Nom Nom Panda

Saturday, December 8, 2012

Review: Bonz Cajun Kitchen

The problem with any Cajun place that opens up in Auckland is that we will immediately be comparing it to Sweet Mother's Kitchen in Wellington. Not surprisingly, when Bonz Cajun Kitchen appeared in Elliott Stables several months ago, our first thought after "Awesome, a Cajun place in Auckland!" was "But where are the po-boys, dirty rice, beignets and key lime pie?"

It's true that Bonz Cajun Kitchen has a limited menu, and as part of an upmarket foodcourt, it also lacks the quirky charm that Sweet Mother's Kitchen exudes. The chefs do, however, cook their few dishes well, and the lunch deals are very reasonable with a number of items at $10 (though the portions will be on the small side for most people).

Gumbo and jambalaya with corn bread for lunch. We ordered a coleslaw as a side.

Apart from the Cajun classics of gumbo and jambalaya, Bonz also offers other American dishes such as sliders (small burgers which I first came across at Depot), Southern fried chicken and BBQ babyback ribs.

Grilled marinated chicken sliders with avocado cream and tomato concasse, and culy fries

If you are going to be ordering one of the $10 lunch specials, we would recommend getting some starters or sides to share as well. It's a good excuse for trying a few more items off the menu.

Hush puppies, and buffalo wings with blue cheese dressing.

This little eatery is small in many ways, but it is great to see it joining the ranks of places offering unique and tasty food around Auckland.

Panda Recommends

There aren't that many items on the menu, so just go for what you like.

Vegie Pandas
Unfortunately, none of the mains are vegetarian. If you don't fancy coleslaw and cornbread or hushpuppies, you might need to try another stall at the food court.