Review Pandan Asian Cuisine - Lower Hutt

What a find! Amazingly authentic Malaysian flavours….wonderful menu & very friendly staff. I had tried Gado gado and a chicken curry with roti chanai previously so this time opted for a spicy chicken rendang with roti and the Cendol (shaved iced) dessert to finish. Absolutely no faulting it! Massive yum! Can’t wait to return for the recommended clay pot fish curry.

The food was amazingly delicious! Everything was easily adapted to a vegan diet. Service was great! We would definitely go to Pandan again, if back in Wellington some time.

One of my favourite places to eat in all of Wellington. If not NZ. Always amazes. Highly recommend the weekend brunch special: clay pot fish. And everything else on the whole menu!

Been wanting to write a review and always forget. Hat down to the best Nasi Lemak in capital region. Honestly couldn't find anywhere that serves a better Nasi Lemak. I'd drive all the way from Miramar to Lower Hutt just to fix my craving for a good Nasi Lemak. The beef rendang amazing, generous amount of sambal and fragrant basmati coconut rice. Apart from that, if I'm feeling extra hungry, their roti chanai is definitely another excellent choice to go for!

We stumbled upon Pandan on Friday night. What a delight ...authentic flavours and extremely friendly and helpful staff. Ordered clay pot fish curry , Mee Hoon Goreng Chicken chops and Egg Chanai. Mouthwatering aromatic dishes cooked to perfection. Reasonably priced and good quantity. Will be going back to try their famous Ikan bakar. Highly recommended.

Good food, good prices, location wasn't too bad, but I think you may struggle finding a park on a Saturday evening. My only critique is that for a $5 coke you'd expect a glass bottle but it's just the $1 can, better off getting the Bundaberg gingerbeer.

Best Malaysian food we've had in Wellington. Our first experience of thosai/dosai in New Zealand. Supposed to be for lunch, we were there for dinner. The owner made it for us anyway after seeing our disappointed face. Came because our friend recommended. Braved the rain and severe weather—did not disappoint! The satay sauce, OMG, the SATAY SAUCE! We were in heaven.

Went to eat here for my 18th birthday last tuesday, and i highly reccomend!!!! My parents were enfatuated at how good it was and now they're planning days to go get dinner here again. Dad had the Beef Rendeng and scoffed it so fast i blinked and it was gone. Mum had goat curry and dad had half of it because it was so good. I had mango chicken and very yummy!!!! The Spring rolls, curry puffs and Murtabak were so good I could barely finish anything I ate so much. 100/10 Thank you everyone!!! Had a lovely birthday and wil be coming back very soon ofc :))))

I had been to this place heaps and Everytime I go out there I say to myself that I will click some snaps of the dishes that I order. However, once the food is on the table I simply forget it due to the mouth watering aroma and the hunger that kicks in. I am a fanboy of this place. Amazing service great food. PS: If you not a great spice lover (Hot food) do let them know ur pref beforehand.

Fab flavours, lovely peaceful atmosphere, can feel the love in the food…. Thanks for making the birthday real special.

Taste wise food was excellent but quantity felt less. And seating and table size is small and felt congested.

Very friendly, welcoming service and always delicious food. Highly recommended. Dosa, biryani and laksa are so tasty. Teh tarik also. Yum!

Excellent South Indian cuisine. I specially loved the goat curry and roti

wow! The clay pot Fish curry is amazing so is the Goat curry. Fantastic host .Best South Indian Malaysian place in Lower Hutt . Have recommended to lots of my friends. And thank you to the chef for making such an authentic food.

I booked ahead online and in the notes section said I was bring my 73 year old mum in for her birthday. So cute they put a helium balloon with happy birthday on the table. So sweet. My mum loved her spinach curry and the chilli prawns and mum kept saying the waiter was nice and had great smile 🙂. Reasonable pricing too.

Easily the best Malaysian restaurant in Wellington. Amazingly authentic dishes that takes me back to Malaysia instantaneously. Especially the fish and Klang chicken curries. Actually love most of your dishes. Keep up the good work

This is the only legit Malaysian restaurant in Wellington! Especially loved the curry puffs, roti canai, and nasi lemak. This is a hidden gold!

Awesome food here.

