I have been to Auckland several times but have not returned to Selera. Since my last visit in 2017, they’ve opened a branch in Westfield New Market and another just a short walk from their original location. While I’ve enjoyed their Laksa before, I was encouraged to try their Hainanese Chicken.

So, I opted to visit their original eatery and ordered their Hainanese Chicken Rice and Flaky Pork Buns. The flaky pork buns arrived piping hot, almost too hot to handle at first. After letting them cool, I still managed to burn my mouth in eagerness to taste them. Despite that, the buns were absolutely delicious and delightful. The pastry was incredibly flaky, and the pork mince filling was flavorful and slightly sweet. I was intrigued that they used pork mince instead of the usual finely chopped barbecue pork though.

The Hainanese Chicken rice was delightful. The chicken was tender, the bones neatly separated, and a generous amount of bean sprouts soaked in the delicious soy sauce beneath. The chicken had a nice flavour, complemented well by the ginger and spring onion sauce drizzled on top. The rice itself was flavorful, and I appreciated finding a piece of garlic in it, indicating it was cooked with care. However, two disappointments stood out: the chilli sauce, while good, was slightly too sour and could have used more sweetness, and the dish lacked the expected soup.

Overall, Selera continues to impress with its consistently good food. I did find the prices slightly higher than I expected for a typical Malaysian restaurant in New Zealand—perhaps reflecting the Auckland market compared to Wellington. Nevertheless, it’s hard to go wrong with Selera given the quality they maintain.

Facebook Page: Selera Malaysian Cafe