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I'm currently in Malaysia and having lots of food here that I cant remember when I was last hungry! I will post some pics up soon! Going out now to eat...

All I can say is that I've bought 5 lo por beng in one day while in Singapore...I know crazy me and NOTHING taste better than back in Auckland can you believe it!!! I think because back in NZ they are done by real taiwanese / Hong kong bakers. I really miss the ones back home =( So you can imagine how much bakery I've eaten here besides all the other good food back in Asia.

So just thought i'll let u all know be back soon!!! =)

Rio Kitchen

I think im starting to like Rio Kitchen more than classic bakery now!!!

Oh no... I couldnt help myself when I drove pass there today that I had to make a stop at Rio in Botany....to find that I bought all these food that only I will eat and having to find the time to eat it between meals!!! I've notice there in thier cold cabinet they have this durian mochi and it's $3.50 for a reasonably good sized durian mochi! So, if you are ever craving for that nice aroma and taste - you know where to get it!

Besides the usual that i buy such as wife cookiE:


Green tea red bean bun:


My love for banana anything hence couldnt resist this cute banana loaf - $1.80:


Pork floss: I think it's not as oily as classic bakery but not as dry as Well done or choice Bakery so it's somewhere in between =)


Did I mention they also do milktea and they also sell pies and saussage rolls to cater for the ang mo i think....sigh too many things...it's so dangerous!!

SiChuan Restaurant

SiChuan is a restaurant that is becoming popular compared to enjoy inn. I remember always going to Enjoy Inn for both Yum Char and dinners along Great South Road. Now however, SiChuan is newer, cleaner and better parking avaliable and the food is rather good too!

I came to SiChuan for my brother's wedding reception and the food was really good. I love thier cold dishes, their crayfish, and other popular dishes.

Tonight, we came here to celebrate Lizzy's birthday and had peking duck yum yum!!! It was the first time for them to try this place and they enjoyed it - good price, good food!


Did not take other dishes so here is overall:


I would recommend the spicy and salty squids too as they are always popular in many restaurants:


SiChuan

Location:
329-333 Remuera Road
(09) 523 303

KongFu Tea Restaurant

If you are looking for a cusine to satisfy your chinese cravings and maybe be a little adventurous you should try this place. In fact, if you know of any nice places to have beef brisket noodles or authentic chinese food please let me know. I would like to try some.

Here are some of the dishes we had with family last night.

Duck:


Tofu:


Eggs:


Egg plant and vege casserole:


Cold fish dish: Very fishy hence you have to dip it into the bean sauce (not for the faint hearted!) - Jokes


Beef brisket: Very tender and the gravy was so declicious you can just have that with rice and you'll be satisfied! My cousin Daniel honestly could not stop talking about the gravy which was more like soup.


Steamed Chicken ribs:


Crab with glutinous rice underneath:


Egg omelette that has oysters inside: One of my fav dish because it tasted like Ochien back home in Singapore yummmmYYYYYy!!!


KongFu Tea Restaurant

Location: 440 khyber Pass Rd, New Market
Closed Mondays

Atmosphere: 9/10 because it's quite hidden along the busy Khyber Pass Road and inside is quite dark compared to the bright lights in other chinese restaurant.
Price: N/A
Food: 8/10 but it really depends on your taste and how adventurous you are to try new food! i-e the cold fish was interesting!!!

Sri Putri

One of my fav malaysian places to eat is at Sri Putri. We would go there at least once a week to eat the usual and and to satisfy my teh tarik and roti craving. It always seems to be pack when we are there. It's actually very popular amoung my friends - we tend to always see Keith and Aaron there and tend to missed Liz and my other singaporean friend Hui Cheng who goes there regularly too! Today, Sri Putri was packed again and we had to sit in another cafe next door which sells one of the nicest banana bread and coffee. This cafe closes during the weekend so it's pretty good how Sri Putri has used it to thier advantage!

Today I had the Fried kuay teow and Ice kajang because I felt so hot! I think the kuay teow was rather nice compared to other places i've tried and the ice kajang was nice but too little red bean =( However, I don't know many places that sells ice kajang so it's the closes I could get.





I left Sri Putri wanting a charm tarik (mixed coffee and tea) so i asked if they do takeaway thinking it might be in a plastic bag with a straw sticking out like the ones I get in Singapore (oh that's probably for cold drinks). So to my surprised it's probably wierd but they do it in a takeaway cup and I had that in the car =)

After lunch, went to Botany for some grocery shopping and saw Rio kicthen opened just beside the Tofu shop. It's definately new because i've never seen it there before! So yes, I went in to visit and bought lo por beng and you know what??? It's probably the BEST one i've tasted! I like this because the inside is so guey and there is not as blend as others. OH and the pastry is so crumbly when I bite it it's just so nice! Lo por beng cost $1.80 here. There were the usual chinese bakery items too. However, this Rio Kitchen seems to sell less items as the one in meadowlands.

