41 replies to this topic

[Taubear]

I love good Chinese food but I find it very difficult to find a place that serves consistently good food that's reasonably priced.
I have just moved house and am now living in a new [new to me] suburb on Sydney's north shore and I have been to the following restaurants in my area and the city.

Kaya Chinese Restaurant - Artarmon
Chequers – Chatswood
Kam Fook – Chatswood
Fook Yuen – Chatswood
Moon Terrace – Chatswood
Yings – Crows Nest
Peacock Gardens - Crows Nest
Lee's Fortuna Court – Crows Nest
Dragon Star – City
The Regal – City

Some have been pretty good such as Moon Terrace, Chequers and The Regal I have found the rest pretty average. What I would really like is to find a little gem that’s tucked away and is well know to locals living in their respective areas. I want to be able to go for a sit down meal and also to order take away knowing that I am going to get something satisfying. I really annoys me when I order take away and am left ever so disappointed when it arrives. Where are you favourite Chinese restaurants in Sydney?

[The Chefs Office]

BBQ King in China Town
Dirty, crappy, terrible service, packed.
The old guy waiters just grunt at you.
Awesome!
Reminds me of when I used to live in HK.
Best BBQ meats I've tasted outside of HK.

[Shalmanese]

Golden Century in ChinaTown.

[PCL]

Gee, not much happening on the Sydney Chinese food scene so it seems.

[Shinboners]

BBQ King in China Town
Dirty, crappy, terrible service, packed.
The old guy waiters just grunt at you.
Awesome!
Reminds me of when I used to live in HK.
Best BBQ meats I've tasted outside of HK.

I'm heading up to Sydney next month for a wedding. We've got one night free and I'm going to head over to BBQ King. I can't wait.

[PCL]

Better add my 2cts worth then too.

BBQ King for me, was greasy. Greasy. Greasy. And I got the message, loud and clear.

[Taubear]

I agree it's a very slow tread. I really thought I might have got a better response but everyone in Sydney must be dining out elsewhere. Do try the BBQ King if your coming to Sydney it's oper until 3-4 am everynight of the week and there's no need to make a booking. I tried the Chatswood Peking restaurant on Sunday and I am pleased to announce it was pretty tasty.

[Shalmanese]

The long strip of Chinese, Indonesian & Malaysian restuarants on Anzac parade just past UNSW has some decent, authentic and very cheap eats to feed the hordes of ravenous students.

[Niall]

I haven't been back to Sydney for a while (2 years), but I used to love Sea Treasure in Crows Nest.

[SBonner]

When we were in Sydney for two weeks last month we enjoyed:

Biily Kwong...modern Chinese but very good.
XO ...now closed? but outstanding tea smoked duck.

Cheers,

Stephen
Vancouver

[whisks]

hi,
you didn't specify where on the north shore you are located, but from the sounds of the places you have tried, you might be around chatswood or thereabouts.
a little gem tucked away in some little hole in the wall? golden swallow in gordon i think is pretty good. what got me in was the salt and chilli soft shell crab (chiu yim yin hok hai) and the salt and chilli eggplant (chiu yim ai gwa)(yes...i know, salt and chilli....but it was so good...). i quite liked the bitter melon and beef as well. i'm not sure if these are items on the menu or not, since i stumbled onto these dishes merely by sticky beaking at the table next to me..... rude, i know, but, hey, anything to make new discoveries. other restaurants no doubt have the same dishes, but for a hole in the wall eating place (i don't know if this place qualifies for "restaurant"), it's good and i assume reasonably authentic.
there's another one in chatswood that one friend said was good, but i haven't managed to get there yet.
if you like malaysian food, to's in north sydney is another little place you might like to try, if you haven't already. and, if you're prepared to make the trip up to thornleigh, istana does wonderful chicken rice (hai nan kai fun). there's also an indian restaurant there which sounds good, but i haven't gotten around to trying.....
i hope these meet your criteria.
(btw, i love going to lee's fortuna in crows nest cos it's so homey for me (i've been going there since i was a little girl) and they all look after me so well. it's an australian chinese restaurant, but i do think it has its merits)

[Shalmanese]

Speaking of cheap eats, if you ever find yourself in the Haymarket, walk down quay street for a bit an theres an excellent hole-in-the-wall Xiamen noodle shop. They hand pull their noodles everyday and it's a great cheap eat in an area which seems to be rather devoid of decent food.

