I probably wouldn't consider this place to be all that authentic, namely because it seems to just…read moreoffer a mix of Asian style food, but the food is quite appetising, and the servings are pretty good as well. Yeah, I actually really did like the place, and the service was pretty prompt as well. Mind you, like a number of places around here, it does get pretty packed in the evening, but that probably does have a lot to do with the really good food that they have here. Yeah, I do have to say that I liked this place, though it wasn't one of the best that I've been to.

Overall, I wasn't too impressed and wanted to be based on the reviews…read more Came in on a Sunday and wanted to dine in. There were a few tables open (a 2 top and two 4 tops). The girl who was seating me wanted to put me across another diner at their table as I was just a party of one. No thanks. Asked for a take out menu instead. Service was slow (10 minute time promised, took 25 mins) and they weren't busy. Wanted sweet and sour chicken but was told they didn't have it. Also asked about lemon chicken or orange chicken and told they didn't have that, either. Not sure what menu is posted online and in pictures, but it shows it. Ended up trying their dumplings which were decent. Came with a small small container of soy sauce (probably the equivalent of a packet and a half for us in the states) which was a little amount considering you do get a large amount of dumplings (10 or 12). Decent taste. Tried the Kung Pao chicken and have definitely tasted better. I was visiting here so I can't say I'll return as I won't be back there likely, but with so many other places to choose from, I wouldn't return here if I were.

Saw that it was packed so we had to try it. We started with the Shanghai style mini wonton soup…read more The soup was savory and peppery, and the wontons were small yet meaty. Next came the xiao long bao. These were fantastic. Each one had a little soup inside, and the meat tasted hearty. Last was the Shanghai sheng jian bao which was nice and crispy on the bottom. Everything was delicious, and I would definitely come back if I'm ever back in Melbourne.

My family and I tried this restaurant after a show nearby and boy were we disappointed. The food…read morewas decent but nothing to write home about at all. What prompted this review is how dirty and unclean this establishment is. There is ZERO customer service at this place and the guy who brings out your food is the same one cleaning off tables without gloves or anything. NASTY! The bathrooms were disgusting and haven't been cleaned in what I would venture to say several months and their sink was clogged and filled w/water. If I were with the health department I would shut this place down and make sure they are using cleanliness standards because I don't want to think about how they might be preparing food or the conditions of how they prepare the food. Save your money!

Quantity over quality is basically the name of the game here. If you have a bunch of friends or…read moreneed a quick, late night dumpling feast to soak up some booze then this is your place. Located in China Town, Shanghai is one of the most popular cheap dumpling joints of Melbourne. There are multiple levels, all offering the same menu. On busy nights if you have a large group expect to be shuffled three levels up to the dodgy looking top floor (it's pretty warm here, be warned). Lines can easily go out the door but it's easy to see why: cheap food, BYO booze (you will be charged a small corkage fee) and fast service. You food will arrive almost too fast and staff will hustle you along. It's all part of the game though so don't stress about it. Not a great date place but if you have a group of mates and looking for a cheap, easy meal with your own booze then this is the place to be.

Probably more of a 3.5 star rating, but I'll round up since we only got a few items. When we first…read morepassed by this place right around noon, the dining room was packed and there must have been 25 people waiting outside. Fortunately, we had had a late breakfast and weren't looking for a table just yet. A couple hours later we started to feel a little peckish so we ambled back over here, and the crowd outside was gone. The restaurant was still humming but at least we got seated right away. We came here specifically for the xiao long bao. Melbourne is actually flush with XLB places, so if this place hadn't worked out then we probably could have found another equally enticing restaurant about a block away. We got an order of hot and sour soup, combination fried rice, and their basic XLB. The soup was meh - definitely have had much better - but unlike a lot of American restaurants they didn't use an excessive amount of cornstarch to thicken it, which I appreciated. The fried rice was pretty good and wasn't oversalted. The XLB were huge, at least as compared to what we get in the US. There was so much broth inside each dumpling that it overflowed the spoon that we used. The pork filling was delicious. I had hoped to get a second order of a different XLB, but we were already quite satisfied by the time we finished off the tray. Service was just okay, as they seemed to be a little understaffed when we were there. We were given water but not tea, though I'm not sure whether it's customary in Australia to be automatically served tea at Chinese restaurants. The price of our meal was reasonable for the amount and type of food we ordered.

I love this place!!!…read more Great dumplings, especially the soup dumplings, outstanding chili wontons, excellent wood ear salad, and amazing fish with picked vegetable soup. There is often a long line, but its worth the wait.

Not what is use to be. So very sad. Normally we eat here during our 8 days at least 3 times. But…read moreonly went once this January. Last year our favorite server had changed to a different restaurant and now this year our favorite host, Patrick is no longer there. There is a new host that tries to act like the old one but he just isn't able to emulate correctly. He comes across to be very rude. Our wonderful Dumpling Lady is still there. Am not sure how long. The kitchen just didn't have the same buzz as it has over the last ten years. The Wontons in Hot Chili Oil are still fantastic. Dumpling Lady is the Winner. Service was rushed. Not very friendly. Probably won't go back next year. We are both very sad.

