Chef's Gallery

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Chef's Gallery is one of those restaurants that never quite come to the top of my list for favourite restaurants, yet every time I go, I'm always pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoy their food. The best way to describe the cuisine is creative Chinese - not incredibly adventurous, but not quite traditional either. They have an extensive menu serving all sorts of goodies at very reasonable prices. 

Egg and spinach tofu, $17.90

Lightly battered and fried, the tofu is wobbly, light, and subtly flavoured with egg and spinach. It is served on a bed of very light, slightly sweet soy sauce which adds a hint of salt without overwhelming the delicacy of the ingredient itself. 

Peking Duck Roti, $18.90

Duck pancake is a dish well-beloved by all. The version at Chef's Gallery wraps the Peking duck in roti instead of the traditional thin pancake. Pre-wrapped, there is something to be said of being robbed of the opportunity to make your own pancakes just the way you like them, but Chef's Gallery makes their roti so that the flavours are great and the portions are just-about-right. The roti has a buttery taste and chewy texture that balances the saltiness of the Peking duck sauce. 

Prawn fried rice, $17.90

For something so delicious and served with such big, bouncy prawns, the fried rice is extremely well-priced. Not overly-salted, it is a perfect accompaniment for other dishes. I particularly enjoyed it served with the tofu mixed in (hot tip right there). 

Green beans with pork mince, $19.90

Garlicky, fresh and vibrant, this is vegetables done right. The saltiness of the sauce does not overwhelm the natural gentle sweetness of the green beans, and it goes extremely well with the fried rice. 

Pork pot stickers, $15.90

I loved the paper-thin sheet of omelet joining these gorgeous, plump pot stickers together. Though not particularly flavoured, it really makes the presentation of the dish that much more fun. The pot stickers are juicy, well-flavoured and filled to the brim with pork; and the skin is thin and translucent, just as good dim sims should be. 

Score: 4/5
Price: approx $30-50pp
Address: Regent Place Ground Floor Shop 12, 501 George Street, Sydney. Other locations include Macquarie and Parramatta. 

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