I’m always up for trying new things and I’d walked past this restaurant several times with a mind to go in next time I’m around for dinner. I’ve had Chinese food before (who hasn’t?), but not from this muslim ethnic group in China (and other areas in Central Asia). That means there will be no sweet & sour pork on the menu.
First up, how to pronounce Uyghur? We ask the waiter of this family restaurant and he says ‘wee-gur’.
The decor is very bright
Somehow, all parts of my life seem to tie into Heston Blumenthal. He does some Peking Duck research in Beijing & Quanjude in Beijing is one of THE places to go for Peking duck. Established in 1864 & still going strong in China. Pity for me, I’m just in Australia so I figure when I finally visit China in a few years time, I can try a few places there.
However, I have a stroke of luck as Quanjude has recently opened a restaurant in Melbourne specialising in Peking duck from the homeland. There is no question that I will go here when in Melbourne and I have some very high expectations.
Whenever I head to Melbourne, I always stop by here. For food and for entertainment.
The food is good, quick and cheap and the service is atrocious. Which is part of the charm really – especially if there’s a birthday in the house because they will play the loudest, lamest ‘happy birthday’ song, and if there are several birthday boys & girls in the restaurant, you’ll have the pleasure of hearing it 3 times in 20 mins.
It’s always a pleasure to bring Shanghai Dumpling first-timers here without telling them what to expect of the service. Admittedly, I think the staff do play it up a bit as its service is now as infamous and the food is famous but still, a good laugh to be had.
Maybe I’m just a food voyeur, but I do like going to places where you can watch the chefs work their magic.
I guess, it also lets you know that nothing untoward is happening to your meal (or they’re not just opening packets/cans & microwaving it).
Here at Chefs Gallery, you can actually watch them make your noodles for your meal.
Chefs Gallery in Regent Place, Sydney
Wandering about outside of my city comfort zone, I find myself in Ashfield which seems to be an Asian dominated area.
I was telling my sister about an awesome dumpling house in Melbourne (called Shanghai Dumplings) which was just as renowned for their bad service (so bad, it’s good – comical even) as for their cheap & tasty food. She recommended I try this place.
Shanghai Night Restaurant – Ashfield
This place was packed, it was the most elbow-to-elbow I’ve ever been – now I really know how a sardine feels.
What is pub cha? Yum cha in a pub 😀
What more could you want? Beer & junk food go hand in hand.
Dingy Annandale pub
Having never made dumplings before (nor done much Chinese cooking), I decided, if I’m only going to make dumplings once in my life, I might as well go for the holy grail.
So how about a dumpling with meat/prawn filling & soup inside?
There were a few firsts for me, first time making dumplings, first time using a wok & first time using a bamboo steamer.
Mmm… tasty
The question is: how do you get soup inside your dumpling?
