Saturday 24 September 2016

Eat Melbourne 2016 Yum Cha and Dumpling Edition

I recently had (yet another) fabulous trip to Melbourne. I did lots of fun things, most of which I haven't told you about yet... Although I have described the fun of the Opening Night of the Melbourne Writers Festival.

I always have a great time in Melbourne, mainly because there's so many great things to do (checkout my Melbourne label), and generally I get to eat some fabulous things not available in small town Australia as I catch up with friends. There was a lot of catching up this week, and a lot of non small town things eaten. 

One of my first priorities in Melbourne eating is Yum Cha. I love, love, love yum cha. And am sadly deprived of it year round where I live. So I take every opportunity when I'm in the big smoke. One trip to Melbourne we did five yum chas in a row! Even I needed a break after that, and my stalwart friend was begging for mercy. 

This time round I managed two yum chas and a night time dumpling fest. Not bad. Not bad at all. 

First stop was to long time favourite Shark Finn House in Little Bourke Street. Hmmm, there doesn't seem to be enough pictures I'm sure we ate more than this ...


Bean curd skin with seafood 

Har Gow (prawn dumplings)

We've been coming here for decades and
there's still newness to try
Chinese Sausage bun

BBQ Pork Bun

Mango Pudding
The following day we tried the relatively new Tim Ho Wan on Bourke Street. Even though they have four locations in Sydney I'd never made it to any of them. I think I'll have to now. I loved everything. 

Spinach Dumpling with Shrimp

Prawn Dumpling
I think possibly the best Prawn Dumplings ever!!
Big Call I know. 

Steamed Egg Cake

The Baked Bun with BBQ Pork was apparently the reason for the Michelin Star awarded to the original Tim Ho Wan in Hong Kong. It was amazing. Crispy outside - a texture unlike anything we'd had before. 


Golden Tofu- amazing
So crispy outside, so creamy inside

Beancurd Skin Roll with Pork and Shrimp

Vermicelli Roll with Shrimp
It's not yum cha without one of these for me
 The desserts were most unusual, completely new. We decided not to google the ingredients until we'd eaten the jelly. Turns out Osmanthus is a flower which can be made into a tea. 

Tonic Medlar and Osmanthus Cake
It was kind of astringent but delicious 

Mango Sago Pomelo
punchy mango flavour
 What would you want for dinner after yum cha in Melbourne except dumplings? We've been to a few dumpling houses over time, this time we went back to Shanghai Dragon Dumpling House on Russell Street. I can't remember all that we had. 

But I do know that these were Chicken Xiao Long Bao
-the dumplings with soup inside




It's always crazy cheap at a dumpling house. Less than $30 for a meal for two which we couldn't quite finish. 

My previous Eat Melbourne 2014 experience was so good that it needed two posts. Eat Melbourne 2014 and My Paris Day in Melbourne. I was there for a week this time... there will be more than two posts if I get around to it. 

Saturday Snapshot is a wonderful weekly meme
 now hosted by 
WestMetroMommy

This post is linked to Weekend Cooking
a fabulous weekly meme at BethFishReads

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

So glad you like Yum Cha! I grew up with these little dainties during my childhood years in Hong Kong. We call them Dim Sum here in Canada, and we have lots of these restaurants here in Calgary, and if one wants more, head west to Vancouver. Hope one day I can make it out to Melbourne. From your blog I know how marvellous a place it is. And hope too, that you can come visit Canada. ;)

Laurel-Rain Snow said...

So delicious! Those would go well with my Blushing Geisha!

I am currently watching, and loving, a show on Netflix set in Melbourne. (Offspring).

Thanks for sharing, and for visiting my blog.

Louise said...

Arti, I really do love yum cha. I've heard the difference of name explained that yum cha is the meal, but dim sum is the individual dishes ( I think it's that way round), is that right? I'd love to get back to Canada one day- I lived in Edmonton and Vancouver way back in the 80s, and haven't been back since 1991, it's a bit overdue I'd say. Melbourne's fab, although Sydney's good too.

Laurel- Rain- how funny to think of you watching Offspring up there! I had no idea it was on Netflix. I've never really watched it here. I'm going to have to try a Blushing Geisha sometime soon.

jama said...

You are speaking my language! Drooling over all the goodies your ordered. I hear you on those vermicelli rolls. Love all of it!

Beth F said...

dim sum or yum cha -- I don't care what you call it, as long as you serve me some. LOL.

Mae Travels said...

The Asian restaurants I am familiar with only serve Dim Sum in the daytime-- including many of the dishes in your beautiful photos. I especially like one restaurant that's in Virginia in a suburb of Washingto D.C. It's amazing how universal Chinese food has become!

best... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

Jackie McGuinness said...

OMG I love dumplings!! These look amazing.

Margot said...

Your meal looks quite yummy. Here in northern California we call these dishes Dim Sum. I am very fond of all the exotic (to me) names and ingredients in most of the dishes. We always order way too much, but its hard to resist.

Katherine P said...

What a fascinating and delicious looking meal! The dumplings look amazing and the Baked Bun with BBQ Pork has my mouth watering. Sounds like an amazing meal and a fantastic experience!

Vicki said...

It all looks good to me!

Deb Nance at Readerbuzz said...

Oh my! Those dumplings are about as beautiful a food as I have ever seen. And all those other gloriously lovely foods. Oh my!

Carole said...

I'm more fond of the fried dumplings than the soft ones - which is less healthy I guess. Have a great week. Cheers from Carole's Chatter

Brona said...

Ohhhh I love the dumplings with soup inside, almost as much as the ones with green tea inside them!
But sadly, I've only ever eaten dumplings at Lotus (two venues in Sydney) and the night noodle markets in Hyde Park each year. You put me to shame!

Sadly, the boys are extremely unadventurous with their food, so things like Yum Cha can only be done when Mr Seasons & I have time to ourselves.

Vedika @ Poems and Poets said...

I'm not much of a dumpling fan- although my family is. Those golden tofu bites look great.

Thanks for sharing!

Ginx Craft said...

Looks really delicious.

betty-NZ said...

I would not have to eat for three days if I were there!

Esme said...

this looks delicious. We have an amazing dumpling place near us-that I love dining at. This past weekend I discovered a new Chinese restaurant that was quite good and cheap.

Esme said...

I did not know you lived in Canada-how did you end up there?