Paddock to Plate - The Farm

Fresh back from a day of cherry picking (yes, I did that) in a beautiful part of the country called Young. I felt three things: happy, refreshed and stupidly full (pick one, eat one right?!). No matter that it was a balmy 35 degrees outside and a bucketful of cherries seemed to get heavier by the second. Armed with sunscreen and an iron will, no cherry tree would get the better of me and an hour and a half later, I think we were rewarded handsomely.

Today I thought I'd share with you a little clip I stumbled upon. It's produced by The Field Institute, the foodie group who publish Field Guides to Local Produce as well as the Locavore Edition. Now, in collaboration with Palate magazine they're branching out with The Farm. This is an exciting project launching in Byron Bay in the new year. Owner Will Cotterill and Mark LaBrooy (the latter a chef from Three Blue Ducks) are working together to open a farm shop and restaurant, taking the very best from what's grown on the acreage. With a tinkering soundtrack by Eleven Magpies and images of pristine  farm land - it's enough to make you want to pack up and go.

The Farm from PALATE on Vimeo.

A quick glance on their website and you can see that their vision is   rather an ambitious one - a restaurant for close to 100, macadamia and avocado orchards, hundreds of chickens, a piggery, apiaries and a cheese processing plant are just the beginning. For those looking for a tree change, The Farm is a great place to start and draw inspiration. Following in the steps of Rohan Anderson (Whole Larder Love), Rodney Dunn (The Agrarian Kitchen) and Matthew Evans (Gourmet Farmer) The Farm is championing local produce and all its perks. Now we have something to experience for ourselves, and right on our doorstep. Cheers to that.

Thanks for reading and Merry Christmas!

xGourmand

A Film About Coffee

And here we have, a visual interlude. I'll be the first to admit it, I love to harp on about coffee. I constantly find myself in pursuit of the best - wherever I go it's sort of an unofficial mission (and a heap of fun. See here and here). It's a drink that most Aussies will claim to be an expert in, and to be quite honest - we've got it pretty good Down Under. Coffee can be one of many things - the push to get up and go, a quiet moment shared in the afternoon or a battle cry against a hectic day. Filmmaker Brandon Loper has produced a film paying homage to that which we hold dear, A Film About Coffee.

A botanically inspired poster

Tracing the organic origins of the humble bean to the slow-mo pour over into your glass (at your favourite hipster café) every shot is to be savoured. This is an ode to the power of coffee across the globe - in culture, trade and economics. Journeying from Honduras and Rwanda to New York, Tokyo and Portland; Loper's goal of capturing the world of specialty coffee has been stunningly realised. Now drip, chemex and espresso fiends alike can enjoy this on their screens - it's the stuff of a coffee aficionado's dreams. View the trailer below or the film is available for rent or purchase online here.

A Film About Coffee - Trailer from Avocados and Coconuts on Vimeo.

Thanks for reading!

xGourmand

Rosé Paradox by The Selby

Prepare yourself for some serious food envy. I recently came across this video featured on The Selby and couldn't pass the opportunity to share such a stunning event. The last posts I did with some of Todd Selby's work were way back when in 2012 (find them here and here). Featuring the Brains Trust of Gourmet Food, Dom Pérignon invited 9 of the world's best chefs to create a tasting menu to pair with and celebrate Dom Pérignon's 2003 vintage Rosé. There aren't many brands we know on a first name basis but Dom certainly fits the 'iconic' bill. No pressure!

A brilliant partnership between the worlds of food and champagne Credit: The Selby

Set between Paris and Champagne (it ain't champagne unless...), the chefs got to business under the guidance of Richard Geoffroy, Dom Pérignon's Chef de Cave. From meandering through the age old cellars of Dom Pérignon to picking the best produce from Rungis Market the journey taken in this film is one that is shared with the viewer and ultimately enthralling.

The preliminary tastings, not too shabby! Credit: The Selby

Taking inspiration from the beautifully hued and complex rosé the chefs worked their interpretations into a menu rich in technique and detail. The chefs from all over Europe worked their magic into some incredible dishes oozing appeal. Infused with The Selby's signature style of playful graphics and plenty of macro photography the event was clearly a triumph. A spectacular way to show off some of the world's best bubbles and talent. Chin-chin!