Pandan, pandan, pandan. My expectations were high, and it did NOT fail to disappoint, gorgeous curry and brilliant accompaniment of a garlic roti. I will be back to see Neeta and the team <br/>

First time I’ve ever written a review on here but this place warrants it for the best Indian food I’ve ever had. The restaurant was empty when we arrived at 8pm, but apparently there was a festival on at the town hall nearby. From the entrees to the mains the food was remarkable! I have tried many curries before and often make my own from scratch at home; the flavour of the KL lamb curry and the prawn entrée were complex but well rounded. Even my daughters plain old mild butter chicken was possibly the best I’ve tasted! The service was prompt and friendly, and the environment, while only having a simple and low-budget fit-out, was clean, tidy and organised. The prices were very good and the portions fair for the price. I’ll go out of my way to go back here, even if it’s a 20min drive just to get takeaways!

Food was good but service was bad. I was not impressed that I was waiting for an hour for my order as I took my wife and kids out. for mother's day.

The food is always delicious and the staff are always friendly. There is so much yummy food to choose from their menu. Pandan is now our favourite regular restaurant

The service was bad. We had to wait over an hour for takeaway food. There was no apology and they said wait would be 40 mins which would’ve been fine if they had said over an hour I would’ve said no thank you. The food wasn’t good and quite bland and watery. The Garlic roti was even soggy and cold. Was such a disappointment especially as it’s an expensive curry place. Won’t be going back again was a waste of money. When I spend $70 on a meal I expect better than this.

Love the food here the staff are always very welcoming When you arrive and are always whiling to answer any question that you may have. Definitely would recommend coming here they also do take aways yummy

Best roti in Wellington. Fresh and light, egg roti is awesome. Food is tasty and doesn't cost a heap. My favourite is the lamb curry. Lunchtime has good combos that will fill you up for $15.

The Rendang was not a dry curry it was some kind of Indian curry and nothing like rendang, the char kway teow wasnt balanced and missing lots of flavour. Wouldn’t go back - not what i expected or wanted.

Me and my partner decided to go to pandan for lunch, we heard it is under new management and wanted to see if the food is as good as the last time we went here. We ordered the malay mee goreng (hot) and a bottle of carona each. Unfortunately, the beers were warm which was a shame as it was a really hot day. The malay mee goreng had no flavour, had no spice whatsoever and it was incredibly salty :(. The tap did not work in the bathrooms. Friendly and atentitive service though.

Dreadful. It was Sunday lunch. one other table that left and whose table was never cleared. The roti arrived at the end of the meal although we asked for it twice. (Apparently the plate wasn't hot). No meal was insipid. The butter chicken requested by my grandson to be very very mild was too spicy for him to eat, or me on tasting it. My Gado Gado was in a pool of water. My friends claypot curry was served a badly cracked claypot and as such I would not try it as crack in crockery are a source of germs. The beef sate was  way overcooked. Dreadful meal and really disappointing as booth my daughter and friend had been before and said it was so much better. I won't go back.

We have beef rendang and chicken briyani. The taste was great and really similar with the one I has in Malaysia<br/> The place is really clean and the staff is friendly

Absolutely fantastic!!!! This is the most authentic Malaysian restaurant I have been to in Wellington.<br/>Went to dinner with the family and ordered a variety of dishes for the table.<br/>Some of the dishes we ordered were GadoGado, Lamb Rogan Josh, Chicken Biryani, Goat Paratel, Chicken Vardaval and fish curry.<br/>Absolutely everything was perfect and extremely flavourful. We ordered a couple of dishes "Hot" and it was perfectly spiced. Hot enough to be very enjoyable (for me) but not overly hot that it drowns out the the flavour of the food.<br/>Staff were also very friendly and service was reasonably quick considering the restaurant did have a few people in it.<br/>It is not the cheapest place to eat but I believe that it is definitely worth it given the quality of food you receive.<br/><br/>Food - 10/10<br/>Service - 9/10<br/>Ambiance - 9/10<br/>Price - 8/10<br/><br/>Will I return - Definitely!!!

I really enjoy the food - always great flavours. Great service too. One of my favourite places to eat in the local area. Great mix of Malaysian and curry flavours so something for everyone <br/>

Me and my friend enjoyed the atmosphere. The waiter was so chatty and explained every detait, it was nice. The food was really really good. I couldn't finish because the serving was big.

When it comes down to make simple things like rice, one cannot differentiate much between different restaurants, but with Pandan, as soon as it is served, the aroma of the rice will compel you to say that it is different and increase your hunger. This tells me that if they are so good in simple things then how good they will be in complex curries. They are the definitely the best.