[Taubear]

hi,
you didn't specify where on the north shore you are located, but from the sounds of the places you have tried, you might be around chatswood or thereabouts.
a little gem tucked away in some little hole in the wall? golden swallow in gordon i think is pretty good. what got me in was the salt and chilli soft shell crab (chiu yim yin hok hai) and the salt and chilli eggplant (chiu yim ai gwa)(yes...i know, salt and chilli....but it was so good...). i quite liked the bitter melon and beef as well. i'm not sure if these are items on the menu or not, since i stumbled onto these dishes merely by sticky beaking at the table next to me..... rude, i know, but, hey, anything to make new discoveries. other restaurants no doubt have the same dishes, but for a hole in the wall eating place (i don't know if this place qualifies for "restaurant"), it's good and i assume reasonably authentic.
there's another one in chatswood that one friend said was good, but i haven't managed to get there yet.
if you like malaysian food, to's in north sydney is another little place you might like to try, if you haven't already. and, if you're prepared to make the trip up to thornleigh, istana does wonderful chicken rice (hai nan kai fun). there's also an indian restaurant there which sounds good, but i haven't gotten around to trying.....
i hope these meet your criteria.
(btw, i love going to lee's fortuna in crows nest cos it's so homey for me (i've been going there since i was a little girl) and they all look after me so well. it's an australian chinese restaurant, but i do think it has its merits)

Hi Whisks,

I am located in Artarmon. Your recommendation regarding the hole in the wall [Golden Swallow] is exactly the information I was after. Lately I have been travelling to Pymble to dine at [Mitzies Court] which is located on the Pacific Highway just across the road from the Pymble Hotel. The Chinese food there is delicious and the service is always friendly. It is run by a husband and wife team and has been open for about 12 months. Definitely worth a visit if your up that way.
I have also noticed that there is a new Indonesian restaurant opened in Roseville next to the cinema, haven’t had a chance to visit yet but that ones on my list to get to soon.
You mentioned a Malaysian restaurant in North Sydney but didn’t give the name. Any chance you might give us some details next time your on.
I would like to add a thankyou to everyone that has a comment so far. Keep them coming.

[whisks]

hi taubear,
you're keen to go to pymble from artarmon! i'll keep that place in mind, although i don't dine much in pymble (tables, and that's just about it).
the place in north sydney is "to's" - on miller st, downstairs in the building next to the watchmaker's (next to what used to be the commonwealth bank, on the corner)....if you need better directions, let me know. the assam laksa Niall mentions is only available on saturdays (i think). my cousins like the haw fun - the "wet" one, but i haven't had it because i don't go there often, so have to have my laksa fix....i guess i should go with a few people who want to share.
if you like pekingese food, there's grape garden on willoughby rd (opposite the school). haven't been there for ages, but if it's run by the same people who ran it a couple of yrs ago, it's pretty good - and closer for you. they do spring onion pancakes (chong yau pang) which is good, but better still is the sauce you dip it in - i really go for the sauces - they really make the dumplings wonderful. otherwise, i'd say i like my dumplings better even tho i'm a novice. their duck is good, as are their cold meats dishes.
since you're in artamon, can you tell me what the places along the railway line are like? i always drive past and wonder whether they are worth trying.
let me know how you find these places - we may have totally different ideas as to what tastes good.
ttyl
lynn

[PCL]

Dim, i've never eaten anything at Melbourne Central since Daimaru disappeared... but will keep your suggestion in mind... too hot today to think about food really, gonna go swimming or something...

[whisks]

hmmm....there are tons of honky type restaurants, but really, everybody has difft standards of what is excellent. i guess if i wanted to take o/s chinese to a chinese restaurant here, it would be ying's in crows nest cos it is a "boutique" chinese restaurant with lots of new twists on traditional dishes which are not too far fetched, and with some dishes, ying really pares down the flavours so you can taste what u r eating. but i guess the purists like the ones in china town like silver spring or whatever it is called now. personally, i am not overly fussed, cos in alot of cases i don't know what authentic chinese food it supposed to taste like (scary thot, considering that i am contributing to this thread). one thing tho, the one meal i had in china was so delicious incomparison to anything i have tried here; so if that's what u r looking for, sorree, i haven't quite found anything like it here.

