Get your summer foodie escape without leaving Auckland...
16 Dec 2022
16 Dec 2022
Queenstown is a foodie’s oasis, with countless restaurants and an array of cuisines to choose from; you are spoiled for choice.
Our go-to is Asian fusion, we cannot get enough. So, here are our favourite spots to dine out in Queenstown!
Blue Kanu has a beautiful interior, from the bright blue artwork to the cosy booth seating and intimate ambience; this is the ultimate date spot and a great place for dinner with friends. The combination of art, culture and cuisine is breathtaking. The menu is a vibrant collision of Pacifica and Asian-style fare, coined Polynesia.
Share a selection of tapa-style plates like the golden tempura prawns, a bamboo basket of Blue Kanu steamed dumplings or the goat rendang steamed buns. One dish that owns our hearts is the coconut and caramel braised pork belly with ginger, chilli oil and mung beans. For those of you who live an adventurous life, choose to trust the wok and ask for the feed me option on the menu; this will get you Blue Kanu’s signature dishes with wine pairings.
Hawker and Roll is a fast-paced, laid-back restaurant that specialises in Malaysian-inspired street eats. The vibrant and authentic flavours are mouth-wateringly divine. Kick your dining experience off with prawn dumplings, fried chicken or pork wontons cooked with Chinese five-spice. Then, peruse the star of the show: the hawker rolls. Options include the beef rendang, Malaysian chicken, roast duck and chickpea masala; this is placed into the roti canai alongside fresh greens and spices.
Embrace Malaysian culture with its national dish, the nasi lemak; coconut rice, sambal, dried anchovy, egg and toasted peanuts. Whatever you choose to try, you will not be disappointed; Hawker and Roll are experts when it comes to Malaysian cuisine.
Big, bright and airy. Madam Woo is a great spot for an Asian fusion feast. It is inspired by traditional Malaysian street eats, focusing on the fresh flavours found in Malaysia, China and other Asian countries. If you were to wrap everything you love about Malaysian cuisine into a flaky roti canai, you would get a hawker roll. A crowd-pleaser is the roast duck hawker roll with rich hoisin sauce and toasted sesame seeds. These are definitely a favourite dish on the menu.
Other options are the stir-fried pork belly, honey and soy tossed squid and the laksa. The latter is a rich and spicy curry coconut soup with noodles, a boiled egg and Asian vegetables. Wash dinner down with a cocktail or two; the sui ching is perfection, made with gin, blueberry liqueur, lemon and honey.
When the East meets the West, White and Wong’s is born. The eatery is influenced by classic street foods from China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand. The flavours are intense, memorable and exciting. White and Wong’s is always bustling with activity; the restaurant has acquired a dedicated following that flocks to the tasty morsels.
The menu explores a range of delicious ingredients from Fijian-style market fish sashimi, bang bang chicken, wagyu beef dumplings and Massaman curry of lamb. One dish we cannot resist is the chicken pad Thai noodles with egg, bean sprouts, peanuts, coriander and lime. For larger groups, opt to dine banquet style; this allows everyone at the table to try a selection of dishes. Throw in a bottle of wine or a few beers, and you are in for a beautiful evening.
