Palsun Howick is a Somerville favourite bringing Korean-Chinese cooking to Meadowland Drive in Auckland's east. Labelled an Asian fusion restaurant, it specialises in the dishes Korean-style Chinese kitchens do best — jjajangmyeon, tangsuyuk and glossy wok-fired rice plates — served in a casual, cosy dining room that regulars describe as spotless, calm and genuinely welcoming.
The dish that built its reputation is the black bean noodles. The owner makes the noodles fresh every single day, and guests insist it shows — the taste is described as authentic, and more than one reviewer has called them the best black bean noodles in the area. Spicy seafood noodles, Spicy Kkanpunggi and Tangsu Shrimp keep the menu varied, while the fried rice — including an XO Sauce version — earns praise for being well seasoned, non-sticky and generously portioned.
Just as important as the food is the welcome. Reviews repeatedly highlight the warmth and attentiveness of the owner and her team, from greeting tables on arrival to seeing guests out the door. Even during the busy lunch peak, diners note the room stays comfortable and the tables spotless.
With 319 reviews averaging 4.5 out of 5, Palsun Howick works equally well for a casual weeknight dinner, a family gathering or a solo lunch. Dine-in with table service and takeaway are both available, beer and alcohol are offered, and reservations — recommended for dinner — are accepted. Wheelchair-accessible entry, seating and parking, high chairs for kids and free parking nearby make it an easy choice for almost anyone.
There are restaurants you visit once, and there are restaurants that quietly become part of the weekly routine. Palsun Howick, on Meadowland Drive in Somerville, Auckland, firmly belongs to the second group. This Asian fusion restaurant specialises in Korean-Chinese cooking — the much-loved genre of jjajangmyeon, tangsuyuk and wok-fired rice plates — and with 319 reviews averaging 4.5 out of 5, its reputation among east Auckland diners is well and truly established.
The setting is casual and cosy, the kind of room that suits a family dinner as easily as a quick solo lunch. But what keeps people coming back starts in the kitchen.
Ask regulars why they return and you will hear the same answer: the black bean noodles. These jjajangmyeon are made with noodles that the owner prepares fresh every single day — a detail she happily shares with her tables, and one that reviewers say makes all the difference. The sauce is repeatedly described as authentic, and more than one guest has declared them the best black bean noodles in the area. For many families, this is the dish that turned a first visit into a standing date.
The spicy seafood noodles earn nearly equal devotion. One longtime customer lists them alongside the black bean noodles and the pork dishes as all on point, while another goes further, calling Palsun one of the best Korean-style Chinese restaurants in Auckland — high praise in a city with no shortage of options.
The menu stretches well past the noodles. Spicy Kkanpunggi and Tangsu Shrimp are among the standouts, dishes that burst with flavour and strike what the listing calls a perfect balance of spice. Then there is the fried rice. The XO Sauce Fried Rice and Fried Rice with Shrimp come out well seasoned and non-sticky, with portions guests describe as comfortingly generous — the sort of plate that leaves a table properly full.
Rounding out the lineup are Korean-Chinese staples like tangsuyuk, deep-fried prawns and chicken, and the traditional yangjangpi appetiser. For the adventurous, the Injeolmi Sweet and Sour paired with Jaengban Jjajang offers a popular twist on the classics. However you build your order, the food is consistently described as satisfying and plentiful.
Food aside, what reviewers mention almost as often is the service. The owner — described by one guest as a very nice and sweet Korean lady — hosts tables personally and has been known to greet diners on their way out. The staff are praised for being warm, polite and attentive, even when the room is stretched. Guests note that tables are kept clean, the space stays hygienic, and even at the busiest stretch around lunchtime the atmosphere never gets too noisy. One regular sums it up simply: the food is consistently served good, and the place is always kept clean.
That combination of consistent food and genuine hospitality is precisely why the customer base here spans years, not months — families return again and again, and first-timers frequently leave planning their next visit.
Palsun Howick is easy to build into real life. Dine-in with table service and takeaway are both available, and the kitchen handles everything from quick bites and small plates to full group dinners. Beer and alcohol are on offer, families are well looked after with high chairs, and the venue provides wheelchair-accessible parking, entrance and seating. Free street parking and a free parking lot make driving in painless, and payments by credit card and NFC mobile options are accepted. Reservations are welcome — and recommended for dinner — and the crowd mixes groups, university students and solo diners.
Service runs in two daily shifts, Tuesday through Saturday: lunch from 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM and dinner from 5:00 PM to 8:30 PM, with the restaurant closed on Mondays and Sundays. Most dishes sit in the NZ$20–30 range, making it an accessible treat for a casual night out.
If you find yourself in Somerville craving a bowl of jjajangmyeon, a plate of tangsuyuk or simply a warm welcome with consistently good food, Palsun Howick has earned its reputation the slow way — one fresh batch of noodles at a time.