Comments on: China Doll, Woolloomooloo http://www.notquitenigella.com/2009/06/25/china-doll-woolloomooloo/ 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: China Beach, Manly @Not Quite Nigella http://www.notquitenigella.com/2009/06/25/china-doll-woolloomooloo/#comment-119414 China Beach, Manly @Not Quite Nigella Tue, 29 Mar 2011 18:01:33 +0000 http://www.notquitenigella.com/?p=15023#comment-119414 [...] red and white designed by Iain Halliday.The menu here is similar to the menu at sister restaurant China Doll at Woolloomooloo wharf – some Chinese, Japanese, Thai and Vietnamese. This should technically sound warning bells [...] [...] red and white designed by Iain Halliday.The menu here is similar to the menu at sister restaurant China Doll at Woolloomooloo wharf – some Chinese, Japanese, Thai and Vietnamese. This should technically sound warning bells [...]

]]> By: Not Quite Nigella http://www.notquitenigella.com/2009/06/25/china-doll-woolloomooloo/#comment-34335 Not Quite Nigella Wed, 08 Jul 2009 01:03:09 +0000 http://www.notquitenigella.com/?p=15023#comment-34335 Hi Connie-Oh that's good to knwo thatthe new menu is good :) And great to know that your son is an adventurous eater too! It's great when restaurants meals give you inspiration to cook things at home too! Hi Connie-Oh that’s good to knwo thatthe new menu is good :) And great to know that your son is an adventurous eater too! It’s great when restaurants meals give you inspiration to cook things at home too!

]]> By: Connie K http://www.notquitenigella.com/2009/06/25/china-doll-woolloomooloo/#comment-34208 Connie K Mon, 06 Jul 2009 11:17:19 +0000 http://www.notquitenigella.com/?p=15023#comment-34208 To answer your question Lorraine about Fort Dennison Cafe. I could not fault the meals as far as taste - they were a taste sensation. my daughter had pumpkin ravioli with sage butter - yum. My adventurous son had pork belly on mash for the first time and loved it. In fact, he phoned me today to say he has had it since somewhere else. I had salt cured salmon with an interesting salsa which was to die for. I have since replicated the salmon and I am dying to try the salsa. To answer your question Lorraine about Fort Dennison Cafe. I could not fault the meals as far as taste – they were a taste sensation. my daughter had pumpkin ravioli with sage butter – yum. My adventurous son had pork belly on mash for the first time and loved it. In fact, he phoned me today to say he has had it since somewhere else. I had salt cured salmon with an interesting salsa which was to die for. I have since replicated the salmon and I am dying to try the salsa.

]]> By: Not Quite Nigella http://www.notquitenigella.com/2009/06/25/china-doll-woolloomooloo/#comment-34110 Not Quite Nigella Sun, 05 Jul 2009 01:33:32 +0000 http://www.notquitenigella.com/?p=15023#comment-34110 Hi Connie-That's great to hear! :) Interesting, I wonder how often they change the menu? Yes that is true, there wasn't any bread which would have been nice. How did you find the meals in terms of taste? Shame about the wine! You're more than welcome and I'm glad you got some beautiful Winter Sun. Hehe yes wouldn't that be nice to go there on NYE! Hi Connie-That’s great to hear! :) Interesting, I wonder how often they change the menu? Yes that is true, there wasn’t any bread which would have been nice. How did you find the meals in terms of taste? Shame about the wine! You’re more than welcome and I’m glad you got some beautiful Winter Sun. Hehe yes wouldn’t that be nice to go there on NYE!

]]> By: Connie K http://www.notquitenigella.com/2009/06/25/china-doll-woolloomooloo/#comment-33848 Connie K Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:59:17 +0000 http://www.notquitenigella.com/?p=15023#comment-33848 Just had to say Lorraine that the heavens turned on the most perfect weather for our wonderful lunch at Fort Dennison Cafe. We had the first of a change of menu for the new season. (No fish pie which I was hoping for but I wasn't disappointed).The food was to die for but the only criticism I had was that there was no bread with the meals or vegetables. The only "sides" were chips @ $8 or garden salad @ $8. I would have liked bread with the meals and another 1/2 portion added to the meal to fill us up. The wine was very expensive and we had a 10% surcharge but I was prepared for all that and with the Enliven Card it certainly helped. Thanks for the recommendation. I will certainly recommend and go back myself. Would love to go for New Year (in my dreams). Just had to say Lorraine that the heavens turned on the most perfect weather for our wonderful lunch at Fort Dennison Cafe. We had the first of a change of menu for the new season. (No fish pie which I was hoping for but I wasn’t disappointed).The food was to die for but the only criticism I had was that there was no bread with the meals or vegetables. The only “sides” were chips @ $8 or garden salad @ $8. I would have liked bread with the meals and another 1/2 portion added to the meal to fill us up. The wine was very expensive and we had a 10% surcharge but I was prepared for all that and with the Enliven Card it certainly helped. Thanks for the recommendation. I will certainly recommend and go back myself. Would love to go for New Year (in my dreams).

