Luyu and Yum Yum, Newtown

When you think of yum cha joints, Newtown wouldn't be the first suburb to come into mind. Interestingly, we somehow get the massive yum cha cravings whenever we are in the Inner West so it was good to hear that Luyu and Yum Yum is now opened in the vicinity. 

Dipping sauces: soy sauce, chilli oil, vinegar

Compared to the usual yum cha joints; the venue is fancier, prices were more expensive and the service was incredibly friendly and welcoming. Plus, the dumplings were like a work of art on your plate. 

Manga Dumpling *Hedgehog* - 3pc ($12.80)

While it was flour dough baked, the texture was similar to generic pan fried dumplings. Consisting of king oyster mushroom, Chinese mushroom, carrot and fungi, these vegetarian hedgehog dumplings were crispy, moreish rather adorable. CC thought they were a tad oily and too crunchy for her liking, but I thought the crisp texture was the best part. 

Snow White rabbit dumplings - 3pc ($12.80)

Another cute batch of dumplings shaped like an animal with an even more adorable name to boot. This contains prawn, asparagus, bamboo shoot and creamy soup in a Chrysanthemum infused potato starch dough.  

Caviar Dumplings - 4pc ($13.80)

We were feeling kinda fancy with these caviar dumplings. Filled with prawn, carrot, coriander and celery in a steamed rice dough pastry, these dumplings were plump, juicy and shaped like a steamed version of the traditional fried moneybags. 

Flying Seafood Dumpling - 4pc ($13.80)

These fish-shaped dumplings were filled with scallop, fish-ball, prawn, asparagus and flying fish roe in a steamed rice dough pastry. Like the other dumplings at Luyu and Yum Yum, they have a nice chewy texture that wasn't too thick or too thin. I've got a soft spot for scallop dumplings so it was no surprise that I wanted more of this.  

Mr Luyu "Starburst" Dumpling - 4pc ($11.80)

These are my fave dumplings of the lot. Not only did I love the xiao-long-bao shape, you can't help but notice its colourful fruit-infused flour dough, thin dumpling skin. While most xiao long bao contains pork, these dumplings consist of chicken in Mr Luyu homemade hot broth.

Kiss Me Dumplings - 4pc ($10.80)

Like the Starburst dumplings, these xiao long bao also consist of chicken instead of pork in addition to ginger and shallot in a hot broth. The texture is very thin and the broth is hot to handle when you try to devour these cheeky-named morsels. 

Before you start thinking that Luyu and Yum Yum is just dumplings, there are loads of non-dumplings dishes to enjoy such as fried rice, steamed fish, roasted duck and 7 flovaoured tofu. CC goes crazy for eggplant so we went with that option. These were crispy on the outside and piping hot on the inside. It was also rather sticky from the chrysanthemum honey plus soy, sesame and dried onion coated onto the fried batter. 

If you love your dumplings with a bit more of art and colour, you will be glad to hear that Luyu and Yum Yum is a lovely addition to the Newtown food scene. It's different from your usual cafes, Thai restaurants, cheap takeaways and dessert joints so it was no surprise that we often had to wait for a table in all of our visits so far (thankfully not very long). While the prices are a bit too expensive for me to return on a regular basis, the flavour, appearance, texture and ingredient combination would be enough for me to make a further visit or two to try more of their dumpling selection or even another serving of the above. And the cocktails look damn fine too. 

Luyu and Yum Yum

Level 1, 196 King Street, Newtown NSW 2042

(02) 9519 9888

http://luyu.com.au/

Sun, Tues-Wed: 12:00pm - 3:00pm, 5:30pm - 10:15pm

Thurs-Sat: 12:00pm - 3:00pm, 5:30pm - 11:00pm

Mon: Closed

 

Lan Yuan Restaurant, Ryde

Top Ryde Shopping Centre isn't somewhere I would usually go to very often since it is nowhere near where I live or work. Despite that, I was pleased to hear that there's a new Cantonese yum cha restaurant to cater the Chinese local in that part of Sydney. A few weeks ago, I attended a special blogger lunch thanks to the lovely folks at Wasamedia to sample a range of dishes that Lan Yuan has to offer. 

