Penang Assam Laksa - My Favorite Food Places in Auckland, New Zealand

My Favorite Food: Penang Assam Laksa

Where: Great North Express

Address: 4055 Great North Road, Kelston, Waitakere (Auckland, NZ)

How much: $15.00

Taste Rating: 10 out of 10! (Oh yes!! 100% Authentic!!)

Category: Halal

Verdict: Why the need to fly back to Penang, when you can have it here in West Auckland. I would personally say, it's the Best Penang Assam Laksa I've had in my Life! Seriously, though I have tried many assam laksa's in Penang and all around Malaysia, including the famous one in Jusco, Mid Valley, I am not really a big fan of Assam Laksa's. However, the Great North Express has certainly made me fall in love with it. At first I thought, well, it's just gonna be soupy or it wont be the same and I'm gonna end up wasting it, but the moment I sipped the 1st soup and my taste bud went nuts! It was amazingly delicious and I still cant believe it tasted 100%, just like how an authentic Penang Assam Laksa should taste like! Bravo! Bravo! I really enjoyed every bit of the assam laksa to the last drop. The only problem is, the assam laksa is a Weekend Special dish. Meaning, the weekend specials menu differs every weekend. Best is to give them a call to check what's on special or when they would be serving Assam Laksa. 

I'd say, its a good marketing strategy. Makes people wonder, hmmm, I wonder what's their Weekend Special this weekend.

Great North Express can be reached on - 09 813 5088.

What else: Being a Malaysian restaurant, they also serve a good selection of local Malaysian cuisines including authentic Nyonya Kuih's. Also, another must try from their menu would be their Nasi Lemak. (Picture attached) I would definitely be writing about the best Nasi Lemak in Auckland, however, I will need to try a few more before I can choose the best Nasi Lemak. Mind you, back home, I can have Nasi Lemak all day and night if it's yummy :)

History of Penang Assam Laksa: Penang laksa (Malay: Laksa Pulau Pinang), also known as assam laksa from the Malay for tamarind, comes from the Malaysian island of Penang. It is made with mackerel (ikan kembung) soup and its main distinguishing feature is the assam or tamarind which gives the soup a sour taste. The fish is poached and then flaked. Other ingredients that give Penang laksa its distinctive flavour include lemongrass, galangal (lengkuas) and chilli. Typical garnishes include mint, pineapple slices, thinly sliced onion, a thick sweet prawn paste and use of torch ginger flower. This, and not 'curry mee' is the usual 'laksa' one gets in Penang.

Coming Up Next: Chicken Curry Laksa

Bah Ku Teh - My Favorite Food Places in Auckland, New Zealand

It's been a while since I wrote my last blog and I believe I have taken a long break from blogging now :) Time to blog again!

14 months has passed since I'm away from home, Malaysia and honestly, the only thing I miss about home is my mum and food! My Malaysian cuisines! I miss my nasi lemaks mata kerbau's (Bull's eye fried egg), Babu's Teh Halia Tarik, Old Klang Roads Ba ku Teh, Jalan Ipoh's Dim Sum, Sarawak Laksa, Kolo Mee, Wan Tan Mee, Chicken Rice, Rojak Buah, Satay,..... phewwww!! I need to stop drooling now! Mum, I miss your cooking too la :) Nothing beats mum's cooking's eh?

Okay, so that's just a small list of food stuffs that I miss a lot back home. Luckily, there are lots of Asian restaurants in Auckland and a number of good Malaysian ones too. Hence, here I am, once again to make you drool away with my favorite food places in New Zealand... Take it slow and steady and don't forget to enjoy reading... if you're feeling bored already, let me know, and I shall make it worthwhile :) 


My Favorite Food: Bah Ku Teh (Served with rice)

Kopitiam Malaysia, Panmure

Where: Kopitiam Malaysia Restaurant

Address: 139 Queens Road, Panmure, Auckland, NZ

How much: $16.00

Taste Rating: 9 out of 10

Category: Non-Halal

Verdict: Just like the older days kopitiam's back in Malaysia, with a simple set up, nothing fancy or to shout about the premises but this is the only place I enjoy coming back to have my favorite Bah Ku Teh. The taste is almost 90% similar to the ones in Old Klang Road. The soup is not too strong, yummy-licious, and definitely mouth watering! You get a big bowl of it, with button mushrooms, lettuce, well cooked pork meat and ribs, served with rice. If you're after a good Bah Ku Teh, then Kopitiam Malaysia Restaurant is the place to have it. It is indeed quite pricey, but hey, if it's good, why not try it and trust me, you will love it. Infact, I am sure you will be smiling away with the authentic taste of an excellent and delicious Ba Ku Teh!

What else: They also have a good selection of Chinese Malaysian Cuisines, like Nasi Lemak, Hokkien Mee, 3 Taste Fish, Pan Mee, Fish Head Noodle Soup, etc. Reasonably priced and excellent quality food and will tickle your taste buds for sure. As mentioned, the kopitiam may have a simple older day setup and disorganized, however, always remember, we should Never Judge A Book By It's Cover :) Never Try, Never Know!

History of Bah Ku Teh: Literally meaning "Pork Bone Tea", Bah Ku Teh is a marvelously spiced stew worthy of admiration the world over. It is a soup based dish consisting of different cuts of pork meat simmered in a herb based broth for hours. Most shops will normally use pork ribs, but they are also known to include other cuts of pork into the herbal broth as well. Meat from other parts tend to be softer and delicate compared to meat from the pork ribs, though most of it will just melt away as soon as it is spooned into the mouth. The herbs and spices that are normally used to give it that distinct taste are star anise, cinnamon, cloves, female ginseng (locally known as dong guai), fennel seeds and garlic, which is boiled for hours together with the selected cuts of meat. The meat becomes infused with all the flavors from the herbs and spices, and the sweetness from the meat seeps into the broth, mellowing the tangy and sharp taste of the herbs. Other ingredients commonly found in a bowl of bah ku teh are mushrooms, fried tofu puffs, pieces of dried tofu and iceberg lettuce.  

Coming up next: Assam Laksa