The best of Viva takeout

Viva Gourmet take out food awards Supreme Winner: Salt Seafood deli. Picture / Carolyn Robertson

Some people are such killjoys when it comes to takeaways. You'd think the concept was almost as bad for us as global warming. Not this lot though. They take the freshest ingredients and do the most flavoursome things to them. And some of these places even have low-fat gluten-free options. We reckon we would be hard-pushed to come up with something better after a hard day's slog in the kitchen with Nigella's latest cookbook.

Our expert guinea pigs ate their way round places they had been given tip-offs to in Auckland and, after much deliberation, have found 10 winners in Viva's Ultimate Takeout Food Awards. Here they are.

SUPREME WINNER AND BEST FISH N' CHIPS

Salt Seafood Deli
476 Richmond Rd, Grey Lynn
Ph (09) 360 7111

Salt's sleek interior and exterior is all class, but it's what comes out of the kitchen that has won us over. The delicate, almost tempura-like, beer battered fish is mouth-watering and the golden fries cooked to perfection. Salt went out on a limb when it began serving the humble fish 'n' chips in swanky designer surroundings, but alternative Grey Lynn was the perfect place to give this unusual concept a whirl. Not only is it working, but we have given Salt our supreme prize for setting high standards and diligently sticking to them. It's not the cheapest fish and chips in town but you get what you pay for. We like the way you can hand-pick your fish from the counter display. But don't just stick to the fish and chips, we highly recommend the tender calamari fried in the spicy salt and pepper coating. Salt's cutting edge style extends to offering punters batter alternatives: you can also have your fish bread-crumbed or grilled. When you regularly see one of Auckland's top chefs ordering dinner at this takeaway bar you know it is one of the best fish and chip joints around.

Cost: Gurnard, snapper, tarakihi charged by weight, hoki $3.50, chips $3.50 (minimum). Menu prices range from $2.50 for a hot dog to $45 for the seafood box large enough for two people (fish, smoked mussels, prawns, calamari, fish cakes, scallops or homemade chips).


RUNNER-UP BEST FISH 'N' CHIPS:

Fish Cafe
462 New North Rd, Kingsland
Ph (09) 846 3474

Ever since Fish opened in Kingsland (it has a sister cafe in Epsom), locals have started to find excuses not to cook at home. What we like: the freshness of the daily catch that is then deepfried, grilled or crumbed. The dinky wee pots of sauce. But the piece de resistance is not the chips but Fish's gratin.

Cost: a single meal starts at $5 and goes no further than $13.50.


BEST HEALTH FOOD

Salad Works
30 Chancery St, City
Ph (09) 368 7101

If we were like that most perfect of all Desperate Housewives wife Bree Van De Kamp, we'd be up at the crack of dawn making delicious, healthy salads to take to work for lunch. We're not. Frankly, if we manage lipstick by 9am, we're doing well. So when Salad Works opened in January, we were over the moon. Its ready-made salads, such as the oriental noodle, salad nicoise and fruit salad, are all very nice but the most exciting is the chance to make your own. Well, you tell them and they make it. Choose a leaf base then add whatever you fancy from the vast selection of ingredients such as chilli chicken, spiced meatballs, cherry tomatoes, jalapenos, dukkah, feta, baby beetroot, pumpkin seeds to name but a few. Then pick a dressing. Not that were biased, but the combination of green beans, organic tofu, croutons and roast garlic mayo wins with us every time. By the size of the lunch crowd, most of the office workers are getting their 5+ hit of vegetables in the one salad.

Cost: Leaf bases $3.50 and $5 then add extras from 50 cents to $3 for the fancy types.

Viva also recommends: Revive, Fort St


BEST ITALIAN

Delicious
472 Richmond Rd, Grey Lynn
Ph (09) 360 7590

This place is our takeout equivalent of Clint Eastwood. If he's nominated for an Oscar, you know he's going to win it. Try as we might to find an Italian joint better, this cafe that does a roaring trade in takeaways always picks up the Best Italian award. The homemade breads may be the enemy of low-carb practitioners but we'd be happy with the bread alone. On our most recent recce, this guinea pig thought the aubergine and ricotta bruschetta worth the extra padding. Really, you can't make a dud choice from the menu - unless you want the ravioli and gnocchi to come as super-size portions. The homemade pasta is as good as any Italian mama would do and the combinations are genius. The tortelloni with tarakihi, spinach and mascarpone saffron sauce is a triumph. Don't get us started on the pannacotta or manuka honey and walnut semi-freddo. Mmmmm.

