Yum Cha/Dim Sum...

[PCL]

Yum-Cha, or Dim Sum, as it's more widely known around the globe, is a perennial favourite among many Aussies. Most Aussies, really, I should say. Having been away for a while, and only having been back in the country for like, a year and half, I've found it a challenge to find quality Yum-Cha.

This is really a spinoff from various discussions running about dining, newbies in Melbourne etc. Now, I'm not really interested in whether one is from Sydney, or Melbourne, I'm only interested in quality, the good stuff. I will, and I'm sure others too, travel for food.

To being the thinking process, I've only had yum-cha at the following places since coming home:

Plume, Doncaster Rd, Melbourne

Shark Fin House, City, Melbourne

Shark Fin, Burwood Hwy, Melbourne

...and some place in Sydney Haymarket which rocked and I can't think of it off hand...

Melbourne wise, nothing has really hit out at me.

[Syrah]

The Sydney one could be the Marigold room.. the food there is unbelievably good.

Edited December 1, 2005 by Syrah (log)

[Shinboners]

The last time I had yum cha was sometime in 2005. We went to Pepperchilli in the city, and it was an enjoyable yum cha, but not outstanding.

New Royal Garden in Glen Waverley is supposed to have a very good yum cha as well. I have been there, but that was over ten years ago.

[Dim Sim]

If I have to nominate one place it would be Taipan in Doncaster East, just for the sheer variety and the bustling atmosphere, so many trolleys with goodies.

David's in Prahran got a lot of rave, but I was very disapointed when we went there last year, may be we missed the point whatever that is, it was slow and the dishes were not very interesting, and most dishes were gone by the time they reached us, apparently he since opened another new yum cha place in Chapel St. South Yarra, I haven't been there yet, again , I read a few nice reviews about the place , I have my doubt.

Shin, have you tried some of those tripe dishes ? yummmmmmmmm

BTW, it is nice to see all these new postings here in the past weeks, it has been rather quiet in the 'Australia and New Zealand' forum for a while.

har gau , siu mai, lo mai gai anyone ?

Edited December 1, 2005 by Dim Sim (log)

[Shinboners]

Shin, have you tried some of those tripe dishes ? yummmmmmmmm

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Oh yes.

Dribbles.

I also love the chickens feet too.

[loiosh]

I had some really good yum cha in the Valley in Brisbane but I'm stuck for the name of the resto. There's a place here in Canberra which claims to offer Szechuan yum cha, but I haven't tried it yet. I did have some interesting spring rolls from their dinner menu....filled with glutinous rice and bits of (smoked?) pork.

Never go to yum cha with someone who doesn't eat pork or seafood.

[fou de Bassan]

What are the criteria for a good yum cha experience?

Does service or number of items count?

Just wondering. I've only been to a yum cha place once and I wasn't blown away although theydid have lots of stuff.

[Dim Sim]

Never go to yum cha with someone who doesn't eat pork or seafood.

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we have a muslim friend and he came yum cha with us once, the poor guy ended up having thing like melon balls fruit salad, egg tart ( I am not 100% sure, but I have my doubt about lard in the pastry) It makes me realized how much pork is present in chinese dishes ( well I knew that already, but I would have thought there would be heap of other porkless items at yum cha), even thing like taro dumpling or turnip cakes would have somesort of pork as flavouring, it wouldn't surprise me if lard is used in most of the dumpling skin.

oh yes, Shin, sticky chicken feet, nowaday I have to fight with all my white Australian friends for it.

[Shalmanese]

My family does a lot of entertaining of Chinese guests and Yum Cha is pretty much only done in the Haymarket place. The SMH voted that Sydneys best Yum Cha place is some place on Castlereigh street but none of my chinese friends have ever heard of it so I don't know what to make of that. I probably should go check it out sometime.

Theres another one we've been too near the railway station thats relatively hidden away. I thought the food is greasy and poorly done but it always seems packed by chinese families because it's very cheap.

[PCL]

Shal, I need names, names man, I say... going to be in Sydney next week most likely and will be looking for a fix.

And fou, the criteria is quality of food. I couldn't give a shit about service at a decent yum cha place so long as the dumplings are sublime, and everything else is fresh and good. Must do a treatise on this, or to be more realistic, whack up a post on the China board.

[Tim White]

We have been slowly working our way through Yum Cha in Melbourne. With two little children, too many food friends & usually the need to dine/entertain midday and often midweek we've found this to be our best option. We would go at least once a fortnight (sometimes more often).

