Papa Rich has opened in Wellington. I was slightly excited when I heard that it was opening. I originally thought it was in an interesting location. However, when I arrived, I was surprised how many asian people were trying to find a carpark to actually eat at Papa Rich. Papa Rich has quite a following overseas and obviously it has quite a following in Wellington as well.
I have been twice in one week, once by myself and once with Mulan. I have also been to Papa Rich in Melbourne and I was slightly interested to see what the difference is if any. The ordering style is still the same. You get seated, then handed a menu and then you order on a piece of paper, and then call the bell. The decor is the same including the tables and seats, with the bowls and plates with their logo on it. I do wonder if they also trainer their kitchen staff the same especially the roti maker.
Fried Chicken Skin
This is slightly different but still very nice. The chicken skin is smaller in size, but you generally get the same amount. I do not think you will see this dish on any menu any where else in Wellington though. The skin was crisp and nicely seasoned, but I am not sure about the sweet chilli sauce though as a dipping sauce.
Curry Laksa
This dish is in contention for Wellington’s best Curry Laksa. The Laksa comes with deep fried tofu cubes, egg plant, bean sprouts, pieces of chicken, deep fried shallots and deep fried bean curd. The noodles in the laksa are thin egg noodles and cooked very nicely. The soup is slightly sweet but has a nice curry base with coconut milk and a good kick.
Chicken Rice
I wanted to honestly like this dish, but I thought it was better than average. The rice was nice but did lack flavour and the chicken was nicely cooked but again needed a bit more seasoning. The bean sprouts were a nice addition (as it is not normally seen in this dish) but it was also nice but also needed some seasoning. The chilli was nice but you needed more and the added Kecap manis sauce was nice. The side soup was good, as it tasted like real stock and not just made from a packet.
Roti
There roti are made on site and are slightly different to all other roti in Wellington. The roti is slightly sweeter and also a bit denser. However, it is very nice and good to dip into the curry laksa.
Telur Banana Ice Cream
This took a while to arrive but it was good. Inside the roti was banana and then a sprinkle of sugar was added while it was cooking to give it a bit more crunch. It was really nice and really fresh. The ice cream on top was fantastic, and I think they scooped the ice cream prior to putting it on the roti as it kept it’s shape and was solid for longer. I will have this again but maybe with sesame ice cream instead. A must try dish!
Kopi O Ice
This was free as it was an opening weekend special if you checked in on Facebook. The coffee was sweet but still very nice. It is made to order and the drink is actually still warm when it comes to the table and you need to stir it so it gets cold.
Overall this is a great addition to Wellington’s eatery scene. I was not surprised to see the lack of pakehas in the restaurant and instead it was filled with asians. I think the service is good when you have been seated, but they look messy with a lack of leadership to make sure that tables are cleared and then the next group is then seated. The food is good and I will go back and order the Nasi Lemak. The prices are slightly more expensive to your typical Malaysian eatery in Wellington. However, the serving sizes are big. I think this place will do well and will eventually pick up with non-asians, especially with suits at lunchtime. Just make sure you do not wear white if you are eating the Curry Laksa though!
Website; Papa Rich
Trencherman's Travels 