What to Eat at the Metro Foodcourt
Metro Foodcourt (officially known as Sky World Foodcourt), is a self-described “international food boulevard with various delicious cuisines from around the globe”. Its central location, sandwiched between Aotea Square and The Civic, makes it the optimal place to meet up with pals and indulge in a selection of foods. As an obnoxious Aucklander who’s grown up eating here, I present this somewhat comprehensive review of what Metro Foodcourt has to offer.
Baab (Korean Cuisine)
If you’re in the mood for a hefty but passable Korean meal – here’s the place. I got the BBQ chicken noodle for $15.90, which did a fine job of satisfying my craving for oily fried noodles. It was heavy handed with the sauce, and the chicken was a bit too shredded, but the noodles had a good texture. The portion was fairly generous, and there’s enough for a second round in the morning.
Rating: 6.5/10
Matsu Sushi
It’s just okay. Nothing notable. If you’re really craving that food court pick-your-own sushi experience, I would rather recommend the one in Atrium on Elliot.
Rating: 6.5/10
Jewel of Bombay
Did not eat here since there already are two locations close to uni. Just go to those. City kids – aim for the quad. Grafton fellas should trudge over to the one on Park Road.
Rating: ?/10
Pho Viet
Broth central, baby. This stuff is addictive. I’ve gotten at least three of my friends hooked on this. I could bathe in the broth at this point. Whether it’s the pho bo tai (beef noodle soup) or pho ga (chicken noodle soup), for $12.50 you can’t go wrong. Chuck on some chili and a squeeze of lemon. To quote the great Guy Fieri, “you’re on your way to flavourtown”. The only minor critique that I have is that sometimes the texture of the noodle is not as supple as I would like it to be. Other than that, this place is a must go.
Rating: 9/10
Lime Thai
As a self-proclaimed Panang curry connoisseur, unfortunately this one ($12.50 for the chicken option) doesn’t quite hit the spot. Flavour-wise I can’t complain, but the thickness and mouth feel of the curry is a bit too viscous. The pad Thai is not half bad; it hits the spot if you’re craving it.
A special mention to the $4.50 Thai tea. This bright orange drink hits the spot with a spiced sweetness undercut by the bitterness of the tea. A nicely balanced bevvy.
Rating: 7.5/10
Su Za Ka (Japanese Ramen)
Unfortunately, I did not have enough room left in my stomach to slosh down a bowl of ramen. For reference, this place has 3.9/5 on Zomato with 36 votes, so it’s probably good? Just to round out this stub of a review, Tanpopo ramen is a personal favourite – would recommend.
Rating: ?/10
Go Veggie
Unfortunately, the person on the counter was busy with, who knows, maybe life admin? Wasn’t able to try any of the food but for reference the Zomato rating for this place as of 12/03/19 is 2.8 out of 5 with 17 votes. Quick maths.
Rating: ?/10
Uncle Man’s Express
An expat from the K Road institution that is Uncle Man’s Malaysian Cuisine. This location is relegated to the back of the foodcourt. I got the roti canai with absolutely no regrets. Two pieces of crispy, slightly flaky on the outside, and soft and chewy on the inside, flatbread. Served with a satisfying dhal curry, this is one good meal for $9.50.
Rating: 10/10
New Zealand Natural & Pita Pit
You don’t need me to rate these places.
Rating: ?/10
Pizza Planet
A timeless relic that’s been pulled out of a distinctively average PG-13 coming-of-age movie. This is that pizza place where our protagonists assemble for their weekly debrief over the summer. Serving up some big pies under the bright neon, there’s a certain sense of nostalgia that makes me more forgiving. It’s pretty average pizza, nothing fancy when it’s $4.90 a slice.
Rating: 7/10
Old Kowloon Cafe
I think this place is new? Focused on Hong Kong cuisine, they offer up some classics. For $6.50, you can get the Street Noodles snack-sized bowl of well-textured noodles, decent broth, with some bits of ham and from-the-packet fish balls. Nothing notable, but worth it for the price. I tried the pineapple bun with cold butter ($5.20 – she was an expensive one) which I was disappointed by. The bun tasted as if it were from McDonalds, and the top lacked the satisfying crunch and flavour of a good pineapple bun. I will admit that I did enjoy eating a fat hunk of butter. I’m sorry Rod Jackson. Lastly, there’s the Hong Kong Style Milk Tea ($7.80) which missed the mark. Strongly flavoured and too much towards the bitter end, it was not worth the amount of money paid.
Rating: 5.5/10