]]> By: Not Quite Nigella http://www.notquitenigella.com/2009/06/25/china-doll-woolloomooloo/#comment-33622 Not Quite Nigella Sun, 28 Jun 2009 11:08:31 +0000 http://www.notquitenigella.com/?p=15023#comment-33622 Hi gobsmack'd-Ahh interesting! Hmm the duck is very much like the KK one! Hehe well at least Gary is a nice guy! :lol: I would feel rather disappointed otherwise. Hi Connie-Hehe are they now! But it's getting to the interesting bit now so you can't switch off now! :lol: Yes George's mannerisms are very Gordon Ramsay. I wonder if it is put on or whether he was always like that. Oh that's wonderful! I hope you liked it and you had some beautiful weather to match :D Hi gobsmack’d-Ahh interesting! Hmm the duck is very much like the KK one! Hehe well at least Gary is a nice guy! :lol: I would feel rather disappointed otherwise.

Hi Connie-Hehe are they now! But it’s getting to the interesting bit now so you can’t switch off now! :lol: Yes George’s mannerisms are very Gordon Ramsay. I wonder if it is put on or whether he was always like that. Oh that’s wonderful! I hope you liked it and you had some beautiful weather to match :D

]]> By: Connie K http://www.notquitenigella.com/2009/06/25/china-doll-woolloomooloo/#comment-33565 Connie K Sat, 27 Jun 2009 06:12:42 +0000 http://www.notquitenigella.com/?p=15023#comment-33565 My family are sick of me being addicted to this show. I hear they are in the making of having a celebrity version. Julie is from the Central Coast where I live so I'm kind of going for her. I thought Justine would win but sadly not. I think Chris has a chance as he works well under pressure, I think Andre and Sam don't cut it and Lucas has never done anything for me. I was shocked when he won the challenge. Julia we don't see much of but she will have an advantage. I love cooking with a passion but I wouldn't have even got through the first episode with the pressure these people are put under. About the judges - George annoys me as I think he tries too hard to be like Jamie Oliver when he tags "yeh??" on the end of every sentence. I really like Gary and think he speaks well and is very fair. Anyway, just wanted to say that I'm taking my 2 kids to Fort Dennison Cafe tomorrow (after reading your review) and I'm using the Enliven card which I didn't know about. I love eating at unusual venues. My family are sick of me being addicted to this show. I hear they are in the making of having a celebrity version. Julie is from the Central Coast where I live so I’m kind of going for her. I thought Justine would win but sadly not. I think Chris has a chance as he works well under pressure, I think Andre and Sam don’t cut it and Lucas has never done anything for me. I was shocked when he won the challenge. Julia we don’t see much of but she will have an advantage. I love cooking with a passion but I wouldn’t have even got through the first episode with the pressure these people are put under. About the judges – George annoys me as I think he tries too hard to be like Jamie Oliver when he tags “yeh??” on the end of every sentence. I really like Gary and think he speaks well and is very fair.
Anyway, just wanted to say that I’m taking my 2 kids to Fort Dennison Cafe tomorrow (after reading your review) and I’m using the Enliven card which I didn’t know about. I love eating at unusual venues.