[whisks]

taubear, if eastwood is not too far a trek, there are lots of hole in the wall places to eat. one place, next to the fish shop, i think, has set menus which are really inexpensive...in fact, most of the places in eastwood are far more inexpensive than anywhere in the north shore.
the korean food there is also excellent - i always just go into one which has alot of ppl in it - i use that as my guide of food excellence. korean bbq and hotpot are v good if u like spicy food.
also, b4 i forget, there's the two bbq king type places in chatswood on victoria avenue, one opposite victoria plaza (I like the swei gow lo min there, and don't forget to ask for fresh chillis), and one a few doors away from victoria plaza (i like the bean curd hot pot there, which is saying something cos bean curd is not a favourite of mine).

[whisks]

taubear, as an aside, have u been to the food warehouse in carlotta st in artarmon? i went there for the first time today to buy this continental sharps flour (apparently the best flour for making beijing dumplings and pizza and it comes in convenient 10kg sacks - we'll probably start looking like little (or big ) dumplings after i get thru the 10kgs...).
it's called oriental continental foods (no orientals in sight as far as i could see - it looks lebanese/middle eastern) and there is quite alot to look at. parking is underneath.
the pide is excellent (same as the one sold at the deli opposite harris farms' in willoughby) and the lebanese bread is very fresh. i also bought a tray of baklava, which was left on the table one minute and almost gone the next time i looked (i bought the diamond shaped ones and they had a nice and generous cashewnut filling). these were just as good, if not better than the ones in chapel st bankstown - more convenient at any rate (if you ever go to bankstown tho, the vienamese pho is excellent and the service is fast. i have heard that yum cha there is also v good, but never get past the pho, so i wouldn't know....slack of me, i know...must make a more conscientious effort to eat more food).
there were asian condiments as well, but i don't know whether u cook chinese (i try to avoid it cos it is messy and the smell envelops the house, but have started again because hzrt8w's pictorials are so inviting).
most items are catering quantities, but there are lots of other bits and pieces to tempt home cooks and foodies in general; lots of interesting jams and condiments. a nice change from simon johnson's and jones the grocers. they also have that iranian fairy floss (or whatever it was called which was popular a little while ago) and is only a fraction of simon n jones' price.

[PCL]

Can someone in Sydney take a look at the Good Food Guide and list a few notable Chinese restaurant recomendations?

I'm not quite sure where pide and the like fit into the pantheon of Chinese cuisine, but if there's going to be some sort of fusion movement rising up, I'm sure we can discuss that should it be the case

[torakris]

For easier reading we have decided to move the Malalysian hawker food/laksa to its own thread.
Malaysian Hawker food in Australia

[whisks]

earlier on, i mentioned something about a chinese restaurant called silver spring in the city and that its name had changed. it has, and it is now called "zilver".

[Taubear]

taubear, as an aside, have u been to the food warehouse in carlotta st in artarmon? i went there for the first time today to buy this continental sharps flour (apparently the best flour for making beijing dumplings and pizza and it comes in convenient 10kg sacks - we'll probably start looking like little (or big ) dumplings after i get thru the 10kgs...).
it's called oriental continental foods (no orientals in sight as far as i could see - it looks lebanese/middle eastern) and there is quite alot to look at. parking is underneath.
the pide is excellent (same as the one sold at the deli opposite harris farms' in willoughby) and the lebanese bread is very fresh. i also bought a tray of baklava, which was left on the table one minute and almost gone the next time i looked (i bought the diamond shaped ones and they had a nice and generous  cashewnut filling). these were just as good, if not better than the ones in chapel st bankstown - more convenient at any rate (if you ever go to bankstown tho, the vienamese pho is excellent and the service is fast. i have heard that yum cha there is also v good, but never get past the pho, so i wouldn't know....slack of me, i know...must make a more conscientious effort to eat more food).
there were asian condiments as well, but i don't know whether u cook chinese (i try to avoid it cos it is messy and the smell envelops the house, but have started again because hzrt8w's pictorials are so inviting).
most items are catering quantities, but there are lots of other bits and pieces to tempt home cooks and foodies in general; lots of interesting jams and condiments. a nice change from simon johnson's and jones the grocers. they also have that iranian fairy floss (or whatever it was called which was popular a little while ago) and is only a fraction of simon n jones' price.

