Shark Fin Chinese Restaurant

Loud and busy, with kids running around playing dodgem cars with steam trolleys. Cluttering and clashing of plates, tea pots filled every minute and what seemed like a never-ending flow of dim sum. Yes, I am talking about Yum Cha - and the above was exactly what Shark Fin Restaurant in Keysborough was.

Football dumplings / Deep Fried Prawn Beancurd Roll

Curry Taro Puffs / Deep Fried Prawn Rice Paper Roll

The Football Dumplings were good, a thick mix of pork and mushroom buried within a satisfying chewy and slightly sweet skin. The Deep Fried Prawn Beancurd Roll's delicate skin encased planty of lovely bouncy prawns. Whilst the feathery Curry Taro Puffs were okay, the aunty in charge had neglected to inform us that these were curry flavoured - if I had known, I would have probably given it a pass. Very similar to the Deep Fried Prawn Beancurd Roll, the rice paper roll version was served with mayo, but was not as well received as the former.

Chinese New Year Special / Chicken Feet / Black Bean Pork Spare Ribs

In celebration of Chinese New Year, - there was a special of chicken feet, prawn mince, mushrooms and black moss, which was quite popular among my grandparents. The ubiquitous Chicken Feet also made an appearance, though was not quite as loose or melty as it could have been. Black Bean Pork Spare Ribs were also ordered to nibble and gnaw on.

Sui Mai, Prawn Dumplings & Shanghai Dumplings

The typical dumplings were up next - Sui Mai, Prawn Dumplings and Shanghai Dumplings. There is no doubt that Prawn Dumplings were to be ordered - plump prawns encased in a beautiful translucent skin. We did find that they were noticeably on the smaller side. The Shanghai Dumplings were incomparable to Din Tai Fung, however were still liked by all.

Spinach Dumplings / Tripe / Ginger Prawn Dumplings

These bright green Spinach Dumplings were gobbled up with heapings of chilli oil, whilst my grandpa enjoyed his Tripe. The Ginger Prawn Dumplings were generously sized and covered in a thick fragrant ginger sauce, garnished with ribbons of ginger and spring onion.

Steamed Prawn Rice Paper Roll / Steamed Chinese Donut Rice Paper Roll

These are a must have at Yum Cha, either one or both. Luscious prawns wrapped in a warm, slippery yet smooth rice noodle, with sweet soy. The same noodles also hugged slightly chewy, slightly crispy chinese donuts and studded with sesame seeds. These were ordered to ensure that they were fresh and piping hot out of the kitchen.

On this particular occasion, a number of our dim sums were absolute delights, but a handful were a touch disappointing at the same time. In the end, the most important thing was that my grandparents enjoyed the food and had left with smiles whilst simultaneously rubbing their bellies.

Shark Fin Chinese Restaurant

328 Cheltenham Road 

Keysborough, VIC

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Gold Leaf

After years and years at uni involving countless tutorials, snoozing away in seminars, lectures,  assignments and dreadful exams, the day had finally come. The very end of B.Com - I was graduating ! 

Despite how excited I was, it was nothing compared to my mum. She was ecstatic, and some would even think that she was the one graduating. And to kick start the day, she organised a Yum Cha lunch for all 18 of us to dine at Gold Leaf in Springvale.

Prawn and Garlic Chives Dumpling

Three little bite sized morsels of luscious prawns peeked through a thin translucent skin. I love how much attention and detail are put into these delicate dumplings. The prawn was fresh and bouncy, whilst the garlic chive factor bought the whole dish together. Delicious !

Crispy Squid

Another dish that is very popular at Yum Cha is the Crispy Squid. Juicy squid tentacles deep fried till golden and crispy finished off with a dusting of seasoning. The squid tentacles had a nice chew to it, and wasn't too greasy. Unfortunately, we did receive these luke warm at the most. I guess this is just one of the down sides of having the traditional trolley style Yum Cha.

Fried White Bait

As the plate swooped in onto the lazy susan, the smell was absolutely enticing. The white bait was deep fried and tossed in salt and pepper. These were a hit with my toddler cousins, both continuously asking for more 'baby fish' between licking their fingers clean. And they were not the only ones, these too were a childhood favourite of mine.

 Roasted Pork Belly with Jelly Fish Salad 

Roast Duck

For roast meats, we selected the Cold Roasted Pork Belly with Jelly Fish Salad and Roast Duck. Crispy crackling paired with slippery crunchy jelly fish and pickled cabbage salad was easily Dad's favourite dish of the day. The other plate served up fatty roast duck which oozed various spices and a rich sweetness that is just so sinfully satisfying. It would have been even better if there was more sauce to go around.

Unfortunately I did not have time to stay for long with the clock ticking away- I was due to head off to uni to collect my gown. Though a short lunch, the dishes and service we received were exactly what I had anticipated. There is a bit of wait for trolleys at times but that is also expected. Gold Leaf consistently delivers tasty baskets of dim sum and fried goodies that we can always depend on for a Yum Cha session. Whilst my family continued to eat, drink and be merry at Gold Leaf, I rushed off with A for what was only the start of the day. Definitely a lovely start to my afternoon which fueled me up for a full day of smiling and posing for photos. 

Gold Leaf

46 - 58 Buckingham Ave 
Springvale

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