Cheap and cheerful Asian in New Zealand

"I’m a sucker for a good steamed dumpling. When dipped in soy and chilli the slippery, meat filled parcels of flavour are a treat to the pallete. Genera only I’m a stickler for dumplings on Dominion Rd but we stumbled across No. 1 Dumpling at lunch time and decided to give it a hoon. I ordered a plate of ten pork, prawn and chive dumplings which set me back $7.50 and they were right up my alley. The texture and flavours were spot on and the service was great."

"If you’re in the zone for dumplings then it’s common knowledge Dominion Rd is the place to head. Barilla is my favourite of the dumpling houses on the road (although the rest are great). The bright lime green interiors and menus in plastic folders scream no frills but the food is cheap, cheerfull and delicious. I recommend delving into the eggplant, the crispy beans, the fried squid and whichever dumplings grab your fancy! Top night out."

"Hansan has a good vibe about it, it feels like eating at an upmarket eatery but without the price tag. I had the noodle soup with fried pork. What arrived was a massive bowl of pho’ish soup and what looked like a large pork schnitzel. Although the soup needed a lot of seasoning (spoons full of chilli) both were tasty and for $12 you can’t go wrong. Both of my comrades opted for the chicken noodle salad, they both gave glowing reports. I’d recommend this place to anyone wanting a nice meal but who doesn’t want to bust the bank."

"For some reason Yum Cha seems to be a Sunday lunch activity. As it was a Sunday afternoon we got amongst. We ordered a pile of dumplings, a couple of noodle dishes, some buns and a red bean pancake. The food arrived promptly and was promptly eaten. Everyone rolled away from the table satisfied and plans were made to do it again the following week!"