GO Noodle House
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Malaysia’s noodle specialists, GO Noodle House, have settled right into their first Australian flagship store on Little Bourke Street, with lines of loyal followers visiting every day.
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The return of the much-loved Din Tai Fung lamb buns for spring
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It’s Spring, the lambs are born and to celebrate the warmer weather, Din Tai Fung, arguably the world’s most famous dumpling specialist, has brought back its popular Sweet Lamb Buns.
Din Tai Fung's limited edition Spring Sweet Lamb Buns are now on offer at Din Tai Fung Melbourne until 30 November. These Spring Sweet Lamb Buns or 'Bao' come steamed-to-order with a delicious filling of molten dark chocolate and taro.
Absolutely adorable, the buns are almost too cute to eat. The fluffy, moist and slightly sweet buns were the perfect canvas for the gooey and dacadent dark chocolate and taro fillings. YUM.
Pork Dumpling / Xiao Long Bao
While we were there, we also indulged in other Din Tai Fung menu highlights which included the world renowned Xiao Long Bao.
While many Chinese restaurants serve Xiao Long Bao, Din Tai Fung’s variety are a cut above. The allure of Din Tai Fung’s legendary Xiao Long Bao lies in their gracefully delicate pastry skin enveloping rich pork-seasoned broth.
Usefully, Din Tai Fung’s staff are on hand to provide instructions on the recommended steps for consuming the Xiao Long Bao - steps which involve piercing the pastry skin to suck out the broth within and then subsequently flavouring the remaining pastry and minced pork dumpling with black vinegar and shredded ginger.
These soupy morsels may demand more effort than your run-of-the-mill pork dumpling, but we assure you - you will be rewarded.
Drunken Chicken
Din Tai Fung's drunken chicken was exquisite. The chicken was wonderfully tender and infused with a beautiful rice wine flavour - perfectly seasoned and well balanced.
Shrimp and Pork Wonton with Tangy Sauce
With the extensive publicity received by Din Tai Fung’s Xiao Long Bao, the Shrimp and Pork Wontons with Tangy Sauce, which prevail in both taste and texture, can easily be overlooked. These pork and prawn filled wontons are wrapped with a blissfully silken wonton pastry and bathe in a mind-blowing concoction of chilli oil and sesame oil. Cooked with the perfect amount of heat, these wontons certainly tantalised the taste buds.
Don't miss out on Din Tai Fung's Spring Sweet Lamb Buns along with other menu highlights!
What: Din Tai Fung lamb buns for spring
When: Until 30 November 2015
Price: $3.80 each
Location: Level 4, 287 Lonsdale St, Melbourne
Phone: (03) 9654 1876
Cuisine: Taiwanese, Dumplings
Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of Din Tai Fung.
Mr Huang Jin
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With chefs from Din Tai Fung, the legendary Taipei-based global chain, it is not surprising that Mr Huang Jin has rapidly gained a cult following.
Casual sophistication is the name of the game. Located at Katherine Place in the ‘New York’ end of Flinders Lane, Mr Huang Jin seats 40 guests inside their new interior that has been modeled around the simplicity but strong heritage of the bamboo-steaming basket.
The immaculately made xiao long bao are perfection. Showcasing the skill of the chefs, the xiao long bao skins are elastic, translucent, of consistent thickness and don't tear or unravel. In order to achieve such results, incredible discipline and extreme quality control are prerequisites.
The pan-fried chicken dumplings, were equally impressive. These potstickers had beautifully silky skins and perfectly crispy bases. The lemon grass chicken dumplings were of particular note - bursting with a deliciously complex splash of lemon grass, they were an absolute delight.
We also had some beautiful roti rolls. Robust and fragrant chicken satay encased within freshly cooked roti bread, it was an addictive and comforting dish.
The prawn and pork wontons were yet another highlight. We loved the velvety wonton pastry which was beautiful in texture and the accompanying sea of sweet soy, peanut sauce and chilli was pleasantly appetising. Cooked with the perfect amount of heat, these wontons tantalised our taste buds.
