Monsoon Poon Wellington

Providing nourishment in abundance (as the name would suggest), Wellington’s Monsoon Poon has been a Blair Street fixture for a quarter of a century and counting. Vibrant and inviting, this family-run institution delivers Pan Asian excellence from a former market warehouse, wherein lies popular, approachable food and drink, plus enough space to seat and satiate an army.

Climb the streetside stairs beneath the golden Buddha, step through the iconic powder blue entrance, and discover a cabinet of Eastern curiosities. Frankly, there's too much to recount, so while the photos do the heavy lifting, here are some highlights: black leather banquettes wrap around red lacquered tables. Balinese masks hang beside Chinese ancestral portraits. Ochre walls, layered with travel photography and vintage posters, are intimately lit by silk lanterns. And although two decorative road signs point to Ubud and Seminyak, you'll hardly want to venture elsewhere.

Instead, find a seat by the open kitchen, with its overhanging mirror offering front-row views of the action, or get comfortable with your crew within the aptly named Shangri-La room. For bigger celebrations, the Atrium caters for 100 diners seated or increase that to 150 standing.

Served in these spaces is a menu that draws inspiration from around South East Asia, and the dishes are designed to share. The pho takes three whole days to make: bones roasted, stock slow-simmered (P.S. many of their Vietnamese regulars refuse to order anything else). The shaking beef, a recipe shared by chef Charles Phan of San Francisco's Slanted Door, has been a top seller since it made its way across the Pacific. Pair either with a signature cocktail, local craft brews, or imported Asian drops.

Beyond Monsoon Poon's premises, their Mumbai-inspired Tiffin lunch delivery has brought equal flavour and care to office desks across the city. Since they first opened, Blair Street has shifted plenty, from restaurant row to party precinct to today's well-rounded mix. Through it all, there's been a constant: the proudly maximalist Monsoon Poon, forever doing its delicious thing.