Tour and taste the north end of town

When it comes to looking for culinary delights from around the world, the north end of Victoria St does not disappoint. There is a mix of international cuisine that takes you from Asia to Africa in the space of a mere two blocks. The Hamilton Central Business Association showcased a sample of what is on offer, taking 30 business people from around the city, on a tasting evening in 90 minutes. First stop was Penang Street Food NZ at 941A Victoria St − a Malaysian restaurant offering a blend of traditional Malay flavours with a modern dining experience. The owners said they wanted to craft a delicious sensory experience true to their family motto and their roots, bringing their love for the Malay street food to the plate − and they certainly did this with a selection plate of nasi lemak, char kway teow, mee goreng and chicken satay. The evening was certainly off to a great start.

Twenty-five minutes later, the group left their south-east Asian food experience to head to India, visiting two locations that have both been on Hamilton’s main street for more than 20 years.At Gulmohar Indian Restaurant at 841 Victoria St, the group enjoyed an authentic range of Indian lamb, chicken and vegetarian curries with spices, flavours and aromas that delighted the taste buds.Then a few quick steps and we were at the third stop of the evening, Jaipur Indian Restaurant at 793 Victoria St, where we were greeted with a delicious assortment of a little bit of everything from chicken tikka to seekh kebab, onion bhaji to a selection of curries.

Edo Japanese Restaurant at 711 Victoria St, offering traditional Japanese cuisine, showcased sweet treats with a platter of snow mochi, kumara dango and toasted dango to complete our culinary journey.In 90 minutes, the Taste of the North End of town tour provided a delicious journey into the cultural food wonderland that is right on our doorstep. If you have not recently ventured down to this part of town, we recommend you go and explore the taste sensations on offer.