Sydney :: Din Tai Fung, Soup Dumpling Yum

Wonderful architecture at the Opera House

The morning before I met Minh, I wandered around the Harbour and snapped some interesting shots of the Opera House. I really enjoyed the architecture from both the inside and the outside. Can anyone guess what the left picture is supposed to look like? Hint: It rhymes with movies.


Anyways...dorkiness aside, after meeting on the steps and gorging at Chinese Noodle Restaurant, Lindt Chocolat Cafe, and taking a break at Sweeney's Thai, we made our way to Din Tai Fung to cap off a very full day...pun intended!

Din Tai Fung Verdict: Exploding dumplings, great noodles, and deep fried taro :) Meal: Gorging with Ming #3 Location: CBD 644 George St Sydney,

Feasting at Din Tai Fung

I kept hearing about these soup dumplings - xiao long bao. Soup in dumplings? How backwards. Like wrapping bread with meat (note taken for next bbq). The closest thing I tried was at my first night in Hong Kong - My friend kindly invited me to join him and his grandmother for dim sum. Unfortunately, the extent of my Cantonese is a series of threats and a much ruder version if "yo momma"...needless to say, I spent most of the meal smiling politely. Not wanting to interrupt their chatter, I decided to fetch myself a dumpling by reaching over instead of asking. I reached over and took a stab at the dish of brightly coloured dumplings. Literally. Sweet, syrupy goo oozed out as I held chopsticks in the dumpling, frozen in horror. Damning evidence.

Pork Soup Dumplings! 

1-2-3 eat!

oops.

Ohh...and eat we did. Super enjoyable and delicious.They actually exploded in my mouth...and all over my hair...and all over the table. I've never been one for grace anyway.
Actually, the real culprit was not the explosion as much as the hot hot hot liquid inside that burned my greedy mouth. I scalded the roof of my mouth, but mmm...worth it.

Braised beef noodle soup

I love how we followed a bowl of noodles with a bowl of noodles. Minh, seriously? We really ate through Sydney. The noodles were great - in a different way. Tender beef, really good broth, mmmm. 
An attempt to eat something green was made...hah!

Shrimp and pork shao -ma

Litte bundles of shrimpy-porky joy...om nom nom nom

...and as if that wasn't enough...we had to order a dessert...or two...!

we started deep fried taro:

that was perfectly deep fried as well as a bowl mango that came with a shot glass of condensed milk.

phew. If I lived in Sydney...I'd be in serious serious trouble!!! What a great day :-)


Oz:
1. Look left when jaywalking
2. Tomato sauce = ketchup. Do not squeeze it all over your face.
3. A flat white is foamy milk, espresso, and cute coffee art
4. I can't resist street food...ever
5. I can't afford mangoes
6. Delicious and fresh hand-pulled noodles exist outside of Hong Kong
7. Tooheys beer ≠ Tootheys
8. Exploding dumplings in your hair...exploding dumplings everywhere