Here are some of the highlights from the gallery:

The grounds of Dom Perignon, steeped in history Credit: The Selby

Just like a fairytale... Credit: The Selby

No expense was spared, obviously Credit: The Selby

Ricardo Zurita from Azul Condesa, hard at work Credit: The Selby

Where art meets food = completely glorious Credit: The Selby

It's in the details, with some whopping big pieces of truffle to sweeten the deal! Credit: The Selby

Laurent André, chef from Le Royal Monceau Credit: The Selby

Chef Renald Epie's dish adorned with black caviar Credit: The Selby

A celebration of summer berries, so beautiful Credit: The Selby

The star of the show, Dom Pérignon's Rosé 2003 Credit: The Selby

It's a hard knock life...Todd Selby Credit: The Selby

Many hours of hard work and bottles of champers later! Mission accomplished Credit: The Selby

Stay tuned for more foodie encounters in London

Thanks for reading!

xGourmand

Words for a Cause

A few weeks ago I was approached to do an interview with Elizabeth Taylor (for real), the woman behind many of the Organic Food Markets across Sydney that we almost take for granted on weekends. I am grateful for this opportunity  to voice my opinions on farmers markets and the importance of food provenance (how solemn). It harks (yikes, grandma) back to the post I wrote on Farmers Markets many moons ago that you can find here. But here are my responses, originally posted on the OFM Blog on Bloggers. 

Being suckers for branding and names we LOVE yours.  How long have you been blogging and what was it about local markets and produce that started you on this journey

Thanks very much! The City Gourmand started on a whim back in July 2011, so it's had a few birthdays already, which is difficult to believe. Being one of those annoying Asian girls that take a photo of nearly everything they eat, it was almost a natural progression into the blogging world. It's essentially a visual diary of the food that I love to eat. Don't be fooled by the blog title though. Yes, I love fine dining in the iconic cities: Barcelona, London and Sydney of course but sometimes the best food comes from your own kitchen. 

An über styled version of the possibilities...Farmers' Market risotto with zucchini and their flowers Source: Taste.com

One of the best things about the food scene is the emergence of farmers' markets that have sprouted up in the most convenient locations. The Kings Cross Organic Food Market just so happens to be my local. It harks back to the days of our grandparents who would visit the markets several times a day, being without modern refrigeration. Today food travels halfway across the world to reach our shores (the concept of "food miles") defying the natural seasons. Yes, you can have pomegranates any time of year except it has travelled all the way from Afghanistan to ours shores. So the philosophy of Buy and Eat Local is actually a compelling one. What's more, we can support Australian farmers directly, cutting out the middleman. There is something special about forging a relationship with local producers or farmers. This is something that I am passionate about and write about regularly (see here).

In the shadows of the iconic El Alamein fountain (shaped like a dandelion) the Kings Cross Organic Farmers Market takes place each Saturday in Fitzroy Gardens. Photograph: El Alamein Fountain by Max Dupain c. 1962. Source: NSW Environment

What is it in particular about markets such as ours that need to be embraced and nurtured from your point of view

Well first of all, we need to spread the word about organic farmers' markets! They may not be as convenient as big chain supermarkets but your shop will certainly be fresher and of higher quality. Organic fruits and vegetables have a certain stigma attached to them, namely the price tag. The important thing to remember is you don’t have to try and shift mountains. One or two organic items per week and you’re well on the way to improving your wellbeing. Another thing is to be adventurous! Don’t be intimidated by weird or wacky ingredients. Though the Sydneysider's food vernacular is rather impressive, there are things that we automatically tend to steer clear of. Try your hand at cooking offal or a new heirloom vegetable, like kohlrabi! And if in doubt, ask the stallholder – their passion for their produce is infectious!

Or, you could always plant your own ;) Image: Little Veggie Patch Co.

Through your writings and observations, have you noticed a trend of the way people are now shopping where perhaps they are making their weekly market shopping more of an outing rather than a dash in and dash out type experience

It is true that people are ridiculously time poor these days. Life often tends to get ahead of us. An early morning visit to the local markets can be such an enjoyable experience and it’s a great way to catch a few rays. Indeed I have noticed that the markets have become a bit of a forum for families, pets and farmers alike, it is incredibly social. So the new routine is this: arrive and make a beeline for a coffee, grab a brekkie egg and bacon roll and then peruse at your leisure. Or maybe a few quick fire rounds of Guess Who if you're in KX! I tend to buy as much as I can be it meat, fruits or veg from organic producers and supplement my shop at a grocer only if I have to. The farmers markets are a wonderful way to slow down, if only for an hour or so and I think that many are realizing this.