Steamed chicken with bok choy

As with nearly all Chinese restaurants, it was no surprise that there was so many dishes to sample. Many of which, were The first was the steamed chicken with bok choy. While there wasn't much flavour, the meat was tender and well-cooked. 

Prawn Dumplings

Chicken Dim Sum

Very satisfied with their dumpling offerings. Both the prawn har gow and the chicken siu mai were juicy and firm. They were also made to order in a similar format to the food at Tim Ho Wan. 

Hokkien-style deep fried eggplant  

Found that the deep fried eggplant was very addictive thanks to the seasoned and crispy batter as well as the firm and juicy eggplant. Ended up eating a few too many of this dish.

Sweet and Sour Pork

Sure the sweet and sour pork sounds like a dish you would spot at numerous Chinese restaurants but the one that I tried at Lan Yuan was delightful. This traditional dish has that lovely crispy texture combined with the sweetness from the sauce and pineapple.

Yuan beef eye fillets with wasabi sauce

At first, I thought it was just a generic beef dish similar to what I would get at home but then that wasabi kicked in. While it wasn't as lethal as that wasabi sushi in Wagaya's sushi roulette (a video of my luck with that roulette is actually somewhere on Youtube), it still had a strong kick, which made this dish unusual yet interesting.

Egg yolk tofu

The egg yolk tofu was soft in the inside and lightly battered on the outside. While I do like anything with egg yolk, I thought that this was actually quite salty for my preference. 

Shandong Chicken

By this point, we have only eaten the entrees and my stomach was slowly filling up. Our main dishes started with the roasted chicken, which was tender and succulent. I really enjoyed the taste of the chicken that rolled well on the tongue. It wasn't too flavoursome but the soy sauce and the texture of the chicken takes this dish up a notch.

Wok-fried Singaporean mud crab with vermicelli noodles

Out of the many dishes I've sampled, this would be the highlight of the day. While it was hard to handle with the lack of tools to open the shell for the hidden crab meat, this traditional Singaporean dish was full of wonderful, saucy and tangy flavours. The vermicelli noodle base added a crunchier texture to this visual feast. Would gladly make the long trip to Ryde for this dish alone. 

Fried rice with fresh prawns and scallop topped with crab roe

I normally don't care too much for rice but I ended up enjoying this version of the usual fried rice. With the scattered crab roe as well as the moreish prawns and plump scallops, this dish would be an ideal one to accompany some of the meatier dishes on the menu.

Sweet and sour barramundi

I was too full by the time I got to sample this plate. The crunchy skin and batter covering the barramundi lying on pool of sweet and sour sauce was surprisingly visually spectacular. It didn't came across my mind that there's a fish head in front of my face! 

Deep fried vanilla ice cream with caramel sauce

Deep fried vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce

I thought I was ready to throw in the towel but I knew I will regret not getting my hands on the fried ice cream. You get vanilla ice cream with the option of chocolate, strawberry, or caramel sauce. The smooth ice cream, the hint of coconut and the crumbed outer batter made me keen to devour more of this sweet treat. A nice way to end an epic lunch feast.

While Top Ryde is a bit too far for me to return on a regular basis, it's an ideal restaurant for a family outing or a catch up with friends. With a bar area at the front, there is a modern vibe to this venue in addition to the attentive staff. With its modern green decor scattered with bamboo and plants, the restaurant aims to create a calm atmosphere even with the busy and noisy yum cha crowds. You wouldn't even notice that the restaurant is inside a shopping centre because it really felt like the restaurant was holding well on its own with its serene atmosphere.

Disclaimer: The Random Foodie dined at Lan Yuan Restaurant, courtesy of Wasamedia. Opinions are however, my own.

Lan Yuan Restaurant
Shop 4005, Level 1, Top Ryde City Shopping Centre
Cnr Blaxland and Devlin Street, Ryde NSW 2144
(02) 9808 1030
http://lanyuan.com.au/
Mon-Sun: 10:00am - 11:00pm
 

Pu'er, Waterloo

An Asian tea house restaurant in Waterloo? The setting sounds unfamiliar but somehow it works. Situated within the same vicinity as Devon on Danks, Kepos Street Kitchen and Mojo By Luke Mangen; it is surprising to hear that Puer has actually been around for a good number of years. Yet I've only heard about it late last year. While Waterloo is hard to get to by public transport (not to mention delays from trains, trackwork and weekend traffic that day), I was excited to check out Puer after receiving an invite to sample their extensive menu.

