Little Lamb Hot Pot in Takapuna has two large Mongolian-style yurt or ger structures that'll truly make you feel like you're not in New Zealand. Photo / Dean Purcell
Little Lamb Hot Pot in Takapuna has two large Mongolian-style yurt or ger structures that'll truly make you feel like you're not in New Zealand. Photo / Dean Purcell
Herald reporter and foodie Lincoln Tan takes you to some of Auckland's eating places that make you feel like you're in another country.
Leisure travel to many parts of the world is still near impossible at the moment with the pandemic.
But if you're looking for a short getaway thissummer, then an option would be to look to some of these Auckland eateries that will make you feel like you're somewhere overseas.
We've found 10 places with the vibe, decor and dining experiences that can transport you to some place else. From a restaurant that makes you feel like you're walking through a Thai village, a cafe with a total Mumbai vibe to a Filipino restaurant that offers dinner on banana leaves.
Chef Guo Xiangru prepares a platter of thinly sliced beef for hot pot diners inside the Mongolian ger tent structures at Little Lamb Takapuna. Photo / Dean Purcell
We have chosen 10 eateries that give a whole overseas travel experience, so even if you physically can't travel to these holiday destinations you can eat your way around the world right here.
This 10-part summer series celebrates Auckland's rich dining scene and ethnic diversity, taking your tastebuds on a global tour right here in Auckland - from Jamaica, to the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea to India, the Mediterranean and old England.
Little Lamb's boss Dong Liu says Mongolian hot pot is not a dish but a dining experience. Photo / Dean Purcell
At this time of year, evening temperatures often drop to -20C in Inner Mongolia where 38-year-old Dong Liu is from.
Almost every other night, Liu would gather with family and friends for a hotpot dinner, usually in a ger, which in Mongolian means "home", but in reality is a circular tent that many Mongolians live in.
"Having the hot pot makes us feel warm and close, it's like having a Christmas dinner Chinese-style every day of the year," said Liu.
"I don't see hot pot as a dish as such, but really more as a Mongolian culinary experience. There is nothing I want more than to share my culture."
Diner Jasmine Yang standing in front of a wall with Chinese and Mongolian inscriptions. Photo / Dean Purcell
So in 2019, Liu decided to build a "little Mongolia" on Auckland's North Shore, complete with ger structures for eating under at his Little Lamb Hot Pot restaurant.
"Mongolia is a beautiful place, but it is not where many Kiwis will get a chance to visit so I want Little Lamb to be a place where they can experience our food and culture," Liu said.
On special occasions and events, ceremonial cutting of whole roasted lamb is also sliced and served to diners in typical Mongolian style.
"Actually for celebrations in Mongolia, the animal will be slaughtered and cooked and nothing goes to waste as every part and organ is eaten," Liu said.
Mongolian diet comprise mainly of meat and very little vegetables. Photo / Dean Purcell.
Mongolian dining practices go back a thousand years to its warrior-leader Genghis Khan.
He may have died in the 13th century but is still highly revered and his name still graces everything from vodka, beer, restaurants to universities and even the country's international airport.
The hot pot's roots go back to Khan's Mongolian horsemen, and legend has it that these Mongol warriors used their upturned helmets to summer broth over open fires to cook chunks of horse, mutton or beef.
Once, the head chef of Khan's army picked some mysterious weeds and flowers, mixed them with spring water to boil beef and lamb, according to information printed on Little Lamb's menu.
Restaurant claims the broth is based on a recipe that can be traced back to the time of Genghis Khan. Photo / Dean Purcell
The warriors found the food irresistible and it helped them "regain full power and energy". Khan was so pleased he bestowed the chef with a higher title and named the broth "Heavenly Soup".
Liu said the base soup used in Little Lamb's hot pot uses a recipe linked to the Heavenly Soup.
"For nearly a thousand years, Mongolians have passed down recipes of what is believed to be this special soup and it is this that makes Mongolian hot pot different to any other hot pot," Liu said.
The extreme continental climate of Mongolia has influenced the traditional diet of mainly meat, and consumption of vegetables is very limited.
From its Mongolian origins, hot pot is no longer just a simple broth and meat meal but has taken on a myriad of forms across China, South Korea, Japan and Asia. But basically a hot pot comprises broth, dipping ingredients, and sauces.
Private dining rooms are constructed in shape of Mongolian ger structures at Little Lamb Takapuna. Photo / Dean Purcell
It is regarded as a symbol of equality and unity in eating, a communal dining style that cuts across classes and hierarchy.
Diners sit around their table with a bubbling pot of broth at its centre - although there is an option for personal pots here - with ingredients ranging from beef, lamb and seafood to cook.
For the more adventurous, there are also offerings of offals such as beef tongue, ox tripe, duck blood and pork kidney.
"Mongolians don't waste any part of an animal, not even the blood, and it is quite normal for us to eat these things," Liu said.
Dishes that take less time to cook should be put into the hot pot first. Photo / Dean Purcell
Liu says the secret to enjoying hot pot is not to rush, and to put in food that takes a longer time to cook such as mushrooms before the paper thin slices of meat that will become tough when over boiled.
"Hot pot is a meal that is meant for sharing and I believe it can bring people closer, so ideally people should also dish out food from the pot and serve them to others," Liu said.
In Mongolia, the milk tea commonly drunk is a concoction of black tea, milk, and salt, and this is also how tea is served at Little Lamb.
Besides the two large ger structures, Little Lamb also has replicas of inscriptions dating back to the Mongol empire and archery equipment hanging on its walls.
Zolgokh is a traditional Mongolian formal greeting, and then the two people will touch each other's cheeks and accompanied with the phrase Amar mend üü, meaning "Are you well and peaceful?".
On ceremonial and festive days, diners at Little Lamb are also welcomed with a hada - a fabric scarf signifying good wishes and respect.
The dish may be one that's invented to combat winter chills, but one that is enjoyed all year-round.
* Little Lamb Mongolian Hot Pot Restaurant is at 178 Hurstmere Road, Takapuna.