<Insert day> long lunch, three words that bring joy to my ears! Photo: Kinfolk Volume V via Sanctuary blog

What is one of your more favoured meals to prepare using fresh produce bought at market

On a lazy weekend, stay true to the KISS principle (Keep it Simple, Stupid). With minimal interference to such lovely ingredients you can make an amazing spread for lunch or dinner. In the same vein, I love making ‘Market Bruschetta’ with bits and pieces I’ve bought from the market. Anything goes really…A few slices of sourdough, prosciutto, buffalo mozzarella, heirloom tomatoes, fresh herbs, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil et voilà! I’m making myself hungry just typing this!

The colours of the heirloom tomatoes are just killer, and they taste unlike any other tomato you've ever tasted. Yes.

If you had to sum up the “vibe” of shopping at local produce markets in 5 words what would they be

These aren’t necessarily ‘vibe’ specific but community, buzz, abundance, delicious and feast!

Fin

And now, for a rather lengthy (but not waffley) P.S. ...

Continuing on with all this goodness there are a few great campaigns being run this month and next:

1. Just Food (a start-up on Pozible)

Image credit: The Locavore Edition

A bit of a team effort between The Locavore Edition and the Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance, Just Food (how many hyperlinks can I put in this sentence?) is the documentary that they had hoped to make, thanks to crowd funding and the undeniable powers of social media  Well, that little idea is now coming to fruition - the target amount of AU$25000 was reached, a measly 3 weeks into the campaign! 

Orange Tree Blues from growing change on Vimeo.

Growing healthy orange trees is hard work. Killing them is even harder.

Short documentary produced for the Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance.

Funnily enough, I was actually at Eveleigh Markets whilst Costa was filming this trailer with the crew. (Get) Right in the thick of it! There are 7 days to go (deadline 3rd October) and the extra money will go towards supporting Australian farmers across the country in getting their stories out there. Pledge here before time is up my friend.

2. Give a Fork!

Image credit: Sustainable Table

Apart from the snazzy title, Sustainable Table will be launching a week long campaign (7-14th October) encouraging the general public to host their own events, raising money to support developing sustainable food systems. Sadly, the idea seems quite fantastical in our modern society. In the event's inaugural year, seafood is on the agenda. The documentary The End of the Line is a great crash course on the topic of overfishing.

Trailer for documentary, The End of the Line tackling the subject of overfishing

If I have whet your appetite for ethical choices and generosity then my work here is done.

Thanks for reading, and pls donate!
xGourmand

Black Diamonds

This could quite possibly be the world's most expensive breakfast. There's no other ingredient around that is as prized as the truffle and now 'tis the season. Presenting, a truffled omelette [emph-A-sis on the truffle part ;)] cooked with a bit too much butter and crowned with slithers of fresh black truffle, the eggs still a bit runny of course. It's a once a year occurrence and a culinary splurge, for sure. Miam-miam! 

Omelette with fresh black truffle: it's a deadly simple recipe to really show-off the flavour of the truffle. Now I know what it really tastes like!

Costing a very pretty penny (for a black diamond!), truffles can be found at our local farmer's markets for a strictly limited season. The truffles (or should I say truffle chunk) that we got our hands on were from Lowes Mount Truffles in Oberon, NSW. Another more famous Australian truffière (or whatever they are called, 'cultivators') is Manjimup Truffles from WA. Black truffles or Tuber melanosporum really are such beautiful things, organically formed and speckled white but etched inside.

Hai ya! This photograph is just pure indulgence. Photo credit: Fx Cuisine

'They say' that truffles taste differently to each individual, they are perhaps an acquired taste. They're earthiness and texture really is something entirely unique. A true gem in the foodie world. And it's no wonder, because they only grow amongst specific trees - hazelnut and oak for example and found only by trained dogs or pigs (although the latter tend to scoff them, unabashedly). Finally, we have started to grow them on our shores, Australia being the largest producer outside of the EU. These days there's even the annual Truffle Festival with truffle hunts and cooking classes held in the Canberra region. We can definitely hold our own!

RECIPE - it's a cinch

Truffled Omelette from Andrew McConnell's Cumulus Inc.

Serves 1 (greedy guts)

Oh, this is making me hungry. The foaming butter just tops it all off, not to mention those truffles!