Tables are spread out on three floors vertically. Makes each area feel quaint and keeps the…read moreoverall noise level down. Great place to have conversations with your table mates. Food was excellent. The two waiters on our floor worked as a team to bring out the food as ready so all arrived hot.

The food is really good & I consider myself a fussy eater. Cannot taste any msg. Didn't get thirsty…read moreafter dinner as that would be the case if there is msg. Had lobster with noodles. So tasty & generous. Their sweet & sour pork is so unlike other restaurants. The meat is tender & hardly any fat on it with a generous portion with not too much batter & the sauce is superb. I've been telling my friends about it. I normally don't fancy sweet & sour pork but at Canton Lake, i have to recommend it. We had the set menu which came with a free traditional Chinese soup. Even this was so good. My cousin who came down from Sydney was also thrilled with the quality of this free soup. I think the free soup only came with the set menu.

1st time here and definitely worth a return visit! was only able to sneak in one pic as was with…read moreguests who were a bit horty torty around food. has to give face!! alamak! Crab noodles - 4/5 great flavours not high in msg. One of the better ones tried Oysters - 5/5 very delish fresh and succulent Yellow Oil Chicken - 5/5 my favourite! reminds me of many a times crossing the Shenzhen border just to appease my cravings for this same level of quality and authenticity in flavour! Steamed Barramundi - 2.8/5 was ok only but not that great maybe a bad batch. WIR? Yep!

This is another one of those places that I have walked past quite often, namely because one of my…read morefavourite pubs happens to be just down the road from it. Unfortunately, it is only generally open at night, but I managed to get in here to check it out, and I have to admit that I do think that this is a pretty awesome place. It certainly does have that Hong Kong feel about it, and the food is pretty awesome as well. Oh, and the prices aren't bad either. Definitely worth checking out.

We were recommended Houhai Dumpling House by our next door neighbours and on a Tuesday evening with…read morenothing organised for dinner, it seemed the perfect opportunity to test them for ourselves by ordering some take away. A simple online search revealed their menu (not just dumplings!) and brought about my ongoing internal struggle - making a decision on what to order! I ended up choosing the Prawn with Ginger and Onion, happily paying the $1 extra to have these pan fried. We called in our order for pick up and were advised it would be ready within 20 minutes, which it was close enough to, however I'm not too fussed on having to wait a few extra minutes - personally I'd rather leave the restaurant with my meal just being freshly cooked than it sitting on their counter awaiting collection. You get 15 dumplings per serve which is MORE than enough for one person, along with dipping sauce for your dumplings. I of course made the mistake of thinking I could finish one serving solo. Which I did, but I regretted immediately after - next time I think sharing two serves between three people would be ideal. Not two serves between two people! I loved the fresh and tasty dumplings that I received (and consumed too many of in a single sitting!) and cannot wait to return and try other items on their menu. However, how I'll stray from the dumpling section of the menu is an issue in an of itself! My only negatives would be the inability to mix and match flavours in the one serving (with 15 per serve, it would nice to be able to sample three different types) and also a lack of choice in dipping sauces (thankfully I always have sriracha at home). Very minor things and not something to deter you at all.

Nunawading has no shortage of decent Chinese restaurants, and Lucky Yu just adds to the mix. Lucky…read moreYu has been around for years, and for years I have been a loyal customer, particularly fond of their chicken and sweet corn soup. The funny thing is, I'm not usually a fan of said soup. However one day I arrived home after picking up my Lucky Yu goodies only to discover my won ton soup was actually chicken and sweet corn. Oh the horror! Rather than drive back down, I ate the soup. That was three years ago and I have not looked back, my obsession with chicken and sweet corn extending out of Lucky Yu and into any chinese restaurant I go to. Lucky Yu still holds a special place in my heart though as they were my first.

Now I must admit, I've only been in here once. Usually, if I was after Cantonese, I'd stop at a…read moreplace closer to home. The only reason that I stopped here was because I was on my way to a movie night at a mate's place, and we were all bringing our own takeaway. This place isn't going to make me drive the extra 10 minutes or so just to grab their food, but really, it isn't bad. In fact, it's pretty reasonable food at decent prices. I had beef in blackbean and fried rice, and I walked out of the shop with change from a twenty dollar note. So it isn't expensive for what it is. The serving sizes are pretty good, too. If I'd bought an entree, it would have been enough to feed two people comfortably, but I somehow managed to find my inner manliness to force myself to finish it. You don't leave food when you eat with your mates. It's a sign of weakness. Doubly so if the food is bad. The place itself was relatively neat, possibly a bit on the daggy side, but still acceptable. If I was doing a hard day's furniture shopping on Whitehorse Road, I'd be happy to eat there again.