Chinese & European Takeaway sits on Swanson Road in Henderson, West Auckland, and holds a 4.8 rating from its five Google reviews. Customers single out the sweet and sour pork and chicken chow mein, and reviewers note it has fed the neighbourhood for years at good prices.
The combined Chinese-and-European shop is a classic New Zealand institution, the same counter serving fish and chips and burgers alongside chow mein, fried rice and sweet and sour pork. The best cook the Chinese dishes to order rather than leaving them under a warmer, so a short wait is usually a good sign, and phoning ahead saves time at peak hours. Sweet and sour pork is a fair test of any such kitchen: the batter should stay crisp under the sauce. Regulars tend to be locals who have ordered the same meals for years.
Tucked into Swanson Road in Henderson, this well-loved shop keeps Waitakere fed the old-fashioned way.