Camy Shanghai Dumpling & Noodle Bar. Melbourne CBD by Big Fil

Shanghai Dumpling is one of those places for those 'in the know' that everyone knows about. Sometimes it's not about the food, the service or the ambience of a place. Sometimes it's just about whether you enjoyed yourself. Occasionally dodgy food, indifferent (though generally efficient) service and Friday and Saturday night queues to get in manage to add up to a Melbourne icon. Whether you love or hate this place will probably be set the first time you visit, and if it you become a regular you'll likely tolerate the inevitable bad experiences for all the good ones. Despite having sworn on more than one occasion I'd never go back, it always seems to eventually draw me back in.


The name gives away the main attraction of this restaurant, the dumplings. Generally acknowledged as the best are the Fried Pork Dumplings. A little oily, but the crunchy texture and the taste make these perfect food for devouring after a beer or three.


Probably better in taste, but something not many people seem to order, are the Fried Pumpkin Cakes. Sweet and slightly chewy, these are the only dish that I don't remember ever receiving a bad batch. Theymake a good finish to the meal after the oily fried dumplings.


Along with the Fried Pork Dumplings, the Chilli Oil Dumplings are the ones we always order. The Chilli Oil itself is a little watery, which makes the dish not as flavoursome as it could be, but it provides a contrast to the fried dumplings.


I only discovered the steamed pumpkin dumplings for the first time on my last visit but will definitely order them again. They were quite good, and unlike most of the steamed dumplings here these manage to keep a slightly firmer texture. The taste of the pumpkin inside the dumpling was sweet and pleasant, although it could have used a bit more filling.


I find that the Steamed Pork Dumplings here are generally a strangely greyish colour and 'gluggy'. They also seem to lack flavour compared to the fried ones. I'd only order them to provide a balance with all the fried dumplings.


The chinese broccoli in oyster sauce is not good. The only reason for ordering any of the green vegetable dishes is to go with all the fried foods. Just in themselves they are pretty average and expensive compared to the dumplings and bowls of noodles.


Shanghai Dumpling also does some cheap bowls of noodles that are worth a try. The Noodles in Spicy Sauce are not spicy, more like a Chinese Spaghetti Bolognese. They are filling and about the cheapest noodles you will find in Chinatown . If you want noodles with a bit of a kick to them order the Dan Dan Noodles instead.


The Noodles with Minced Pork have quite a nice, sweet flavour to them. This is spoilt a bit though by their being so oily.


Overall:
Tasty, fast, fun, cheap, inconsistent, rude staff, noisy, sticky tables. These are all accurate descriptions of Shanghai Dumpling. How you feel about this place will probably depend on which of these you put your highest priorities on. Try it: you may like it, you may hate it. But it's unlikely to be one of those indifferent experiences in a place you'll soon forget.

Verdict:
Ambience - 4
Service - 2 to 8 (it's that variable)
Food - 6
Price - 9

Address:
25 Tattersalls Lane
Melbourne Vic 3000
Tel: (03) 9663 8555

Yemeni, Ascot Vale by Chewy

Yemeni is Lemony ...or at least the four-hour lamb soup is. But more on that later.

After visiting Yemeni I’ve learnt first hand about the tradition of spice as it is evident in the delicious food. Upon entering the restaurant I am greeted by a beautiful aroma of what I think is cardamon. The owner of the restaurant, Elias, greets me warmly and summons me to join my friends already awaiting in the back. I take off my shoes, as I assume the tradition is, and enter a room adorned with red carpet and cushions, in the background a TV tuned in to a Middle Eastern version of MTV.


Our host (I think my hearing is going cos I thought his name was Eliot, but that doesn't sound very Yemeni) is warm in his welcome to everybody and heaps us with hospitality all evening. He is charming and very proud of his restaurant. He claims that it is the only Yemeni restaurant in Australia and given that there aren't that many Yemeni Australians I don't doubt him.

We start with the Yemeni Tea. It's a sweet tea, and I now realise that the beautiful aroma I first detected is infused in the tea: some sort of cardamom or clove spice. I probe Elias about what's in the tea, but he smiles coyly and says that it is a secret. Again, his pride is evident, knowing that he is offering cuisine unique to Australia.