Come to think of it, I never used to enjoy eating lo po beng because it wasn't as sweet as other bakery i've had. Looking back, I think i've finally moved on from my intense love with red bean and into other things. I don't know if that is a bad thing because when I go back to Singapore and Malaysia my bag will be even more full of bakery!


Alright, I must admit I did buy red bean green tea bun because it just looked so good and moist! Indeed it was moist and the red bean blended in so well with the green tea flavoured bun....yum yum!

Portofino

Portofino is one of the popular Italian restaurant in Auckland, that again because of the price I only go there for special occasion.

Tonight, we went to celebrate Siaw Hui and Ken's hens/stag night before they get hitch in malaysia!!

Here are some of the dishes that we had. They served very simple dishes and what I meant by simple was 1) Simple presentation 2) Simple taste. Food wise, nothing really stood out for me and for the price!

I had the fish:

Pesce del Giorno $35.90
Naturally grilled fish of the day with garlic & olive oil finished with pomodoro salsa. Served with aborio rice & salad :


Lamb Cutlets $33.90
Grilled with olive oil & garlic, served over carrot & green beans risotto


This was the popular dish amoung us:
Bistecca al Peppe Nero $34.90
280gm Prime Grass Fed Scotch grilled with olive oil & garlic flamed in Vecchia Brandy & black pepper panna sauce. Served with vegetables & potatoes.


I honestly think that there are better food out there BUT there is limited eating places in Mission Bay and Portofino is always packed and has a nice ambience. Also, it is just opposite Movenpick and next to Starbucks and below Reef so there are plenty of choices to go to for dessert/music after!

Portofino Italian Restaurant

71 Tamaki Drive,
Mission Bay
Auckland

Atmosphere: 9/10
Food: 7/10
Service: 7/10

Ponsonby Foodcourt

There are only a few Asian foodcourts that I would consider my favourite.

1) Food Alley (Leaves you very smelly though)
2) New Market Foodcourt on Teed Street
3) Ponsonby village international food court

I used to go to Mercury Plaza but the place honestly needs a good clean up! Once we found a small cockcroch in the Ba Kut Teh we ordered! Even at the supermarket Gum Sar, the vegetables were growing mould!!! Ok enough of the disgussing talk.

Today after church we went to Ponsonby food court and as usual, the favourite places we go to is the Malaysian/Singaporean Albert's place. I've noticed the portion of the serving has reduced greatly! I guess it's the increase in everything huh! The price as usual also increased and everyone just expects it and it's ok to pay for it. I can still remember one plate of noodles is $6.50 a few years back, went up to $7.50 then $9.50 and now $10 plus depending on where you go and eat! It's like daylike robbery!!!
Hokkien mee:


Fried kuay Teow and Char mee:


Wonton noodles from "Golden Express":


Pad thai from Ruk Thai:


I enjoy the Kebab store too and everytime I go there on Sundays, the Japanese "Dami Sushi" always seems to be closed! ;(
One shop that I do want to try is the "Mexican and Maya Food" which I need to be in my adventurous mode but it looks very interesting and different. The rice is shaped in a pyramid and the food seems to be very delicate and nicely presented.

Ponsonby Village International Food Court
106 Ponsonby Road

Rocket Kitchen

Today we went out for our usual saturday lunch having fish and chips and bakery!!! I found a new place that sells both my favourite food! Banana loaf and date and orange scones! The banana loaf is so thick it looked so scumptious I had to buy one for afternoon tea!!! It taste really nice toasted wit butter spread over the top!


The date and orange scone looks really good too and I think i'll get that when I go to work next week! This little shop is just located along the main Great South Road next to Diamond takeaways. I have always wanted to go in but because it is so small I felt a little shy going in just to check out what they had! This is not the kind of place where you'll sit in because there is only one table! It's a place for takeaways so you will probably never go in if you don't work around there. Today...I just had to because I was obsessed in finding more of my favourite bakery!!!

They do delicious cakes and other sweet and savory items too!

I don't know the exact address of the cafe but it's next to Diamond Takeaway 166 Great South Road.

Talking about Diamond Takeaways we came to get thier fish and chips after hearing that it's one of the best in Auckland. This lot cost $5.50. Not bad, but again couldnt really tell how this is one of the best place for fish and chips because nothing really stood out from others we've tried. The fish looked fresh though and it's one big piece too! This place however, is always full of people ordering takeaways!

Paihia

If you ever think about visiting Paihia, there isn't many places to eat as it is a small town. So if you stay there for a few days or go there quite often you'll end up eating at the same places all the time. We often eat out at the fish and chip shop but because it was our anniversary we decided to try 35 Degrees South Aqaurium Restaurant which is beautifully located in the heart of Paihia over the water and you won't miss it. It provides a unique dining experience over the water with a central 60 000 litre salt water aquarium filled with local fish.


The food is good, with the serving size quite small for the price it is at:


Paihia is a great place for culture, fine dining, adverture, and beaches. It is definately one of my favourite places to visit which is not too far to drive to.

