Comments on: Taste of Shanghai, Ashfield http://www.notquitenigella.com/2008/11/20/taste-of-shanghai-ashfield/ The slightly eccentric eating, cooking and travel adventures of a Sydney girl who loves cakes, cooking, Nigella Lawson and eating. She eats, breathes and dreams food and indeed will never get cable TV as she'd quit working and watch the Food Channel all day long. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:19:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: felicity http://www.notquitenigella.com/2008/11/20/taste-of-shanghai-ashfield/#comment-230751 felicity Sat, 12 Nov 2011 17:04:05 +0000 http://www.notquitenigella.com/?p=7403#comment-230751 I am a regular to this restaurant, and find the quality of food fantastic and consistant. I was dissapointed with the dumplings and pork buns thou and recommend New shanghai (across the road) to be so much tastier! I have never encountered rude servers (luckly) but they always seem rushed off thier feet. Great review I am a regular to this restaurant, and find the quality of food fantastic and consistant. I was dissapointed with the dumplings and pork buns thou and recommend New shanghai (across the road) to be so much tastier!
I have never encountered rude servers (luckly) but they always seem rushed off thier feet.
Great review

]]> By: FoodSeeker http://www.notquitenigella.com/2008/11/20/taste-of-shanghai-ashfield/#comment-139846 FoodSeeker Thu, 19 May 2011 12:49:35 +0000 http://www.notquitenigella.com/?p=7403#comment-139846 We have a gathering of 15+ at the restaurant. We made a reservation and tried to place our order for the dishes we would have on the day we booked. But was told to come and order on the day. That should have warned us of the mentality of this so called restaurant. It is just a glorified fast food outlet with reasoanable quality food but have not concept of services. On the day of our gathering, some of us arrived early to order the dishes. But we were left at our tables and no one came to take our order. We asked a passing waiter re order and was given a very curt "Wait!" and that was that. Finally we went to the lady who seemed to be the manager and told her that we would like to order and have been waiting for quite a while and were ignored. Only then, someone came to take our order. We asked if the dishes could be served in a certain order and was assured that it would be OK. But the outcome was a mess. The dishes came in the way they wish to serve. There was no service to speak of. There were attitude aplenty. We spent about $400 and what we have in return were rudeness! That was the last time we would go to that so called restuarant ever again! We have a gathering of 15+ at the restaurant. We made a reservation and tried to place our order for the dishes we would have on the day we booked. But was told to come and order on the day. That should have warned us of the mentality of this so called restaurant.
It is just a glorified fast food outlet with reasoanable quality food but have not concept of services.
On the day of our gathering, some of us arrived early to order the dishes. But we were left at our tables and no one came to take our order. We asked a passing waiter re order and was given a very curt “Wait!” and that was that. Finally we went to the lady who seemed to be the manager and told her that we would like to order and have been waiting for quite a while and were ignored.
Only then, someone came to take our order. We asked if the dishes could be served in a certain order and was assured that it would be OK.
But the outcome was a mess. The dishes came in the way they wish to serve.
There was no service to speak of. There were attitude aplenty. We spent about $400 and what we have in return were rudeness!
That was the last time we would go to that so called restuarant ever again!

]]> By: Not Quite Nigella http://www.notquitenigella.com/2008/11/20/taste-of-shanghai-ashfield/#comment-28216 Not Quite Nigella Tue, 28 Apr 2009 17:42:57 +0000 http://www.notquitenigella.com/?p=7403#comment-28216 Hi Helen-That's wonderful! I'm so glad that you liked it :D Thanks so much for letting me know! Hi Helen-That’s wonderful! I’m so glad that you liked it :D Thanks so much for letting me know!

]]> By: Helen http://www.notquitenigella.com/2008/11/20/taste-of-shanghai-ashfield/#comment-28190 Helen Tue, 28 Apr 2009 06:52:24 +0000 http://www.notquitenigella.com/?p=7403#comment-28190 A group of us went here on the weekend on your recommendation. The best pork buns outside of China, and nothing like the ones that always disappoint me at Yum Cha. The ones with mushroom and chive (I think tha's what they were) were great too. Loved this place. A group of us went here on the weekend on your recommendation. The best pork buns outside of China, and nothing like the ones that always disappoint me at Yum Cha. The ones with mushroom and chive (I think tha’s what they were) were great too. Loved this place.

