KEY POINTS:
Picks of the Week:
Best kebab shop
***
Depending on what you are looking for in a kebab shop, I would have to go with Eden Kebabs on Dominion Rd in Mt Eden. You can upsize your kebab to a super kebab, or you can have a mixed kebab, consisting of both chicken and lamb. The service is fantastic: they make everybody feel like they belong, like you are part of the family. You can eat in or takeaway, which is always a must nowadays in the competitive kebab market. They have a range of about six different sauces, like garlic yoghurt and chilli. Personally, I like to combine garlic yoghurt with BBQ and the mild chilli. Tell them I sent you, and I am sure they will give you a discount!
Best car towing company
***
This would have to go to Auckland Towing. It's all about location, and they are so central. They are so central that the inconvenience of having your car towed almost becomes a convenience. It's hard to dislike these people once you have been towed a few times. They accept cash or EFTPOS and can often break into your car without damaging it at all. If you are planning on getting towed, insist on Auckland Towing.
Best car-park building
***
I would have to run with the car-park building at the airport. It's obviously not the best if you are doing business or shopping in the city but ideal for flights away or if you are picking up friends or a family member you haven't seen for a while. It's clean, well lit, and if you leave your car there for three or four days, sometimes you can get away with saying that you have lost your ticket and have only been parking for two or three hours.
Don't try this too often, as they will catch on to it after a while, and that will wreck it for all of us. The ticket machine on the ground floor is a great place to meet and chat to people, and this car park makes everybody feel as if they belong. It's amazing who you will bump into there if you wait long enough. The only drawback with this car park is that it is so far out of town.
Best TV show
***
I would have to say the last few minutes of Neighbours at War on TV2, Tuesday. This leads nicely into a show called Moon TV, which is also pretty good. I've given it three stars. Certainly one to set the MYSKY or the programmable VHS for. If you don't have a VHS recorder, you can always download it on Wednesday from TVNZ On Demand. That's what I will be doing.
Best Peruvian chicken takeaway
***
This would have to go to Super Polo chicken on Dominion Rd. It is very authentic - a real taste of suburban Lima. The chicken is done in that unique Peruvian way that only a Peruvian can do. It is also one of the only places in the world besides Peru where you can buy Inca Cola, Peru's equivalent of L&P. Admittedly, Inca Cola looks like llama wees that's been put through a soda stream, but it tastes more like goat's, so all in all not bad. This is a great place to practice your Spanish, if you know any. If not, just sit back and await your order of chicken and chips. Es moy fantastico!
Best pet store
***
For the second year running, Pets R Us on Dominion Rd takes it out. Whether you want to purchase a squeaky bone, some Eukanuba pellets for a fat Beagle, or if you just want some friendly advice on how to get rare parakeet shit stains out of your upholstery, Pets R Us is the place to go. Rumour has it that like the zoo, they may be experimenting with a season's pass that will let visitors visit all the animals and enjoy free concerts by Rhombus, Bic Runga and Golden Horse. And when puppies or kittens are in season, there's a festival atmosphere comparable to Carnival in Rio.
Apparently, this is also the actual location used for the hit reality TV show The Hamster Man, as seen on Moon TV.