Cost: Soups are $7.50, mains from $14.50-$18.50 and desserts are a flat $7.

Honourable mention goes to Sage, Tamaki Drive, Mission Bay. Primarily a restaurant although they'll happily oblige with takeout. The menu's small but perfectly formed.


BEST INDIAN

Satya South Indian Café
271 K Rd
Ph (09) 377 0007

This took out the supreme award last year. A year on and were still singing its praises. Even more so since its move from the crummy Hobson St place to the flasher, better decorated K Rd site. And the staff seem to have a much better grip on how to work eftpos now. At the old place it took several attempts to work the machine - aApparently, it was something to do with the kids upstairs on the internet. This small factor makes the dash from the illegal parking outside much less stressful and more aesthetically pleasing. The South Indian menu means the food is healthier and fresher tasting than you find in other parts of India. The extensive menu makes it tough for those given to indecision but one thing we never fail to order is the dahi puri entree. They're Indian crackers topped with chickpeas, yoghurt, tamarind chutney, fresh coriander and spices. Satya is karmic payback for vegetarians. They may be poorly catered for almost everywhere else in town but this place takes them seriously with dahls, curries and kormas to be reincarnated for. And the carnivores get a look in as well. As for those sesame popadoms they throw in for free, they're the best this side of the Ganges.

Also at 515 Sandringham Rd.

Cost: mains from $9.95 for vege dahl to $24.95 for prawn curry, with an average of $16.95. Cheaper to be vegetarian here.


BEST MIDDLE EASTERN

Fatimas
240 Ponsonby Rd, Ponsonby
Ph (09) 376 9303

This place is so good, we'd be willing to name our third-born after for the sauce recipes. Luckily we're stopping at number two. It's hard to walk away from the old favourite tofu chawarma (a toasted bap with marinated tofu and other goodies) and go with the falafel pita or satay pita but sometimes a change is as good as a holiday in Marrakech. Just about everything comes with mango chutney, mint yoghurt and cucumber sauce. Were not complaining. As for those potato kofta balls and sweet chilli aioli. They're compulsory. We keep meaning to try the salads but have never made it past everything else. The salads do sound lovely, though. The fattoush salad (spinach, lettuce, tabbouleh, marinated olives, cucumber, tomato, garlic croutons, tomato relish, the yoghurt sauce with either chicken, lamb or falafel) appeals, but then so do the Persian and sheik versions. It pays to phone your order ahead. Fatima's gets busy and has never been known for their haste.

Also at 20 Anzac St, Takapuna

Cost: Chawarmas $8.40, pitas $9.20-$9.80, potato koftas $4.20.


BEST BURGERS

Burger Fuel
114 Ponsonby Rd
Ph (09) 378 6466

Elvis would have been totally burgered. Greasy, cheesy burgers - the quickest route to, if not heartbreak hotel, then the cardiac clinic - are no more.

Instead, places such as Burger Fuel guarantee the healthiest burger you'll eat. Well, that may be relative to the Heart Foundation's recommendations, but there is no doubt that there are some times when a burger and fries is just what the doctor ordered.

On such occasions it's impossible to go past Burger Fuel's nine Auckland and one Hamilton stores. Scrupulously stainless decor.

Wholegrain buns, not those gooey whitebread excuses.

Real chips, not those soggy shoestrings. Fresh ingredients, mostly based around beef, in combinations including chicken, brie, pear, dijon, dill hollandaise, capsicum, aioli.

Bambina and Slick Chicks on smaller buns for those wanting smaller buns.

Mushroom, sunflower seed, chickpea and you cannot be serious - People really go to a burger bar and ask for the organic smoked teriyaki tofu, avocado and peanut sauce option? Bet they don't want fries with that. Sorry, Elvis.

Cost: $6.30 for the mini minor to $10.70 for the bastard 1/3lb beef number.


