BBQ Pork Rice Roll

In a rather unassuming block of shops in Panmure lies a hidden gem - Yans Brothers Food Station. It is certainly a no-frills establishment – DIY tea and water, food served in disposable plates and bowls with disposable cutlery and a handful of tables to eat at – but don't let this put you off! Yans serves up the best rice rolls (cheung fun) that I've ever had. Their chefs make each one to order with a traditional cheung fun steamer machine that produces the perfect layers of rice roll with your choice of protein dotted throughout. My favourite is the classic BBQ pork rice roll (char siu cheung fun) but there are vegetarian (egg or tofu) and various meat (pork mince, beef etc.) options too. It comes doused in a sweet soy sauce and you can add a wickedly spicy chilli sauce for an extra kick of heat. Each bite is a wonderful balance of texture and flavours, with the silky rice roll layers soaking up the sauces. An added bonus? Yans also makes other Chinese meals – think dumplings and beef hor fun (rice noodles), a selection of fresh dim sum, frozen dumplings and bao buns – so there is plenty to choose from to suit all tastes! I was hesitant to enter Yans as an Iconic Auckland Eat since it's a bit of an 'if you know you know' hidden place, however it also deserves to be recognised. I love that this small, humble place has made a name for itself amongst the Chinese community by specialising in, and nailing, one of the most beloved dim sum dishes. It just goes to show that you don't have to be the biggest, loudest or most high-tech place out there; if you stick to what you know and do it well, people will recognise that and you'll grow organically from that.