Munch: Mughlai MerCury

A feed for fuck-all

Mughlai MerCury

What: Filled naan roll

Price: $10.00 

When: 6:00pm—2:00am, Monday—Sunday

Does everything it needs to. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Mughlai MerCury has had its heyday. I’m not sure what came first, the decision to switch to takeaway order only or the dilapidation of their front of house; it was less restaurant and more forgotten storage unit. There was one black dining table left in the room, holding nothing but a box of tissues. Also in the small, shadowy room were a number of high-backed chairs in faded, dusty, maroon slipcovers. They were all at odd angles and many without a table to slide under, looking purposeless and lost, like an elderly man in his slippers shuffling down a back alley. 

There was yet some evidence of character still hanging around here. The air was thick with old incense. On the walls were photographs of Indian port scenes and architecture, fading into the pale blue and sepia of old magazines. They were fixed to the fuchsia-painted wall with yellow push pins, next to a plastic clock that had stopped working. It was a far cry from the store’s shiny white website and the new AI-generated posters on their window that advertised their $10 chicken, paneer, or potato rolls. For that kind of deal, I wasn’t going to be easily deterred. 

As I walked in, the chef in a black apron poked his head out of the kitchen to take my order. I’d have to pay later, the EFTPOS machine was still charging. He popped back a second later to say, ‘you want mild.’ It bordered on a question, not quite. But he presumed correctly. A short ten minutes later, I was walking out with a piping hot paneer roll in hand. The thing was so warm I had to cradle it in my sleeve as I walked home, like a hot water bottle that smelled of coriander, cardamom and turmeric. 

After unwrapping my paneer roll and letting it cool down from bordering on volcanic, I picked up the springy naan for a first bite. The bottom of the naan split open like a pulled zipper, and an avalanche of paneer cubes and vegetables fell back onto the tinfoil. No matter, my roll had simply turned into a platter. The naan was fresh and elastic, perfect for tearing into pieces and using to grab bites of filling. It was delicious on its own as well, with a soft, buttery, almost fruity, sweetness. The filling surprised me by being incredibly moreish too. The vegetable mix of green capsicum, cabbage, carrot, and brown and red onions was lightly sautéed, tender but with retaining some bite. The paneer was subtly creamy and soaked up a little of the simple but generous spiced tomato gravy that had compromised the bottom of my naan. 

This meal was really solid. It was hot, heavy, satisfying, healthy, quick, cheap, tasty. It felt like a homecooked meal; the cooked vegetable mix reminded me of the quick and easy dinners my mum would throw together sometimes. You have got to go looking for this deal—it’s not on any of the delivery apps that Mughlai MerCury is on—but this also means that you’re never going to be waiting in line long. I wouldn’t, per se, call this diamond in the rough or a hidden gem, but it’s like a good lump of coal that’s actually going to serve a purpose and be dependable. I will absolutely be coming back for their chicken and potato rolls. 

Commun(ch)ity Notices: 

• Obituary: For personal reasons, Sri Penang has closed up their kitchen on The Terrace, and is moving to Levin. They will be missed, I regret never going in for their kaya toast and kopi breakfast. If there are any students who commute in from Levin, you lucky bastards… 

• Moving: Lemongrass Kitchen has moved within the Capital Market complex to be next to One Sushi. They’re no longer on the street side, but still easily accessible. 

Have you got a go-to meal deal that other students should know about? Is there somewhere iconic that I’ve overlooked so far? Send me something to chew on at: guy@salient.org.nz.