Sydney Eats: Din Tai Fung

When Dad announced that we were spending Christmas in Australia, everyone was ecstatic.  Well... big mistake.  While spending Christmas SEASON there was nice, spending Christmas DAY itself was not.  Why?  Because nothing was open, that's why!  So we had no choice but to find something that was open for sure.  It was a toss up between finding a hotel or spending it in a casino.  Guess which one won?  Well, the casino did.  We figured there was nothing much to do after eating in a hotel, so might as well spend it in the casino, where there's a bit more to do.

On Christmas day, the whole family trooped over to The Star Casino.  Since we had dinner plans at a buffet restaurant there, we chose something light for lunch.  And if the task of choosing were in my parents' hands, then you betcha they're going for Chinese.  Yes.  Chinese.  Again.  Din Tai Fung, here we come!

I've written about Din Tai Fung before, having tried it in Hong Kong.  Also got to try it in Taiwan and in Singapore, so yes, I'm no Din Tai Fung newbie.  So before we even started ordering, I already knew what I'm having!

Din Tai Fung at The Star

But unlike other Din Tai Fung outlets we've tried in other countries, Din Tai Fung at The Star Casino is just part of their foodcourt.  No biggie.  I'm not one to discriminate against foodcourt eats.  In fact, some of the best meals I've had came from the foodcourt!

Steamed Pork Dumpling

Not as tasty as the one I'm accustomed to.

Crab Meat and Roe with Pork Dumpling

Err... not as good either.

Dan Dan Noodle (Peanut Sauce)

Nope, not impressed.

Fried Pork Chop

Edible, but nothing special.

Egg Fried Rice with Green Bean and Minced Pork 

And finally, they got one thing right.  The egg fried rice!  Geez, how I wished we just ordered one cup each and be done with it.  Green beans were not bad either.

The verdict?  1 out of 5 stars.  Why, Din Tai Fung, why???  Next time, I'll be sure to just eat this restaurant on an Asian country.  I don't mean to discriminate, but really, Din Tai Fung just tastes way better in other countries.  Oh and from what I've heard, they're coming to Manila this year!  Fingers crossed that they'll be able to replicate the original and surpass the other leading xiao long bao restaurants that are already established and well known here.  

Din Tai Fung is at The Star Casino, 80 Pyrmont Street, Pyrmont NSW 2009, Australia

Sydney Eats: Emperor's Garden Restaurant

After three days in Melbourne (so short, I know!), we arrived in Sydney.  And the first thing on my Dad's mind?  Chinese food!!!  If you've read about my post about Emperor's Garden Restaurant last 2013, then good for you!  Haha, I'm kidding.  Being no stranger to this restaurant, my Dad chose this one as our first meal in Sydney.  Us kids, who are not much of a fan of Chinese restaurants, had no choice because the boss said so.  Ok, I'm kidding again.  We actually love this one because the food is absolutely fantastic!  Let's get going, shall we?  

Fresh Steamed Abalone

Chewy, but a little on the tough side.  But fresh abalone can never be compared to the canned ones, it will always be tougher.

Stir-fried Scallops with Egg White

Our favorite!  Even though we did not enjoy it that much last year, I made sure we ordered this one and just tell the server not to add too much flour with the eggs.  The result?  Almost got into a fistfight with my Brother.  LOL.  But yes, it was THAT good.  I am always amazed as to how huge their scallops are!

Honey King Prawns

This was truly unforgettable last year.  And this time around?  STILL AS GOOD!  Prawns were big and juicy!  An absolute must!

Fried Rice with Diced Scallops and Vegetables with Egg White

Still good.  So good that someone who does not eat rice actually ate more than a bowl of it!  (hello, Brother!)

Stir-fried Diced Fillet Steak with Japanese Style Raddish

Extremely tender.  Japanese-Style Raddish = Wasabi.  The addition of wasabi added a nice kick to an otherwise normal dish.

Nobler Barbecued Pork Spare Ribs

Melts in your mouth.  Or rather, MY mouth.  Bwahahahaha!

Stir Fried Beancurds with Assorted Mushrooms

The stir-fried beancurds were silky soft.  Almost felt like eating chawan mushi (Japanese steamed egg).

As if that's not enough, we went back for another round of Emperor's Garden Restaurant on our last night in Sydney!  We ordered a bit of the same dishes, and added some other new dishes too.  Other dishes are as follows:

Goose Web with Sea Cucumber in Pot

Not too impressed with the goose web.  It was tough bite.  I've had really soft and almost fall off the bone goose web before, so this one did not impress me at all.

