18 September 2010

Greenwood Seafood Restaurant: Chinese Yum Cha, North Sydney (18 Sept 2010)

Chop G8, Greenwood Level, Greenwood Plaza
101 Miller Street, North Sydney NSW 2060


Uncrowded and very quiet

Yum Cha is one of my families favourite weekend outings and today we venture off to North Sydney. Arriving at 11.30 am we're the first customers of the day which is a little scary and weird — definitely not your usual Haymarket frenzy here. The restaurant is clean and simple with an interesting variety of domestic fish in a large tank on show as you walk in. By noon there's a few more people arriving but still by the time we leave at 12.30 pm most of the restaurant is available. Chinese tea ($2 per person) is refilled more regularly without asking than most other yum cha restaurants I've visited. The classic yet smallish Pork dim sims (special $6.60) are as expected. Pretty decent sized Steamed vegetable dumplings (special $6.60), prawn dumplings (special $6.60), prawn and scallop dumplings (special $6.60) and prawn and vegetable dumplings (special $6.60) are OK too but nothing special. The BBQ pork buns (large $5.20) are filled with a decent amount of meat and quite tasty — I'd happily order these again. Chicken wrapped in tofu (large $5.20) is quite nice although I found the Chinese vegetables in oyster sauce (open food $10) slightly bitter so perhaps the vegetables are not as fresh as I've had at other places. The large pieces of Salt and pepper calamari (deluxe $7.70) is ordered from the kitchen. It's quite tender although I was hoping for smaller and more crispy textured pieces like Palace Chinese Restaurant.

Stock standard Spring rolls (large $5.20) are as expected and the Stuffed green capsicum (deluxe $7.70) was interesting and a table favourite. Fried rice noodles (deluxe $7.70) could have perhaps been fried a bit longer and it didn't seem to have any small shrimp pieces throughout which you sometimes get. A dessert must for me to try is usually the Mango pancake (special $6.60) and this version had nice plump pieces of mango in it although they were still a little cold and somewhat slightly frozen which was a real shame — otherwise it would have become a favourite. The Egg custard tart (medium $4.20) was a favourite today with a really flakey and buttery base. The service was quite attentive and pretty friendly probably due to the fact there was hardly any customers. 2 hour free parking is available underneath for lunchtime diners if you get your ticket stamped by the restaurant. I'm not quite sure of the cost of each dish but I've tried to work it out from the bill so hopefully it's about right.

Note: Prices are now updated correctly from the previous estimates and the Salt and Pepper Calamari is only $7.70 instead of the $23.10 as I previously thought.

SNAPSHOT REVIEW:
PROS: Free 2 hour parking with stamped ticket, Child friendly, No crowds means no waiting, Fairly attentive and friendly service, Tea pot filled regularly, Fish tank gazing
CONS: Dishes are a little bit pricey, Not many interesting choices, North Sydney is a bit of a ghost town on weekends
MUST TRY: Egg custard tarts, Mango pancakes, BBQ pork buns

Chinese tea ($2 per person)

Pork dim sims (special $6.60)

Steamed vegetable dumplings (special $6.60)

Steamed prawn dumplings (special $6.60)

Steamed prawn and scallop dumplings (special $6.60)

Steamed prawn and vegetable dumplings (special $6.60)

BBQ pork buns (large $5.20)

Chicken wrapped in tofu (large $5.20)

Chinese vegetables with oyster sauce (open food $10)

Salt and pepper calamari (deluxe $7.70)

Spring rolls (large $5.20)

Stuffed green capsicum (deluxe $7.70)

Fried rice noodles (deluxe $7.70)

Mango pancake (special $6.60)

Egg custard tart (medium $4.20)
SIMON FAVOURITE :-)

Bill $102.50 for 5 people

View of Greenwood Hotel

Dining area

Dining area through the fish tank

2 hours free parking with stamped ticket

Restaurant entrance

Street entrance

5 comments:

BGDino said...

Yum cha in a bar? Interesting. (I always associate the Greenwood with Year 12 drinking on the North Shore :P) My yum cha faves are Chequers in the Mandarin Centre in Chatswood (except they're a bit hit and miss if you go on any day other than Sunday?!) and Kam Fook in Westfield Chatswood. Have always wondered what Kam Fook in Bondi Junction is like... thing is I hardly ever see Asian people eating there... maybe I should try?

Jim said...

Always liek a place that has good dumplings.

Brenda said...

$23.10 for the calamari?! It's at most $12 for such a tiny plate (at other yum cha places). Totally overpriced. I won't be going here ; )

Kat said...

Love the shot of the dining area through the fish tank!

Simon Leong said...

hi BGDino, actually the restaurant is separate from the bar but you can see the bar from the restaurant. i didn't mind kam fook in bondi junction when i went although the haymarket ones seem to have a more buzzing atmosphere. if Asian people aren't eating there then it's probably a warning though ;-)

hi j bar, good and cheap dumplings are a winner in my books if you find them.

hi brenda, i found out it's only $7.70 for the salt and pepper calamari so that's a lot more reasonable. so possibly ones of the cheapest in Sydney I reckon. so it might be worth trying it now.

hi kat, i noticed this when i was walking out. glad i got a shot of it :-)

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