Mr Wong’s: A Touch of Shanghai in Sydney

June 11, 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.