Aspley Oriental Restaurant

I have to admit I can be a little bit of a food snob at times. Believe me I know this is not a good thing, as it means I run the risk of missing out on some delicious taste sensations like the Aspley Oriental Restaurant. Mr GG on the other hand is in boots and all! He has sampled flying fox in Fiji, sea urchin in Japan and will happily down a deep fried Mars Bar at our favourite fish and chip shop on Bondi Beach.

Whilst I enjoy just about all foods I am a little bit more particular about the wheres and whys. I don’t like to eat in a shopping centre. In the past I have surmised that it will be a rushed fast food experience, and I would rather go to a dedicated restaurant or cafe where I expect the service and quality to be better.

Also I don’t like eating at breakfast… I don’t wake well, and my priority is to secure an amazing heart starting coffee. I prefer to eat and early lunch once my taste buds are alive and embracing the day.

As a general tendency I will also try to start my eating with healthy options and work my way into total food debauchery by the finish of the day.

Consequently I have never had Yum Cha… it has always seemed like a shocking amount of food at an obscene time of the day. So I have to thank my food loving sister for not only introducing me to this procession of food on trolleys , but also for taking me to her favourite Yum Cha restaurant which just to happens to be attached to the Aspley Shopping Centre. Oh and I almost tried chickens feet! …but we will get to that!

So at 10.00am we managed to secure a table for 10 people at the Aspley Oriental Restaurant in Brisbane. I was ravenous, we had just driven 5 hours and I was ready to devour everything in sight.

I made a token comment that I hoped there wouldn’t be too much deep fried food, but really I was good to go!

I have to warn you, I am salivating just writing this story and my tummy is rumbling…everything was so delicious that I really wish I was there right now. So if you are already hungry it might be time to grab a snack before you continue reading.

First up from the trolley were these delicious minced pork, coriander, chive and garlic dumplings, we were off to a flying start, moist and flavoursome with a hint of ginger.

Delicious Steamed Pork Bun — Steamed Pork Buns

Mr GG loves his Steamed Pork buns so as soon as we saw them we hijacked the trolley. They tasted just as they should, a light and fluffy, overly refined rice flour bun, filled with mouth-wateringly sweet Char Siu Pork filling, and just the right amount of sauce to flavour perfectly the steamed bun.

Steamed Dim Sim Pork — Steamed Pork Dim Sim

Steamed Pork Dim Sims were the next dish onto the table. They were doused by all in soy sauce and gone in the blink of an eye.

With my two teenage boys , three hungry tots, Mr GG , my little sis and her hubby we were demolishing the carts. The variety coming out of the kitchen was great. Next I tried the prawn dim sims, and some Har Gau, or steamed prawn dumplings, both were simply amazing.

Next Malaysian Style Chicken in Peanut Satay Sauce appeared. The chicken was moist and tender and the sauce rich and spicy. I spooned as much of the sauce over my steamed rice as I could before the lazy Susan was turned and the dish whisked away.

Satay Chicken Curry — Malaysian Style Satay Chicken

So much great food and so little belly space!

I have to share my favourite dish of the day. Cheong Fun, I still swoon at the thought of these super soft large noodles, swimming in a salty soy sauce and filled with fresh delicious fillings such as prawn, BBQ pork or a beef special. I would go again and again to this restaurant just for this dish.

Our first deep fried dish of the morning was the mixed spring rolls. We ordered a few plates of these as the children were quick to snap up the first round. As expected the pastry wrapper was crisp and crunchy and delicious as only deep fried goodness can be. They were served in a sweet plum sauce which was the perfect accompaniment.

Once I had sampled some deep fried fare there was no coming back. We ordered a tray of salt and pepper calamari and demolished the crisp pile a seafood like there was no tomorrow.

The children amused themselves learning the art of using chopsticks. Little Miss E (3yrs) decided that she only really needed one chopstick as it worked better as a spear. Once she taught her cousins the finer points of eating with chopstick the children were happily skewering anything and everything in their reach.

There were more steamed buns, more spring rolls, plenty more filled noodles and steamed dumplings, we were the insatiable table. Then out of the kitchen appeared these crispy fried prawn wontons. More crunchy deliciousness filled with tender sweet seafood.

Of course we had some steamed greens with a sweet soy sauce to balance the meal.

Oh, and even more of the delicious thick slurpy soft noodle (I am still in love with this food!!)

Here is a pic of our sweet and sticky sliced BBQ Pork in plum sauce. More meaty yummies.

I feel a little like a glutton reliving the meal plate by plate.. .but it was all so good I challenge anyone to try and consume less.

Then a plate of crispy skinned Chinese Style duck was divided and passed around the table. More sounds of ohh and ahhs as we devoured the dish.

Looking around the restaurant there were a large number of Asian extended families enjoying a meal together. So I guess I should have been expecting a few authentic dishes. I was a little unprepared for chicken feet. On the plate they looked kind of innocent, maybe even tasty. The aroma was good so I ordered a plate. I figured that it had to be good as everyone was eating them! Hmmm, maybe not!!! Apparently there is a technique. But like a true uneducated Aussie Girl I crunched down hard on a mouthful of toes. Gristly crunchy unyielding cartridge stopped me dead. How do I get this gross mess out of my mouth elegantly… 1,2,3 yep it is still in there, I needed a napkin STAT!

With the chicken feet pushed to the other side of the table I needed something nice to take away the nasty.

Just as if my mind was being read the dessert trolley appeared. We tried numerous delicious sweet treats until all the bellies at the table were groaning.

I have since spoken to other foodies like Winston from The Hungry Excavator who assure me that chicken feet are very nice . Apparently I should have just sucked at the skin instead of biting… maybe another day!!

Dessert Yum Cha — More desserts from the trolley

So what sort of foodie are you? Adventurous or reserved. Would you choose food from a menu if you could read the language? When we were in Japan we just point randomly at five dishes and nodded frantically. It was one of the best meals we have had.

…and we got to meet the new addition to our family, Little Miss Airlie.