]]> By: gobsmack'd http://www.notquitenigella.com/2009/06/25/china-doll-woolloomooloo/#comment-33525 gobsmack'd Fri, 26 Jun 2009 20:08:02 +0000 http://www.notquitenigella.com/?p=15023#comment-33525 Have not been to China Doll, as I wasn't too impressed by Frank from his Limeleaves days in Melb. His boss from there (and perhaps current one too, judging by the duck) is to trawl the restaurants du jour and be 'inspired' by the dishes tried. As for Masterchef, it was ironic for the judges to pan molecular gastronomy considering George used to own and cook at Reserve (which failed miserably but that was perhaps Melbourne is not quite the food capital it likes to think it is!) which was entirely molecular! As for Mr Preston, hmm, drama queen extraordinaire. Gary, I'm given to believe according to very reliable sources, is quite the gentleman. George's 'westie' (Fountaingate perhaps, given he's Melburnian!!) roots surfaces each episode without fail, not least his routine use of hideously clichéd phrases. Ok, enough vitriol. My vote? As long as its not Chris (smug and evil) or Sam (too too ignorant to be 'masterchef'). Gobsmack'd Have not been to China Doll, as I wasn’t too impressed by Frank from his Limeleaves days in Melb. His boss from there (and perhaps current one too, judging by the duck) is to trawl the restaurants du jour and be ‘inspired’ by the dishes tried. As for Masterchef, it was ironic for the judges to pan molecular gastronomy considering George used to own and cook at Reserve (which failed miserably but that was perhaps Melbourne is not quite the food capital it likes to think it is!) which was entirely molecular! As for Mr Preston, hmm, drama queen extraordinaire. Gary, I’m given to believe according to very reliable sources, is quite the gentleman. George’s ‘westie’ (Fountaingate perhaps, given he’s Melburnian!!) roots surfaces each episode without fail, not least his routine use of hideously clichéd phrases.
Ok, enough vitriol. My vote? As long as its not Chris (smug and evil) or Sam (too too ignorant to be ‘masterchef’).
Gobsmack’d

]]> By: Not Quite Nigella http://www.notquitenigella.com/2009/06/25/china-doll-woolloomooloo/#comment-33498 Not Quite Nigella Fri, 26 Jun 2009 12:17:59 +0000 http://www.notquitenigella.com/?p=15023#comment-33498 Hi Moya-It seems like so many people have it! Such a nice pattern though :) Thankyou! Yes I think they knew that they shouldn't have won too! :o Hi Panda-Yes that is true! But then again I get a craving for it if I don't have it for a while :lol: Hi grace-Haha yes we have some truly amazing names here. How about Bellimbopinni? That's a place in Northern NSW :lol: Hi Tina-Thankyou! It was hard to get a good shot of that! That was really so good :D Hi Yas-Haha no really? :P I like it in moderation but not too heavy-handed. It was pretty nice to have lunch on the water :D Aww no, only one episode! But you made it a good one! :D Hi FFichiban-Hmmn that's a hard one. Oh so hard.. well China Doll for the ambience for sure, I did not like the ambience/crowded tables/having to queue and eat at 6pm at Billy Kwong. Food wise Billy Kwong's is perhaps a bit better but China Doll has other asian food as well and the sashimi was divine. I preferred the BK duck though. Hi Barbara-Haha oh yes! Here's to having Seinfeld moments in real life! :D Hi Moya-It seems like so many people have it! Such a nice pattern though :) Thankyou! Yes I think they knew that they shouldn’t have won too! :o

Hi Panda-Yes that is true! But then again I get a craving for it if I don’t have it for a while :lol:

Hi grace-Haha yes we have some truly amazing names here. How about Bellimbopinni? That’s a place in Northern NSW :lol:

Hi Tina-Thankyou! It was hard to get a good shot of that! That was really so good :D

Hi Yas-Haha no really? :P I like it in moderation but not too heavy-handed. It was pretty nice to have lunch on the water :D Aww no, only one episode! But you made it a good one! :D

Hi FFichiban-Hmmn that’s a hard one. Oh so hard.. well China Doll for the ambience for sure, I did not like the ambience/crowded tables/having to queue and eat at 6pm at Billy Kwong. Food wise Billy Kwong’s is perhaps a bit better but China Doll has other asian food as well and the sashimi was divine. I preferred the BK duck though.

Hi Barbara-Haha oh yes! Here’s to having Seinfeld moments in real life! :D

]]> By: Barbara http://www.notquitenigella.com/2009/06/25/china-doll-woolloomooloo/#comment-33456 Barbara Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:37:48 +0000 http://www.notquitenigella.com/?p=15023#comment-33456 Do you remember the Seinfeld episode when Elaine is hurrying to get somewhere on the crowded subway and you can hear her thoughts. Do you remember the Seinfeld episode when Elaine is hurrying to get somewhere on the crowded subway and you can hear her thoughts.

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