Bevan Chuang

Face Masks? It’s an armour.

“She’d be right”, says New Zealand. Everytime I cross-post a story from New Zealand doctors and scientists telling us not to worry or masks are not going to protect you, the reaction from the Chinese community is, how naïve and optimistic Kiwis are.

Asians are unlikely to stop wearing face masks because Kiwi experts tell us not to, nor it is for the aesthetics. Asian governments have been…

The real battle is yet to come

In 2002, a virus called SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) have forever changed the cultural and political landscape of the greater China. SARS was a lot less infectious and deadly than the current Coronavirus spreading around the world, but the community viral explosion in Hong Kong and many started to change the way they live and work. Elevators were covered in plastic so the buttons can…

Open letter to Jacinda Ardern and the New Zealand Government

Dear Jacinda

While the world looks to you as the compassionate leader that they ought to follow, Hong Kongers in New Zealand were very disappointed with your recent comment at the Press Conference on 17th June. You have stated that Extradition Law Amendment Bill (ELAB) is a matter for the Hong Kong government and that the New Zealand government do not proactively put out statements when it comes…

My Crazy Rich Asian

So many reviews, so many comments about Crazy Rich Asians. From how this is truly representing Asians and speak the Asian language, to Mainland Chinese saying it doesn’t represent them, the movie doesn’t represent a diverse Asian view, and why are all the characters speaks Chinese and have a posh English accent.

The greatest thing about this movie is – you can pick whatever works for you and you…

New Zealand don’t really know Asia

In 1994, a not-for-profit organisation called Asia 2000 Foundation was formed. The aim of the Foundation was so that New Zealanders will know about Asia by the year 2000. Since then the organisation have changed its name to Asia New Zealand Foundation (ANZF), took away the milestone, but with the same aim to enhance New Zealand’s knowledge on Asia. This is the same organisation who is responsible…

New Zealand racist AF

I have been bombarded with the trailer of Crazy Rich Asians in the last couple of days, a best selling book that talks about a Chinese American who met a Singaporean man only to find out he is very rich, like super rich. And so were his friends. I remember reading the book thinking I totally understand what they mean because I used to grow up like that I have friends who are all about glitz and…

I drive past Japanese Sashimi Bar Ajimi on my way to home most days and with the amount of Kanji on the shop front it was easy to mistake it as Chinese who run a Japanese restaurant but how wrong was I!

Ajimi happened to be another restaurant that was founded from Night Market. There are a few stalls in the night market that came from established eateries but now we are seeing a number of night market stallholders who are starting up their own bric-and-morter restaurants and cafes around town.

I visited this gem in Onehunga one night as I finished work and after seeing my friend posting photos of it in the afternoon. You walk into the restaurant and it looks like a traditional Japanese sashimi bar you can find in Tsujiki, wood frames, shared tables, retro posters. Playing old songs that makes people sing along to. All the staff also have a uniform that makes you feel like you are in Tsujiki. The menu is filled with items you can have alone but also to share.

I have tried a number of things but I didn’t get a chance to try everything. I’ve ordered a lot seafood inclduing Sanma, crab paste, soft shell prawns, and those juicy scallops – whch remind me of the scallops I can eat in Japan! Though the real delight was actually the buttered mushrooms which they have accidentally gave me. Who knew mushrooms can be this delicious!!!!

I didn’t like the crab paste as much though as there were still bits of shell in it which makes it difficult to swallow. The sanma was delicious and not overly salty, and same with the prawns.

If you love Sake this is the place to be. They have their own versions of Chu-Hi and I can see the Japanese customers on the other table couldn’t stop ordering. If I didn’t have to drive, I would love to try them!

This is a place I highly recommend and I will go again. There were so much to choose from, the staff were amazing and it is really authentic.

Venue: Japanese Sashimi Bar Ajimi Address: Unit 2, 252-258, Onehunga Mall Road, Onehunga Website: https://www.facebook.com/Japanese-Sashimi-Bar-Ajimi-384467781978681/ http://hawkerandroll.co.nz/

Of course the quality of the food is only as good as the restaurants that made them. Uber Eats have been a bit of a cult favourite but I found it limiting. I do live in an area with not much on offer and therefore the choices are limiting. The quality of Asian food available is also not as good – more for the Pakeha taste than authentic Asian.

Yes if you can read Chinese, you are in luck! Here’s a few I have explored recently.