Always fantastic food. The dosai lunch special in the weekends might be the best meal available for any price in the Wellington region. Authentic and interesting but also comforting and homely. I love this place.

Been there many times, my favorite dishes were mutabak, beef rendang and mamak mee goreng. One of my favorite restaurant in lower hutt. Serving was good, service was excellent. Thumbs up.

Went here for an early before movie dinner. We were greeted by really friendly waiter, who was very obliging and knowledgeable about the menu. We had a yummy, tasty meal, complimentary poppadoms and good service. Definitely recommend. Dairy free and vegan options.

So good. Prawn briyani, hokkien noodles, mee mamak, stir fried tofu are my usual dishes. Roti is made fresh too. The char koay teow is good too. But different from what you get in Penang, but still tasty.

Working in the area now this spot was on my list of places to try in the area. I have heard that many of the dishes are good, so I took a workmate and away we went. Service was fast, friendly and attentive. Having an egg allergy, gluten and dairy intolerance I often opt for rice or rice noodle dishes and I have heard that the Char Kwey Teo is alright here. Ordered this, with no egg and mate had the chicken curry lunch special. When his curry came out we giggled at it being tiny and then thought, it might be one of those full of flavour dishes so you will feel satisfied.... mine came out with egg :o( When I got my dish for the second time it was hot and good, well seasoned and overall a really nice dish. My friend commented that it was a VERY good chicken curry and was full of flavour. Overall, good place, good food and good service, will  definitely be back.

Born in Malaysia and grew up there. <br/>I love almost everything here. <br/>Other than fresh authentic roti canai/prata; their menu of nasi lemak, char kuey teow, mee goreng are my favourites. They also make Hor Fun with Gravy (except they call them something else).

Coming from a Malaysian, this is where I can get nest Malaysian food in Wellington! They used to be in Tawa and moved to Lower Hutt. My partner and I get our fix here all the time, never have we been disappointed by them. We always walk away super stuffed but out mouth just wants more. The food there is heaven to us!!

Booked a reservation for family of 4 with a young child at 7.15pm. Order was taken at 7.25pm. and.....entrée arrived 1 hour later...by this time empty water jug (no one came and spoken to us or top the water jug) plus by now with  agitated children.  Ate the entrée...then waited for another 30mins before the main arrived. By then we even drunk the leftover satay sauce because we were so hungry. 10 minutes into our main to be told one of the main dish will not be served due to issues with making the bread and it takes time. Was scared to order another main in case it arrives late. While Goat curry and Beef Rendang were great..the noodle dishes  were "meh".. Unfortunately the lack of service and the slowness has made the experience a little unpleasant. Shame though..as it was the first time I am trying to convince my family the restaurant is worth trying.

I have had three lunches at this restaurant over a period of time and have been disappointed each time. I find the food very sweet.  Last time I had a noodle dish and although tasty is was swimming in oil

Went in expecting a pleasant but average experience, and came out completely blown away. The meal (chicken sambal and roti) was deliciously flavored and spiced, and the staff were friendly. I highly recommend this as one of the best Lower Hutt has to offer, and I will be back

Good restaurant with decent food. The staff make you feel welcomed and certainly treat their customers right. i personally feel the prices are slightly overpriced for the portion sizes but the flavors are good, but i suppose your paying to be in a clean and modern environment.

Late on a cold evening my intent had been to try burger something next door, but walking past Pandan I noticed two solitary old guys sitting at separate tables eating curries. Burger pangs disappeared at the thought of a curry and I decided to join them. <br/><br/>I always fail to reject goat curry if it's on the menu- this time was no exception and with that I ordered roti and raita.<br/><br/>Service was fine, a couple of pleasant guys and, sipping a glass of red wine I mulled over the restaurant interior. The place had been reincarnated several times over the past few years and certainly Pandan wasn't born with an expensive fit out .<br/><br/>When the meal arrived I was surprised - it was much better than I thought it would be. The curry was rich, goaty and complex - clearly prepared by someone who knew what they were doing. The raita similarly wasn't a standard throw together of yoghurt and cucumber - it too was surprisingly complex and a perfect foil for the richness of the curry. <br/><br/>It was at that point that I noticed the chef in the kitchen - it was a woman! Now I'm afraid I do have a gender bias when it comes to Indian cooking - I have a theory that on average the best Indian restaurant cooks are woman and Pandan failed to disprove this. <br/><br/>I've had just one experience of Pandan but it was very positive and if the South Indian lady is in the kitchen I'd recommend giving it a go.

