Mr Stonebowl (石锅先生) - Burwood - Sydney, Australia

Last month my best friend mentioned that there was a popular restaurant in Burwood that opened not too long ago. By popular she meant there were constant queues during peak times every single day and we hear that some have waited up to 3 hours for a table. Now would you be willing to wait up to 3 hours?

Mr Stonebowl is located on busy Burwood Road and a short walk from Burwood train station. It joins an abundance of Chinese restaurants along that strip and with solid competition from adjoining neighbours, there must be something about this restaurant that attracts the crazy lines.

We went on a weekend for lunch to test our luck. While there were a number of diners waiting outside on the footpath for a table, it moved very quickly. Within 10 minutes we were in the door and squished on a table meant for two people.

I am a big a fan of the Malaysian/Singaporean and Hong Kong style of the clay pot rice. My initial reaction was that it was probably similar to this but it was actually the contrary. It isn’t the typical Chinese restaurant that one is accustomed to either. They have a wide selection of dishes to choose from but their specialty is the stonebowls. Your order is placed on a sheet of paper and after the waiter obtains the form, food comes out fast.

This is the most ordered dish here. The ‘Garlic Prawn with Stir Fried Rice in Squid Ink in a Stonebowl ($18.80)’ is a rather unusual looking dish with an odd combination to boot. I would usually associate squid ink with Italian pasta or Spanish paella, not in Chinese food. Taste wise this combination worked very well together. While lacking the crispy rice bits that one would expect from clay pot rice, it definitely delivers on flavour. 

The juicy prawns are deep fried in a golden batter and then coated in the delicious creamy garlic sauce. 

The rice had a nice and subtle flavour with no hint of fishiness.

The ‘Fried Tofu with Scallop and Vegetables in a Stonebowl ($14.80)’ was another surprise dish. The contents are piping hot and bubbling as it arrives at the table.  The soft tofu melts in the mouth and goes well with the squid rice.

‘Stir Fried Green Bean with Shrimp Paste ($11.80)’ was a mediocre dish, nothing special. That’s not to say it wasn’t good but compared to the other two dishes, this was simple.

The food at Mr Stonebowl is fresh and delicious with modest portions at affordable prices. I would definitely recommend this restaurant but either go before or after peak hours to avoid the long wait times.

Where?
185C Burwood Rd
Burwood NSW
Australia

Phone no. 02 8970 9605

Opening Hours
Monday – Sunday: 11am – 3pm; 5pm – 9pm
Closed Tuesday


Website
N/A

Four Seasons Pot Rice 四季煲仔飯 - Yau Ma Tei - Kowloon, Hong Kong

Those in Australia, don't forget to vote in the Federal Election as every vote counts! 

There are two famous claypot rice joints near Mongkok, Hing Kee Claypot Rice Restaurant and Four Seasons Pot Rice. The decision was pretty easy. One was outside in the open air and the latter had indoor seating. On that particular night it was cold so we chose to go with Four Seasons Pot Rice in Yau Ma Tei.

Claypot rice is essentially rice grains slowly cooked with your choice of toppings over a high heat charcoal fire. It is served piping hot and the bottom layer of the pot has a crunchy crust with a slightly smoky taste.

My colleague who is from Hong Kong always tells me the best thing to eat there is the claypot rice. It's his favourite comfort food and I was curious to find out why. I'm particularly fond of the Singaporean and Malaysian version of the claypot rice as it is well seasoned. The Hong Kong one is similar but it comes in a plain state and you have to add the provided seasoning to give it flavour.

We were lucky to get a table arriving just after 6pm, but as soon as we were seated the line outside got longer. It's a hit with the locals and even celebrities so be prepared to wait. Sharing a table with others is a possibility. The inside is basic and no-frills yet charmingly old school.

There are over 30 claypot options to choose from spanning across a few pages in both English and Chinese. Four Seasons has a few house specialties such as ducks feet, eel and frog. Yes you read right, frog! We weren't too adventurous so we chose to go with the traditional options.

A bottle of sweet soy sauce is presented at the table before the claypot arrives. Once the claypot arrives at the table, take off the lid and quickly put in the seasoning. Add it liberally. Then close the lid so the flavours penetrate into the rice.

The 'Chicken and Salted Fish Pot Rice (HKD 51.00 )' is subtle and not overpowering with the salted fish. The rice is cooked perfectly leaving it fluffy and fragrant.