We contemplated the menu trying to work out what to have, when Elias came up with the perfect suggestion: a sort of Yemeni banquet for six starting with the lamb soup concocted over four hours.

It's a light soup with lamb, and full of (unknown) spices, a touch of tomato, and a squeeze of lemon. Frankly it's delicious. When Elias comes back to check on us he mentions that his food is very healthy for he does not use any oil in the cooking process. Bonus.


Next is the Mugelge, which is a roti-like bread served with yoghurt, fresh chilli and a tender lamb sauce/curry. Again delicious, and we have no problem devouring the dish.


For our main fair we have a mixed platter of:
• rice which is looks a bit like saffron rice scattered with currents, except it is more orange-coloured than yellow.
• marinated chicken (called Kebsa)
• curried lamb which has distinct sour flavours which reminds me of some African dishes.
• and a salad.


There is more food on the platter than we can manage, but the food is delicious so we continually pick away. A little later, defeated and suffering from full belly, we take a time-out and stretch out amongst the pillows. More tea beckons before we tackle dessert.

For dessert we had the:
• Mersah (fresh cream mixed with yemeni bread, bananas and honey)
• Mohalabya (fresh mixed berries, custard, and home made cookies)


The desserts look a bit like breakfast. They are light and mildly sweet. There were fans of both amongst the group, but this was probably my least favourite part of dinner.


I should also note that they have shisha (otherwise known as hookah) pipes for smoking flavoured tobacco. We gave it a try for novelty's sake. It's much smoother than cigarettes, and I found the experience quite social. In fact Ali, the friendly Somali gentleman next to me, was kind enough to teach us how to smoke Shisha properly. Apparently we were doing it wrong.


When Big Fil suggested we go to Yemeni Restaurant, my first thought was “Where on Earth is Yemen?” What would the food be like? I had no idea, but this blog attempts to embody a spirit of adventure. So we agreed to give it a go.

Admittedly, I know very little about the Republic of Yemen, but after a bit of Googling I’ve discovered that Yemen:
• is a republic located in the middle east, south of Saudi Arabia
• was the home of the Queen of Sheba
• has been at the crossroads of Africa, the Middle East and Asia for thousands of years thanks to its position on the ancient spice routes.

Overall
My Yemeni experience was wholly positive and thoroughly enjoyable. I highly recommend the soup, the Mugelge, and the rice. I will no doubt be back soon. The welcoming homely ambience was also key to a great dining experience. Elias also mentioned Matt Preston gave his restaurant a 9/10. I rated it a little lower, but I'm a tough critic, whilst Matt is kind and cuddly.

Verdict
Ambience - 7
Service - 8
Food - 7.5
Price - 8.5

Address
124 Union Rd
Ascot Vale 3032
Ph: (03) 9372 0854

Indo Sari, Glenhuntly by Big Fil

IndoSari is one of those little eateries where you can get the Indonesian equivalent of that great Australian classic - meat and three vegetables - with rice for around ten dollars. While at first glance it doesn't look that inviting and the choice from the bain marie is limited, most of it is full of flavour. Not the sort of place I would regularly travel half-way across Melbourne to visit, but if you're in the area it’s a good option for a quick and cheap lunch or dinner.


On Saturdays you have the choice of steamed or 'yellow' rice. I am not sure how the yellow rice is prepared, but it certainly adds to the flavours and is well worth the extra dollar. The vegetables are fine, if nothing to write home about. The fried chicken is similar to that available in lots of Indonesian restaurants, a little oily, crispy on the outside but tender and moist on the inside. The best part of any meal though at IndoSari is normally the beef rendang. Here it is among the best I have tried in Melbourne: moist, flavoursome and "pull apart with the fork" tender.


The egg and tofu are cooked in coconut milk (not sure of the Indonesian name of this dish, maybe Telu Telor?) and is something I order nearly every time I go here. While I like the beef rendang and fried chicken, they are strongly flavoured and a bit oily. The egg and tofu provides a more subtly flavoured and less oily contrast.


The peanuts and anchovies (ikan bilis) are a stable of Indonesian/Malay cooking. They match really well with the rendang, similar to the Malaysian dish Nasi Lemak. It is quite a strong flavour though and may not be to everyone's taste. The diced potatoes are nice when fresh and just out of the wok, but if they have been sitting around for a while they can start to go a bit dry.


