Index
Day 1: LAX-AKL
Day 2: Arrival
Day 3: Return
NBC Seafood - Sept 2023
Yue Huang - Aug 2023
Dragon Beaux - Aug 2023
ixlb - July 2023
World Seafood - July 2023
Koi Palace Express - July 2023
Palette - July 2023
Dim Sum & Bun - June 2023
Five Star Seafood - June 2023
NBC Seafood - May 2023
Tim Ho Wan - May 2023
Bistro 1968 - Apr 2023
Colette - Mar 2023
Dim Sum House - Feb 2023
Wah Sing - Jan 2023
888 Seafood - Jan 2023
Lunasia - Oct 2022
Lunasia - Oct 2022
Good Luck Dim Sum - Aug 2022
Longo Seafood - Aug 2022
Atlantic Seafood - Aug 2022
The Dim Sum Place - July 2022
HKC Dim Sum - Apr 2022
NBC Seafood - Apr 2022
Enlighten Bistro 168 - Jan 2022
Dim sum - 2021
Dim sum - 2020
Dim sum - 2019
Dim sum - 2018
Dim sum - 2016/2017
Dim sum - 2015
Dim sum - 2014
Dim sum - 2013
Dim sum - 2012
Dim sum - 2011
Dim sum - 2010
Dim sum - 2009
Dim sum - 2008
Dim sum - 2007
New Zealand
The feared rainstorm from Tropical Cyclone Lola never materialized, and the sun was juuusuust hinting it might break through the clouds on the mornings' walk to breakfast. Rude Boy has a solid selection of made to order hot dishes, plus an impressive collection of baked goods, plus enough salads, cold dishes, and sandwiches that I was seriously considering taking some to-go for the flight home. Fang's chilli scrambled eggs was a very pretty dish with a taste that almost lived up to expectations: they mentioned some rice noodles I didn't really taste, and the brioche bread underneath was perhaps a bit too substantial of an addition. The end result was still excellent, and made me wish I could come back for more.
Did some more work, then had the one disappointing meal of the trip, dim sum at Grand Harbour. While I was not particularly a fan of the quality of the meat at El Sizzling Chorizo last night, that at least satisifed. Grand Harbour's dim sum definitely did not satisify, complete with an oddly brown ginger beef tripe (instead of white), some folding defects in the har gow, and a har cheung fun (shrimp rice noodle roll) that was decidedly sub-par in execution in every major way.
Had to head to the airport not long after my second breakfast/lunch. Auckland has a lovely international terminal, prettier than what I remembered from previous visits. Best Ugly Bagels (main location is right near Rude Boy Cafe) has an outpost at the airport as well-- and they take Priority Pass-- but alas I was out of stomach space and could not partake. Popo Dumplings also looked good, but was also a reluctant pass due to insufficient stomach space.
Boarded one of United's youngest Boeing 777-200ER's for the return home, a 13 year old aircraft done up in Star Alliance livery. Saw some towering clouds and sheets of rain in the distance shortly after take-off, then after climbing out of the clouds and rain, had a surprisingly decent meal of New Zealand lamb. It was unfortunately overcooked but was actually still good, and some local cheese was a nice side dish along with another surprisingly legit green salad.
Helped myself to a mattress pad after dinner (not even sure the crew knew they were loaded), then got in a solid nap on the way home. A second eggs-and-sausage breakfast in United Polaris was not nearly as good as the first one the day before, but still tasty enough to warrant praise rather than indifference along with the almost-beautiful sunset arrival over the San Francisco Bay Area. For a quick trip for an inaugural flight (really a resumption of service) that had almost no fanfare, the end result of this little weekend trip was more than pleasant enough.