Dominion road is filled to the brim with asian restaurants of all varieties and flavours, it can seem a little daunting on a first visit.
This food crawl is intended to be taken upon by 4 or 2 very hungry people. Each of the dishes you will have while on this crawl are for sharing as a group which allows you to experience a lot more of what Dominion Road has to offer.
The approximate amount of time this crawl should take is about 2-3 hours, though it could be faster or slower depending on how busy each location is (especially on weekend evenings).
The Crawl
On this food crawl you will visit 5 different restaurants; Spicy House, Barilla Dumpling, Banzai, Hulucat, and Meet Fresh
Spicy House
Mount Eden
Location: 557 Dominion Road, Mount Eden, Auckland
Dish: Chilli Chicken and Deep Fried Pork in Spicy Salt
Price: $31 split between 4 people
Once you have arrived at Dominion Road and found a parking space in this lively part of the city (I recommend Wiremu Street which, with a little hope, has an open space), you will take a brisk walk over to your first destination, Spicy House. As always, this place lives up to it's name with an overwhelming aroma of spices every time you enter the building. If you are undergoing this crawl in the early evening you may be able to find a seat with ease but the later you get into the day, it will be full of eager patrons.
If spicy is what you want, spicy is what you get.
Take a seat and browse through the menu but we know what the main attraction will be. Order the Chilli Chicken and the Deep Fried Pork with Spicy Salt and sip on your complimentary tea while you wait. Once you feast your eyes on the Chilli Chicken, you will see how it is aptly named. Succulent popcorn chicken embedded in a plate of dried chilli, its everything a chilli eater will love. Dig into the chicken but avoid the chilli if you aren't looking forward to a world of pain. The deep fried pork is a nice supplement to the meal with a slight spicy salt applied and a dash of garlic butter, each mouthful is a dousing on the flames from the chilli chicken.
If you are in a larger group, or feeling a little more optimistic on how much you can eat this evening, their fried rice is a local favourite and is priced extremely well for how much you get. A personal favourite of mine is the Deep Fried Pork Rib though it is a little fiddly to share so you may find it is best served for one.
Upon finishing your meal, your next destination is located a short 30 seconds down the road.
Barilla Dumpling
Mount Eden
Location: 571 Dominion Road, Mount Eden, Auckland
Dish: Pork and Pickled Cabbage Dumplings Fried
Price: $13 split between 4 people
Barilla Dumpling, the best dumplings in Auckland.
That statement is not made lightly. With such a large range of meats, fillings and preparations, every visit you can try something completely different. Ask to be seated on arrival and order the Pork and Pickled Cabbage Dumplings Fried. Just as with Spicy House, complimentary tea will be served and should be warmly welcomed.
If you are new to dumpling restaurants, you may be a puzzled by the various sauces on the table. In the silver pot you will find chilli oil and in the two containers there is soy sauce and vinegar. If you are looking for a well balanced dipping sauce, add soy sauce, a small spoonful of chilli and chilli oil and vinegar to taste.
Once the dumplings have arrived, dip away. A plate of dumplings comes by the 20 so with 4 people, everyone will get 5. These dumplings are surprisingly large and full of flavour. Make sure to watch out for the juices inside, fresh they can be a little hot. After a quick feed, move onwards to your next destination just another 50 metres down the road.
Banzai
Mount Eden
Location: 583 Dominion Road, Mount Eden, Auckland
Dish: Karaage Chicken and Agedashi Takoyaki
Price: $24 split between 4 people
Your next stop is located at the back of the nearby cul-de-sac, Banzai. A small japanese restaurant with beautiful decor and a friendly, warm dining area, it is a great place to relax. This is the last of the savoury meals on the agenda so make sure to enjoy.
Unlike the other destinations so far on the crawl, this restaurant doesn't serve complementary tea so be sure to either order some yourself or if you are up for it, they offer a selection of sake. The primary dish to try from Banzai is the Karaage Chicken but on our crawl we also tried the Agedashi Takoyaki. Be sure to also order a side of extra Japanese mayonnaise if that is your thing, well worth it to make every piece delicious. The Agedashi Takoyaki is much more of a gamble, some revere it, others avoid it.
The Karaage Chicken is served with a side salad, a small dash of mayo, a wedge of lemon and an intriguing addtion, a teriyaki dipping sauce. If you ordered the side dish of extra mayo, you will not have regretted it as the small dab on the plate is quickly finished. I suggest you only dip each piece in either the mayo or the teriyaki and they don't meld together too well but if you are game, go for it. If you did go for the Agedashi Takoyaki, you will be treated to a few takoyaki balls sitting in a very unique sauce. As with most Japanese dishes, adding a little Japanese mayo is never frowned upon.
After finishing your meal, it is time for another small walk down the road to our next destination.
Hulucat
Mount Eden
Location: 603 Dominion Road, Mount Eden, Auckland
Dish: Bubble Tea, Juice and Slushies
Price: $6.5 - $8 each
Website: http://www.hulucat.co.nz/
Bubble Milk Tea has been booming business in New Zealand the past few years. Hulucat has definitely been a leading name and a favourite to many. If this is an outlet you frequent regularly, you know what to do but for those who are new to the experience, here is a little insight on what is to come.
The menu generally breaks down into 3 categories: Tea, Juice and Slushies, each with a wide variety of flavours. With each drink you can add extras ranging from jellies to ice cream. You can dive right into the deep end with a flavour you have never heard of but I would recommend getting a regular Original Milk Tea and add pearls which are small balls of tapioca. Delicious tea with little chewy pieces in every sip, what more can you ask for. If you are a little more adventurous, my personal favourite drink is an Almond Slushy with Green Apple Jelly.
Once you have your drink, you can start walking back up the road to the final location.
Meet Fresh
Mount Eden
Location: 533 Dominion Road, Mount Eden, Auckland
Dish: Waffle with Vanilla Ice Cream and Caramel
Price: $16.80 split between 4 people
Your last destination is the beautifully decorated Meet Fresh. By this point you may be a little full but, as we all know, there is always room for desert.
Meet Fresh serves a wide variety of deserts but our dish of the day is the waffles. You have 4 different flavours to pick from: Vanilla Ice Cream with an addition of either Caramel, Red Bean, Mango or Red Bean and Banana. I would recommend the plain Vanilla and Caramel but go crazy if Red Bean is your desired topping. Order a single waffle as it is easily split between 4.
Meet Fresh have a large variety of dishes
When your meal arrives, divide the waffle into quarters and start eating. Be sure to eat what you can before the ice cream completely melts. These waffles are sweet and doughy, just how they should be. You should still have some of your Hulucat drink remaining which makes for a great pair.
Be sure to return if any of the other dishes on the menu spark your interest, the shaved ice is a local favourite.
With your final meal finished, your food crawl is complete. Dominion Road has much more to offer than just this small sampling, especially as more complete dishes rather than the pick and eat ones found throughout the crawl.
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Most of all, enjoy =)
