Chef's Gallery

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Chef's Gallery serves modern Chinese food that is not quite fusion, but certainly not traditional. The focus is on a gentle palette (no huge spices here) that is suitable for all and creative presentation. Like any reputable Chinese restaurant, its dim sims are made in-house - and if you sit along the glass wall, you can watch the skillful pastry chefs at work, their hands moving so quickly and confidently it's like a choreographed dance. 

Steamed dim sim platter, $25.90

This is a platter for those who are new to dim sims as well as veterans who love dim sims and cannot choose between their favourites. Two char sui buns - fluffy, bouncy, with a lovely char sui filling erring on the sweet side; two prawn dumplings - plump and respectable; two vegetable dumplings - more flavourful than you think they'd be and two prawn siu mai - wonderfully flavoured; this is a bit of everything that will keep everyone happy. 

Xiao Long Bao, $9.90
How can we discuss dim sim without xiao long bao? The ones at Chef's Gallery are respectable and juicy, the flavour well-balanced; but I maintain the best xiao long bao in Sydney is from Din Tai Fung - mainly because of the delicacy of the pastry: so thin you can see the golden liquid inside. 

Peking Duck Roti, $18.90
Alright, Chef's Gallery is certainly taking some liberties in the naming of this dish. The crumbly, crunchy pastry wrapped around peking duck is not roti (though I can see the similarity). It is called "shou zhua bin", loosely translating to "hand held pastry". It's usually served at breakfast, but here, it is used instead of the thin flour pancake that is usually used to wrap peking duck. I have to say, this is genius: adds another delicious dimension to an already delicious dish. 

Spinach Tofu, $17.90
The term "spinach tofu" simply does not do this dish justice! As we know, tofu comes in all sorts of forms in Chinese cuisine: this happens to be a fried tofu where the exterior is crunchy but the interior is beautifully silken. Dipped in the soy-based broth, it is simply divine. 

Black pepper wagyu beef noodles, $28.90
Now this is special. The comforting deliciousness of 90s Chinese restaurant dish meets quality meat meets noodles: it is salty, peppery, deeply flavourful and absolutely moreish. This was easily my favourite dish of the evening, narrowly beating the peking duck roti. 

Score: 4/5
Cost: $60pp will get you a stomach-holding, satisfying feast.
Address: there are a couple of those around, but the one we visited is at Regent Place, Ground Floor shop 12/501 George St, Sydney

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