Auckland restaurant review: Eyeing the menu at Ghost Street, Britomart

You'll have to look hard to find Britomart's Ghost Street. Photo / Babiche Martens

In their own words: “A reimagining of the heady hole-in-the-wall eateries along Beijing’s famous food street.”

First impressions: I meant to go to Ghost Street when it opened in mid-2021 but then it was summer and then it was, literally, out of sight and out of mind. Stupid me. We descended two sets of stairs into a cocoon of old brick walls and solid timber support beams. Outside, Day 907 of the Auckland Weather Apocalypse raged. Underground, Ghost Street was a warm compress leaching the winter from my pores.

Who’s who: This subterranean oasis is brought to you by Krishna Botica and Tony McGeorge, the restaurateurs who established Cafe Hanoi, Saan (RIP) and Perch (formerly Xuxu). I recently saw Botica speak at a Hospo Hui. When she told attendees “there’s leadership at every level of your business” I wrote that down, underlined it twice and resolved to spend more money supporting her establishments.

On the floor: During a busy service, tables of two are allocated a 1.75-hour booking. I never felt rushed. Waitstaff took their time where it counted, patiently explaining the menu’s predominant “mala” flavour profile and the ordering system (tick the boxes, pin the menu to a peg above your table) and then delivered fast on both food and drinks. Superlative service.

The neighbourhood: I will never not be impressed by the Britomart redevelopment - architecture and interior design that justifies dressing up and staying out.

The menu: The waitperson explained that “mala” meant numbing and spicy and I felt genuine trepidation. One of the worst dishes I’ve eaten in this job was a Szechuan-style roasted cabbage that tasted like a wisdom tooth extraction. Ghost Street’s approach to the anaesthetising spice is blessedly more balanced. Mala combines Szechuan pepper with chilli, sugar, salt and many other spices (including, but not limited to, fennel and cinnamon). It’s lip-smackingly moreish. There are 28 dishes on the menu and almost as soon as we’d finished our picks we made plans to come back to try the hand-pulled noodles (satisfyingly thumped on the open kitchen bench every 10 minutes or so), the snapper fillets poached in a sea of fire and, well, everything really.

Best bite #1: If I was scoring the scallop wontons out of 10, I would rate them a 20. The broth - slightly syrupy and flecked with fresh ginger - had Olympic gymnast-level balance. The homemade wonton wrappers were as slippery-silky as an oyster and stuffed with a wodge of steamed Hokkaido scallop that left an intense seafood aftertaste. Four dumplings will cost you $32. Think of this dish as the equivalent of paying extra for leg room and then finding yourself upgraded to a fully lie-flat seat with complimentary pyjamas.

Best bite #2: Every time I eat a fatty, crispy lamb rib I wonder anew about the ascendency of fried chicken. Our national protein is infinitely tastier, guaranteed free-range and much more elegantly devoured. The dry spice-coated ribs arrived with a plume of invisible volatile oils that triggered a minor coughing fit. Their heat level looked (and momentarily felt) terrifying but, once again, the balance was moreishly perfect.

On the side: If that lamb was a barefoot dash on a black sand beach in January, the steamed eggplant was the first, cooling splash of the Tasman. Served room temperature with a kick of black vinegar, it was a brilliantly refreshing foil to the rich ribs.

Dessert: I didn’t want to report a “but”, but the egg tart had undercooked pastry and the kūmara tiramisu faded into a sweet and creamy nothingness (if you do order the latter, take a photo and be amazed - my camera picked up the glorious purple hues the restaurant’s low lighting had killed).

Perfect for: Pre (and possibly post) Spark Arena gigs and dates that might need a definitive endpoint.

How much: We spent $220 for two.

Ghost Street: Basement level, Tuawhiti Lane, 27 Galway St, Britomart, Auckland. Ph (09) 306 2233

Kim Knight is a news reporter with more than 30 years’ experience. She has been the Canvas restaurant critic since 2016 and holds a Master of Gastronomy from Auckland University of Technology.

Sip the List

Someone at Ghost Street definitely has a supernatural ability to choose phenomenal wines, that’s for sure. It’s a compact list with loads of life in it. I’d launch into a cocktail to start, a Szechuan Negroni or Gui Jie Iced Tea (Gin, maraschino, black raspberry, absinthe and Szechuan bitters). If beer is your palate-cleanser, then Ghost St’s list is dominated by Matakana’s Sawmill, alongside 8Wired, Peroni and Tsingtao with Far Eastern and Brother’s Hazesteria on the taps. By the glass, all you need is a Laurent Perrier NV ($26.50) Champagne and the creamy, nutty goodness of Aimery Grands Cremant NV ($14.50). I love that the white wine list is stacked with exotically aromatic styles that are perfect partners for Ghost St’s Southern Chinese cuisine. Pinot blanc, gewürztraminer, albariño (the Nautilus is excellent), viognier and chenin blanc alongside sauvignon, riesling (try the Dicey!), pinot gris and chardonnay all feature strongly and many by the glass. Great stuff! When you have the Two Rivers “Isle of Beauty” rosé available there’s no need for more choice, and a smorgasbord of red styles ring the bell for those who prefer a fuller-bodied, chewier alternative. Lush, plush pinot noirs from Greystone, Peregrine, Opawa and Deliverance sit beside funky blends from Vandal and Elephant Hill and classic malbec, syrah and cabernet franc styles offer classic lip-smacking alternatives. Ghost Street, your list is heavenly, hauntingly good.

- Yvonne Lorkin