It’s 11:30am on a Wednesday, and there’s a snaking queue outside Rose Alley in Grey Lynn.
Walk a little closer, and you’ll discover the enticing aroma and if you’re lucky enough to get an order, you’ll find the taste mouthwateringly delicious.
The reason for the queue is Agak Agak Food, a pop-up stall at the dining hall, sells nasi campur - a Malay meal of steamed rice mixed with a selection of curries and various side dishes.
Nasi campur is a meal loved by many Malaysians, and increasingly by many other Aucklanders too in recent times.
Although the advertised time for the pop-up business is 11.30am to 3.30pm Wednesday to Saturday, more often than not they get sold out before 1pm. You see people happily standing in line waiting for their turn to tuck in.
Cynthia Sim, Agak Agak Food’s owner who is a Chinese Muslim, said nasi campur is a popular style of eating for Malaysians for generations.
She said her side of dishes served with nasi campur such as beef rendang, ayam goreng berempah, chicken kurma and ikan pari bakar are enjoyed by lots of her customers.
“Since I started operating this pop-up stall, I have seen how customers - Malaysians and non-Malaysians alike - have come and ordered a variety of dishes,” Cynthia said.
“I change the dishes around a bit because I feel it is one way to introduce the different Malay dishes and flavours to New Zealanders.”
She has seen customers sharing tables, and even learning from Malaysians about how to use their fingers to eat the meal.
Nasi campur literally translates from the Malay language to mean “mixed rice” and back in Malaysia, each nasi campur store offers different dishes to accompany the rice.
Cynthia is originally from Sarawak and learned her cooking from her grandmother, and holds a passion for sharing the delicious and authentic food from her home country to Aucklanders.
Besides nasi campur, Cynthia also does specials like Sarawak laksa and nasi lemak bungkus, which is frequently referred to as the national dish of Malaysia.
Christina Latu, a retail assistant in Ponsonby, said until the Agak Agak Food pop-up, all she new about Malaysian food was “nasi goreng” or fried rice.
“I love the concept of nasi campur, when you can see the dishes that you’re ordering and the sitting arrangements here in Rose Alley means it’s easy to share a table and make new friends,” Christina said.
“It’s fast becoming my favourite meal”.
Agak Agak Food Pop Up
Rose Alley 5 Rose Road, Grey Lynn
Hours: 11.30am-3.30pm, Wednesdays to Saturdays until 7 December
Every Saturday from 30 November 2024
Chow Luck Club Market: 10am - 3pm, Park City 261 Morrin Rd, St Johns