The 'Chinese Sausage and Chicken Pot Rice (HKD 51.00)' embodies a plethora of flavours and the beautiful aroma whiffs through the air once you open the lid. The chicken is tender and the fatty lap cheong is delicious.

What I like about the Hong Kong claypot rice is having the flexibility to adjust the seasoning to your own preferences allowing the combination of flavours and textures to be infused together. The portions are generous in size and each pot can easily be shared among two people.

We also ordered a side of vegetables.

Four Seasons Pot Rice restaurant is an unpretentious and cheap eatery that serves excellent claypot rice. Go early and be prepared to queue for a table.

The line stretched all the way down the street when we left. I've heard that the waiting time could be up to an hour or even longer.

Where?
46-58 Arthur St
Yau Ma Tei
Hong Kong

Opening Hours
7 Days a Week
6:00pm - 12:00am

Website
N/A

Mui Kee Congee 妹記生滾粥品 - Mongkok - Kowloon, Hong Kong

Hong Kong isn't all about modern and flashy restaurants. There's more to it. Search and you'll find hidden treasures.

We didn't expect a hawker type of food court in the city of Hong Kong. I was surprised.

Mui Kee Congee is located at the top level of Fa Yen St Market. It's a family owned business and has been open for decades. They've been mentioned in a number of guides and have been on numerous TV programs so they do get a lot of tourists. There is a menu in Chinese, English and Japanese.

The surrounding environment may look unclean and unhygienic but don't be intimidated by the interior.

We ordered the 'Fish Congee (HKD 30.00)' which is made from a fish broth . A hot and steamy bowl of delicious congee came out less than five minutes after ordering.

The texture of the congee is superb. It's consistently smooth and velvety from hours of slow cooking. The ginger and shallot garnish gives it a nice balance.

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The fresh fish slices were tender and juicy but be careful of the tiny bones.

The elderly man who was manning the shop told us we had to add pepper to make it more flavoursome. I love pepper so yes to pepper!

A hearty and wholesome dish away from home. It's real affordable, portions are generous and a rare find in the bustling city of Hong Kong.

Where?
Shop 11-12, 4F,
156 Fa Yuen St
Mongkok
Hong Kong

Phone no: +85 2 2789 0198

Opening Hours
7 Days a Week
6:30am - 3:00pm

Website
N/A

Dainty Dumpling House - Miranda - Sydney, Australia

Dainty Dumplings 

With the makeover of Westfield Miranda in process, a number of new eateries have started to open or are due to open soon. Stage 1 of the renovation is now complete and it looks amazing. Westfield Miranda has been in need of a restoration for a long time as it has been a while since it was last re-done. I would imagine that the rent for shop or restaurant spaces would be exorbitant, hence the higher prices for the food that is charged to compensate for the rent.

Dainty Dumpling House is well, a Chinese dumpling restaurant. An unusual name I would probably associate with a tea house of some sort.  Located on the lower floor of the complex, this restaurant occupies a large corner space with an open kitchen and fresh dumplings prepared daily.

They also have items other on their menu such as handmade noodles and roti, but as they haven't been open for long, these are yet to be made available. There are a substantial number of items on the menu but they have been tagged 'coming soon' unfortunately.

From the outside, you could see the chefs busy preparing and cooking. Can you see those colourful dumplings? It's one of their speciality items.

On a Sunday morning, we arrive before 12pm and the restaurant is at full capacity. We join the queue and get a table shortly.

We notice that service is slow and disorganised as there are only two waiters to take the orders. I find myself having to go to the waitress to ask her if I could place my order as she is preoccupied with other things. The patrons on the tables next to us look frustrated as their orders haven't been taken, having arrived way before us. The main problem here is the restaurant is new and they are adjusting to the new environment, so do give them time.

I do like their cutlery.

We start off with 'Xiao Long Bao ($10.80)', described as steamed pork dumplings with soup. The dumplings are made in house so they are as fresh as they can be. Eight morsels of delicate, nicely pleated skins encloses a glorious soupy and juicy mince pork inside. We ordered two trays of this and it still wasn't enough.

'Shaomai stuffed with Abalone and Pork ($10.80)' sounds fancy doesn't it? It's the usual Shaomai you would find at Yum Cha restaurants with the addition of a thin slice of abalone on top of each. We found the prawn and pork mixture to be tough and dry.

