David’s
4 Cecil Place, Prahran
03 9529 5199
Chinese
$$$$
Food
- Steamed Hervey Bay Scallops 3-ways
- Shanghainese Sticky Pork Belly
- Steamed Sea Perch
- Sweet Chunky Eggplant
- Very Special Fried Rice
The Good
It was a promising start to our meal with the Steamed Hervey Bay Scallops 3-ways. The freshness of the scallop was simply undeniable, incredibly tender and almost melted away in your mouth. With three choices of garnishes including ginger, garlic and chilli gracefully topping each scallop, these provided an incredible spice and flavour, and of course the chilli packed a tonne of heat!
The Shanghainese Sticky Pork Belly was simply sensational. The star of the show was undoubtedly the generous chunks of pork belly. Slow braised to great tenderness, the sticky, gooey sauce was beautifully sweet without being overpowering. Combined with the flawless cuts pork exhibiting equal layers of protein and fat, as well as some pillowy soft and indulgently creamy potatoes, there’s no question why this was the signature dish at David’s.
The special seafood dish of the day was the Steamed Sea Perch. Elegantly presented on top of a block of soft and silky tofu, the fish itself was incredibly tender and succulent. The sweetness of fresh fish was undeniably enjoyable, and was well accompanied by a light soy sauce that added to its sweetness. Best served with some rice to go with the lovely sauce, this simple yet delightful dish certainly couldn’t get much better.
Another signature dish was the Sweet Chunky Eggplant. With a sweet and slightly tangy sauce, this vegetarian dish was certainly not light on flavour! The chunks of eggplant were beautifully cooked, with a gooey inner and contrasted by slight toughness on the skin that was on occasion a tad crisp. Inheriting much flavour from the beautiful sauce and with a tad of spice thanks to the chilli, we found the flavours bold and incredibly appetising.
The Mediocre
Unfortunately, our Very Special Fried Rice was rather underwhelming given the calibre of all the other dishes. The fried rice lacked the signature “wok hei” that is characteristic of any authentic fried rice, and generally felt far too damp and wet to be classified as a fried rice.
The Bad
Nothing.
The Verdict
Situated on a quiet laneway off Chapel Street, David’s feels like a hidden gem, yet it’s been popular with the locals for close to 20 years.
Their Shanghainese menu delivers a true and authentic taste of China, and with such a strong emphasis on fresh, quality produce, its no wonder many chose to celebrate their birthdays here.
Would Penguin Eat Again?
We would definitely be back for more Sticky Pork and fresh seafood!
Penguineats would like to thank David’s for inviting us.