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
 

Iron Chef Chinese Seafood Restaurant, Cabramatta

I remember when Iron Chef Chinese Seafood Restaurant opened in Cabramatta many years ago. I could still remember the initial disappointment when I realised that it doesn't relate to the popular Japanese TV show on SBS. Despite that initial confusion, this Chinese restaurant has since been a hot spot for yum cha cravings with countless hungry people coming from all over Sydney. On a very hot day, we were planning to head to Vinh Phat for our yum cha feed but the queues and parking was insane (as always). The only space we could find was the parking lot behind this restaurant, which was conveniently located on the quieter side of the station away from all the busy action on John Street.

Prawn Rice Noodle Rolls

Although it was the weekend, we managed to get seated pretty quickly (after getting the attention of the staff though). We were craving for the usual yum cha favourites so we were pleased when the first trolley that strolled past us had various types of rice noodle rolls and dumplings.

While the prawn rice paper rolls were often too slippery to handle, they were delicious especially with the soy-based sauce and the juicy and firm prawns. There was also a balanced texture with the rice noodle wrapped around the prawns as it wasn't too soft despite being soaked with the soy sauce.

Pork Siu Mai Dumplings

One of my all time fave yum cha dishes has gotta be the Pork Siu Mai dim sim dumplings. Always liked the steamed won ton pastry wrapped around the pork as well as the roe splashed in the middle.

Seafood and vegetable dumplings

I really wanted to enjoy these dumplings but this ended up being my least favourite so far. The filling was too lumpy and creamy for my personal liking however I did enjoy the fish roe (?) scattered on top of each dumpling in this basket.

Prawn Har Gow Dumplings

Another fave of mine that had to be ordered at any yum cha restaurant was the Har Gow dumplings. While they got really sticky to the point where a bit of the chewy dumpling skin tore when I picked it up, they were still nicely shaped and juicy in terms of taste, which was what mattered the most for us.

Chicken Feet in Black Bean Sauce

Some of you might get turned off at the sight of chicken feet. I know I used to but then it ends up growing on me especially when one of the close friends was obsessed with this dish during our study sessions in the old uni days. I often prefer having chicken feet coated with a spicy black bean sauce that gives off a reddish colour as well as a boost of flavour.

Mango Pancakes

While I'm personally not a fan of the white creamy filling inside the pancakes, I've found that Iron Chef's version of the mango pancakes to be yummy. Especially with the decent balance between the chopped mango pieces and cream as well as the sweet pancake wrapping the fillings. Looked so pretty on the plate too.

Egg Tarts

One of the sweets that I cannot resist at yum cha has to be the egg tarts. Biting into that crispy, flaky and buttery pastry encasing the smooth but slightly firm egg custard just feels like a splendid way to end this lunch.

Depending on what time you have lunch at Iron Chef, there may be times when you get a wide variety of trollies containing different plates as well as times when you only spot the same two or three trollies rolling around the restaurant. As with most yum cha restaurants, the service was poor particularly when we tried to get their attention on seating us at the beginning as well as the overall attitude but I was pretty much used to it by now. What mattered the most was the food that satisfied our yum cha cravings. Would recommend coming here with a large group so you can order more dishes to share around and you can still pay less with more people splitting the bill.

Iron Chef Chinese Seafood Restaurant
84 Broomfield Street, Cabramatta NSW 2166
(02) 9723 6228
http://ironchef.com.au/
Mon-Fri: 10:00am - 3:00pm, 5:30pm - 10:30pm
Sat-Sun: 9:00am - 3:30pm, 5:30pm - 11:00pm

Vinh Phat, Cabramatta

As a kid, I used to go to Vinh Phat at its old location with the red curtains very often due to Mum's yum cha (also known as dim sum) cravings. There were times when my family and I went there every month or sometimes every two months but especially every single Mother's Day and Father's Day lunch. To be honest, I wasn't much of a yum cha fan when I was a kid, but then I was a fussy eater back then too - I didn't even like pho until I was around 12 years old! (true story). Plus I didn't like getting squashed between the crowds of hungry diners waiting to get a table inside the infamous red-draped, cramped restaurant. Late last year, Vinh Phat moved to a much bigger location across the street where Retravision used to be at (anyone remember that shop? lol). As I got older, my visits to Vinh Phat decreased due to my weekdays and weekends spent in the city but my own cravings for yum cha have certainly gone up. 

Since I have only been to the old, much smaller Vinh Phat, it was time to check out the revamped version. While the location has changed, my memories were still there with the trolleys, quick and fairly cheap service and the fish tanks at the back. While there were still moments of trolleys bumping into each other, the location itself was much bigger and spacious in comparison. When I got in, it was getting close to the end of lunch at 2pm but there were still lots of people inside the restaurant and trolleys roaming around asking keen diners if they want to try certain dishes.

Free tea!

One of my fave yum cha dishes are the dumplings especially Siu Mai dumplings wrapped in won ton and packed with pork mince. Vinh Phat's version definitely does not disappoint my taste buds. It was well-steamed to my liking and is often a hit at the table. Wouldn't mind getting another serving for myself hehe. 

Siu Mai dumplings

This is another favourite dish for me at Yum Cha. The prawns were succulent and the thin wrapping has a nice bite. Wouldn't mind ordering this again. 

Har Gow prawn dumplings

My parents loved eating chicken feet. I wasn't too keen on the other hand back then but this time I gave this a try. It was actually quite tasty. This version was braised and dipped in marinated spicy sauce. Very flavoursome and juicy. 

Fung Jow - chicken feet

This was the main reason why my parents often come back to this restaurant again and again back in my youth. They always rave on how Vinh Phat does an amazing job with this particular dish and it has never ceased to amaze us. The steamed rice noodles were cooked at the right texture (not too hard and not too soft) and the plump prawns were equally satisfying. The hero was of course the soy sauce which added loads of depth in flavour to the dish. 

Har Cheong Fun - steamed prawn rice noodle rolls

These were another childhood favourite of mine everytime I'm at Vinh Phat. I just adore biting into the spring roll and pouring the plum sauce over it. Piping hot but so tasty and quite crunchy. 

Seafood spring roll with plum sauce

After all those dishes, I was craving for something nourishing to take away from the heat and the oil. This salad contains shredded chicken, grated carrot and cucumber, coriander and jellyfish dosed in fish sauce. It has the crunch and the zesty tastes that was muchly needed after all those greasy dishes. Definitely recommended if you want something different.

Chicken and jellyfish salad

Soy sauce and chilli sauce for dips

Was getting full from those dishes but there is still room for dessert! Sure enough a trolley full of custard egg tarts arrived to our table. Needless to say, we cannot say no to this. The pastry was flakey and crispy while the custard filling has that soft and wobbly texture. I almost forgot that I was so full after getting my hands onto these treats.

Egg tarts

The atmosphere was still noisy when we left the restaurant. Bonus points for quick and efficient service and the prices aren't too bad especially if you are splitting with other people. We thought that it would be fairly pricey with the amount of dishes we ordered but it actually came down to about $35 altogether (sorry I didn't pay too much attention to the price but it was around that amount...definitely less than $40!). It's no wonder that my folks keep going back here after all these years especially with all the other yum cha options in Cabramatta. Great place to go with your family on special occasions or just for a catch up with your friends in the area. Just remember to head there during lunch if you want the yum cha menu. The dinner menu is much different but from what I can recall, they have a decent selection of Chinese and Asian specialties. Will definitely head back to Vinh Phat very soon to try more dishes as well as checking out the dinner menu.

Vinh Phat
Shop 8/7 Park Road, Cabramatta NSW 2166
(02) 9726 2720