'Fried Rice with Chinese Mushroom and Diced Chicken ($13.80)' is last to arrive. A mound of rice is stir-fried with Chinese mushroom, diced chicken, egg and shallots. We liked that it wasn't bland but we felt the rice was ultra soft and lacked that wok flavour one would usually associate with cooking fried rice.

The 'Xiao Long Bao' was delicious but the other items weren't as good in comparison. Service can be improved as a lot of diners were left angry at the slow and at times, non-existent service. It's not a cheap place to dine but for those living in the Shire, it saves having to travel to Hurstville or the City for a fix of dumplings. I can't wait till Din Tai Fung opens in Miranda, one of my favourite dumpling restaurants in Sydney. Do give Dainty Dumpling House a chance as I'm sure once they're open longer, service will pick up and more menu items will be available.

Where?
Shop 1012/600
Kingsway Miranda NSW 2228
Australia

Phone no: 02 9188 2589

Opening Hours
Contact restaurant for opening hours.

Website
http://www.daintydumplinghouse.com.au/

Two Sticks - Yunnan China - Haymarket - Sydney, Australia

Two Sticks - Yunnan China

Why has it been so cold these past few weeks? We've been fairly lucky with many days of clear skies and warm temperatures last month so I guess I shouldn't be complaining. I can't wait till Spring kicks in as the days will get warmer.

On an awfully cold night, having soup is the perfect dish to heat up the body.

Two Sticks Restaurant is located on busy George St, close to the World Square shopping centre. With its central location and affordable menu, it's destined to be popular. They specialise in Yunnan cuisine, an area far south-west of China.

On a Friday night there is a queue but that's predicted.  The turnover is fast as diners eat and then go.

From the outside, the restaurant looks quite spacious but upon entry, there are many tables and chairs which have been tightly packed together in a small narrow enclosure. We find ourselves cramped, with lack of leg room and space between us and the tables next to us. It's loud, noisy and chatty, and that's what I like about it. Though, you may find yourself having to raise your voice for your dining companions to hear.

Its modern looking wooden interior has hues of yellow and black, and is positively a stark contrast to the typical Chinese restaurants.

There is a variety of items on offer including appetisers, mains and desserts. Their mini-pot noodle soups are what most diners are here for. The appetisers are aplenty and we find ourselves having to limit our order as they all sound delicious.

'White Cut Chicken ($4.80)' is poached chicken served with ginger shallot oil and sesame. Surprisingly, it came out warm just like how we would have liked it to be. I loved the addition of the ginger on top and it tasted very much like the shallot oil sauce you would get at a Cantonese BBQ store. The chicken was wonderfully tender and velvety smooth.

The 'Fried Chicken Wings - Spicy ($3.80)' aren't your typical chicken wings. It's coated in a Danshan chilli powder and then fried to a crispy, golden colour giving it a nice crunch and juicy insides.

The 'Dried Fried Beef Jerky - Spicy ($4.80)' is unfortunately over fried leaving it extremely dry, tough and hard to bite. The chilli's were extremely spicy so eat with caution.

'Yunnan Signature Rice Noodle Soup ($11.80)' or as they call it 'Crossing the Bridge Noodles', is as the name suggests, their signature dish. On most tables, we witness at least one of those pots, so it's got to be good right? It's like a mini version of the hot pot where items are added separately.

The wait staff bring out a tray containing a number of items including the ceramic pot with soup, bowl of noodles with beansprouts and shredded bean curd, quail egg, meat plate consisting of paper thin raw chicken and pork, and a side of condiments. The meat and egg is quickly added by the staff into the steaming pot of soup to cook for two minutes.

Then the rest is left to your discretion on what and how much you want to add. There goes the springy noodles, pickles, chilli and coriander.

I love how the noodles are ultra smooth making it easy to slurp with the tasty soup broth that's light and not too heavy on the palate.

If you're after an authentic, satisfying and quick meal, then this is the place to go. Not only are the prices affordable but the portions are decent.

It's been a rather busy month for me and I'll be jetting off to Singapore again and Vietnam at the end of this month, so do wait for the travel posts once I get back. It's been over 12 years since I last went to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, and I hear it has changed drastically in terms of modernisation and growth. I can't wait to try the foods I've been craving for these many years such as the deliciously crispy banh mi's, broken rice with pork chops, Vietnamese coffee and the list goes on and on.

Where?
694 George St
Haymarket NSW 2000
Australia

Opening Hours
Open 7 Days a Week
11:30am - 11:00pm

Website
https://www.facebook.com/Twosticksaustralia