Monday 12 January 2009

Superstar Seafood

One of the things we have really missed being in the UK was yum cha. In Sydney, it was a very regular Sunday brunch or lunch destination. In London, they serve dim sum at dinner, and you don't even get the trolleys trundling past - you order from a menu.

So we were very keen to have some good dim sum in Hong Kong. We ended up back in Times Square (10th floor this time) at Superstar Seafood, a pretty well-known dim sum restaurant chain. Isn't the decor amazing? It looks like someone decorated the Fortress of Solitude for a hooker's hen night.

Disappointingly, while there were a couple of waitresses carrying trays and pushing trolleys, most of the ordering was done off a menu.

The har gau were pretty good, the char siu bao fluffy and well-filled, the "golden crispy platter" of tofu, pork and some other stuff was golden and crispy and not at all greasy. The spring onion pancakes were excellent, but I didn't like the curry sauce that came with them. For me, the pick of the dishes was the green beans in spicy pork sauce. We've had something similar at our local Chinese place but never done as well.

On balance, I would have to say that I prefer both the food and the atmosphere at Marigold in Sydney! But maybe we were just there a little late in the day (about 2pm).

16 comments:

Unknown said...

Very interesting decor! It is a bit disappointing that there weren't many trolleys- they are essential for yum cha I think!
Did you have any yum cha in Qld on this visit? I am interested to hear what you made of some of the places we go.

HH said...

Oh I love yum cha, I think the Marigold will be one of my first stops when I get home!!

Alicia Foodycat said...

Jacki - I have actually never had yum cha in Brisbane! We were only there for 2 nights (Christmas Eve/Christmas Day) so there was no time to eat out.

HH - I was disappointed that we didn't get to the Marigold this trip. Mango pancakes FTW.

kat said...

Ah, I love a good dim sum meal & the carts make it much more fun

Heather said...

D'oh! It's not really dim sum if you can't just point at plates on a cart.

What is it with dim sum places' decorations? So garish.

Alicia Foodycat said...

Kat - I love the carts! Especially the ones where they cook noodles or turnip cakes right next to your table.

Heather - I've seen pictures of some of the other Superstar Seafood outlets and they are all the same. A fake flower fiesta.

Joie de vivre said...

How funny that you like the dim sum better in Sydney. I'll take your word for it though as I haven't tried it in Sydney or Hong Kong. Have a great time!

HH said...

Oh Mango Pancakes! *sigh* First day back I am there!

Leslie said...

"hookers hen night" lol lol lol

Megs said...

ahhh the Marigold! I took my team for our 'festive' season lunch in December which was just fab...imagine a very devout Christian, a non-practicing Jew and myself (a fan of Festivus) celebrating our various holidays through yum cha...I consider the wait in the line to get a table just as entertaining as some dinner theatre...and after they stuffed themselves on the mango pancakes we ordered the fried ice-cream!

Alicia Foodycat said...

Joie - I know, I sort of feel that there is something wrong with me.

HH - I love the mango pancakes.

Leslie - ;)

Megs - Chinese is the perfect thing for a happy holiday!

Darius T. Williams said...

Wow - loving these tales! LOVE THEM!

Dee said...

Haha, great decor! I too think the best part of yum cha are the trolleys and the huge trays of dimsum they bring to the table. I love peeking under the baskets and ordering too much food. Oink.

I'm off to the Gold Coast in a couple of weeks so I was wondering if you would have any restaurant recommendations. No worries, if you don't.

Bettina Douglas said...

Dee - Gold Coast is not really a Foody sort of place. There are some well regarded five star places but most is lowest common denominator stuff.

If you do find somewhere exceptional do tell us!

The current weather is good for seafood so lots of prawns on the balcony of your room would be my suggestion.

Just Cook It said...

Was just reading this when I got your meringue comment! Having only had the pleasure of British dim sum I've never been blown away by it. Think I might have to get myself over to the far east at soem point to rectify the situation

Alicia Foodycat said...

Thanks Darius - plenty more coming!

Dee - listen to my mother! I haven't been to the Gold COast in about 18 years, and have certainly never had a memorable meal there.

Alex - you have to! It is such an experience. And these weird dim sum chains staffed by surly Eastern Europeans really don't capture it.

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