Sydney CBD
The success and popularity of Lotus Dumpling Bar has reached such a level that it has generated a second place - Lotus The Galleries. While it's a big place with a big menu, you can of course still get their famous dumplings there too. The place is impressive in every way. Even though its expansive, it has so many different spaces so there's no cavernous feel at all. It also has several private dining areas. The design is from D17 (think Alpha).Their Head Chef, Chris Yan, has great pedigree having worked with Kylie Kwong for over a decade. The menu is innovative, exciting and packed with appeal - just like the place itself.
We were here to sample a selection from the menu - which turned out to be a very large selection!
We started with several different varieties of their dumplings.We had steamed jade prawn dumplings, steamed fresh scallop sui mai, steamed mud crab and pork xiao long bao and their pan-fried pork buns.
These easily proved why their dumplings were so popular - they're really that good.
We then had the most amazing salad. It was a crystal ice plant salad that also came with cucumber, enoki and a deliciously subtle black vinegar dressing.Then it was an old favourite with a twist. The crispy calamari was served with a unique native spice salt and lemon dressing. It was a great combination.
Duck dishes are always a hit - but probably none more than Peking duck. This version of crispy skin duck pancakes was served with a very different sweet miso sauce and fresh cucumber slivers.
We don't think we've ever had a crispier duck - it was amazing and its skin almost shattered.
Next was a lovely delicately dish of steamed fish fillet with ginger and shallots. It was a traditional flavour mix that worked really well.
The very unique wok-fried wallaby rump arrived soon afterwards. It had sweet bean paste and salt bush with it. Wallaby is a great meat too - very tasty and lean.
A colourful plate of wok-fried prawns with XO sauce arrived at the table. Seafood and XO sauce go so well together and this was no exception.Possibly the dish of the day was the crispy eggplant with honey and sesame.
We'd never had this combo before and we'd gladly eat it again - and again!
Keeping with the "crispy" theme we had crispy tofu with salt and wildfire dukkah.It was a surprisingly light dish that still managed to have plenty of flavour. It actually looked like cinnamon toast when it arrived.
For a healthier side, we had a nice plate of steamed seasonal vegetables.
Dessert is another part of the meal here that had more than a few unexpected twists.We had several, but our favourite was the Lotus jasmine tea creme caramel.
It was a variation on a traditional French dish that worked really well - and looked just as spectacular too.
Lotus The Galleries is somewhere you must visit. It's got great dumplings - unsurprisingly - but try some of their other delicious food too. It's very innovative and tasty.
Sir and Dame M dined as guests of Lotus The Galleries. Special thanks to Georgia Maddigan of Wasamedia for arranging this visit.
