Somehow despite living just blocks away for little over 2 years, I had never been drawn into here. But, now that I'm finally inside thanks to my curiosity around Lowbrow, this is one of the fanciest "food court" / arcades in the city for sure. It's got a little bit of a classic elegance vibe that is refreshed by the trendy eateries. And just to say, the toilets are very, very clean as well
Dined at the Ottoman Mezze Lounge on a Wednesday evening. The place was a little quiet at 5:30pm but started filling up from about 6pm. We ordered the Grand Bazaar Feast, Crown Melon Dolma and Sultan Fatih's Favourite Mahmudiye. The Bazaar Feast, with Chicken and Beef skewers was very nice as was the Dolma in it's elaborate baked melon presentation. The atmosphere was pleasant and warm and the staff welcoming. On the down side, the sautéed chicken in the Mahmudiye was reported to be a bit dry and stringy, and the tables a little small if you're dining with more than two people, particularly as the food arrives on large platters. There are some larger tables if you get in quick, or you can order for take-away and eat at the food-court outside the restaurant itself. The Baklava was delicious for dessert. Good modern Turkish cuisine at reasonable prices for an up-market Auckland eatery. Approximately $45 per head, including a drink each.
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Had lunch with some colleagues at Panda🐼 , located inside Queen’s Rise - a newly opened laneway style dining precinct on Queen Street. For under $12, you get a huge bowl of Wonton (雲呑/餛飩)- the wontons are plump, the wrappers are super thin and they are boiled in a light broth😋. To add a little Vietnamese flare, fried shallots are sprinkled on top for extra texture👏. A good option for a quick lunch, just don’t compare it to wontons you find at the legendary Mak’s Noodles in Hong Kong🇭🇰❗️Also recommed the Curry Chicken w Rice🥘, the portions are generous and just look at the lovely colours…
The drawback of Panda for me is their pre-boiled dumplings🥟– it shouldn’t take more than 10 mins to boil frozen dumplings, but they opted to pre-cook them – I wonder how they are reheated💬...
Overall, if you are after a quick and filling lunch, you won’t be disappointed with Panda’s quick service, affordable prices and the big portions...Fyi – Panda is related to Yang Guo Fu (杨国福) which is situated in the Sky World on Queen Street – they do 麻辣烫.
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