While I don't have any photos, the fish if freshly cooked is also nice.

Overall
While hardly fine dining, IndoSari is a pleasant surprise. Simple food, freshly prepared, pleasant staff and reasonable prices, it’s a class above many similar places.

Verdict
Ambience - 5
Service - 7
Food - 7
Price - 8

Address
1165 Glenhuntly Road
Glenhuntly Vic 3163
Tel (03) 9563 6718

Rich Maha, Melbourne CBD by Ruby Grapefruit

Rich Maha is a little difficult to find as it’s actually located in Equitable Place off Little Collins St. I thought I knew the city well but I’ve never even noticed this laneway before. Word has obviously spread about this eatery because it was jam-packed with customers at lunchtime. The place is cramped and the décor grungy, but at these prices you can’t really expect anything too flash. Service is fast and cheerful, but a little chaotic.


According to their website they specialise in Southern Indian cuisine as well as Malaysian, Sri Lankan and Singaporean dishes.

I ordered the Nasi Lemak (coconut rice) with beef curry ($8.50) which was served with ikan bilis (dried anchovies), peanuts and hot sambal. Unfortunately I didn't get a photo of the dish but it looked very similar to the one below. The rice didn't really stand out for me so I would say it was just okay. The highlight was the beef curry which was delicious – very tender meat and a spicy, tomato based sauce. (Rating 7/10)

My lunch companions tried other dishes and gave the following comments and ratings.



Nasi Lemak with Chicken 65 - I was disappointed with my dish but that was because I thought I had ordered something else! That said the chicken 65 was delicious, hot and spicy but very manageable palate wise. The dried anchovies did not add much to the dish. All in all I will give it 5/10.


Masala Thosai - The dips served with it were quite flavourful, but the potato filling could have been a bit more spicy, it was a bit lacking in flavour. (Rating 6/10).



Chicken Briyani - Not bad. The flavours and aroma of the rice were pleasant. The chicken was firm but a little dry, not unacceptably though. (Rating 6.5/10)



Eggplant Masala, Chicken 65 and Beef Rendang (Lunch special) - The flavour of the eggplant was good although the dish was a little sloppy. The Chicken 65 was quite good, the Beef Rendang was nicely tender but a little lacking in flavour. (Rating 6.5/10).



Roti Telur - The biggest downside was the confusion … I was one of the first to get my food but it turned out not to be mine. The upsidewas how friendly and helpful the waiter was … my food arrived within a few minutes of asking. When I finally got to eat I was hungry and the food was tasty and filling .. but that was all. Rating: Food 6/10 (because I’m a generous soul). Service 5/10, with one extremely helpful, patient waiter.

Verdict
Food - 6
Ambience - 5.5
Service - 5
Price - 7

Address
Shop 9, 343 Little Collins St (but actually in Equitable Place)
Melbourne VIC 3000
Ph: (03) 9670 8998

Laksa King, Flemington by Big Fil

I love a good Laksa. I'm not sure why but most Laksas in Melbourne don't seem to match up with what is available in Malaysia or Singapore. Whether it's difficulties with getting key ingredients or changing the proportions to a supposed local taste, but they always seem to lack the depth of flavours of a true Laksa. Laksa King has a good reputation and at first glance it was promising. Slightly rundown appearance - tick. Queue of people waiting to get in - tick. Sizzle of food cooking in a hot wok - 3 ticks ... I'm in.


The curry Laksa looked ok, if a little bit bright yellow and not as full of ingredients as it could have been. Tasting it confirmed initial impressions. It was ok, but no real heat or depth of flavour in the soup. The sort of thing available in lots of restaurants around Melbourne.


My companion, who was visiting from the UK, had never tried Assam Laksa before and decided to give it a go. Assam Laksa is a fish-based, somewhat sour Laksa originating in Penang. The soup always looks like used dishwater to me and it is a bit of an acquired taste. On the other hand, when prepared well it makes an interesting change from the much more commonly available curry laksa. The flavours of the mint and pineapple kind of overwhelmed the other flavours of the soup. Again ok but no better, with the curry laksa probably slightly the better dish.


I thought this was the best tasting dish. Strongly flavoured with big prawns, its main problem was that too much of the flavour was the sauce and not enough the other ingredients. I also like it when some of the noodles are kind of crisp and others a bit soft, whereas all the dish ingredients were pretty similar in texture. And no cockles, which very few places here seem to add.