Hello Whisks, Everyone,

Firstly thanks for all the great information you have added to this thread lately. I am a regular at the Oriental & Continental food warehouse and really love the range of goodies that they have available at very reasonable prices. I no longer shop at either Simon Johnson’s, Jones the grocers or David Jones for my salted caper, olive oil, dried fruit and nuts as this place has it all.

Details
Oriental & Continental food warehouse
41-43 Carlotta St
Artarmon NSW 2064
PH: 02 9906 8990

Back to the thread – Mentioned in an earlier post was the Hunter Connection arcade in the city so the other day I went to check it out for myself. The arcade can be accessed from Wynyard station, George St, Pitt St and Hunter St. In the arcade is a treasure trove of Asian and Indian restaurants that serves what looks like very traditional food. There is Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Indian and Japanese. It was packed with expats from every county mentioned and looks as if it will become a regular lunch venue for me. Chinatown is unfortunately just that little bit to far to walk to for lunch from my office.

[PCL]

This is a direct challenge/dare for Shalmanese... don't know why I"m picking on him, but I am...

Dude, can you whiz thru a sydney dining guide and pick out what you think are 'good' chinese restaurants???

[whisks]

BBQ KING
18-20 Goulburn Street, Sydney (02 9267 2433)

BILLY KWONG
3/355 Crown Street, Surry Hills, Sydney (02 9332 3300)

GOLDEN CENTURY
393-399 Sussex Street, Haymarket, Sydney (02 9212 3901)

LONGRAIN
85 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills, Sydney (02 9280 2888) (Thai)

SAILOR'S THAI CANTEEN
106 George Street, The Rocks, Sydney (02 9251 2466) (Thai, again)

that's from the good food guide. i don't know if billy kwong qualifies. personally, i would add Ying's Seafood Restaurant Shp 2/ 270 Pacific Hwy Crows Nest 2065 (02) 9966 9182

hope this helps

[PCL]

Should Longrain apply? I mean, they are NOT chinese by a LONG MILE.

[The Chefs Office]

Yep, I thought that a bit weird as well.

Sailor's Thai?

[PCL]

Didn't see that one.

[Shalmanese]

This is a direct challenge/dare for Shalmanese... don't know why I"m picking on him, but I am...

Dude, can you whiz thru a sydney dining guide and pick out what you think are 'good' chinese restaurants???

Ugh, sorry PCL, I don't own a copy of the dining guide (or any dining guide for that matter). I only eat out maybe 1/2 a dozen times a year. I generally find when I go out that I either end up extremely disappointed with my meal or extremely poor, often both :(.

[Taubear]

I generally find when I go out that I either end up extremely disappointed with my meal or extremely poor, often both :(.

[/quote]

Hi Shalmanese, my sentiments exactly!! I am sick and tired of going to average restaurants be it Chinese or anything else. I have taken the new philosiphy of buying quality ingregients and cooking at home most of the time. I find I am far more satisfied than going to a new restaurant then being dissapointed 75% of the time. These days I would rather save a bit of extra cash and go to a place that I know is going to deliver. What do you really want 4 x $150 meals at an average place or 1 meal thats going to bloody excite you for $600 ...... me I'd rather wait these days

[Shinboners]

BBQ King for me, was greasy. Greasy. Greasy. And I got the message, loud and clear.

I've just spent a few days in Sydney, and I went to BBQ King for lunch. I just ordered one of those mixed roasts with rice. The roast duck was dreadful with the meat having a floury texture and the flavour wasn't that great. The sweet roast pork was okay, but a little bit too sweet.

Nonetheless, Sydney's Chinatown craps all over Melbourne's. I stayed at the Carlton Crest, and , I found this little group of 3 or 4 Chinese food shops just a couple of minutes walk from the hotel (apologies for not remembering the street names). The food looked great, but I only managed to get to one of them. IIRC, it was called Tai Pei Food or Tai Wan food or something like that. It was packed full, it was very cheap, and it was delicious.