Since I work near Chinatown I usually take the family there when we are after dim sum/yum-cha and in the city for the day.
But I'm interested in options in the west of Sydney that offer good quality and value.
We are an Anglo family with 4 kids, so nowhere that would be stressed if my 6-yro freaks out at the next table's chicken feet etc.
Thanks.
Yum-cha west of the city? (Sydney)
mskeggs on 27/12/2014 - 22:22
Last edited 27/12/2014 - 22:23
Last edited 27/12/2014 - 22:23
Comments
East of Katoomba.
In that case all the suggestions here are fair game, e.g. Burwood, Strathfield, Marrickville. Check Urbanspoon, Eatability, etc. Eastwood and Chatswood may be a little out the way but there are good pickings there.
A pricey possibility might be Phoenix in Rhodes.
Phoenix in Rhodes is yummy!
out of curiousity mskeggs, you live east of Katoomba and work near Chinatown? Commute ?
2 days a week I work at home. 3 days i commute 2 hours each way by train. I live 5 mins from the station and work 10mins from central, so it works ok.
The pay off is substantially cheaper real estate, which allowed my spouse to stay home when the kids were small and a strong local community life.
I would say it isn't really compatible with pursuing a high powered career, but if you are content in your job it is a good outcome.
Tingha Palace in Parramatta RSL Club.
http://www.tinghapalace.com.au/Review
http://polyphagia.blogspot.com.au/2014/07/tingha-palace-parr…Kings Seafood Restaurant — Eastwood. Reasonable price.
http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/70/1552966/restaurant/Sydney/Kin…A review
http://www.b-kyu.com/2013/10/yum-cha-kings-seafood-chinese-r…or Kam Fook in Chatswood if you're prepared to spend a bit more.
http://www.kamfook.com.au/
Prince on Church Street (at Tingha Palace's old location with many of their old staff) is far better food and also cheaper in my opinion.
http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/70/1566490/restaurant/Sydney/Pri…
Rates well on urbanspoon for yumcha, but poorly for their night time dining.
Best yum cha in the inner west. Pretty crowded during the weekends though so might not be a good place for your kids.
http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/70/1437688/restaurant/Marrickvil…
I've been there and will never be back. Food is no where as good as those in the city.
All of my family member seems to think the same.
My suggestions are Fook Yuen in Chatswood or Marigold in Chinatown. All the others aren't really that good IMO, and Rhodes Phoenix is expensive and overrated
Strange that you picked Fook Yuen over Kam Fook or Fortune Palace. I wrote off Fook Yuen years ago, have they changed their ways since?
PS: Looks like Fortune Palace got some bad reviews over service. Looks like they dropped the ball since I tried them.
LOL. We wrote of Kam Fook years ago (more for cleanliness,hygiene and service than anything else). I guess we find Fook Yuen is more HK style so we prefer that. We used to love Regal but since they closed down, their sister store Marigold is the one we go to in Chinatown.
I find most stores over steam their dim sims, so find their pastry quite soggy
That's true, they did named at least a couple of times in name and shame. Never look in a restaurant kitchen, it'll make you swear off eating out. :)
Totally agree about Phoenix being a major rip off.
Just to add that all of the places, even the good ones, are hell on weekends and holidays. For a relaxed experience you really want to go on a weekday but not everybody has that option. In that case try to get there early.
Also there's a decent yum cha restaurant in the North Ryde RSL, Emperor's Table. You can sign in a guest if you don't live around there.
Iron Chef in Cabramatta
Highly recommend Iron Chef. Possibly it's the best yum cha restaurant in Sydney.
Yeah, Iron Chef is good. I prefer Vinh Phat recently, though it might only slightly edge out Iron Chef on taste if at all. Iron Chef is louder, especially on weekends, so I think it's better for your family.
Also, if your kids aren't satisfied with the food you can just walk over to the other side of the station and eat Red Lea chips with sprinkles…. Mmmmm… Red Lea chips with sprinkles…
I understand that Chinese people eat some pretty strange things, but maybe consider educating your kids if they do something as rude and tactless on your part as parents as to let your kids freak out over others eating chicken feet. I'm sure there are way more exotic things to eat in other parts of the world and nobody
Also; I'm sure nobody laughs or mocks at caucasian people for doing strange things like drinking wine at yum cha, so why make such a big deal out of it?
