The laneway location, roller-door entry, concrete floors and brick walls all scream hipster hangout – but there’s more than just cool kids at these tables. Service levels can be patchy, ranging from remote to attentive, but razor-sharp pricing and pitch-perfect provincial Chinese fare exert a powerful pull on tribes of all stripes. Note the handful of spice-friendly wine choices by the glass and the bottle chalked above the bar – that constitutes the wine offer. A short beer list adds Asahi, Tsingtao and the like, all perfect (and necessary) to quench the firepower unleashed by the slippery pork and prawn wontons in chilli broth, or cool chicken salad, the chopped poached breast ablaze with chilli and numbing Sichuan pepper borne by a sweet nutty sauce served on the side. There are no desserts – go large instead on more mapo tofu, with sweet tofu cubes, salty black beans and hot, numbing spice, or chunks of fish-fragrant eggplant.
This review was made independently for the Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide. The guide’s reviewers visit unannounced and pay their way.
Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Guide
Gourmet Traveller’s star-ratings, which range from zero to three stars, reflect reviewers’ first-hand experiences. The best-rated restaurants form our national Top 100. Our wine ratings, from zero to three stars, are made by wine editor Max Allen on the strength of the quality of the restaurant’s wine list. View our rating key here.
