Secret Kitchen (Doncaster)
222 Exhibition Street, Melbourne
03 8592 4960
Chinese, Yum Cha
$$
Food
- Black Sesame Bun
- Steamed Sponge Cake
- Siu Mai
- Har Gao
- Chicken Feet
- Portugese Egg Tarts
- Scallop Dumplings
The Good
Given that it is Yum Cha, we ordered a plethora of dim sims and other dishes, the majority of which turned out to be rather delectable and pretty much flawless. The highlights though included:
The Black Sesame Bun was a pleasant surprise. With an exceptionally soft and spotted outer, one might think it’s a cow in disguise. Ripping open reveals an inner filled with a runny and fragrant black sesame paste. Bursting with black sesame flavour and just incredible in terms of the texture and flavour.
The Steamed Sponge Cake was another surprise. With an incredibly airy inner, the eggy cake was spongey and soft to the touch. Still piping hot from being freshly steamed, this fresh cake went down the hatch in no time at all.
Traditional items like Siu Mai and Har Gao were a must-order at any Yum Cha, and we weren’t the least bit disappointed. Generously filled with fresh and flavourful prawn, these dim sims were exceptionally tasty.
With a foreigner in tow, we decided to tempt her with Chicken Feet. The feet was braised to perfection, exceptionally soft and flavourful. Well-marinated, the slightly spicy sauce permeated throughout the skin and cartilage, providing an appetising and chewy experience throughout. This feeling of satisfaction, of course, was not mirrored by our western friend…
We also enjoyed the Portuguese Egg Tarts. The sweet egg custard was held together by a beautifully buttery and flakey outer crust. Without being overly sweet, the custard was silky smooth and incredibly soft and creamy. Perfect.
The Mediocre
The Scallop Dumplings were overly impressive on this occasion. The scallops were thin and slightly tough, without adding much flavour.
The Bad
Nothing.
The Verdict
It was an exceptionally enjoyable Yum Cha experience. The Dim Sims were flawlessly executed for the most part, which made for delicious items that were devoured in a hurry. Coupled with attentive service, this has to be one of the best Yum Cha experiences I’ve had.
Would Penguin Eat Again?
Most definitely.