Taste of Home – Wellington

I have drive pass this place every day after work and wondered what kind of food it sells. I later found out that it sells Chinese street food cuisine from Mainland China. I have also noticed in the past two months the more I drive by the more Chinese students I see eating there.  The place is really small and on offers around six seats and I presume the majority of people order takeaway, but as I was there for a really late life (3.30) all but one of the six seats were taken.

You Po Main

Hand Pulled Flat Noodles with Spiced Egg, Peanuts (removed) and Seasonal Veg

I was surprised to see how wide the noodles were but thin and that they didn’t really look hand pulled but hade made. I did originally think the size was rather small but was filling. The noodles were really nice and the bok choy was alright. The spiced egg was really nice but not spicy and the addition of mung beans (bean sprouts), spring onions, coriander and sesame seeds were really nice. The sauce at the bottom was really good with the combination of sweet, sour and hot but you have to make sure that you mix the noodles with the sauce. Altogether this is a fantastic bowl of noodles.

Popcorn Chicken with 5 Spice Salt

These bite-sized pieces of fried chicken looked really good and I could not wait to start eating them, but of course, I burnt my tongue in the process. The chicken was nicely cooked and seasoning of the 5 spice was really good with the coating being nice and crisp. Some great fried chicken.

Pork Wontons in Hot & Sour with Noodles

Handmade Wontons in a Light Chicken Broth (Hot and Sour) with Seaweed, Mung Beans, and Spinach

Went in for another late lunch as I wanted some noodles. I decided to go with the wontons but with glass noodles and I also decided to order a side of crispy squid. Firstly, the crispy squid was given in a small paper bag, which actually was good as it soaked some of the excess oil. The squid had the same seasoning as the popcorn chicken and was really nice and nicely cooked. The bowl was packed with lots of stuff included pickled cabbage, which added a nice tang to the soup. The spinach and mung beans were lightly cooked and were really nice with the hot and sour soup, which I ordered spicy hot. The wontons were really good and packed a punch of flavour. Overall a really nice bowl of Wonton Noodle Soup.

Soy Glazed Pork Belly on Rice

served with pickles, bok choy and mung beans

Yet another visit at the different time. I decided to try one of their rice dishes. The bowl was filled with pork and different variety of vegetables. The pork was nice and tender and had a slightly sweet but meaty flavour with pieces of star anise. The vegetables were nice and the pickles added a nice contrast from the sweetness.  Overall a really nice bowl of rice.

Fried Mini Milk Buns with Condensed Milk

I was slightly disappointed when these arrived, just because there did not seem to have a lot of condensed milk on the buns or in the container, but I was wrong. The buns were nicely fried and could be easily broken in half. They had a nice crunch to them and when you have them with the condensed milk. Absolute heaven.

So I have been here three times in a month and although it is just easy to get to after work and it is a great place to get some great cheap food. I can see why there are always students here. The only downside is how small the place is and there only been very limited seating. However, the food is fresh and I love their hand-pulled noodles and spicy soup. Just a great place to eat, especially on a cold winter evening.

Address: 128 Vivian St, Te Aro, Wellington

Facebook Page: Taste of Home