]]> By: Not Quite Nigella http://www.notquitenigella.com/2008/11/20/taste-of-shanghai-ashfield/#comment-19453 Not Quite Nigella Tue, 20 Jan 2009 10:08:40 +0000 http://www.notquitenigella.com/?p=7403#comment-19453 Hi leslee-Oh cool! I'm so glad that you enjoyed it and it was worth the trip! You're more than welcome :) Haha I'd love it if they paid me in dumplings! :P Hi leslee-Oh cool! I’m so glad that you enjoyed it and it was worth the trip! You’re more than welcome :) Haha I’d love it if they paid me in dumplings! :P

]]> By: leslee http://www.notquitenigella.com/2008/11/20/taste-of-shanghai-ashfield/#comment-19409 leslee Tue, 20 Jan 2009 00:09:21 +0000 http://www.notquitenigella.com/?p=7403#comment-19409 My family and I drove up from Wollongong on Sunday to try this restaurant and we were not disappointed. My husband said it was the best Asian food he had ever had. Thanks for the suggestion and we will definitely be going back. You should get a finders fee. My family and I drove up from Wollongong on Sunday to try this restaurant and we were not disappointed. My husband said it was the best Asian food he had ever had. Thanks for the suggestion and we will definitely be going back. You should get a finders fee.

]]> By: Not Quite Nigella http://www.notquitenigella.com/2008/11/20/taste-of-shanghai-ashfield/#comment-15940 Not Quite Nigella Fri, 28 Nov 2008 11:35:23 +0000 http://www.notquitenigella.com/?p=7403#comment-15940 Hi winnie-Thanks so much for the recommendation! I will travel for good XLB so I'll give it a go if I'm in the area :) The fried souffle with red bean sounds intriguing! Hi winnie-Thanks so much for the recommendation! I will travel for good XLB so I’ll give it a go if I’m in the area :) The fried souffle with red bean sounds intriguing!

]]> By: winnie http://www.notquitenigella.com/2008/11/20/taste-of-shanghai-ashfield/#comment-15930 winnie Fri, 28 Nov 2008 06:41:23 +0000 http://www.notquitenigella.com/?p=7403#comment-15930 Hi NQN, Coming from an eating family.... the best XLB i tasted whilst living in Sydney is at the Eastwood Garden Peking Restaurant. I must say it was a few years ago - but it was better than any i tasted since. Its some distance...i know, but its the type you have to put on a spoon to eat. i hope it hasnt changed and you get a chance to try it! The potstickers are pretty good too. And try the fried souffle with red bean for dessert. Hi NQN,
Coming from an eating family…. the best XLB i tasted whilst living in Sydney is at the Eastwood Garden Peking Restaurant. I must say it was a few years ago – but it was better than any i tasted since. Its some distance…i know, but its the type you have to put on a spoon to eat. i hope it hasnt changed and you get a chance to try it! The potstickers are pretty good too. And try the fried souffle with red bean for dessert.

]]> By: Not Quite Nigella http://www.notquitenigella.com/2008/11/20/taste-of-shanghai-ashfield/#comment-15582 Not Quite Nigella Sun, 23 Nov 2008 10:16:36 +0000 http://www.notquitenigella.com/?p=7403#comment-15582 Hi CatPuccino-Thanks for your comment :) Yes that was to make it easier for the kids but also because I prefer to do it that way too. Otherwise the point of a soupy dumpling seems lost to me :lol: Good to know the name of the pan fried dumpling-hopefully I will remember it. If I were to make it I think I'd make it with a sweet soup-that would be divine! Hi CatPuccino-Thanks for your comment :) Yes that was to make it easier for the kids but also because I prefer to do it that way too. Otherwise the point of a soupy dumpling seems lost to me :lol: Good to know the name of the pan fried dumpling-hopefully I will remember it. If I were to make it I think I’d make it with a sweet soup-that would be divine!

]]> By: CatPuccino http://www.notquitenigella.com/2008/11/20/taste-of-shanghai-ashfield/#comment-15442 CatPuccino Fri, 21 Nov 2008 15:02:02 +0000 http://www.notquitenigella.com/?p=7403#comment-15442 Hi, have been reading for a few weeks now but not commented yet (am not much of a commenter) but felt I had to comment here (being Shanghainese of origin)! Few points: 1. Not sure if you were trying to make it easier for the boys, but eating xiaolong bao is best if you take a teeny tiny bite out of the skin, let it cool a little, then suck out the soup very quickly. Then you're free to eat them in one big bite or a few smaller chomps! 2. Those fried pork buns are called "shengjian mantou" (which I think just means fried buns) if you wanted to know the Chinese name! 3. My parents make the glutinous sesame balls with that kind of soup. I've never been a huge fan either, but that's just how they do it? My way to make the soup better is to let a few sesame balls explode into the soup and voila, black sesame flavoured soup! ;o) Hi, have been reading for a few weeks now but not commented yet (am not much of a commenter) but felt I had to comment here (being Shanghainese of origin)!

Few points:
1. Not sure if you were trying to make it easier for the boys, but eating xiaolong bao is best if you take a teeny tiny bite out of the skin, let it cool a little, then suck out the soup very quickly. Then you’re free to eat them in one big bite or a few smaller chomps!

2. Those fried pork buns are called “shengjian mantou” (which I think just means fried buns) if you wanted to know the Chinese name!

3. My parents make the glutinous sesame balls with that kind of soup. I’ve never been a huge fan either, but that’s just how they do it? My way to make the soup better is to let a few sesame balls explode into the soup and voila, black sesame flavoured soup! ;o)

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