Jungle 8 owner Paul Wong with the Phozilla noodle dish. Photo / Jason Oxenham
Jungle 8 owner Paul Wong with the Phozilla noodle dish. Photo / Jason Oxenham
Restaurateur Paul Wong is hopeful that his creation “Phozilla” - a colossal-sized noodle dish - at newly opened Jungle 8 could be among the next list of iconic Auckland eats.
Nominations open today for Iconic Auckland Eats where food-loving Aucklanders are asked to nominate their favourite dish only available in Auckland to make up a list of best-loved bites in the city.
Wong made the last two lists with dishes from his other restaurant Mr Hao, the spicy chicken wings and sweet and sour pork ribs, and believes phozilla has what it takes to be an iconic favourite.
“Phozilla encapsulates everything about being an iconic Auckland dish, and we’re thrilled that some customers said they’d be nominating it for the list,” Wong said.
“This supersized pho noodle bowl is something that we haven’t really pushed, but people are coming to Jungle 8 asking for it.”
Jungle 8 is a newly opened eatery at Elliott Stables serving modern Vietnamese-inspired dishes and cocktails.
Phozilla is served with different beef cuts including 500g slow-cooked beef rib and banana prawns. Photo / Jason Oxenham
The Iconic Auckland Eats awards began in 2020 and have become an annual fixture since.
Besides nominating a favourite dish that is unique to Auckland, people will also need to share a short story about the dish and why it’s special to them.
For the first time this year, nominations are open to people across the country and not just Auckland.
One submission will be crowned the winner and receive a book with all the 100 Iconic Auckland Eats dishes to have over 2024.
Ikan Bakar Jimbarani at Bali Nights is in the top 100 of 2022. Photo / Babiche Martens
“As one of the most diverse cities in the world, Auckland has a vast array of cultures, traditions and nationalities which shows up in a rich food scene representing cuisine from all over the globe,” said head of visitor economy at Tātaki Auckland Unlimited Annie Dundas.
“The region’s culinary offerings are constantly evolving, marked with creativity and innovation, and supported by a wealth of talent.
“Naturally, there are so many remarkable and fascinating food stories from individuals that deserve to be told, which Iconic Auckland Eats helps to capture and share.”
The awards, an initiative by Tātaki Auckland Unlimited in partnership with Restaurant Hub, aim to support the hospitality sector and showcase the city’s world-class food and diverse culinary story.
Depot's turbot sliders was on the list of foodie favourites last year. Photo / Babiche Martens
Dundas said the final list of the top 100 dishes and personal stories will celebrate not only the region’s exceptional food but also in-store experiences, people, history, heritage, and culture unique to Auckland.
She said the list helped locals and visitors alike to uncover the “breadth of food experiences only on offer in Tāmaki Makaurau.
“Each iconic dish is considered against a set of criteria: well-loved, representative of local culture and people, a timeless classic, or a signature dish,” Dundas said.
“From restaurants and cafes to markets and food trucks across the region, Iconic Auckland Eats proves that superb food experiences can be found anywhere, at any price point.
“We really look forward to receiving this year’s entries.”
Kingi, The Hotel Britomart - Yellow Belly Flounder - made the 2022 Auckland Iconic Eats list. Photo / Babiche Martens
Wong said he got the inspiration for the phozilla broth from trying a modern Vietnamese restaurant in Saigon where they added truffle oil to the broth.
“After a heated discussion over how to elevate the bowl of pho with my chef Steven Nguyen, we came to the agreement that pho had to have to keep the origin of the dish and have the natural beef bone flavour still the star broth,” Wong said.
“So instead of using truffle oil, we thought the best way was to reduce it to give a heartier, and heavy flavour.”
Instead, the dish is served with meats using different beef cuts including a 500g slow-cooked beef rib and banana prawns.
Botswana Butchery's Crayfish Tart on the 2022 Iconic Eats list. Photo / Babiche Martens
Last year’s winning submission was made by JT Bailey, a primary school teacher from South Auckland.
He said winning the prize of trying all 100 iconic dishes gave him the gift of “meeting the region” in an entirely new and personal way.
“The food has been, without exception, quintessentially Auckland – a fusion of culture and taste where contemporary meets historical, an eclectic mix of new and old and familiar and exotic,” Bailey said.
“Every meal, every location, has been unique in taste and texture and smell and presentation, but all have shared the same Kiwi friendliness in presentation, a joy for the joy of others, and desire for a shared moment.”
Nominations can be made until November 16, 2023 at iconiceats.co.nz
