Exploring through Sydney's China town at lunch time was perfectly apt for a spot of Chinese food. A recommended place was Marigold's Yum Cha and being the top tourist on hand quietly obliged to the suggestions. For those of you who like me had never experienced Yum Cha- Imagine this: Cue being greeted by your waiter who seats you and practically throws chopsticks at you and very aggressively gives you one too many bowls- what's wrong with a plate? As you are trying to work out why the missing plates and what miniature bowl is for what, you are interrupted with waiters upon waiters slam dunking plates down on the table of different dishes from trolleys. What?!
Albeit, I would have preferred to have been asked if I would have liked the lumpy porridge soup with unidentified objects floating around in it, in which case the answer would have been a categorical no (no photographic evidence as it looked that vile.) Nevertheless, the waiters were insistent on giving us the food on their trolleys (must have been on commission) and we ended up with authentic Chinese food that put Mr Wing Lee's up the road takeaway to shame.
The waitress was adamant we had vegetables as they are "very healthy and good for you." As thoughtful as it was, I wasn't too fond of the idea when I could be having spring rolls and dumplings instead but to my surprise it was one of my favorite dishes.
Another keeper was the duck. A must when your having a Chinese. It had a sticky glaze and the meat was tender from it being slow cooked on the bone. Eating this with chopsticks was like peeling an orange with mittens on. Impossible. No knives and forks meant looking like a wild carnivore eating in the corner.
Not for the squeamish. Calamari and fried squid with salt and pepper. Check out the tentacles.
And of course no Chinese is complete without spring rolls with sweet and sour dipping sauce.
Using my expertise, I conclude that Yum Cha is a one of a kind dining experience- like sushi but without the conveyor belt...and with humans and trolleys. With that technical analogy, it's kind of a hit and go meal not for those who want a relaxing leisurely lunch because be warned, plates will get thrown at you.
The aftermath.
