With Auckland experiencing another spell of summer rainy weather, eating the right food can keep you cosy, warm and full.
RAMEN
Ramen is the ultimate comfort food for a rainy day. The hot broth and noodles in this Japanese dish warm you up and the savoury flavours will surely uplift your spirits. One of my favourites is Ajisen Ramen’s Black Tonkotsu, with its Kumamoto-based broth topped with slow-cooked black garlic sesame oil topped with tomago, chashu, scallion and kikurage.
WHERE: Ajisen Ramen Botany, The Hub, 451 Ti Rakau Drive, Huntington Park. Ph 09 9508008
PHO
A Vietnamese dish that spells comfort and warmth in every slurp, rainy days are made for pho. While both pho and ramen are soup noodle dishes, they are different as pho noodles are made from rice noodles instead of the yellow, bouncy ones that ramen has. The pho soup, made from beef stock, is clearer and lighter than ramen. One of the best pho to have is the ox-tail pho at Nam Viet, where the melt-in-your-mouth oxtail is combined in a bowl of steaming hot soup, noodles, bean sprouts, herbs and other garnishes. Add to the flavours of hoisin and chilli sauce and you’re in heaven.
WHERE: Nam Viet, Atrium on Elliott Food Court, 21/25 Elliott Street, Auckland Central. Ph 09 3093339
TOM YUM
Thai tom yum goong is a perfect remedy for the rainy spell. There’s two main types, the nam sai which is the clear broth version or the nam khon, creamy broth. But whether creamy or clear, the soup will be spicy and sour and flavours enhanced with lemongrass, kaffir lime and chilli. Tasty Tiny Thai in Birkenhead is one of my favourite places to have this. Not only because they make incredible tom yum goong but because of the great views that you get at the restaurant.
WHERE: Tasty Tiny Thai, 52D Mokoia Road, Birkenhead. Ph 09 4184999
ARMY STEW
Budae Jjigae, or Korean Army base stew, is another perfect antidote to lift your spirits during the damp weather. It’s a sort of hot pot dish that’s loaded with spam, ramen noodles, luncheon meat, baked beans, sauces and much more. One of the best places to have this is Jung Dam at Wairau Valley on the North Shore.
WHERE: Jang Dam, 20A Link Drive, Wairau Valley. Ph 09 4417080
HOT POT
Chinese hot pot was probably invented to combat winter chills, but it’s also perfect for rainy days in the summer. Diners sit around the table with a boiling pot of soup in the centre and dip ingredients to cook. My favourite spot to have this in Auckland is The Old Fashion Hotpot, which has branches in Albany and Epsom. A feature in this hotpot hot spot is its beef fat broth base, which is rich and aromatic - and despite the term ‘beef fat broth’ - it is not overly greasy.
WHERE: The Old Fashion Hot Pot, 94 Rosedale Road, Albany. Ph 09 4781611
