Sep 23, 2016 Cheap Eats
Main image: Pexels.
BIG J’S TAKEAWAYS
4/1 Melton Rd, Mt Wellington
Set your GPS and discover this hidden gourmet-burger bar. Keep it simple with a cheeseburger or make a meals of it with their weekly special burger (posted on Facebook). Don’t miss the crunchy homemade onion rings. There are lots of the usual takeaway suspects on the menu, but here the burger is king.
Burgers
GU XIANG MALAYSIAN
102 Pakuranga Rd, Pakuranga
The curry laksa, wantan mee, mee goreng, Hainanese chicken rice and wat tan hor all measure up to the hawker foods of the Kuala Lumpur district, from where the owners come. The char kway teow is smoky and authentic, while the curry laksa is full bodied and coconut-creamy. Afternoon tea (2.30pm to 5.30pm) is served in the tradition of the kopitiams: steamed or baked bread; pandan kaya and butter; half-boiled eggs and Malaysian teh or kopi, all for $7 a set. Irresistible.
Malaysian
MASTER CHINESE
150 Queens Rd, Panmure
C0-owner Peter Deng was taught how to roast and barbecue meats by his dad, and his roast pork or duck, barbecue pork or soya sauce chicken on rice are all scrumptious. As is traditional in Cantonese restaurants, a typical meal starts with complimentary lai tong (house soup). Get a group of four or more together and order the Peking duck done two ways: with pancake wrap and san choy bao in lettuce wrap ($48). Or try green beans with black olives, salted and spiced squid, salted and spicy fish and stewed pork belly with taro. As for the house-made egg tofu, it will convert even hardened tofu sceptics.
Cantonese
TAN’S KITCHEN
59 Queens Rd, Panmure
Yeung Tan’s kitchen dishes up authentic Malaysian Chinese cuisine with hawker flair. Whether it’s char kway teow, mee goreng, Singapore fried vermicelli, wat tan hor, Hokkien noodles or lo mee, each of his noodle dishes has its own grunty flavours. The all-out hawker food approach also applies to his curry laksa, rendangs, and seafood (including assam fish or sambal prawns). If in doubt, go for the nasi lemak — it’s 100 per cent Malaysian.
Malaysian
Eden Terrace/Mt Eden/Dominion Rd
Epsom/Greenlane/Newmarket/Remuera/Royal Oak
Grey Lynn/Herne Bay/K’Rd precinct/Ponsonby
Henderson/Mt Albert/Sandringham
Somerville/Mission Bay/Waiheke
Mt Roskill/New Lynn/Blockhouse Bay/Titirangi
