Mr Pings, Parramatta

Scowl all you like, but after almost 21 years of having Chinese food, the last thing I want to see when I go out is Chinese food. Don't get me wrong, I'm one of those guys who genuinely thinks mum's cooking is best but I just need something different. So when we rock up to the gazillioth Chinese eatery that week...

Located right next door to Parramatta Westfields, Mr Pings pulls in everyone, from suits, to shoppers but it's mainly a local asian crowd that fills up the seats. It doesn't have much in the way of ambience but it does have a slick black colour palate going on so I suppose that's a touch more than your average eatery but it's the window side hanging ducks that sends us into a frenzy.

Chicken Congee 8.8

The congee there is superb. Chicken is ridiculously tender and giving and you pretty much just get congee next with nothing else but I'm not complaining.

Fish Fillet, Preserved Egg and Coriander Congee 12.8

Fish congee is a little more lively with hits of fresh coriander super soft white fillets of fish and preserved egg. 

Deepfried Dough Stick 2.5

You Tiao or Chinese fried breadsticks are the perfect accompanyment, a mix and match of the clean qualities of congee with the unctuous crispiness of fried doughnuts.

Braised Seafood and Beancurd in Claypot 19.8

The seafood definitely was not fresh as you get that frozen resistance from the prawns but it's jam full of scallops, ling fillets and prawns with some bean curd to mop up all that delicious sauce. I'm happy.

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There's no wowing moments, prices are average and it's pretty much what you'd expect but the dishes are really tasty. Even though I've went on and on about not wanting Chinese food, my parents love this place which makes me love it so I guess everyone's happy.


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Two Sticks, Haymarket

Two Sticks has been under construction for a while tempting passers by but now it's opened smack bang in the centre of the CBD expect half an hour crowds. What it promises are Yunnan styled foods located in a fresh and colour vibrant albeit cramped setting.

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Mr Wong, CBD

I thought the longest queues in Wynyard were at Jamie's. I was wrong. Only 3 weeks in, newly opened Merivale restaurant Mr Wong has been a huge success of late run by executive chef Dan Hong as well as a few other big names in Chinese cooking. Located in literally what is a back alley, Mr Wong is easy to miss for those who aren't directly looking for the restaurant. For those who are, be prepared to brave through some serious stench from opposing restaurant's wastes as well as massive queues.

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Chairman Mao, Kensington

Hey, where did all the UNSW chinese exchange students go? Actually, I don't know if they even left. It's not even my uni. But if they did have a hideout, this would be it. In the land down under- a place so unfamiliar, it's nice to have a place to call home. And that's what Chairman Mao tries to achieve; to replicate the Xiang cuisine of the Hunan province. Located near Central China, the food there is as hot as the weather is cold. 

Okay let's get that over and done with. The food is bloody hot, nearly everything on the menu has the adjective: hot, spicy or chilli . Get your game face on cause it's not going to be an easy night. They say you won't leave without a runny nose or watery eyes. Challenge accepted.

Smoked Celery in Chilli Oil on the house

These are damn good. Really good. I know it's celery, but it's the smokiness and the incredibly spicy chilli sesame oil that punctuates it with a wonderful nuttiness. It's hot but refreshing at the same time. It's brilliant and I'd happily have these again and again.

Green Onion Pancake 4 each

These were crisp, unoily and light yet boring in flavour.


Braised Beef Noodle 10.80
Yeah... It was gone when I got to it again. Seriously. Actually that's a lie. I just forgot to take a picture this time. It had so much Szechuan pepper, the outside of my mouth was actually numb. Weirdest sensation. Besides that, it had a real thump of chilli and the flavour was nice.

Hunan Style Dumplings 19.80

The soup was wonderfully aromatic and fragrant and I found myself actually having more and more despite the chilliness. Dumplings were nice and plump, the casing held and were quite delicious. 

Stirfry Harbour Shrimps with leeks and red hot chilli 19.80

Every ingredient got a good licking of the wok which gave it a really pleasant smokiness. Leeks were beautiful and soft but 19.80 seems a bit dear for something on the end of a fishing line.

And yeah. My nose did end up getting runny. Good thing there's a box of tissues next to you. Like the tobasco ad, if a mosquito were to just suck my blood then and fly off, it would explode. Stir Fry? Goooood. Chilli? Gooood. Sesame oil? Goooood. But altogether, it takes some getting used to but. The pools of oil, the liberal use of salt and the heat (which all are apparently authenically Hunan) might be a big turn off to many. But that doesn't stop its loyal following. The locals who just shoot out mandarin like a machine gun, the exchange students with their laptops going on and even big time chefs I hear like Matt Moran, Tetsuya, Dan Hong and Neil Perry. Me? I'm still on the fence but come winter time, that might be a whole different story.


Note: I ordered everything in mandarin. Pretty proud of myself.






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