Jesse Mulligan’s Auckland Restaurant Recommendations: Great Chinese Food and Where to Go to Impress a Chef

deleciousfood | July 21, 2024 | Asian Food | No Comments

In this bi-monthly series, Viva’s restaurant editor shares his tips on where and what to eat.

Do you have any restoration questions or dilemmas? Jesse Mulligan is here to help.

Email Jesse at Viva@nzherald.co.nz and let him know what you need. Where and what do you like to do?

Here are some questions he was asked recently and his answers.

The roof of Queens. Photo / Babiche Martens

I’m looking to take a chef friend and his partner out to dinner in Auckland. He lives here but doesn’t get out much and hasn’t been to any of the restaurants that have opened in the past year. I want him to love the food but also be impressed by my choice of “chef” restaurant (he specializes in fine dining). Any ideas?

My immediate thought was Tala, the upmarket Samoan restaurant that occupies the former Pasture site in Parnell. There’s plenty to see and love here, and I’m happy to say they took my advice and added a few affordable wines by the glass after I expressed my amazement at their initial offering.

While we’re at it, how about Metita inside SkyCity. Michael Meredith has put his heart, soul and a lifetime of experience into this restaurant. It’s a beautiful place to eat and surprisingly fun too.

For a breathtaking show, consider the Queens Rooftop Terrace. Even if the food was terrible, it would still be a great night out, but it’s good (I ordered too much fried food when I was there, but that was my fault). Start with an oyster Bloody Mary and enjoy the view while perusing a delicious, very well-executed bistro menu.

Spicy ravioli at Eden Noodles. Photo / Doug Sherring

Can you recommend a really good Chinese restaurant that has a good variety of food at reasonable prices? Years ago we lived in Christchurch where there was a place called the Chung Wah not far from the square. It used to have delicious food, especially their corn and chicken soup, but it closed down a long time ago.

When I’m craving Chinese food, I usually choose one of two dishes: the dan dan noodles at Eden Noodles, or the spicy minced pork and chickpea soup at Chongqing (there are two restaurants with that name on Dominion Rd – I can vouch for the one further south, near Prospect Terrace; and they also have a branch on Wellesley St).

To answer your question, I called on an expert: Connie Clarkson, who is a former employee of French Cafe but who remains attentive to the needs of customers through The Kitchen Project, an initiative of the Auckland City Council aimed at helping entrepreneurs take their food businesses to the next level. Connie recommends:

“West: Mr Lobster Private Kitchen — my favourite of the day — superb fresh and inventive yum cha and a great a la carte menu, especially if you like fresh crayfish.

City: Bao and Noodle on Lorne St for fresh handmade dumplings and noodles.

Mt Eden: Impression Auckland — Fairly new and a great addition to the Mt Eden area. Favourites include the tofu, fried calamari, lamb and baos.

Dominion Rd: There is so much choice on Dominion Rd. The usual eateries are always fantastic and include Barilla Dumplings, New Flavour and Hotpot Duke (famous for its meat-draped doll, the “Barbie Gaga”). I love the hotpots. Make your own in tasty broths from a selection of meats, seafood, a wide variety of produce and ingredients. Fun, friendly, tasty, endlessly interesting.

Newmarket: Muse Cafe — my favorite little cafe in Newmarket near the Rialto. I love the abalone noodles.

Thanks Connie! Check out her Instagram for some photos and find out more about The Kitchen Project here.

White asparagus from Bivacco. Photo / Babiche Martens

Jesse, I saw your list of accessible suggestions for a previous reader. As a wheelchair user, can I add my two cents?

Yes, thank you! I am happy to share these suggestions with everyone, including a correspondent from earlier this month whose mother was having a hip replacement and wanted a place without stairs or other obstacles.

“It’s hard to find a restaurant with decent toilets and parking. Andiamo and Prego (but the entrance is steep) are pretty good. White and Wong at the viaduct. Leo Molloy’s old HQ is good too (now Bivacco – JM). If your correspondent has a disabled parking permit, there are a few allocated parking spaces dotted around the viaduct. The Grove – but there is sometimes a shortage of parking spaces. The French Cafe has a car park right next door. The brand new First Mates, Last Laugh at Westhaven is really good with access and parking.”

Vivace, 85 Fort St, Auckland. Canvas Restaurant Review. September 10, 2018 New Zealand Herald Photograph by Fiona Goodall/Getty Images.

I saw a comment at the bottom of your column yesterday that you might consider creating a list of dog-friendly restaurants. We would love to receive your support and be included if you do.

Vivace is located at 85 Fort St, CBD and we allow dogs of all sizes in our main dining room, wine bar and outdoor area. We have dog beds, dog bowls and dog treats and our staff will do their best to escape from their sections to walk our guests’ dogs if they start to get bored or need to pee (I’m talking about the dogs, not the staff…).

Thanks Mandy, glad to spread the word! As with the list of accessible restaurants, I encourage business owners to contact me and I will add them to the list.

Also thanks to Mandy for the dog pictures which if my Long live the editor has a heart, she will include it at the bottom of this column!