While I always like my sago in coconut milk, this is the first time I've had it with ice on top. Strange, but still quite nice.


Overall
I had high hopes but was a bit disappointed. Laksa King seems to be very popular but another mediocre Melbourne Malaysian café. Maybe slightly better than most but not somewhere I would cross town again to visit.

Verdict
Ambience - 5
Service - 6
Food - 6
Price 7.5 (Generous serving sizes)

Address
320 Racecourse Road
Flemington Vic 3031
Tel: (03) 9372 6383

Sichuan House, Melbourne CBD by Big Fil

Warning. Sichuan House is only for those with a high tolerance for spicy foods. I have been to this restaurant several times and always with people who have said that they loved spicy foods. However, usually around half of the table find the food too hot to enjoy or even eat. Unlike many Sichuan restaurants around town most of their customers are mainland Chinese and they make no compromises for local tastes.


I have also found that I have distinct favourites amongst the dishes, more so that in a lot of other restaurants. The dishes below are ranked very much in terms of MY favourites - I doubt that they would match up with those of everyone one there.


My favourite dish at Sichuan House, although it is a close finish with the Cumin Ribs. Hot (although not as hot as some other dishes) and sweet, it both hits the taste mark and gives a bit of a respite from some of the hotter and more savoury items on the menu. While I am not always the biggest fan of Kung Po Chicken, especially the tamer version found in most restaurants, this is one of the two dishes I want to order every time I go to this restaurant.


A fairly bland looking dish when it gets to the table, this one has quite a punch. The ribs are moist but manage to combine some of the most distinct flavours - which make me wish I knew much more about Sichuan cuisine so I could accurately describe them - with the spiciest punch of any of the dishes here. Unlike, say, the Chongqing Chicken, the spices in this dish have a bit of a delayed reaction - one moment nicely warming, the next lip tingling and tongue numbing.


This dish looks really spicy (and is) but like the cumin ribs it is also full of underlying flavours. Less than bite sized chunks of fried chicken in a sea of chillies, the idea is to pick out all the bits of chicken but not to eat the chillies. I find this dish is initially hotter than the ribs, but doesn't have the same backlash of heat that the ribs have. My main reason for preferring the ribs to this dish is that I find the chicken pieces interesting in taste but a little dry - I suspect the greater size of the ribs helps them to maintain a moist core.


For some reason all my photos of this dish are out of focus. This dish is not spicy like all the other dishes and has a subtle sourness to it. This provides a nice contrast and makes it quite refreshing.


This is normally one of my favourite Sichuan dishes, but I don't find that I consistently like the version at Sichuan House. I suspect the reason for this is the balance of pork and tofu. While I like the flavours to be more evenly balanced, I find the version at Sichuan House leans more towards the tofu side. I am not sure if this makes it more authentic or not, but its not my personal preference. Also, while I don't agree, consensus opinion is that this is the hottest dish we have tried at this restaurant.


The last two dishes I am not sure that I would order again. The pork trotters have an interesting texture when eaten, almost like giant chicken feet. However the dish is very fatty and oily and I would probably only order it as part of a large group. One or two trotters would make an interesting addition to a meal, but as a main dish it is not as interesting in flavour as the dishes above.


I would not order this again. I found it quite boring in taste and texture. This was a big disappointment as I normally love beef tendons.


And finally soya milk. Little white fire extinguishers for putting out chemical fires.

Overall
Personally this is one of my favourite Chinese restaurants in Melbourne. But if your experience of Chinese food revolves around the westernised Cantonese from the local suburban restaurant you may be in for a huge and unpleasant shock. While full of flavour the food can be very spicy. The other trap for this restaurant is the size of the serves - two mains per three diners is likely to be plenty. If your taste leads you towards spicy foods you might find this becomes one of your favourites too, if not probably give it a miss.

Verdict
Ambience - 7.5
Service - 8.5
Food - 7.5 (8.5 Kung Po Chicken and ribs - 3.5 Beef tendons)
Price - 7.5 (a little more than most Chinese restaurants balanced by
serve size)

Address
26 Corrs Lane
Melbourne CBD VIC 3000
Tel: (03) 9650 8589