I Don't Eat, I Devour

 The Hong Kong tea house is home to some of my favourite Asian bites. Usually a nostalgic mix of Eastern / Western food, the Hong Kong tea house immediately brings to mind scenes from my favourite film, In the Mood for Love. If you haven't seen this moody, darkly-romantic and bitter-sweet 2000 masterpiece directed by Wong Kar-wai (who also brought us, notably, Brokeback Mountain), take this as my strong recommendation.  Kowloon Cafe more directly translates as "Kowloon ice house". It serves street food as well as more filling items like a beef brisket noodle that looks to-die-for. In this review, however, I will be looking at its casual street food items.  Hong Kong Style milk tea (hot), $5.80 This is my favourite drink, ever. Pulled through mesh stockings for that velvety smoothness, the milky taste of a HK style milk tea is from evaporated milk. Some people like to add sugar to sweeten this warm, toasty and oh-so-satisfying hug-in-a-cup, but I prefer it just the way it ...

An irreverent play on words complete with exclamation point, Holy Duck specialises in - if you can't guess already - Hong Kong deli-style duck. Unlike the more traditional deli houses, you won't see rows upon rows of roast duck hanging in the windows. Instead, the window spot is reserved for the bartender. Situated next to Spice Alley, Holy Duck is in that bustling strip of high end meets casual eateries in Chippendale. Its venerable neighbours include Automata (one of the best degustation menus in Sydney), Olio (the Sydney home of award-winning chef Lino Sauro), Mekong (serving modern Indochine cuisine) and Koi Dessert Bar (high-end dessert almost too beautiful to eat). Holy Duck's cocktail menu are all modern twists on classics, with a distinctly fruity bend.  Perhaps due to COVID19, the bar was quite short-stocked, resulting in a few of our top choices being unavailable. In the end, we settled for an orange martini which was among that evening's special. It is ...

I have heard friends talk about Queen Chow, a trendy Chinese eatery in Enmore (plus a Manly location which opened earlier this year) that offers traditional Cantonese style food, but with surroundings very different to the busy, bustling and no-nonsense Chinatown locations which normally jump to mind when we talk about Chinese food. Why has it taken me so long to try Queen Chow (in fact, I wouldn't have tried it but for my friend's birthday dinner)? Much to the astonishment of friends and acquaintances, Chinese food is my least favourite cuisine and my last choice when it comes to dining out. Having said that, I appreciate good food when I taste it, but it takes very special Chinese food for me to be impressed.  Queen chow steamed dim sum platter, $32 The dim sum platter comes with the following selection of dumplings - wagyu beef xiao long bao, vegetarian dumpling, prawn dumpling and prawn & scallop dumpling. The flavours are balanced and delicate, but with the...

A restaurant with a somewhat odd name and hard to find doorway, and a gregarious owner with a loud personality, Luyu and Yum Yum is a surprisingly delightful experience. Though at first blush one may think the dumplings are a tad overpriced, that's only because you haven't seen their banquet menus yet. Ranging between $43 to $59, the banquet menus are seriously good value and designed to be shared among friends. Also, the pastry chef at Luyu and Yum Yum is a jealously guarded treasure according to the owner, who has had to fight off attempts to poach her from nearby businesses. Duck Pan Cake The duck pancakes is balanced - not too salty, not to oily. It is light yet satisfying, a perfect way to start the meal. Mr Luyu Herb Dumpling Very fresh and tasting of virtue (given the vegetables). “Kiss me” Dumpling The cutely-named "kiss me" dumplings are well-made, but cannot be compared to the xiao long bao (as that is essentially what kiss me dumplings a...

Disclaimer : I am in vegan week right now, and I just want to announce that I consumed this meat-heavy meal last week. I didn't cheat (yet). I go to New Shanghai for cheap eats, I go to Din Tai Fung for the real deal. First up, drink. Most people of non-Asian descent may be unfamiliar with the idea of using avocado in sweet dishes - but it is absolutely heavenly. This is a seemingly-impressive but absolutely easy to make drink: simply combine avocado, milk and condensed milk in a blender; then drizzle the glass and the top with some chocoalte sauce. I used to make this high-energy smoothie at home, and even without the chocolate sauce it is amazing. Not the healthiest of 'green smoothies' though - it is really full of fat and sugar, but completely worth it. I would highly, highly, highly recommend trying. Avocado and Chocolate Shake The Shanghainese soup dumplings ( xiao long bao - 'little steamer buns') at Din Tai Fung simply cannot be beaten - I have...

I have reviewed Tim Ho Wan once before on this blog - you can read about it right here: http://reasonablywednesbury.blogspot.com.au/2015/09/tim-ho-wan.html  Almost exactly one year on, I bring you 10 more dishes from the world's cheapest Michelin starred chain. The menu hasn't undergone much change over the past year. There is a rotation of 'specials' which are displayed on each table, but I do feel that Tim Ho Wan may be resting on its laurels just a tad. The food, as always, is delicious; but without change and variety it's hard to want to go back again and again - particularly when the menu isn't very big to begin with. Having said that, the fact that you can always count on it to deliver good food, the speed of service and cheery cheap price makes it a very viable destination for a casual quick bite with friends, family or colleagues (but make sure you go in multiples of 3s!) Pork Dumpling with Shrimp, $7.90 for 4 pcs  The word 'dumplings' ...

Dumplings usually conjure up images of a busy, bustling cheap-eats establishments with busy staff weaving between closely-packed tables - casual dining at its best. Lotus, however, brings traditional dumplings up a notch. Opposite the QVB and overlooking George Street (not that there's much to look at at the moment with the roadworks for the light rail), Lotus allows you to enjoy delicate dumplings in lovely surroundings - and of course, the price reflects the comfort. The menu, unlike traditional dumpling places, is quite short. Apart from a selection of 10 or so dumplings, you can also order more substantial dishes, including Hong Kong-style seafood extravaganzas. The dishes aren't that fusion, but the decor is decidedly Western-bistro, and there is also quite an impressive modern cocktail list. Steamed fresh scallop siu mai, $14 These gorgeous little parcels contain roughly chopped pieces of scallop. Unlike some places which only put a tiny bit of scallop into...