinner rush, and the chicken was delicious. Maybe the dinner rush is late here, because the place filled with customers after we sat down. Perhaps seeing us scarf down our food enticed others to come in! In any event, we bought a five pack of chicken for $16 NZ, which seemed like a fair deal. The chicken skin has a good, unique flavor, different for our American taste buds. It was a welcome surprise. Plus, this establishment is halal, so you can have comfort that your meats are prepared with care. Definitely worth more visits from Yelpers!