Right at the far end of the food court in Carindale's Westfield shopping center, is one of the outlets for "Yum Cha". Unusual next to all of the chains, and walking inside they make a very good effort to ensure it is presentable. Everything is done to look appealing, with white tablecloths everywhere and even a few fish tanks to watch. The space is not very big, but credit - they manage to make the most of it and it never felt cramped. You could be forgiven for thinking you just stepped into Chinatown.
My big sister had just come back from England with her husband and two daughters, and was already into booking all kinds of deals - especially meal deals. One of the common avenues that she uses for this is through Groupon. If it were not said beforehand, she is one who cannot resist a good deal - she lives and breathes getting value for money, and did she find one that was good this time around.
For four people, there was a deal at the Carindale Yum Cha to get a choice of 18 different dim sum (only items from the yum cha sections) plus a dessert. Taking the two daughters - one merely a few months old, and not on much for sustenance, and another who was then three and in the stage of trying all kinds of foods to be adventurous (and she is, which is a major relief) - along with a group of four, it was a good night out for dinner.
If there is something that is lacking about this place, it certainly would have to be the service. That being said, the quality of delivery with the items was fantastic; this is a Chinese restaurant, and one specialising in dim sum, therefore the orders are going to come out thick and fast and before you know it the whole table is full of items to eat. However, all of this is done with the most surly, and probably uninterested demeanour - all they want you to do is to place your order and let them be on their way. In its own way, this adds to the total feel of a yum cha experience.
This is a happy medium with the yum cha. It won't be the adventurous joy that is trekking to Market Square in Sunnybank for some of the more daring items, however it manages to maintain the fresh and authentic feel of quality dim sum. There is a bit of a bigger deep-fry section to begin with. Also, a whole section is there for rice noodle and they offer a good selection of barbecued meats along with their range of dumplings et al (in small, medium, large and special). Sweets are present, in a smaller range but still tempting. If making a choice is a bit difficult, they offer set banquets for up to eight people. Then they have an a la carte menu, which includes live seafood for market price, hot plates and hot pots, and a big array of chef's recommendations. That is just a sample of what they have in store.
The items ordered were a mixture of barbecued meats, seafood and other delights - not so much the dumplings. Through it all, there was barely even a contender for a weak link among the generous variety. That is a credit unto itself if such a sentiment is able to be uttered. It is no point in mentioning the order that the items came out, since it started to be several at once on the table. Everything was put in the middle of the table, so lots of passing around and just grabbing with the chopsticks - it is a free-for-all after all.
Starting off with a real selection of winners to describe, each one of the seafood items ordered was nothing short of exquisite. The squid was tender, and given in a plentiful serving. The crumb coating of it was just the right consistency and the flesh was not too firm, and suited it perfectly.
However, what was probably better were the King prawns; they were not just any kind of King prawns, but salt and pepper King prawns. The batter was light as a feather, just a touch away from being tempura-style, mixed inside it was the bite of a good pepper seasoning and the actual prawns themselves were sweet, juicy and made for a good crunch upon being eaten. There are few places I can think of where the prawns could be compared in such a way.
And it gets even better, with the soft shell crab. Perhaps from here, or from another place that does it, I definitely would recommend putting soft shell crab on the bucket list of foods to eat. It is one of the most beautiful foods ever, and it was apparent at Carindale Yum Cha. Everything can be eaten with the crab, since the shell is soft and edible. It pulls apart like butter, and the flesh inside is really sweet and tender. Deep frying it is all the more apt, and makes it irresistible. Something about it will be lost in the telling, so the main objective is to locate some and eat it for yourself.
Finally, probably the pinnacle for the seafood - they call it "Special Oyster". These were oysters in which the meat part was specially cooked, and then crumbed before being put back into their shell. Presentation is probably where it is the winner, and oysters are not for everyone admittedly. It is well done, not too affected in its delicate texture and also sweet.
So, they definitely win at handling seafood. This is merely the beginning, they were really adept at a lot of other items on the menu. Next up is some of the Chinese classics that were ordered: san choi bao, sticky rice, pork buns and satay chicken sticks.