Moving to the Taiwanese tapas served at dinner time, unusual but exciting combinations feature on the menu such as the twice cooked pork spare ribs that have been grilled and then served with house made chili oil and broad beans. The Taiwanese tapas were lovely with wine - and you definitely can't go wrong with Taiwanese fried chicken. A popular dish in Taiwanese cuisine and the mainstay of Taiwanese night markets, Taiwanese fried chicken is a very guilty but delicious pleasure.
Mr Huang Jin’s rendition of the Taiwanese Fried Chicken is commendable - beautifully balanced from the use of soy sauce, sugar, garlic, rice wine and five-spice.
The fresh, vividly white slices of butterfish were cooked to perfection. We enjoyed the meaty texture and the golden-brown charred bits of caramelised miso on the fish. It was a beautiful dish.
Our dining experience at Mr Huang Jin ended with classic Taiwanese red bean pancakes. A simple dessert that amalgamates the best aspects of a good fritter and gooey red bean, the pancakes were folded over luxurious red bean paste, deep fried and laced with homemade maple syrup. The pancake had a pleasant chewiness which contrasted nicely with its crispy exterior. It was a simple but truly superb dessert.
Having been an iconic Melbourne classic in their days at the Rialto Tower, Mr Huang Jin have moved but are better than ever at their new Archway location. While many Chinese restaurants in Melbourne serve xiao long bao, Mr Huang Jin’s variety are a cut above. The fillings are lean, not fatty, and the technique used to produce them is impeccable. Aside from dumplings, Mr Huang Jin serves up a delicious mix of Taiwanese main courses and tapas offerings. Combined with its excellent drinks menu and warm service, Mr Huang Jin is a compelling lunch and dinner time destination.
Location: The Archway
4-5 Katherine Place
517 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
Phone: (03) 9629 5452
Link: Facebook
Cuisine: Taiwanese, Asian
Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of Mr Huang Jin.
Din Tai Fung
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Finally. It’s here. Din Tai Fung, arguably the world’s most famous dumpling specialists, has opened their first venue outside of New South Wales and their biggest Australian restaurant yet at Emporium Melbourne.
Shrimp and Pork Jiao Ze
Like each venue, the restaurant features Din Tai Fung’s signature glass-enclosed dumpling kitchen. The theme of ‘yin yang’ with a mainly monochrome fit-out exudes a casual and comfortable surrounding.
The Din Tai Fung brand has earned cult status since introducing Australia to its world-class Xiao Long Bao dumplings seven years ago (2008) at its flagship World Square Sydney restaurant and it is easy to understand why.
Avocado Chocolate Swirl; Mango Tango
Pork Dumpling / Xiao Long Bao
While many Chinese restaurants serve Xiao Long Bao, Din Tai Fung’s variety are a cut above. The allure of Din Tai Fung’s legendary Xiao Long Bao lies in their gracefully delicate pastry skin enveloping rich pork-seasoned broth.
Usefully, Din Tai Fung’s staff are on hand to provide instructions on the recommended steps for consuming the Xiao Long Bao - steps which involve piercing the pastry skin to suck out the broth within and then subsequently flavouring the remaining pastry and minced pork dumpling with black vinegar and shredded ginger.
These soupy morsels may demand more effort than your run-of-the-mill pork dumpling, but we assure you - you will be rewarded.
Vegetarian Bun
Truffle Xiao Long Bao
An absolute show stopper was the bespoke Truffle Xiao Long Bao. The steamed pork dumplings were infused with shaved truffle and truffle oil and tasted nothing short of amazing. It was a decadent dumpling with fragrant aromas.
Water Spinach with Garlic
Shrimp and Pork Wonton with Tangy Sauce
With the extensive publicity received by Din Tai Fung’s Xiao Long Bao, the Shrimp and Pork Wontons with Tangy Sauce, which prevail in both taste and texture, can easily be overlooked. These pork and prawn filled wontons are wrapped with a blissfully silken wonton pastry and bathe in a mind-blowing concoction of chilli oil and sesame oil. Cooked with the perfect amount of heat, these wontons certainly tantalised the taste buds.