GoGo到家: Operates best on WeChat, it provides a similar location recognition services so food delivery and delivery costs are as accurate as it can be. Unlike UberEasts, you can order from a range of restaurants that are outside of your region. It does mean you can pay a lot of money for delivery cost and don’t mind that it takes a bit longer but if you are prepared to pay, they will delivery. The delivery is good and you can also track the status online. You can pay via direct debit or credit card, whatever suits you better. (added bonus – they deliver more than just food, they deliver cake, makeup etc from all partner businesses)

JSS Food: Again have a huge variety of food from different regions of Auckland, but majority of restaurants are CBD based. You can pay by Visa, AliPay, WeChat Pay, Direct Debit, Cash or Eftpos. Super convenient and like GoGo, if you are willing to pay, they are willing to deliver.

EZ Meal: Just like GoGo and JSS Food, delivery from anywhere to everywhere but you can pre-order your food for the next day.  That means if you want to order something for lunch tomorrow, you can do so and you don’t have to wait until the restaurants open on the day to do so. The only downside is they have slightly fewer restaurants.

If you can read Simplified Chinese, the choice seems to be endless. I personally think that the food choice offered by these Chinese e-commerce sites are better than those of UberEats. Now this is a great reason to learn Chinese! 🙂

The idea is this – drinks that have slightly different density are placed in these pretty cute looking bottles and which have a layered effects. They make the perfect Instagram worthy photos – but are they as good?

The truth is – it varies. I know that sounds stupid but it is depending on the company themselves. It isn’t too bad but they are bubble tea or milk tea in a bottle. It is as good as you like it. I found them a little too sweet and I do wonder if we do change the consistencies would it look just as epic? Would it look as pretty? You can see in the Kai Eatery photo – the Maccha green milk has a very different consistency compared to the black tea soy milk version. Which means you are looking at differences in layers – milk is a little more fatty and sits very well at the bottom of the bottle. Not so much with soy milk.

I do love the layered tea concept and I think you should all try it. The thing I hated the most is the straws that you get given. If you are not drinking one of these with any “toppings” such as “bubbles”, I would opt out of plastic straws. Why use a recyclable and reusable bottles only then to create plastic landfill rubbish?

Try them out if you come across one – you won’t be disappointed.

Venue: Illuminatea Address: Night Markets and other Markets Website: https://www.facebook.com/illuminateanz/

Venue: Kai Eatery Address: 1 Rutland Street and Night Market Website: https://www.facebook.com/kaieatery/

To say or not to say

There has been a surge of discussion about the Victim-Led support about how Labour dealt with the sexual harassment story. There is support on both sides, to tell or not to tell the parents and the police. Should you or should you not tell the parents, the police or anyone else.

I am no expert and I can only share my personal experience in this blog. In no way this blog post reflects the best…

Why I understood Stormy Daniels

I watched Stormy Daniels’ interview on 60 Minutes last night. Not the first time I talked about how I absolutely believed that she is a very smart woman. Ever since I’ve seen her interview with Jimmy Kimmel.

Say what you want about her, just because she is an adult film star and a producer. Morally you may not agree with her career choice, but it nonetheless isn’t illegal and therefore she is…

Sexual misconducts and youth camps

More than a decade ago I attended a Youth Leadership Camp in Wellington. I was in my early 20s. I felt privileged to be part of the Youth Camp and be surrounded by fellow youth leaders, coming here to hopefully feel inspired and learn something new.

I am not a camp person – and we were in a remote area where there was hardly any cellphone reception. Not quite sure how I survived it but it was an…

It’s too late but…

It was too late – it took more than a month for the Labour Party to do something about the sexual assaults against 4 teenagers and apparently it wasn’t even the first time this happened. It was too late that the victims were given no immediate support after they were assaulted. It was too late when then Leader of the Party was only informed by the media – and not by her own team.

Whilst the party…

It’s not okay. I have heard your response to the story about sexual misconduct that took place at a Labour Youth Summer Camp on the AM Show. You have acknowledged that the response time was poor. You have also acknowledged that you have sought the advice from Help Wellingtonon what you should do when the victims did not want to go to the police. You have acknowledged that the protocols have been…

In defence of #MeTooNZ

I agree; journalists aren’t therapist and Alison Mau is not qualify to deal with trauma. Neither was New York Times when they first broke the story about Harvey Weinstein which kind of triggered the #MeToo movement (again). Neither when The Cut did that story with the 35 women who accused Bill Cosby for sexual assaults. Therefore I do not agree with Deborah Hill Cone that because Mauis not a…