BEST PIZZA

Al Volo
27 Mt Eden Rd
Ph (09) 302 2500

Walk into Al Volo and you're confronted with gorgeous pizza smells wafting out of the wood fire oven. The good people here recommend ordering one of their gourmet Italian pizzas for each person, because of the thin bases and light and simple ingredients. But the whiff of pizza is more powerful than any of those bakery smells pumped through supermarkets and the temptation to over-order is strong. Eyes bigger than tummy and all that. With 42 pizza options not to mention the calzone and focaccia, the range is extensive but we absolutely love the Braccio Di Ferro which added spinach, spicy sausage and parmigiano cheese to the standard toppings of mozzarella and tomato. Don't get us started on the other 41. Because the pizza isn't overpowered with cheese and oil, you finish the meal satisfied, but without the normal feeling of post-pizza overdose.

Pizzas come in one size only - 30cm. Service is quick and Al Volo definitely knows the meaning of the word pronto.

Cost: Pizzas start at $12, calzone starts at $16 and garlic pizza bread is $5

Viva also recommends Il Buco, Ponsonby, Melt, Grey Lynn, and SPQR, Ponsonby


BEST NOODLE BAR

Otto Woo
47 Ponsonby Rd
Ph (09) 360 1989

This noodle bar's interior is so minimal it looks like it's closed up shop to the casual stroller-by. Thank goodness that's not the case. Otto Woo has been round longer than many on Ponsonby Rd, and we know why. It does damn good noodles, teaming them with tasty sauces and is generous with the vegetables and spices. The satay vegetable noodles are just as you'd want them to be down to the crispy noodles and peanuts on top. The beef and greens are aptly described as being bound in almond and ginger, and the fabulous prawn tempura with shrimp, spinach and lemon is spot on. Then, there are those tempting fried sides: prawn dumplings, rice balls, vegetable spring rolls, tempura and wontons. Of course there's a very decent noodle bar on every corner these days but Otto Woo is still the noodle master and is unbeatable value.

Cost: Noodles start at $10 and five baby-sized vegetable wontons are $5.50.

Viva also recommends: Wok n Noodle Bar, 61 Normanby Rd, Mt Eden.


BEST ASIAN

Little Bali
39 Melanesia Rd, Kohimarama
Ph (09) 521 4566, Mon-Sat (6pm-late)

It was going to be best Thai, but, really, when Auckland has so many good Thai restaurants where do you start - or stop? So we've cheated a bit and gone for a little bit of this and a little bit of that and come up with Little Bali.

It's the perfect place to go if you're not sure what you want, but you're definitely after the fresh, clean tastes of Asian cuisine, without that noodle-bar flavour. This is refined Asian cooking, weighted towards dishes from Indonesian and Malaysia, and, yes, some from Thailand, too. Throw in some delicious dim sum and wok-fried dishes, but throw out any idea that this is a mixed bag. We love the duck curries, boneless roasted bird with Indonesian-style green curry paste or red curry with orange jus. Then there's a fine beef rendang and a scrumptious sambal calamari, and good old gado-gado (peanut sauce) vegetables.

Little Bali, which has seating at half a dozen tables, is a kitchen that cares, with pleasant eastern suburbs kids taking the order and telling you how long you'll have to wait - without being asked.

Don't worry, Little Bali is quick, but it doesn't take shortcuts with the food.

Cost: Mid-range and good value with it, plus they take 15 per cent off these menu prices for all takeaways. Entrees $6.90 to $8. Mains $16.50 to $19.90.

Viva also recommends: Thai Isaan, 136 Hinemoa St, Birkenhead


BEST DELI

The Fridge
507 New North Rd, Kingsland
Ph (09) 845 5321

Any lover of tiramisu should visit The Fridge for this alone. Owner Angelo Georgalli has conveniently packaged this classic Italian pudding in single-serve takeout containers. This dreamy dessert's name means pick me up, alluding to its energy-giving qualities. But the phrase could equally apply to everything in this Kingsland deli, from the tasty salads to the bulging wraps and wonderfully smooth gnocchi.

Georgalli, who is passionate about his Italian-Greek heritage, has a constant stream of customers on a first-name basis with him, a testament to his infectious enthusiasm for everything he serves at his deli- cum-cafe.

Not all the delicious food at The Fridge is chilled. The cakes are suburb, as are the various homemade pies, although a personal favourite is the old-fashioned mince pie made from 100 per cent top grade beef.

Cost: Salads from $4.50 to $10.50, wraps $8.50, pies $5 and the tiramisu $5.50