Malatang is the perfect comfort food for cold weather - or in any weather really!
What is malatang, you may ask? It's a hot, spicy soup of meat and vegetables, commonly eaten as a street food in Northern China. It is similar to hotpot, with the same kind of ingredients available, without having to eat an entire pot of food by yourself.
Yang Guo Fu is my go-to spot for malatang in Auckland. Conveniently located in the Metro on Queen St, in the corner next to Papparich. It is always packed with people (mostly Chinese) wanting a quick lunch. You can't not like it because it is self-customized - all the ingredients, that are displayed, are chosen and picked by yourself. You basically choose the type of noodles (but why not get more than one?) and the ingredients you want (ranging from veges to meat to classic hotpot stuff like fish balls and crab sticks). Once you've got everything you want, head to the counter to pay and then they cook it for you and serve it in a broth of your chosen spice level. Add whatever seasonings you wish once served.
The soup can get very spicy if you desire. I'm weak with my spice levels so I always ask for mine non-spicy. The soup is still a little bit spicy but manageable! An excellent quick meal if you are in a hurry but still wanting a variety of food.
But be warned, because of the way it operates where the price is based on weight ($3.80/100g), it's super easy to over-spend as the price is based on weight and it's so easy to keep on adding things to your bowl! My first time was about $26 but I now average about $15, with my cheapest visit at $8 - #success!
Address: Sky City Metro, 291-297 Queen Street, Auckland CBD, Auckland
Hours: Sunday-Thursday (11am-9.30pm), Friday & Saturday (11am-10pm)
Phone: (09) 303 2668
Comments