My Din, My Tai and My Fung

steamed prawn dumplings



When it comes to traditional Chinese cuisine I don’t know my ‘Dim’ from my ‘Sum’, so on my recent trip to Hong Kong I decided to approach all foods with the same concept in mind, which was don’t ask what it is, don’t speculate as to what it might be and definitely don’t take any advice from fellow westerners as to whether I would enjoy it or not. This only occasionally got me into trouble, but it otherwise opened up a whole new world of flavour experiences. The best of these was Din Tai Fung in Causeway Bay.












Steamed prawn wanton with shallot and soy



What most locals would refer to as a Dumpling House, Din Tai Fung offers a range of delicious Yum Cha style dishes that mix European inspired ingredients with oriental cooking styles. There are of course some very traditional elements at play here such as the relentless attention to table service, the swift delivery of dishes from the steam filled kitchen and of course the expectation that everyone will share dishes. The dining space is enormous for Hong Kong standards and is a mix of dining chairs and booth seating arrangements.










Crispy pork with a hint of five spice on a mixed fried rice



We order while we wait for a table as seems customary as everyone else has the same little white piece of paper and accompanying pained look on their faces. This is due to the enormous challenge of picking from the extensive menu. We skip over the bean curd and salad dishes and head straight to the steamed buns, wantons and dumplings. Our number is soon called and we are ushered into our booth for 3 where our drinks order and our little piece of paper are swiftly taken. At this moment we all look at each other in fear as the same thought occurs to us simultaneously. “What if we have ordered too much? Will people laugh at us?” Thankfully our meals come out as they are ready and not all at once.














A bean curd dish that surprised with its rich flavours



First up is an accidental dish of exactly what we were trying to avoid – bean curd! Thankfully these spongy little pillows are marinated in teriyaki seasoning and ginger, have a delightful lingering spiciness and are served cold. There seems to also be a hint of coffee, but querying our waiter on this almost saw our dish hastily whisked back to the kitchen. The next steamer arrived housing our truffle and pork steamed dumplings. On first bite they burst into your mouth with a delicious warm broth and the aromatic flavour of the truffle. Pork bun and vegetable spring rolls follow and they live up to their reputations as classics. The pork bun is moist and sweet with a hint of pepper and the spring rolls are fresh from the fryer. One disappointing dish was the vegetarian steamed bun. The contents had little flavour as and my sister noted had the texture of horse chalf. Other highlights included steamed prawn dumpling, crumbed pork and mixed rice, and steamed prawn wantons.














Soft clouds of white dough encase the sweet pork filling.






Overall I was very impressed with the quality of the food at Din Tai Fung. My only complaint would be that there weren’t many wines to choose from. Thankfully I wasn’t particularly in the mood for wine, but if you wanted to make a range of parings then you would be sorely disappointed. Service was excellent, which helped us avoid the dreaded situation of having too many bamboo steamers cascading from our table and the prices were very reasonable with our meal and drinks totalling $500 HK or a little under $70 Australian


Thankfully Sydney has it’s very own Din Tai Fung in World Square, George St so you needn’t book an international flight to experience this delicious cuisine.






644 George Street
Sydney 2000
(02) 9264 6010


Open Mon-Wed 11:30am-2:30pm, 5:30pm-9pm
Thu-Fri 11:30am-2:30pm, 5pm-9:30pm
Sat 11am-3pm, 5pm-9:30pm
Sun 11am-3pm, 5pm-9pm

Hunters Hill Hotel

It's hard to miss the Hotel Hunters Hill as you exit

Burns Bay Rd

It’s a Tuesday night, so it is unlikely that we are going to be dining with swathes of people, but the Hunters Hill Hotel has the kind of atmosphere that makes us wonder why more people aren’t dining around us. The weather could have something to do with this. The bistro menu seems to be squarely aimed at the very hungry types who frequent the hotel which include, builders, laborers and various other trades people who take their veg with three meat. The dining room backs onto a large beer garden with seating for 50 and room for 100 standing guests making it a great space for largish functions.

It is just as nice to find a pub that has maintained it’s beers and battered anything offering as it is to discover a hatted restaurant adjacent to a loud drinking hall. Sometimes we need to let pubs be pubs because when we need a greasy feed on a Sunday they are always there with the fryer working overtime and beer taps at the ready. The Hunter is this no frills variety that most of us can remember from our childhoods. No table services, order at the counter, get your own cutlery and let the kids go free range.

The classic Fish 'n' Chips was one of the more light

options on the menu

We order at the counter and get drinks from the bar. I decided on the chicken schnitzel burger with seasoned wedges and my friends order the half ribs, fish and chips and grilled chicken burger. I don’t think my rib friend had seen the portion size or the safety equipment involved in this particular dish. It seemed to require quite a sizeable serrated knife, a bib and a sauce-coated-face style of enthusiasm, but even that may fail to face up to the challenge of these ribs, which like all pub food also come with a decent serving of chips.

An easy choice when it comes to pub food,

but not so easy to get through.

Our meals arrive and there is very little to say in terms of presentation. ‘Food on a plate’ may be sufficient description enough, but the serving portions are generous verging on ridiculous. The chips are crunchy, salad crisp and the burger tastes very fresh and not too greasy. I can already tell that there is too much here for my tiny frame to accommodate, so the chips and the burger get split equally into a have and have not pile. I glance at my friend who has now received her half portion of ribs. If the look on her face is anything to go by then she is definitely not up to the challenge. Smothered in sauce and barely fitting on the 35cm dinner plate these ribs could silence the hunger of the most ravenous of hungry trades-persons.

Good luck with this beast of a meal!

Overall the meals were nice, but nothing to write home about. If you need a decent feed at a reasonable price then the Hunter’s Hill Hotel certainly foots the bill, just don’t expect anything fancy. The hotel is accessible from the Inner West coming off the Gladesville Bridge and taking the first exit on Burns Bay Rd or the Hunters Hill exit if you are coming from Lane Cove. There is ample parking in the rear and easy access for strollers, prams and wheelchairs.

FINAL THOUGHTS: Good on a weeknight, better on a weekend!