Mr Wong’s: A Touch of Shanghai in Sydney

Wednesday June 11th, 2014

Tucked away in Sydney’s Bridge Street at Wynyard, Mr Wong is drawing crowds who know terrific Cantonese food when they taste it.
A little piece of Shanghai in downtown Sydney, Mr Wong is a world away from lazy-Susan Chinese restaurant kitsch, wrote leading food blog, Grab Your Fork.

The mood is sultry 1930’s Oriental; the food is classic mod. The Peking duck is predictably succulent, and the crispy pork hock is a dream, according to the blog.

Vegetarians won’t miss out. Meat dishes are fatty and rich in Cantonese cuisine, so leavening the meal with freshness is a good idea. Spare some room for the “toffee crunch” of the extra-thick batter on the deep-fried eggplant; or opt for sweet fried corn with spicy tofu in lettuce cups.

Even the cocktails are Chinese. The cocktail list covers 12 provinces, each featuring a herb, fruit or spice known to that province. For example, the Hainan province cocktail featured sake with Paraiso lychee liqueur, rhubarb bitters and a homemade ginger syrup.

The restaurant seats 240, but even so, expect to queue as it takes no bookings.  Weeknights before 6pm are a smart time to go. As one commenter noted, the Opera House is a walk away. That makes Mr Wong an especially good pre-theatre choice.