I was surprised to note that entrance looked like a Chinese temple with coils of incense hanging from the ceiling. Perhaps as homage to the Laughing Buddha (deity of abundance and good fortune)? It felt Zen crossing the bridge over glossy dark tiles with spotlights embedded in them till one steps into the bright red lounge. The plush reception looked enticing but the egg-shaped lamps seemed a little out of place.
Steamed Assorted Dumplings (a la carte price: A$13.50)
The first course was an assorted Dim Sum Basket. No explanation was given about what variety of dumplings were served. Other than the distinctive Siew Mai and Har Gao, I guessed what the others were from their shapes and colour. Counter clockwise from top left: Siew Mai (pork dumpling), Har Gao (prawn dumpling), Prawn & Carrot Dumpling and Sharks Fin Dumpling (based on the shape of the dumpling).
Upon closer inspection of the Dim Sum, I couldn't help but notice that the dumplings were not well-shaped (a sign that they had been made by inexperienced hands). The skin of the Har Gao (Prawn Dumpling) was too thick and it didn't help that the prawns were not well-seasoned. The other 3 dumplings were bland and non-distinctive in flavour (ie. all tasted the same). This ranks highly as one of the worst Dim Sum I ever had.
Guests are given a choice from 3 carb dishes (the other choices were Stir-Fried Singaporean Fried Bee Hoon & Yang Chow Fried Rice) for their main course. The rice noodles were bland and lumpy. The sauce added a hint of flavour but in general, this dish was another epic failure. There was no "wok-hei" at all and I found myself homesick for the ones served at Zi Char stalls or Crystal Jade Kitchen in Singapore.
Thankfully there was some chili oil on hand to make the noodles more palatable.
Dessert was a mildly-flavoured Mango Pudding (read: not much Mango in that pudding) served with some canned Lychee and Raspberry Coulis. I guess one can't ask much from a fine dining restaurant with a budget lunch but the plating above looks like what one gets from a canteen. Overall, this was a very disappointing experience. Some Perth residents that I chatted with later also spoke of disappointing and expensive dining experiences but one summed it up really well, "It's Burswood."
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2 comments:
That's a shame about the poor quality dishes you received considering the menu prices. I agree about the plating of your dessert, by the way. I could have done better plating that with my feet. And I'm terrible at plating! :) You're really lucky to come from such an amazing food culture, but I'm sure that means that when you leave Singapore everything seems disappointing by comparison! Hope you find some better eats in Perth!
Yeah, I was very disappointed because I deliberately made time to check out Yu even though there were quite a few other restaurants on my "To Eat" List. :P Well, I had to try to know.
As for plating with your feet! Wow, I must say I'm impressed with your skill but don't you think that the diners might be a little worried about dishes plated by feet? :P Kidding!
Actually, I have lots of bad food experiences in Singapore too. It's a Hit or Miss around the world, I guess. :)
I had quite a few good eats in Perth. Will try to find time to update them later. :)
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