Chinacy
352 Chapel Street, South Yarra
03 8658 3524
Asian
$$$$
Food
- Crispy Salted Duck Egg Calamari
- Pan-Fried Salmon
- Lamb Shoulder
- Chef’s Signature Crab and Prawn Fried Rice
- Coconut Panna Cotta
- Dark Chocolate Delice
The Good
We started off with the Crispy Salted Duck Egg Calamari and were immediately impressed. The light crumbling was beautifully fried, with the perfect crispness and a delightful savoury sensation. The calamari itself was soft and tender, the generously sized chunks well accompanied by
Our Lamb Shoulder was unconventional though very enjoyable. The star of this beautifully presented dish was of course the round cuts of lamb itself. Beautifully tender and falling apart with the push of a fork, the perfectly cooked protein simply melted away in your mouth. This was perfectly accompanied by a rich yoghurt and the crunchy sweet bursts of pomegranate seeds.
The seemingly simple Pan-Fried Salmon was anything but. The skin of each salmon fillet was fried to a spectacular crisp, while the juicy and succulent salmon protein was lightly seasoned and tastes incredibly fresh. With plenty of pan fried kale alongside offering textural diversity as well as an amazing peanut, coriander and yuzu pesto providing a nutty and aromatic experience,
Another highlight of the evening was the Chef’s Signature Crab and Prawn Fried Rice. “Wok Hei” is undoubtedly an important criteria for any legit, Chinese fried rice and Chinacy certainly delivered. The fragrant and aromatic rice was mixed with generous helpings of lap cheong, prawns, eggs and crispy cuts of beans. The light yet crumbly texture of the rice, all without being overly oily, was simply the perfect accompaniment to our mains.
We rounded off the evening with the Coconut Panna Cotta and Dark Chocolate Delice. The dark chocolate dessert was just astonishing. The giant dollop of peanut butter with shards of chocolate stood tall, sitting on top of a decadent chocolate parfait. It’s outer was encrusted with crispy rice bubbles delivering an incredible textural experience. With the savoury peanut butter juxtaposing the sweetness of the chocolate, this was certainly the perfect indulgence.
The Coconut Panna Cotta didn’t disappoint either. The silky smooth and very jiggly Panna cotta was topped win a beautiful mango sauce. The lovely vanilla flavour permeated throughout with each bite, while the pool of coffee sitting underneath provided an intense hit of espresso with a slight bitterness that rounded off the sweeter components.
The Mediocre
Nothing.
The Bad
Nothing.
The Verdict
A very hip and trendy, new addition to the quieter end of Chapel Street, Chinacy is definitely punching above it’s weight, both in terms of quality and value.
The stunning decor and refined execution are definitely the highlights of our meal, and with a well-executed menu featuring modern, Western interpretations on traditional Chinese and Cantonese dishes, this is definitely a food destination locals should not miss out on!
Would Penguin Eat Again?
With such an extensive menu on offer, all incredibly tempting, we will definitely be back for more!
Penguineats would like to thank Chinacy for inviting us.