#navbar-iframe { display: none; }

« Home | The Vineyard, Crows Nest » | Hot Wokmaster, Ultimo » | La Parrillada, Petersham » | Haldon Street Festival, Lakemba » | Steamboat Party » | Ryo's Noodles, Crows Nest » | Restaurant 07, Royal Hall of Industries, Moore Park » | Rabeih Sweets, Punchbowl » | Jasmin 1, Punchbowl » | Simply Paris, Wellington »

Friday, August 31, 2007

Quick bites in Wellington, New Zealand


Chicken, brie and cranberry roll NZ$3.50

Okay so my brief jaunt to Wellington, New Zealand is now but a distant memory, but in the name of thoroughness I'm determined to get around to posting all the pics (most of them edible, of course).

As much as I enjoy a fancy meal, sometimes you just need a quick bite to eat. And here's where Mr Bun came in, a cheap and cheerful milk bar along Cuba Mall.



As the queue shuffled past the chiller cabinet of pre-made sandwiches, I loitered over the roast beef and mustard; the ham and cheese; the chicken schnitzel with mayo. I eventually adopted the chicken, brie and cranberry roll, padded with crunchy iceberg lettuce and wrapped tightly in clingfilm.


Coconut caramel slice NZ$1.80

Even better was the coconut caramel slice, a golden layer of condensed milk caramel built on biscuit crumb base and topped with coconut macaroon. Sweet, yes, but divine, also.




Blueberry bagel, jalapeno cheddar bagel $1.70 each

In the name of bagel research, I succumbed to two such products from Wholly Bagels, purported to be as good as the ones in New York. Alas I found this not so, the bagels a little doughy, heavy and chewy without the heavenly fluffiness of the ones I so fondly remember from H&H Bagel. *sigh*


Tau kua pok stuffed deep-fried tofu $6.00
Filled with beansprouts, cucumber and carrots

And finally a quick takeaway dinner from KK Malaysian, a no frills eatery that was reassuringly consistently packed with locals. I was somewhat staggered when I unpacked all the takeaway containers and discovered the amazingly generous portions. The achar, a pleasingly tangy salad of pickled vegetables and cucumbers dressed in sweet vinegar and crunchy crushed peanuts, was more the size of an entree than a side.


Achar $4.00
Pickled carrot, turnip, cabbage and cucumber with peanuts

The deep-fried tofu pockets were packed with a tangle of fresh bean sprouts, slivers of cucumber and shreds of carrot. And the char kuey teow! The Everest-sized mountain of spicy sweet rice noodle was big last enough to last me another dinner in front of Kiwi tv.


Char Kuey Teow $8.50
Thick flat rice noodles with chicken, shrimp, fishcake and eggs



Mr Bun
104 Cuba Mall, Wellington, New Zealand
Tel: +64 (04) 384 4792

Open 7 days 8am-5.30pm


Wholly Bagels
39 Murphy Street, Thorndon, Wellington, New Zealand
(next to Thorndon New World supermarket)
Tel: +61 (04) 499 7036

Monday - Friday 7.30am - 5pm
Saturday 8.30am - 4pm
Sunday 9am - 4pm

Also at:
Johnston Street, Tel: +64 (04) 499 2435
Cnr Willis and Bond Streets, Tel: +64 (04) 472 2336
Cnr Tory and Wakefield Streets,
Tel: +64 (04) 801 6011

Wholly Bagels on Urbanspoon

KK Malaysian Restaurant
54 Ghuznee Street, Wellingotn, New Zealand
Tel: +64 (04) 385 6698

Tuesday to Saturday 5pm til late
Wholly Bagels on Urbanspoon

Go back to Wellington Day One Read the next entry

Read about my Wellington on a Plate eats in 2009

Related GrabYourFork posts:

Wellington, NZ - Cafe Bastille
Wellington, NZ - Kai in the City
Wellington, NZ - KK Malaysian Restaurant
Wellington, NZ - Le Metropolitan
Wellington, NZ -
Mr Bun
Wellington, NZ - Schoc Chocolates
Wellington, NZ - Simply Paris
Wellington, NZ - Supermarket spree
Wellington, NZ - Sweet Mother's Kitchen
Wellington, NZ - Tasting Room, The
Wellington, NZ - Victoria Street and Waitangi Park Markets
Wellington, NZ - Wholly Bagels
11 comments - Add some comment love

posted by Helen (Grab Your Fork) on 8/31/2007 10:31:00 pm


11 Comments:

  • At 8/31/2007 11:59 pm, Blogger Rachel said…

    lovely compillation of bits and pieces AG :D Just a bit of trivia for you ... one of the names of the stuffed tofu packets (my grandmother used to make them) is tau kua pok ... any hokkien or teochew person will know what you mean !
    Btw ... just thought I'd share .... I'm going to Tetsuya's tomorrow night woo hoo!! Was reading your past post on it to prepare myself for hte event ;)

     
  • At 9/01/2007 8:18 am, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    This prompts me to make a confession. In 1996 I spent a week in New York and developed a little substance abuse problem. Bagels! Unfortunately I've been in withdrawal ever since, as it seems impossible to buy the real thing in Sydney. Plenty of pale imitations but real, NY bagels don't seem available - or are they? Any hints or tips, anyone? Helen - could you launch an investigation? I see Walkley Awards possible for the person who finds real NY bagels in this city.

     
  • At 9/02/2007 12:24 am, Blogger Helen (Grab Your Fork) said…

    Hi Rachel - Thanks for the name of the tofu pockets. It was my first time trying them, although I've often seen other tables at Kopitiam digging in.

    Enjoy Tets! I hope you take photos ;)

    Hi Alison - Oh yes, NY bagels are unrivalled! I've been meaning to get to Bagel House in Rozelle - by all reports their bagels are pretty darn good!

     
  • At 9/02/2007 3:00 am, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Hi Helen,
    The char kway teow does look authentic! But the achar we have in S'pore and M'sia, besides being sweet and tangy, is also spicy. Perhaps the chilli has been left out for the benefit of NZ tastebuds?

     
  • At 9/02/2007 10:40 pm, Blogger Helen (Grab Your Fork) said…

    Hi Julia - The achar wasn't particularly spicy but the char kway teow had a lovely chilli kick :) I'm sure a lot of foods are tamed down once they depart the shores of Malaysia and S'pore!

     
  • At 9/03/2007 9:08 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I am such a bagel addict (must be the jewish heritage) but jelepeno's in a bagel??? at least it'd give you a kickstart in the morning!

     
  • At 9/04/2007 12:34 am, Blogger Helen (Grab Your Fork) said…

    Hi Goldie - The jalapenos weren't crazy hot, more a pleasant warmness :)

     
  • At 9/12/2007 1:06 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    hehehe, how great is Mr Bun?? there are little bakery shops like that all over NZ. love it!

     
  • At 9/12/2007 6:02 pm, Blogger Helen (Grab Your Fork) said…

    Hi Lindsey Clare - Mr Bun was cheap and chirpy. It was cute, and that slice I ate... yum! I'm still pining for another one!

     
  • At 9/18/2007 2:07 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Love the coconut caramel slice.. :) was the char kway teow any good..??

     
  • At 9/21/2007 10:25 pm, Blogger Helen (Grab Your Fork) said…

    Hi Mama Bok - The caramel slice was sooo yummy, and yes the char kway teow was excellent. A nice smoky sweetness with a good chilli kick too :)

     

Post a Comment

<< Home


      << Read Older Posts       |       >> Read Newer Posts