Ingredientsss

2 eggs (choose free range or organic, you know the deal)

1 tbsp milk

pinch of salt

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp olive oil

pinch of chives, chopped

1 tsp parmesan, finely grated

10g sliced fresh truffle (go nuts, i say)

1 tsp crème fraîche

pinch freshly ground white pepper

Method

1. Whisk eggs, milk and salt together at high speed for 2 mins

2. Melt butter with oil in pain over medium heat

3. Once butter is foaming, add egg and stir before reducing the heat to low

4. Sprinkle over chives and parmesan, then scatter truffle slices evenly on top

5. Dollop over crème fraîche and sprinkle over pepper, then cook for ~30 seconds

6. When underside of omelette is golden, and the egg is almost set, fold omelette in half and cook for another 30 secs before turning out

To appease my obsessive-compulsive streak I have collated a number of truffle/egg recipes from the interwebs. Choose your poison...

French Food Safari with Guillaume Brahimi (video) Scrambled Egg with Truffle

Gourmet Traveller's Truffle Omelette

and...

Oh mercy. Katie Quinn Davies' Black Truffle Fried Egg, with the addition of blue cheese and mushies. Source: What Katie Ate

From the lauded truffle shops in Paris to the humblest jar of truffle honey, everyone can savour the flavour of truffles. The magic of this ingredient is that you only need a few grams to really transform a dish, a light dusting over egg pasta or risotto is all that required. Bellissimo.

Sniff it out! Why have a truffle dog when you can have a truffle pig? Infinitely cooler. Photo credit: The Times UK

Thanks for reading!
xGourmand

Arzak (Seeing Stars)

Alto de Miracruz 21, 20015 Donostia/San Sebastián

Now this is what I call hitting my mid-20s on the ground running. Here I have found myself in San Sebastián in the Basque region for a spectacular meal at one of the world's top restaurants. The real challenge was deciding where to go, in an area where there are more Michelin stars per capita than anywhere...what pressure! Having decided that Mugaritz (#3 in the world after Noma & El Celler de Can Roca - umm, who?!) was a bit too far afield, I was quite chuffed to be heading to Arzak regardless! 

"Do you deliver?": Father, daughter team Juan Mari and Elena Arzak at the front of their baby, a rather unassuming location a short drive from downtown San Sebastián Source: The Guardian

Arzak has held 3 Michelin stars since 1989 which is quite unbelievable. It has also received a tonne of accolades including No 8 on San Pellegrino's List of Top 50 restaurants (2012). It's a bit of a family affair where Juan Mari Arzak is at the helm and his daughter Elena Arzak executive head chef. Continuing a tradition of gastronomic excellence (the restaurant has been owned by the Arzak family for over a century), Elena was named Veuve Cliquot Best Female Chef of 2012. Totally psyched - bring it on!

The dining room was surprisingly modern and cosy. With only 10 tables on the main floor, there was also a private dining room upstairs if you're so inclined. They had undergone a recent renovation, including the decorative touch of imprinting cutlery into the concrete walls Source: VIP Gourmet

At risk of photo bombing you all (you have no idea...), I've condensed the marathon meal (the only kind of marathon I'll ever be involved in mind you) into a neat pictorial summary:

Feeling peckish: (clockwise from top left) Kabrarroka pudding with kataifi, Gooseberry with coconut, Chorizo with tonic & Sunflower seeds with arraitxiki. We had gotten away with a touch of drama - the pouring dry ice effect never gets old. The Kabrarroka contained a delicious fish mousee and the slithers of mango served with a chorizo paste (or should I say chor-ee-tho?) were served atop a squashed drink can

Hemp, mustard and lobster and tapioca salad: sauteed lobster with crispy hemp bread and mustard vinaigrette. This was definitely one of my favourites (even so early on) what with it's beautiful plating, Japanese styling. The drops of egg yolk were a beautiful accompaniment to the lobster. This dish spoke volumes.

It would seem that we were in good company. On the table next to us was an American man dining solo. I had strong suspicions that he was a food critic by the way he would ask lots of questions and look ponderously with each mouthful. He was happy as larry, what with his matched wines and course after course of unimaginable goodness/greatness (I'll note that he ordered almost exactly the same as me). He snapped a few cheeky photos on his iPhone as a little memento. And no DSLR in sight! 

