In the heart of Ponsonby, The Ponsonby International Foodcourt is a timeless casual dining favourite of mine that has something for everyone - even vegans.
This proudly three time award winner of the “Best Foodcourt” in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, has kept the institution going for not far off 20 years. They will celebrate this milestone in 2023 and despite the hardships that the pandemic and lockdowns, have thrown at our hospitality industry, I believe they will be there for this and many more.
Even before living in Ponsonby, I visited the food court regularly. Whether it’s for a relaxed family catch up or for an easy cheap meal with a friend, I’ve always left happy and satisfied. It’s particularly easy with groups; for those of us who have fussy friends or for the indecisive people in our lives - there’s no need for the group to settle on one cuisine or have to annoyingly haggle over the bill!
Over time I have made my way around most of the shops (yes, they do call them that) and what they have to offer. Serving a variety of Asian cuisines as well as Italian and Middle-Eastern, each and every separate business has something plant-based on their menus.
My go-to is almost always the Bun Chay from Mekong Vietnamese. It’s a vermicelli noodle salad with a vegetarian ‘meat’ which is pleasantly somewhat realistic to what I remember meat to be like. The vegan version of the Bun Ga, a lemon chicken noodle salad is so good it’s “world famous” apparently. Share some vegetarian spring rolls and you’ve got yourself a killer meal with a side of crispy goodness that tops it off. It’s light, fresh and encapsulates feelings of summer - so much so, that I have difficulty moving on to try something else.
However when I do feel like something different, Kampung Malaysia and Ruk Thai are perfect for a vegan. Chef Vut’s vegan menu at Kampung Malaysia provides a large variety of Nasi Goreng, noodles and stir fried dishes and you can’t beat Ruk Thai’s crowd favourite - Pad Thai. Both are very accommodating in that they offer and actively promote separate vegan/vegetarian menus. And, with the growing interest and adopting of plant-based diets, particularly being seen in Central Auckland, they are instrumental in this movement to a mainstream customer base.
Other shops - Dami Sushi, The Roti Shop, Papa’s Kebabs, Zap Lai, Golden Express and Favore - offer some of my other favourites. Dami Sushi’s tofu bento, Zap Lai’s coconut curries and The Roti Shop’s chickpea masala are some of my other recommended dishes, to name just a few.
My Ponsonby Food Court experience inevitably means heading straight downstairs after the meal to the Ponsonby Pool Hall just below. I’ve made many memories teaching friends and challenging my grandfather to a cheeky game. The combination of the two for a casual night out is a favourite of mine and something I look forward to continuing for many years to come. (Sofia Roger Williams)
PONSONBY INTERNATIONAL FOODCOURT, 106 Ponsonby Road, www.ponsonbyfoodcourt.co.nz
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Published 4 February 2022