For what it's worth - given that we quite clearly have no asian heritage - here are our august thoughts:

Shark Fin Inn - despite an almost overwhelming reputation for dumplings we were slightly underwhelmed - at the more expensive end of the range; well executed but ultimately just a'faintly damning nice

Minh Tan II Victoria St Richmond - cheap & cheerful; sometimes a bit quiet, but when the kitchen is busy very good food. An unsual Chinese/Vietnamese BBQ restaurant that also seems to do some wholesale & yum cha daily. Particularly good now the the old chef is back. Also it is fairly easy to park here. If it is quiet you will have to order a la carte - which takes the fun out of it

Dragon Boat (back of the Village Complex) Burke St - consistently good and a good variety of dishes. Dumplings are good and reasonably light. Because of its size it has a fairly good turn over (don't go to the one at Flinders St) and the food is usually fresh (ie making only one turn around the floor)

Dragon Boat (Lonsdale St - different owners I think) - seemed a bit northern in influence - acceptable

Bamboo Terrace (Bulleen) - blah... generally large/slightly crude servings. Haven't tried the City and probably won't.

Davids - (Prahran) never been - want to go - the chef scuttlebutt is that it is Cheong Liew's favourite

Red Emperor (Southbank) - excellent food, a bit expensive - but pretty damn good.

Plumes (Doncaster & Highpoint) - we've only ever been to Highpoint. This is one huge barn and the bustle is quite staggering. Good but not the best value for money.

We've been to Purple Sands and a few others along Doncaster Rd - not too much fun....

We also enjoy Northern Chinese Dumpling Restaurants which serve what the yanks call Potstickers. Probably the best of these is in Springvale but am struggling with the name - its over the back of the shopping centre and unbelievably cheap

Keen to try it at home, we've been considering making an expedition to Emma's Seafood Yong Tofu - which sells fresh yum cha to take home and steam, fry etc. Anyone been there?

As for Sydney, for general dining, BBQ King & Golden Century always were our first choices. Yum Cha was only good at the Silver Spring

Am looking forward to some good new suggestions.

PS Anyone read Mr Zee's Swallowing Clouds??

[Shalmanese]

Shal, I need names, names man, I say... going to be in Sydney next week most likely and will be looking for a fix.

And fou, the criteria is quality of food. I couldn't give a shit about service at a decent yum cha place so long as the dumplings are sublime, and everything else is fresh and good. Must do a treatise on this, or to be more realistic, whack up a post on the China board.

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Hrmm... I had to ask around a bit as nobody remembers the english name but apparently it's called Dragon Star. It's easy to find though, just go to the top level of market city and head for the restaurant with the big shark fin at the door.

[Shinboners]

What are the criteria for a good yum cha experience?

Does service or number of items count?

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I agree with PCL on this one. The food is more important than the service.

I reckon one key to a good yum cha experience is to try and get to the table closest to the kitchen. That way, you'll get plenty of hot and fresh dumplings.

If you're too far away, then manipulating the service is needed. Chat to the captain, and try and convince them to specially bring over some dishes for you.

[Shinboners]

Shal, I need names, names man, I say... going to be in Sydney next week most likely and will be looking for a fix.

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You'll find this thread useful.

"Yum Cha In Sydney"

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=78587

[oesophagus]

The best three in Chinatown are Zilver (used to be Silver Spring, recently refurbed, does Peking duck by the pancake and has lots of variety), East Ocean (also kinda glossy; excellent charcuterie, cheong fun, beans with pork, har gau, and they also do night yum cha) and the Marigold (the most reliable - a real stayer, but a bit of a bun fight (sorry) getting a table at times).

If you're willing to run further afield, I can recommend Ocean King House in Kogarah (great chilli crab with vermicelli), Shun Tak in Parramatta (again, great chilli crab), Forest Court in Hurstville, Ying's and Sea Treasure in Crows Nest (the latter has the finest seafood dumplings in town) and Chequers and the Kam Fook in Chatswood.

I've heard good things about the Kam Fook at Bondi Junction but am yet to try it for myself.

[PCL]

Thanks for all the input guys. I'll get to work on a list soon. Even managed to talk the office into having yum-cha for our break up lunch next week.

[jkim]

I can't believe noone here has tried Tai Pan (Blackburn).

That's the best reasonably priced (i.e. under $25 per head) yumcha in town IMO.

I would go to Red Emperor, but it's a bit too expensive (about $40 per head?).

I thought Plume was not worth it, and wouldn't go back.