While it has some of that fancy decor that you may spot at other Modern Asian restaurants, there is a dominance of wooden furnishing throughout the venue for that olden tea house appearance. Surprisingly, the wooden chair were actually comfortable that I didn't notice the material until I stood up at the end. Teapots could be found throughout the venue including bear the front door with tea leaves laid out in a petite bowl. 

Taiwan All Season tea ($9.00)

There's a generous selection of teas, which made it hard to choose which one to try. Eventually we went with the "Taiwan All Season" based on the waiter suggesting that this tea was a suitable match for a variety of dishes. The waiter advised us that this was a two step process where we wait the tea to steak for about two minutes before pouring the leaves into one smaller teapot then filtering the tea into an open teapot and finally serving it in a small cup in its clear form. It had a pale yellow appearance with a bold, smooth, floral flavour that makes it unique compared to the complimentary tea you would get at most other Chinese and Vietnamese restaurants.

Peach and Phoenix ($17.00)

The Peach and Phoenix cocktail was not your average peach ice tea. There's that slight liquor boost from the various Phoenix tea infusions mixed in the drink. This was certainly an ideal fruity drink to have on a warm Autumn day. 

Spicy Prawn Dumplings ($8.00)

Choosing the dumplings was even harder when you just want to eat them all. The spicy prawns were actually quite mild but still had that slight kick that excites your senses. The bold red colour  in the chilli pastry makes these dumplings look aesthetic pleasing to the eye before you pop them into your mouth.

Scallop Dumplings ($9.00)

The scallop dumplings were just as colourful, plump and juicy as the spicy prawn dumplings. They weren't as flavoursome as the former so we made good use of the soy sauce and chilli sauce on the side. Still very tasty nonetheless. 

Wagyu Tacos ($16.00) 

From reading many reviews, I knew that the wagyu tacos were actually more like steamed buns but that still got me keen enough to try. Out of all the dishes, this was definitely my favourite out of the lot! You just can't resist the tender, saucy, 9+ Oakley Ranch wagyu beef with house-made chilli paste and four leaf greens sandwiched in a flatter yet fluffy steamed Chinese 'taco' bun. Would order this dish again just for myself.

Hong Kong mini burgers ($15.00)

While I really liked the taste of the crispy panko crumbed pork with the house smoked chilli paste and hoisin, the bun was a bit too oily for my liking. Thankfully, the fillings and the crisp texture of the bun made it worthwhile for us to chow down this dish. 

Three cup drunken duck ($26.00)

We liked the sound of drunken duck and Pu'er didn't disappoint. The duck meat was tender and easy to pull apart due to its slow cooked method. This was well complemented with veggie garments and shiitake mushrooms on the side. It's a really huge serving size with one massive duck breast per person.

Caramelised Berkshire Pork Belly ($24.00)

Ok I was struggling by this point but V was encouraging me to keep going with my share especially since its pork belly. I was awed by the look of that crackling on top. So want that crackling all for myself! The pork belly tender and fatty and matched well with the spice-infused, boiled eggs. This actually reminded me of the dish I usually have with my folks except mum always takes the fatty bits out. So delicious even though I was in food coma mode by then.

Steamed rice ($3.00)

Didn't expect to enjoy the rice but I liked the texture of this short-grain variety. It was not too hard and not too soft, which was what I prefer in my rice. This went really well with the meaty juices from both of the main dishes.

Chocolate brownie, banana, spiced wine jus, palm sugar ice cream, salted almond praline ($10.00)

I intially thought that the desserts would be the death of me but that second stomach was there for this brownie. Topped with a salted almond praline, this had that fudgey taste but it actually wasn't as rich as I expected. The palm sugar had a decadent, creamy and buttery flavour which tasted well with the banana slices.

