With Asian restaurants in Australia, you never really know what to expect. More often than not, the food is always a little off the mark, so to speak. It’s always an interpretation of what the chef deems to be Asian or worse still, it’s been re-worked to suit the Australian taste buds.
So when a friend suggested dinner at 食 chi restaurant, A and I weren’t holding our breaths. We just hoped that the food will be to everyone’s liking and really, it’s about the company, right?
|source: 食 chi restaurant |
Our reservation was for 8pm and when we arrived, the restaurant was buzzing! Every table was occupied, save for the booth seat that had been reserved for us. Even though there wasn’t an empty table in sight, the restaurant didn’t feel cramped, which is great because 食 chi isn’t massive.
| The obligatory group photo before we started stuffing our faces :P|
Anyhow, we got straight into ordering and decided on the Kung Po Chicken, Beef Brisket Hotpot, Chilli Pepper Soft Shell Crabs, Crispy Boneless Duck in Plum Sauce, Sizzling Egg Tofu with Combination Seafood and Wok Fried Seasonal Greens. We later wrapped up dinner with an affogato for me and a Crispy Pancake with Red Bean Filling for the table.
Did we over-order? We sure thought we did at first! But the food was so yummy that we polished everything off, without a hitch! The silence at the table as we first started eating were our compliments to the chef indeed 🙂 Although we felt the Kung Po chicken was a little on the sweet side and that the beef could have been a bit more tender, it was all good because the ingredients were very fresh and there was no extreme re-working that the food didn’t even feel Asian.
And of course, with my sweet tooth, how could we skip dessert?! I’m always partial to a good affogato which IMHO requires great espresso and an equally great scoop of Vanilla ice-cream. In 食 chi restaurant’s case, the Sega Fredo shot was just what the doctor ordered with the right amount of crema. MMMM YUMYUM, Trina was a happy girl.
The best part of dinner was how affordable it was! With dishes at approximately $20 each, a lovely night out didn’t have to cost us an arm and a leg.
If you’re in the area (Victoria Park) or just looking to visit a new restaurant, give 食 chi restaurant a go! Reservations are a must, especially on the weekends, so call in advance.
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食 chi restaurant
14/366 Albany Hwy Victoria Park WA 6100
(08) 9361 0036
sweet + savoury 