35 Degrees South Aqaurium

Location:
69 Marsden Road
Paihia, Northland 0200
(09) 402 6281
Open daily: 7.30am-11pm

Iguacu

I thought i'll just post some more places that I've tried for those that may have come across decisions to make on where to eat.

Iguacu is located along Parnell Road and you will know where it is because of the outdoor and indoor setting. It is voted as Best New Zealand and Auckland restaurant of year 2007 & 2008 in hospitality magazines. They do breakfast, brunch, lunch, cocktails, dinner, tapas and yummy desserts. There is a cost to all the good location, good food and presentation and that is the price!!!

We hardly dine out in Western restaurants because it simply is quite expensive with a main costing about $30 and when you are in that atmosphere you will tend to order some entree, wine, and dessert. Thank God Marcus won a voucher and we used it on Valentines day and happily indulged ourselves!

I had the fish of the day with some sort of tomato puree with grilled vegetables. The fish was delicious and it felt like I was eating some pasta sauce though.


Beneath those spinach leaves is the HUGE fish and vegetables:


Marcus had confit of pork belly on a fennel and cumin seed mash:


Iguacu

Location:
269 Parnell Road, Parnell

Price: Medium to High
Food: 9.5/10 for presentation and taste (it's worth the price for that special occasion)
Atmosphere: 9/10
Service: 9/10 although they do tend to clear your plates fast after you finish

Karin Japanese Restaurant

Karin is another Japanese restaurant tucked in the side street of Parnell. I wanted to try another Japanese restaurant without going back to RENKON.

I wanted to try something different so I had grilled tofu steaks with home made terinaki sauce served with vegetables on a hot plate. This is a highly recommended dish if you feel like eating tofu obviously or vegetarian! The sauce is nice and the lightly crispy coating of the tofu as you bite into it is all worth it.


Karin compared to Renkon has more variety. They serve the usual side dishes, tempuras, hot pots, udon, rice dishes, sushi, sashimi, fried rice, dinner courses which includes soup, salad, rice, meat, dessert and prices depends on the type of course.

Karin Japanese Restaurant

2F 237 Parnell Road, Parnell

Price: reasonable
Food: 9/10 for taste and variety to choose from
Atmosphere: 9/10 - quiet and you have to go upstairs to the restaurant
Service: 9.5/10

You can check thier website for menu and pricing: www.karin.co.nz

Renkon Parnell

One of my favourite places to eat is Renkon in Parnell because of the simplicity of the food. If you want to quick Japanese fix Renkon is great because all main dish cost $10 and the portion is just right - not too big not too small. Renkon Parnell used to do two sizes for 2 prices, small and large. I would normally order some chicken or salmon dish but I felt like trying thier eel and it was quite nice.

Grilled eel on udon:


Karaage fried chicken on rice:


I also enjoy the side dishes such as Takoyaki (baked/fried octopus balls), and their tofu.

Renkon Parnell Japanese Eat in & Takeaway

Location:
211 Parnell Road, Parnell

Price: Reasonable $10 per dish
Food: 9/10
Atmosphere: 9/10
Small restaurant that often gets busy during weekend nights. They do many takeaway orders. This is a great place that I come here after evening church service because it's quick and simple!

"Yum" Char at Sunworld!

Sun World in New Market did not used to have dim sum served but only within the last few months they started doing yum char which was definately good news for me!

Today, went to have yum char with Hui Cheng and Steven after an early morning service (still tired). I finally took some pictures of some of the food to help with my blogging ;P
There is nothing different about the food here but nothing bad so that's good.
However, when we thought we had enough something caught my eye.....I thought I eyed ma lai koh (malay sponge cake) and stopped the waitress to put it on our table! I had to have it regardless and am glad I did because it was a special malay sponge cake with some custard layer in between the cake which made it taste rather different. You won't find this dish anywhere else in Auckland or at least not that I know of!

Cha Siew Bao:


Sparibs:


Siu Long Bao:


Octopus:


Fried meat dumplings:


Siew Mais:


Har Gaos:


Lo mai Baos: It's something new I don't see in other yum char places. It's like lor mai gai but wrapped in bao bread:


My favourite part of yum char/dim sum are the "sweet" food!!!
Polo Baos:


Custard type paste inside the polo bao:


The polo bao was a little salty...I still prefer the ones at Grand Park

Lotus paste buns:

Lotus paste creaming out...yum!: The lotus baos reminds me of the ones in Singapore small and the filling is packed inside steaming hot and creamy!


Malay sponge cake: There are layers of some yellow custard in between which made the cake very special. I would order this again anytime!


Banana cream pancakes:


Egg tarts:


Overall I think this is a nice dim sum place to go to. It's central and parking upstairs is discounted if eating in Sunworld. You can also park upstairs of Rialto and get 2 hour free parking by purchasing something from the shops below. Also, they are not so strict in kicking you out like in Grand Park and thier food is reasonably nice and have the usual dim sum favorites.

SunWorld New Millenuim

Location:
2 York St
New Market

I rate it 8/10 overall. You probably need to book because it does get very crowded!