Stir-fried Sliced Mini Abalone with XO Sauce

The sliced version was way better than the whole one.  Still chewy, but easier to bite into.

Pan-fried Wagyu Fillet

We found out about the wagyu fillet just as we were about the finish dinner the first time around this trip.  So Mom made sure to order this one when we went back.

Wagyu Fillet.  Look at that color!

I wish I could tell you that it tasted as good as it looked, but it did not.  Lacked the melt-in-your mouth goodness of wagyu.  For me, the best wagyu award still goes to Japan.

So the verdict?  We had a better meal the first night.  The second time around was not bad either, but paled in comparison to the first.  If we're talking about just the first night, then I'd give them 5 out of 5 stars.  But if you include the second night, then I guess it'd have to be 4 out of 5.  Next time, I'll go back for all those tried and tested ones and just stick to that!

Emperor's Garden Restaurant is at 100 Hay Street, Haymarket NSW 2000, Australia

Melbourne Eats: Spice Temple

Oftentimes, not everything goes as planned.  Take Spice Temple, for example.  The original plan was to eat at the Conservatory, Crown Casino's buffet.  We booked too late and was put on the waitlist for 8PM.  As 8PM was too late, we opted for another restaurant.  First was the steak place Rockpool Bar & Grill, and second was the famed Japanese restaurant Nobu.  Guess it's never a good thing to plan where to eat on the day itself, (and during Christmas season, nonetheless!) because all three restaurants were full, full, full!  And so we ended up on my brother's last choice for a restaurant - Chinese!

Unlike traditional Chinese restaurants with boring decor, Spice Temple is a hip, modern version of it.  There was definitely a dark and mysterious vibe inside.  Sorry no photos though, it was too dark!

Here's what we had:

Stir Fried Grass Fed Beef Fillet with Wok Blistered Peppers and Black Bean

Red Braised Pork, shredded with Chili, Ginger and Black Vinegar

House Fried Rice

So far everything was so-so until this came along:

Caramelised Lamb Spare Ribs

And of course, I saved the best for last.  Spice Temple's caramelised lamb spare ribs.  Sweet, tender and oh so flavorful.  My only complaint for this dish is that there was more fat than meat, making it hard not to feel guilty when having seconds!

So the verdict?  Spice Temple is actually surprisingly good!  Wasn't expecting good Chinese food outside Chinatown, but a good surprise is better than a disappointment, right?  3.5 out of 5 stars!

Spice Temple is at the Crown Complex, 8 Whiteman Street, Southbank, VIC, Australia

Li Li at the Hyatt Hotel and Casino

Don't you just love it when something exceeds your expectations?  A few weeks ago, the family decided to have our Sunday lunch at LiLi in Hyatt Hotel.  When I was told of the plan to dine there, I did my best not to roll my eyes because well, surprise surprise... We're having Chinese food!  Again.  *sigh*  But all was not lost...  Things started to perk up when we found out that they had a dimsum buffet promo (yay!)  I've heard good things about LiLi's dimsum, and now was the chance for me to try them all! 

Menu Page 1

Menu Page 2

How Li Li's dimsum buffet works:  Indicate the number of pieces you want on the box beside each order.  If no box is present, it means that the item is already in the buffet table.  I love this concept because the other dimsum buffets are usually on an order-only basis (which oftentimes takes a long, long time to arrive).  It just so happens that we were a bunch of hungry people, and having the other dishes already set up on the buffet table means that we can eat as soon as we sit down.

Assorted Cold Cuts

Peking Duck!!!

Some more cold cuts

Okay, forgive me for this, but I was not able to take down notes on which was which.  Everyone was just too hungry - I count myself lucky that I was even able to take photos first before everyone devoured everything!  LOL!  Just enjoy the food porn :)

...and as if we're not full enough, this is what the dessert station looks like:

The verdict?  It's not often that we find everything in the buffet delicious, but in this case, we did!  And it's not because we were hungry - everything really was superb.  Absolutely no scrimping on the ingredients here; the servings were big and scrumptious (and unlimited!).  And as if that's not enough, they also offer unlimited sodas, iced tea and local beers.  Need I say more?  Oh yes, before I forget, calling all Citibank credit cardholders:  enjoy 30% off on the Li Li dimsum lunch buffet from now till the end of November.  So hurry book your tables now and enjoy!  5 out of 5 stars!

Li Li is at the 5th Floor, Hyatt Hotel and Casino, 1588 Pedro Gil cor. M.H. Del Pilar, Malate, Manila