Coconut and caffir lime leaf sorbet ($10.00)

The coconut sorbet was lighter than expected, which worked well with the surprisingly warm weather that day. It was served in a young coconut, which I thought was quite adorable and neat. Wasn't sure what the black sticky rice was doing on the side but it worked well with the creamy sorbet. 

All in all, the dining experience at Pu'er was pleasant. The staff were friendly and accommodating to all customers inside the restaurant at the time of our visit, which was a bonus. It also seemed family friendly since many of the other diners brought their kids with them. With most Modern Asian restaurants like Mr Wong, China Doll, LL Wine and Dine and the like, the food was on the more expensive side such as the dumplings priced at $7-$10 with only 3 servings in the basket. Despite that, I'm keen to head back to try more of the dumplings and the tea next time I'm in the area. 

DISCLAIMER: The Random Foodie dined as a guest of Pu'er. Opinions are however, my own.

Pu'er
20a Danks Street Waterloo NSW 2017
(02) 8399 1331
http://www.puer.com.au/
Tues-Fri: 12:00pm - 3:00pm, 6:00pm - late
Sat-Sun: 12:00pm - late

Taste of Shanghai, Ashfield

Every now and then, I get really massive dumpling cravings. By that, I mean Shanghainese dumplings like Xiao Long Bao, boiled and pan fried dumplings to name a few. Since I currently reside in South West Sydney, the closest suburb where I could find many of these dumplings was Ashfield. One pouring rainy day in early December, we ended up in Ashfield where there were loads of cheap eat Chinese dumpling joints to choose from. Since we were parked at Ashfield Mall and we weren't keen to go across the street in the stormy wet weather, the closest we found was Taste of Shanghai located right next door to the shopping centre. 

Wonton in Red Chilli Oil Sauce ($9.80) 

We were so hungry so we went for the 4 most popular dumplings according to Taste of Shanghai's epic sized menu. The wontons in red chilli oil sauce actually weren't as spicy as they looked. There was still that subtle kick but nothing that will harm your tastebuds if you can't stand that stuff. Loads of flavour from the sauce which became handy for the next set of dumplings.

Poached Pork and Chive Dumplings ($9.80) 

Despite having the same price as the other dumpling plates, there was actually 12 pieces for this serving. Too generous for two people but plenty of left overs for tomorrow. Great value for money! While the poached (or boiled I guess) dumplings weren't as flavoursome as the others (used lots of soy and chilli oil sauces for this) but the pork and chive filling was soft and juicy. Also a slightly healthier option than the crispy variety...

Pan fried pork buns ($9.80)

Despite what I said just then, these pan-fried pork buns were my favourite of the lot! Cannot resist a pan fried pork bun especially with the crispy bottom base. Always a winner whenever I see that crispy base hehe. Although we were starting to get full by this point because of the thick dough pastry (and the Xiao Long Bao still hasn't showed up), we were keen to demolish this because it was so tasty. Be careful when handling these dumpling because the hot broth can squirt out if you bite it too quickly.

Xiao Long Bao ($9.80)

Yes we over ordered but I was still excited for the xiao long bao even though I was stuffed by this point. They weren't as silky thin as Din Tai Fung's version but they were still very easy to pierce so that the hot broth flows onto the spoon. Or inside the bamboo basket as I tried to pick them up. The decent amount of pork filling was just as tender, juicy and easy to devour. CC also thought that the xiao long bao and the pan fried pork buns were her faves and has since made multiple visits at this joint. 

With so many dumpling joints in Ashfield (and Sydney CBD where another branch is located at the same shopping centre as Din Tai Fung), it's hard to pick a favourite especially with New Shanghai and Shanghai Nights across the street. The service wasn't awesome (as expected) but they understood our requests which was a plus for us since we both don't speak Chinese at all! The dishes came out pretty quickly and the prices were quite cheap. Personally I wouldn't mind returning back (especially if the queues at New Shanghai are super long) for the pan fried dumplings as well as trying out some of the many other dishes from the menu. Best to go with a larger group to try and share as many dishes as your stomach can handle. 

Taste of Shanghai
264 Liverpool Road, Ashfield NSW 2131 (also at World Square, Hurstville and Eastwood)
(02) 9798 2877
http://www.tosau.com.au/