Vegetarian Jiao Ze
Shrimp and Pork Shao Mai
The Shrimp and Pork Shao Mai was yet another highlight. We loved the slightly thicker dumpling pastry which was beautiful in texture and the decadent broth accompanying the prawn topping.
Our evening at Din Tai Fung concluded on a sweet note with a duo of their most popular desserts.
Taro gelato with Golden taro Bread
The taro gelato was wonderfully creamy and went well with the taro bread which was perfectly crisp on the outside and featured gooey luscious taro on the inside.
Mango ice dessert
A towering mango slushy ice dessert, we loved the use of fresh mango with the shaved ice. It was a playful dessert which rounded out our decadent meal.
Din Tai Fung is certainly a welcomed addition to Melbourne. With its superb execution of Chinese cuisine and dumplings which are made with the same surgical-like precision that Din Tai Fung is renowned for, there is no doubt that this new outpost will soon be firmly entrenched as a Melbourne dining institution.
Location: Level 4, 287 Lonsdale St, Melbourne
Phone: (03) 9654 1876
Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of Din Tai Fung.
Review: Hot Star Taiwanese Fried Chicken | Gong Cha
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Hot Star Taiwanese Fried Chicken
Established in 1992 by Mr. Wang in the famous Taiwanese Shilin Night Market, Hot Star is unique for several different reasons, one of which is the special cross section slice, which includes the chicken breast bone. Cooking the meat on the bone ensures the chicken is tender, juicy and distinctly flavoursome.
Most importantly, Hot Star is fried to order; this takes five and a half to six minutes but ensures a succulent, golden brown and delicious end result. The entire chicken breast is served whole in a bag and finished off with salt and pepper and a spicy chilli seasoning.
Left: Taiwanese fried thumb bite pieces with basil and sichuan pepper salt
Right: Hand cut sweet potato chips with a tangy Plum Salt
Right: Hand cut sweet potato chips with a tangy Plum Salt
The Hot Star menu also includes unique vegetarian offerings, including deep fried oyster mushrooms, and hand cut sweet potato chips.
A classic example of one item done impeccably well without compromise, Hot Star has indeed found a new home in Melbourne with foodies queuing up on a daily basis for their crispy chicken fix.
Gong Cha
Gong Cha is the fastest growing tea brand in Asia and aims to provide the best quality tea and beverages to its customers (and the perfect accompaniment to your Hot Star Taiwanese Fried Chicken!)
What differentiates Gong Cha from other bubble tea outlets is the use of high quality, fresh ingredients such as fresh Taiwanese tea leaves and real, not powdered, milk. Gong Cha also allows you to customise your drink by adjusting the level of sweetness and quantity of ice. All their tea is freshly brewed daily at each respective outlet.
Their taro milk tea is particularly good. It tastes very natural and the bits of creamy taro are absolutely delicious and add a nice textural element to the drink.
Gong Cha and Hot Star are located next to each other in the following 2 locations:
Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of Hot Star and Gong Cha.
Restaurant Review: Mr Huang Jin
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Location: Ground Floor, Rialto Building, 525 Collins Street, Melbourne
Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of Mr Huang Jin.
Phone: 03 9077 7937
Cuisine: Asian, Taiwanese, Yum Cha
Overall Impression: 8/10
With chefs from Din Tai Fung, the legendary Taipei-based global chain, it is not surprising that Mr Huang Jin has rapidly gained a cult following.
Casual sophistication is the name of the game, with the triple height ceiling paying homage to Mr Huang Jin's Rialto Towers location.
The immaculately made xiao long bao are perfection. Showcasing the skill of the chefs, the xiao long bao skins are elastic, translucent, of consistent thickness and don't tear or unravel. In order to achieve such results, incredible discipline and extreme quality control are prerequisites.
The pan-fried chicken dumplings, which we are told are the latest addition to the menu, were equally impressive. As were the potstickers, which had beautifully silky skins and perfectly crispy bases. The lemon grass chicken dumplings were also of note - bursting with a deliciously complex splash of lemon grass, they were an absolute delight.