I understand what you mean.
My kids have been to Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore and Malaysia, where they ate local food (although I am sure with not as much chilli!).
They have seen half a dog at a Viet roadside butcher, and eaten all sorts of meats, but the first time they encounter something like that they are loud and full of questions, and usually someone's first reaction is yuck!.
I mentioned it so that I could get recommendations where such a first reaction wouldn't cause offence.
I know that they will behave fine at the Marigold or similar boisterous restaurants, but I have had dim sum in HK at much more refined and sophisticated restaurants, and that would be no good for my kids.Don't be super sensitive. I don't take my kids to 3 hat french restaurants because they might freak out over frogs legs or snails, bringing up 6yro and 8yro kids is about teaching them these things, and that means dealing with their surprise (and potential unconscious rudeness) when they encounter these things.
I don't want to ruin other diner's experience with my kids noise when there are options where a noisy table is not a problem, hence my comment.
Come visit restaurants in Cabramatta. No one will give a damn what your kids say or how loudly they say it!
Cabramatta yum cha imo. Cant go wrong with Iron chef or vinh phat!
Vinh Phat is better in my opinion. Been there to eat alot with my family but not anymore because we lives in Wollongong and I'm craving for it, so my wife and I will go there one day as there are no good yum chas in Wollongong sadly.
Iron Chef in Cabramatta or Hung Cheung Restaurant in Marrickville - the Marrickville one has all staff speaking Anglo
+1 Hung Cheung Marrickville.
Best kept secret in sydney yum cha scene. Decent price, low key and keeping with authentic canton tastes. One of best custard tart pastry ever tried. They don't seem to mind kids making a mess.
Vinh Phat in Cabramatta - they have moved to the old Retravision and still have long lines waiting down on to the footpath. Basically a 5 minute walk on the West side of Cabramatta (the crowded/more populous side). They are on Hughes Street in between Railway Parade and Park Road.
Parramatta Phoenix if you want to just catch the express train from Katoomba and not have to change trains …. but yes Iron Chef is pretty good. Haven't tried Hung Cheung or VInh Phat yet.
Parramatta Phoenix has nice food but very limited choices and slightly more expensive as it mainly targets non-chinese diners. it's in westfield right above the train station so heaps to do after lunch.
Yep phoenix at rhodes is great.
Food is great.
Price is not.
If you want affordable prices in the West region, I'd personally recommend Iron Chef at Cabramatta.
Being ozbargain, I would buy frozen at Lai Shing Dim Sum (808 George St, between Rawson pl and railway sq).
Unless a restaurant has the volume of a CBD/Chatswood/Hurtsville/Eastwood/Rhodes Yum Cha'ery, they would probably be buying frozen anyway…
The quality is decent enough. Pork bun would be quite similiar, although you may notice a slight difference for har gao (frozen vs fresh prawns)
I just googled ironchefs menu:http://ironchef.com.au/pdf/IronChef_Menu.pdf
These are not ozbargain prices, especially coming after rolls royce cut their prices: http://www.drive.com.au/motor-news/250000-price-cut-for-roll…. :-PAs a local, Iron Chef is one of the most expensive eats in Cabramatta - as I suggested in my previous post Vinh Phat is cheap or even if you fancy some DIY yum cha at home, you can grab bags of frozen yum cha favourites at Sydney Best Dim Sim located near the Cabramatta Gate/Arthur Street
Keep an eye out for Tim Ho Wan opening next year:-
http://news.com.au/lifestyle/food/missed-out-on-fat-duck-try…
I suggest North Ryde RSL, Castle Hill RSL, and Prince Parramatta or Parramatta RSL
Prince is history
In Cabramatta there's a small restaurant in AA market mall, near the seafood area. The oldies consider it the best. There's alaways crazy ques.
Yum Cha is generally a loud affair, your Hong Kong experience is just what pretensious HK believe how westerners behave.
Cabramatta Yum Cha is good. Near the big car park upstairs.
Since we live closer to Parramatta, the Parramatta RSL club is also good.
How far west?