Satay chicken sticks really need no description, and some are better than others. These were good, as the sauce was an actual recipe and the bits of chicken were whole tender bits of meat. Pork buns are another one of the greats, soft as a cloud and with a good lot of minced pork in the middle. I have always like those guys. Not as much as the sticky rice, which is like a surprise waiting in wrapping - open up the banana leaf, and there is a mixture of rice, sausage and whatever else they wanted to put in there. A substantial little serving, and able to be shared easily. Last is the san choi bao which is always a challenge to eat. A juicy mixture of vegetables and chicken in a lettuce leaf (insert "low carb" quip here), it is juicy, crunchy and fresh.
There were a couple of kinds of dumplings order, one being chicken and prawn and the other one was scallop. Both of these were fantastic, with the subtleties of flavour being relied on for their aroma. The meats were juicy, tender, sweet and tasted really good sweated in a steamed dumpling. Especially the scallop, which took up the entire wrapping itself. The chicken and prawn dumpling was thick and filled to capacity with the aforementioned items. That made it tasty, juicy, and how hot they were helped a lot. Definitely some good dim sum here.
A few vegetarian options were ordered, including one of the family favourites - Chinese broccoli in oyster sauce. This is basically one that always has to be ordered coming to a yum cha. The broccoli was cooked really well, so it was both crunchy and tender at the good serving pinch point, and the thick oyster sauce over it has a distinct flavour that suits it well. Additionally, there is plenty of it to go around - another value order.
The others were fried beancurd (a lot better than it sounds) and the taro cakes. The bean curd was really soft, not bland like it can normally be and the coating around it was smooth. Even seasoned carnivores around the table approved of it. The taro cake is also good, soft and moreish with its own unique flavour to the mix - it was more that just got attacked by chopsticks. So, yep. Still going strong.
Finally, I finish off the main part of the meal with what might have been my favourite part overall. All kinds of barbecued meat, nothing more and nothing less - no complaints in any way. With roast duck, what could go wrong with it? The skin if super crispy, the meat is dark and robust making the flavour a tad gamier, less like poultry and distinct. It is always a winner, and one I have had trouble in the past going beyond when seeing on a menu (just in general). At this location, it was not exception - deliciousness in pure protein form. Same goes for the barbecue pork. Thinly sliced bits of pig are hard to do wrong. They were tender in texture, sweet in flavour and were presented really well - this is canon fodder for a yum cha meal.
The second best of the entire night was the roast pork belly, one item that has had a resurgence and for good reason - it is tender, it is flavoursome, and it cooks really well into about anything that it is needed for. It was cut up into cute little cubes, and the skin part of the pork had cooked well into a thick lot of crackling. This made for a good crunch amidst a tender and juicy lot of pork meat.
All of this managed to be a bit too much, or was going to be the extent of finishing where it was not for enjoyment. Thus, a couple of doggie bags were requested and the rest of it was taken home and utilised well. This is something to say, that going here and ordering a number of items is going to be a steal, and will fill most people up. Additionally, room had to be saved for dessert - which was the classic egg tart.
These are simple in design, and one of the tastiest morsels for a sugar hit to exist. Basically like most of the greats that are sweet really. The egg was combined into a custard and mixed in, all presented in a crisp, buttery pastry. What a way to finish off a big meal. I can say that I approve of this outing. When the only gripe heading out of the yum cha is what to order for next time, then that is an indication that it went perfectly.
The Yum Cha in Carindale proves again that the business model is run by people who know what they are doing. This food finds a really happy medium where it is definitely authentic, and is able to introduce those interested in the proper Chinese cuisine to the delicate nature of Chinese cuisine, and also it is not overtly daring or gamey to turn off the lay-person diner. That is something that I can definitely respect, and it will appease the whole crowd. In one of the loveliest of settings, with some of the ironically worst service that is imaginable. Again, it is all about the experience and this is a good gateway into how a yum cha works.
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