Picky Piggies: New Zealand

Situated below Sky Tower Auckland, Huami offers an extensive menu focusing on Cantonese fare including dim sum that is both traditional and creative. During the day dim sum can be ordered a la carte or in the old fashioned style from steel trolleys. The dinner menu has a stronger focus on more classic dishes from the Southern and Northern regions.

We have been here for lunch and dinner on two separate occasions and found the dim sum was inconsistent, other than that everything else was great.

Siew Mai NZ$9

The siew mai consisted of minced chicken, shiitake mushroom and bites of chunky prawns. The flavours worked well together and the XO chili added a mild burning sensation to the tongue.

Ha Kao NZ$12

These prawn dumplings were plump and juicy, with a delicate skin that was transparent and smooth. Ha Kao is a dish that can determine the skill of a dim sum chef by judging the number of pleats on the skin - 10+ pleats is consider to master level. The truffle on top gave it an earthy aroma.

Squid Ink, Yellow Chives, Prawn Dumpling NZ$9

I want to say good concept, but failed execution. The prawn filling was ok, however the skin was dense and hard, which affected the entire texture of the dumplings. The salmon roe wasn't fresh as it had an uneven and bumpy appearance.

Baked Crunchy Char Siew Chicken Bun NZ$9

A crowd pleaser the buns were - the bread was airy and soft with a thin layer of sweet crispy coating on top. When biting into the bun the sweet and sticky caramelised chicken filling rushes out quickly. These buns were heavenly good that words cannot do them justice.

Deep-Fried Crispy Taro Puff, Scallop, Chicken NZ$9

These flaky taro puffs were so addictive, a crispy outside versus a soft gooey centre. The inside was packed with a generous amount of saucy minced chicken and mushy-soft taro. Finally it is topped up with a fatty slice of scallop.

Crystal Seafood Dumpling NZ$9

Despite the name "Seafood Dumpling" these dumplings had no seafood in them. The name in Chinese actually says "Shark fin Dumpling", but it really means imitation shark fin - which is made with vermicelli. The skin had the right texture, and the inside consisted of minced meat and vegetables as well as "shark fin". Flavour-wise, the dumplings were quite flat and bland.

Warm Egg Custard Layer Cake NZ$10

Another highlight - this cake is a classic dish for yum cha, and it was the best by far out of every take we have tried in the past. The cake was amazingly soft and moist, the warm egg custard layers are common, but we were glad they were there. Not only did they act like a cream filling, it also enriched the overall texture of the cake.

Dim Sum Platter NZ$20

You can order this platter for dinner, which lets you sample 4 different dumplings - Crystal Crab Meat, Steamed Saffron & Vegetables, Ha Kao with truffle, and Siew Mai. The dumplings for dinner were surprisingly much better than lunch.

Live Abalone (stir fried in XO sauce) NZ$180 each

New Zealand abalone, known locally as Pāua, is a local delicacy. If you haven't tried it, its worthwhile getting it at a Chinese restaurant. You get to pick one from the live tank and ask it to be cooked however you like. We went for stir fry with XO sauce, which I highly recommend. It is quite pricey but likely a decision you won't regret. The abalone had the texture of a firm mushroom and was full of umami.

Clay Pot Duck and Chestnut NZ$36

Small chunks of duck is braised with chestnut and garlic in a rich and thick sauce. The dark soy-flavoured sauce is the highlight of this dish, which goes well with rice. However the ingredients themselves didn't fully immerse in the flavour.

Fruit Wood-Roasted Peking Duck NZ$78 (Whole) or $40 (Half)

A classic Beijing dish, roast duck enjoyed in a paper-thin pancake wrap with garnish and Hoisin sauce. Huami served the best iteration we have had outside of Beijing with perfectly crispy skin and lean and tender meat, where the fat has rendered away. The duck was roasted using fruit wood and had a mesmerizing aroma. When this dish arrived, our table became dead quiet and a frantic duck wrapping factory.

Quick-Fried String Bean, HK Olive Leaves NZ$18

Beans stir fried in olive leaves is a staple dish in Chinese restaurants, it all comes down to the chef's control of the flame and wok in action. Simple goodness.

Inconsistent dumplings cost an otherwise high score.

Food: 7.5/10
Service: 6.5/10
Atmosphere: 7.5/10

Highlight:

Pastries
Abalone
Peking Duck

Lowlight:

Dumplings were inconsistent

Website: https://www.skycityauckland.co.nz/restaurants/huami/
Address: 87 Federal Street, Auckland
Hours: Mon-Sun 11:30am-3pm, 5:30-10pm
Phone: +64 9 363 6699

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