Gooseberry, spelt and monkfish: roasted monkfish garnished with gooseberry and spelt served with dried gooseberry wrapped in Iberian bacon confit. Another artwork of a dish (this would be a recurring theme, no prizes for that one) with its delicacy of taste and flavour. The gooseberries wrapped in bacon added a salty-sweet punch

Fish steak with potatoes (left) and Sole, sea and mountain (right): seabass marinated in gin with different flavoured potato paper-thin wafers. Sole and tongue combined with cubes of dehydrated wine and sheep's milk. I'm just imagining the work alone. It's frightening

As if things weren't chaotic enough during service, Juan Mari and Elena do their 'rounds' of the restaurant to greet everyone and check everything is perfect (no need but okay). They kept a very calm front but I am sure it was all systems go behind the scenes. Mother dearest did the embarrassing thing of insisting we take a photo together - a nice keepsake I suppose!

Longan, deer and roe deer: two different cuts with different flavours and textures accompanies by fired grapes and longan. The idea was to put the meat that was resting in its juices onto the larger plate, that looked like an art canvas. A fruit traditionally found in Asia, the longan was a rather exotic flavour which added another dimension with its sweetness. The venison was an absolute triumph. Cooked rare so as not to spoil the top quality meat, it was so perfect I took an age to savour every mouthful. AI YA.

Eating at Arzak was an entirely different experience from anywhere I've eaten before. At times I found it difficult to wrap my head around some of the flavours, things I hadn't tried before. New is good though. I think I can handle it ;) It was an almost surreal feeling, I was thinking "I am eating at a 3-starred Michelin restaurant on the other side of the world". I felt like there was some kind of aura around the place, maybe it's just me being food-crazy (as usual).

Duck with soy (left) and beef with vegetable screens (right): it's almost sacrilege to disassemble these dishes. The duck was roasted mallard with several types of soy, the beef - grilled rib eye with caramelised vegetable glasses and couscous

Roots, fruits and seeds (left) and black apple (right). The green centrepiece was a thin layer of parsley flavoured white chocolate containing dark chocolate emulsified with kuzu and lime (what a mouthful). Served with frangelico and aperol spheres - molecular gastronomy strikes again! Oozy, chocolatey, delicious - the metallic rice crispies were a crunchy textural touch. The black apples were sautéed with truffle and apricot. Each dessert was served with a different sorbet, my raspberry one was lurv-ely.

Money matters - it may come as a rude shock that this meal costed less than some of the degustation's we get back at home. Mind you, if Michelin ever made it Down Under I'm sure we're plenty worthy of stars. Challenge accepted. Meanwhile, it seems like a good enough reason to set up camp here in Europe and 'schlep' between top restaurants haha. Food critic is officially my Plan B. Granted, we had four 'half' courses and not the full tasting menu. But it's all about quality, not quantity - particularly as we were there for lunch service! Talk about gorging.

Golden footprint with ladybird (left) and Petit-Fours (right): we were a bit flummoxed when on of the wait staff placed what looked like a mouse pad onto the table. The ladybirds of pepper and liquorice were filled with yoghurt and olive oil 'crystal' (no idea there, folks). As we weren't full enough, the chocolates came as all sorts: nuts, nails, keys, star anise. Of course I had to try each of them...delcioso. 

Anthony Bourdain came for a meal at Arzak on his food-travel show, No Reservations. Bourdain himself said that he would happily eat at Arzak as his last meal, "The love at the table is real. I was very, very happy to be there". I completely echo his sentiments. Certainly worth the 23 hours flight time (yeesh)! I was absolutely spoilt rotten on my birthday. There's no other way of putting it. 

Here's a little clip from No Reservations, Spain :)

<3 <3 Happy V Day <3 <3 
& thanks for reading! xGourmand

Mr Wong, Mr Wong!

Oh man, this ad cracks me up. Produced before I was born actually, it plays on almost every Chinese cliché there is!

"What kind were they?!"

If you hadn't already guessed it, I'll be reviewing my visit to Mr Wong - the new mega-restaurant opened up by none other than Merivale group (set on world domination one bar/restaurant at a time). This is their third venture in 2012, it was only last month that I posted about the Fish Shop (right here). The 240-seater venue is tucked away in Bridge Lane, in the basement of the Establishment Hotel. The space was previously incarnated as Tank Nightclub and at the snap of his fingers, Justin Hemmes has wrangled the cavernous space into a multi level Chinese yum-cha bonanza. Good for him!

