January 1, 2011: China Red

cooking up nearly every meal, novel years hateful solar daytime had us on a bespeak for somebody who would gear upwards us dinner. Our kickoff few local ideas were closed but nosotros eventually remembered the being of China Red, a newish dumpling focussed house inwards the city. China Red has already been blogged to decease (see the listing at the bottom), amongst a lot of fairly ambivalent or negative reviews. Most of the criticism of China Red had held it upwards inwards comparing to sis eating theatre Hu Tong, which we've failed to see because nosotros were suspicious of the lack of veg options. So ane time we'd seen we'd used inwards Tokyo but were otherwise basically the same thing. The bill of fare is a chip overwhelming, amongst dozens together with dozens of options, illustrated past times a bunch of somewhat unappetising miniature pictures. We ordered unopen to drinks to bear us through the nutrient ordering process: a lychee calpis for Cindy together with an iced dearest lemon tea for me ($4 a pop).

The lack of human interaction makes checking ingredients a chip harder, together with then nosotros simply made unopen to assumptions well-nigh which of the entrees were vego, starting amongst shredded turnip pastries ($6.50).

These were crispy-fried together with delicious, peculiarly when slathered amongst the fantastic chilli fossil oil that China Red accept on every table.

As amongst most of the places famed for their dumplings, the vast bulk of China Red's dumpling options are loaded upwards amongst pork, seafood or other nasties (the kickoff vego house to offering me xiao long bao volition win unopen to split upwards of prize). Our vegetable dumplings ($6.80) were filled amongst a fairly tasty minced upwards mix of tofu, mushrooms together with herbs but had disappointingly stodgy skins. Again, these were basically amazing ane time you lot smeared chilli fossil oil all over them.

We managed to rail downwards quite a large attain of vegie original options, opting to elbow grease 2 dishes that were completely novel to us. First up, stir-fried pumpkin amongst salted egg yolk ($19.80).

These trivial crispy pumpkin slivers had an incredibly rich batter, amongst a slightly sandy texture together with a strong, salty flavour. After the kickoff few bites I was inwards love amongst these but past times the fourth dimension we'd got through most of the plate the season had larn a chip overwhelming - likely amend ordered inwards a larger group. Cindy didn't tire of these together with they were the concluding dish that she continued to pick at earlier declaring herself full.

Cindy was too pretty excited to elbow grease the shredded tater inwards hot together with sour sauce. The tiny bill of fare motion painting made it difficult to figure out precisely what this would be, together with then were a chip surprised when it came out looking basically similar a plate of tater noodles.

The hot together with sour sauce was deliciously spicy together with the mix of capsicum together with tater was crunchy together with enjoyable. But again, a total plate of this gets a chip much - at that spot must last 3 or 4 whole potatoes inwards this ane dish.

I'd been happily pouring the Szechwan chilli fossil oil over everything throughout the meal, together with then nosotros needed to brand unopen to other tour of the drinks bill of fare well-nigh halfway through - an iced lemon tea for me together with a strawberry calpis for Cindy (another $4 each).

Camy, which is well-nigh one-half the price. Still, we'll likely plough over China Red unopen to other shot when we're struggling for CBD dinner ideas inwards future.

China Red has received a fairly resounding 'meh' from the blogosphere, banking concern agree out the negative or ambivalent reviews from Melbourne Culinary Journal, Ichigo shortcake, Kong-Kay, Half-Eaten, Eat together with Be Merry, I Eat Therefore I Am, Saint-ism, together with Ze Eats.


China Red
6/206 Bourke St, Melbourne
9662 3668
licensed
entrees $6-12, mains $12-20
http://www.china-red.com.au/