Excellent dine in environment! The chef is a true magician. The meat is cooked perfectly soft and tender to the taste. i have tried almost all the dishes but my favourite is the Nasi Goreng and Beef curries. I would suggest a little innovation on the Entree menu since the options are limited. Just love this place!!! <br/>I do think the owner is a bit unfair on the price of the dishes. The restaurant is roughly a year old but guys if you want to shine you gotta bring them down!!

We love the thosai & vadai served at Pandan Tawa, very authentic, just like my mother-in-law makes. As we hadn't had thosai for a while & with Pandan Tawa closed, we went to Pandan Lower Hutt this afternoon for lunch. Unfortunately it wasn't the experience we were looking forward to. Firstly they didn't have Rava thosai on the menu. My husband & I had the plain thosai but didn't taste anything like the thosai we used to have at Pandan Tawa (not fermented enough nor tasty). The vadai too was disappointing in taste & not cooked through. The masala tea lacked the spices & was more like a strong tea. My sons tried the egg & onion thosai which they said was crispy & tasty. The goat curry & sambar were good & the chutney was as delicious as what we have had at Pandan Tawa. Service was good & very attentive. Just the thosai & vadai was not up to what we were used to at Pandan Tawa.

The food at Pandan Asian cuisine is absolutely delicious. We tried their Claypot Fish Curry, Lamb Dalcha and Paratel. We highly recommend the Claypot Fish Curry and Paratel. The lamb dalcha was average.<br/><br/>Overall the food, customer service and experience were great and we would definitely recommend this place for some delicious indian/Malaysian food.

Our daughter's birthday party of 40 people was catered by Pandan. The food was delicious and our guests were quite impressed. The staff are very professional and friendly and worked with us patiently all through the process. Thank you for the awesome service you provided, Pandan.

We are a well traveled family of 6, with a taste for authentic and delicious food and we have 4 children in tow. We are yet to find a restaurant in NZ that comes close to Pandan. The goat paratel is simply devine, briyani is full of sumptuous treats, mee goreng is a tummy filler and moreish, the mango chicken is sweet and rich. Don't forget to accompany your meal with the roti which is fresh off the pan. You won't be disappointed!

Great food every time we visit this place on Saturdays for lunch! And now we have started doing takeaways on Friday night too! Super good authentic Malaysian food. "Char Kuay Teow Goreng" is the best dish here!

Went here on a two for one mains night. We had satay chicken & chili prawns for entree which were nice enough. Satay sauce was really good. I had dhal & roti for my main. It was ok but I definitely make a better dhal at home. My partner had beef rendang which was so hot, he was sweating but he enjoyed it nonetheless. This experience didn't blow me away but I will be back to try more of the menu to give it a second chance.

Excellent food, we enjoyed all our dishes.  The service was good and the pricing also.  I wish we lived locally and could enjoy it more regularly.

I would highly recommend this place to dine out...The food is fresh, the tastiest in town, and they cater for vegan and vegetarians. Too cheap, my fear is they will go out of business. Give them a go. I eat there once a week.

Nice welcome. Warm environment. Food is excellent -delicious fresh produce used. Very tasty. Prices are very reasonable. Don't wait -Go there! <br/>

Have been a fan of Pandan in Tawa for many years...often traveling from Wainui to eat there... So imagine our joy when we found one Lower Hutt restaurant was opening. Same great quality food and with really friendly Service too 😀 one of the best authentic Malaysian meals fast in the area. Recommended! fast too... And parking right outside!!! Highly recommended!

Had an awsome lunch today with my wife..fast service...food was very tasty and fresh.. excellent customer service...highly recommended......

You won't find anything more authentic anywhere in Wellington at any price if you're looking for South East Asian cuisine. We go every weekend for super friendly service, 5-star food at 2-star prices.

What a great surprise. We had Indian for a mother's day brunch. Each of use choosing the dosa combo. Wow...what a nice alternative to our traditional brunch options.<br/><br/>This is our second visit to Lower Hutt Pandam and been very impressed both times. The service is fantastic.

Great to see Pandan in Lower Hutt now. The same great food, hospitality and service carried over from Pandan, Tawa. Great going Kumar, Nita and the team!