We also had some beautiful rice paper rolls. Once again, these were bursting with freshness and were finely assembled.
The Taiwanese tapas were lovely with wine - and you definitely can't go wrong with Taiwanese fried chicken. A popular dish in Taiwanese cuisine and the mainstay of Taiwanese night markets, Taiwanese fried chicken is a very guilty but delicious pleasure.
Mr Huang Jin’s rendition of the Taiwanese Fried Chicken is commendable - beautifully balanced from the use of soy sauce, sugar, garlic, rice wine and five-spice.
Our dining experience at Mr Huang Jin ended with classic Taiwanese pan fried buns filled with brown sugar and walnuts. These are pillow-soft in places and crispy in others, and are filled with a sweet, warm, nutty filling.
While many Chinese restaurants in Melbourne serve xiao long bao, Mr Huang Jin’s variety are a cut above. The fillings are lean, not fatty, and the technique used to produce them is impeccable. Aside from dumplings, Mr Huang Jin serves up a delicious mix of Taiwanese main courses and tapas offerings. Combined with the stylish location, excellent drinks menu and warm service, Mr Huang Jin is a compelling lunch and dinner time destination.
Gastrology bloggers dined courtesy of Mr Huang Jin.
Restaurant Review: Peko Peko
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Location: 181 Wells St,
Southbank
Phone: (03) 9686 1109
Cuisine: Modern Taiwanese
Phone: (03) 9686 1109
Cuisine: Modern Taiwanese
Overall Impression: 6.5/10
Peko Peko is a cosy Taiwanese eatery that serves Japanese-inspired cuisine and authentic Taiwanese fare. The restaurant is decorated with framed pictures of cartoons and comics which gives it a very relaxed and fun vibe.
The Pop Chicken (which is beautifully battered and crispy morsels of chicken served with steamed rice and two sides) is one of the most popular items on their menu along with the Peko Box (which is the house rendition of a bento box) and Beef About (a Taiwanese beef noodle soup).
While options for desserts are limited, their Earl Grey tea panna cotta and black sesame ice-cream (when it appears on the specials board is a brilliant choice).
Given its popularity, the main thing you have to bear in mind about Peko Peko is that this restaurant is almost always packed to the brim. So either show up without a reservation and be prepared to have to opt for the take-away option or make a booking at least a day in advance.
Read our first review of Peko Peko here.
Read our first review of Peko Peko here.
Restaurant Review: Taiwan Cafe
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Location: 273 Swanston St, Melbourne
Phone: 03 9663 6663
Cuisine: Taiwanese street food
Overall Impression: 5/10
Phone: 03 9663 6663
Cuisine: Taiwanese street food
Overall Impression: 5/10
Celebrating Taiwanese street food, this little eatery has become increasingly popular. Having come to our attention due to the long queues we had been seeing, we were curious to see if the hype was justified.
Pork Dumplings with Hot & Sour noodle soup
The dumplings in my noodles were pleasant but the hot and sour soup was neither spicy nor sour enough. It lacked that punch synonymous with Taiwanese street food.
Bento Box
As far as Taiwanese bento boxes go, this ticked every “box”!
All in all, this is a nice eatery that I would revisit but only if I could get a seat easily.
Restaurant Review: Peko Peko
/Location: 181 Wells St, Southbank
Phone: (03) 9686 1109
Cuisine: Modern Taiwanese
Phone: (03) 9686 1109
Cuisine: Modern Taiwanese
Overall Impression: 6.5/10
This casual Taiwanese eatery is a bit of fun. Funky decor, edgy yet comfortable furniture, everything appears lively and inviting. We visited as a group of 8 on a Saturday night and the place was bustling. We waited for about 20 minutes before we were seated (understandably given our group size). I would suggest booking in advance if you can be bothered.
That said, everything was very cheap for what it was. Nothing on the menu was over $15. Although the food was not extraordinary, it was very pleasant. The whole place has a great vibe to it. This is a good place for a casual dinner that will certainly not break the bank.