Hemmes, with the help of stylist Sibella Court has done it again fit-out-wise. Reportedly costing $4 mill (loose change, really), the restaurant speaks to the colonial stylings of the 1930s Photo credit: Broadsheet Sydney

Upon stepping inside (no queuing for lunch service today, thank goodness), we were welcomed with the hustle & bustle of the kitchens x2. Not surprisingly, Hemmes has roped in Dan Hong and Jowett Yu (BFF chefs from Ms G's) to run the 36 strong kitchen. Dim sum is taken care of with a little help from Eric Koh from Michelin starred Hakkasan in London. We were shown to our table down yonder, taking the staircase winding around the massive glass elevator shaft of a wine cellar (a massive whiff of modernity there!). It soon became clear how important alcohol is to this business...give me a pot of Chinese tea however and I'm a happy camper. The bar takes up a good spot on the lower floor, the ridiculously-good-looking bar staff (what did you expect :P) doing their job with a hospitality-grade smile.

An interesting departure from tradition was their à la carte menu. Luckily I had already read a thing or two so I knew what dishes looked like. I was pretty keen to order the Dim Sum platter, but sadly that's only available for dinner. It felt slightly odd ordering what was 'apparently good'. It's true what people say, you do eat with your eyes. Call me old-fashioned but I love being able to look at what's available from the trolleys being pushed by the little Asian ladies at yum-cha. And of course 'the requisite' chair legs being crashed into mid meal by out of control trolleys...whoops! And what about the cards that you get stamped with each dish? I'm such a tragic, I know.

Wonder wall: so much effort has been put into the details in this restaurant. For example, the curtain downstairs is hand-strung with beads sourced from Ecuador, yikes. This wall is very Chinese herbalist (all we need is a set of scales). 

Sydney Rock oysters, fried shallots and ginger vinaigrette. These were scrumptious, fresh oysters with minimal interference can't be beat. I managed to snag one before one my dining buddies demolished up the rest!

Mr. Wong's drunken chicken. As a galantine?! I think they Frankenstein-ed that a bit too far. Chicken bones contain so much flavour, it should be cooked as a whole. I know that many people have a thing about bones in food, but seriously!

Chueng Fun (steamed rice roll) with prawn - this was rather yum. I liked the addition of the asparagus slices, which gave it a nice crunch. The garnish here is really not necessary ;)

Abalone chicken shumai: a delicacy in Asian cuisine it was good to see that this was a popular choice. 

Prawn har gau ($9) - plump mouthfuls of prawny goodness. The skins of these dim sum were nice and delicate. Eric Koh's influence is a clear winner on the dim sum front

I distinctly get the impression that Mr Wong is trying to teach an old dog new tricks. The dim sum here are rather refined, slightly smaller sized and done with some delicacy (read: $$$). The garnish is more an afterthought, there's absolutely no need to trick up anything here. Posh yum cha is clearly not my thing. With daily covers of up to 850 (scary) and queues snaking down Bridge Lane come dinner time, the hungry masses beg to differ.

Don't mind the flailing chopsticks, it's the Chinese Roasted Duck (half). A labour of love, this duck takes 3 days to prepare. At a tidy $34, this was surely the highlight of the meal. Crispy skin for days (hah) and beautifully juicy duck meat - so so good with a bit 'o' plum sauce! That 3-tonne custom duck roasting oven was obviously a good investment...

Mr Wong's westernised version is basically an entirely different experience to traditional yum cha. The first thing I thought when I sat down was, "Where are the trolleys?". They do actually serve a purpose to keep the bamboo steamers piping hot, so when they get to the table they're not luke warm (like our char sieu bao, damn it)! Whilst the food was very decent, there was something about eating here that I sorely missed. Yum-cha is a cultural institution that has been ingrained in me from a very young age. Half of the experience is that raucous energy that you get from eating in a massive hall that quite literally, seats hundreds. The noise, the heady aromas floating in the air and the authenticity (not quite HK, but you know - we do try).  This version has been sanitized and prices jacked up for the Aussie market. Okay, I'll stop ranting now.

This one is set to be a downright crowd pleaser, particularly to the Western audience who might find Chinatown yum-cha a little intimidating (may I suggest carting your Asian friends along!). It's location also suits the business lunching type down to a T. In case you didn't already know, Mr Wong has been heaped with praise in the press. Time Out Sydney gave it an adoring 5 stars. Even chef David Chang of the Momofuku empire has also given it his stamp of approval - must be a'ight then.

Thanks for reading! x